Community Colleges Part 1 — Speech & Debate

As BetterGrads will continue to produce college admissions and acceptance-related posts for those anxiously awaiting bulky packages from first-choice four-year schools, we will not fail to serve those prospective college students looking to further their education at a community college. This will be a series of posts, and I encourage readers to submit their comments and feedback regarding two-year schools. Let’s cut to the chase. Community college has a bad rap. While I could have a field day listing numerous stigmas and stereotypes about community colleges, I’d rather divulge the impressive accomplishments I’ve witnessed from my peers at two-year schools. While I bypassed community college (adding onto my ever-growing student loan…) I look back on the debt and general education classes and wonder if I wouldn’t have been the same–or better–getting those first two years out of the way at one of these underdog institutions. Perhaps next week’s post will [...]

Blogging toward a career

The New York Times ran an interesting article recently about transitioning college students into careers: “Even before they arrive on campus, students—and their parents—are increasingly focused on what comes after college. What’s the return on investment, especially as the cost of that investment keeps rising? How will that major translate into a job?” One important area where universities can train students for careers is writing. With the advent of blogs and other self-publication outlets, it has become increasingly important for students to know how to both write well and transition their writing into the public domain. When I arrived at San Francisco State University, I knew that I needed to acquire writing as a skill for both graduate school and a potential career in academia.