A community college is a two-year school that provides affordable post-secondary education as a pathway to a four-year degree. Programs focus on a variety of subjects, including science, technology, engineering, math, liberal arts, general studies and vocational studies. These types of schools continue to grow and have caught the attention of President Barack Obama and the U.S. Department of Education.

If your educational goal is to earn a bachelor’s degree in the United States, you can still consider community college to prepare you. In fact, many community colleges have specific programs to help students make the transition to a four-year college or university. For example, the Philadelphia Business Journal reports that Drexel University is collaborating with Delaware Community College to allow students to earn credits toward a bachelor’s degree on their campus. The article also reports that a student from Camden Community College has guaranteed admission into Rutgers University-Camden if the student meets the following criteria:

• Completed an associate degree in arts or science
• Earned at least a 3.0 GPA in the first 60 credits

Talk to your designated school official (DSO) to find out if similar programs apply to schools you are interested in attending. If you plan to transfer from a community college to a four-year university, read our Transferring to Another School resource page for more information on requirements to maintain your status. Remember, F and M nonimmigrant students may only attend schools certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

Source:

• Drexel, Rutgers in deals to ease path for community college students; Philadelphia Business Journal