60% more likely that Trade School is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you may be better off going to a Trade School:
60% more likely that Trade School is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you may be better off going to a Trade School:
70% more likely that Trade School is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you may be better off going to a Trade School:
70% more likely that Trade School is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you may be better off going to a Trade School:
80% more likely that Trade School is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you may be better off going to a Trade School:
80% more likely that Trade School is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you may be better off going to a Trade School:
90% more likely that Trade School is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you may be better off going to a Trade School:
60% more likely that Community College is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you will be better off going to a Community College:
60% more likely that Community College is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you will be better off going to a Community College:
70% more likely that Community College is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you will be better off going to a Community College:
70% more likely that Community College is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you will be better off going to a Community College:
80% more likely that Community College is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you will be better off going to a Community College:
80% more likely that Community College is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you will be better off going to a Community College:
90% more likely that Community College is a better fit for you.
Advancing your education is almost always a good way to improve your career prospects. Trade schools and community colleges both provide opportunities to give you career advantages, but the two types of educational programs are different.
Here is a list of reasons why you will be better off going to a Community College:
You want a career where you can actively use your mind
Community colleges provide students with a rounded education and require students to take courses that are also outside of their career focus. This includes basic courses like writing and mathematics, which will help you in many other areas of the working world as you progress onward into your career. It also means that if you are interested in are particular subject and your community college offers a class on it, then you can take it.
Where trade schools will train a student for one specific job, community colleges will give you a broader education and help you make your mind a very valuable asset. Considering that the average worker changes careers five to seven times during their work life, it very important to have a broarder education, so you can make those transitions easily.
You don’t need your Community College to help you with an internship and job training for your career
Both trade schools and community colleges offer real-world programs and hands-on resources so that students can earn the degree, diploma or certificate they need to succeed in the workforce. Trade schools regularly partner with nearby companies, trade unions and other professional organizations to enhance the educational experience for students with on-the-job skilled worker training. This training comes with a significant cost. Some community colleges offer similar support, but if they don’t, you can proactively reach out to local companies and professional organizations to inquire about internship programs yourself. This is a much cheaper way in comparison to paying the high costs of having trade schools do it for you.
You don’t need your Community College to help you get a professional certificate or technical diploma for your career
Many trade schools use the selling point that they will help their students get a professional certificate or technical diploma for their career. Usually, community colleges award associate’s degrees when students complete their two-year program and some community colleges grant diplomas, certificates or other similar documents to students who have completed all the courses required for a specific field. You may also need to take a licensing exam or do an apprenticeship to get started. You can definitely do that on your own without the help of a trade school.
You are committed to earning your degree without spending too much
Maybe you have to support your family financially or maybe you just want to avoid going into debt. Well, getting an associate’s degree or certificate from a community college is significantly cheaper than getting a degree or certificate from a trade school. The average cost of a 2-year community college associate’s degree is about $7,000. A two-year trade school program is usually at least $33,000 and can be over $70,000.
Additionally, many students are choosing to attend a community college instead of going straight to a 4-year college. This is an easy way to complete the general education requirements at a lower cost during those first two years, then the student can transfer to a 4-year school to complete the final two years.
You don’t have a job waiting for you once you get your degree or certification
Some people go to a trade school because they have a job waiting for them once they get their professional certificate or technical diploma. This enables them to justify paying the higher expense to complete their education quickly, since they have an income waiting. If you don’t have a job lined up, then it makes sense to keep your expenses down by getting your certificate or associates degree through a community college.
You want to keep your options open to attend a 4-year college in the future
Since community college costs are often lower than other college options, many students begin their college careers this way. Almost half of undergrads in the U.S. go to community colleges. Then two out of five community college graduates will go on to get a 4-year college degree. Even if you are only planning to go to two-years of college, if you earn your associate’s degree from a community college, then you will have the option to continue your education down the road at a 4-year college. This is not the case if you go to a trade school for one or two years. Most 4-year colleges will not accept those trade school years as credit toward their 4-year college. One of the best benefits of community colleges is that many have “articulation agreements” with four-year colleges in the same state under which the community college coursework transfers into the four-year degree program to make the transition even easier.
You currently financial support your family
Almost 2.1 million student parents attend 2-year community colleges which represents 30 percent of all community college students. Women represent 71 percent of all student parents and more than half of those are single mothers. Single student fathers make up 11 percent of the student parent population. Fortunately, community colleges understand that they have such a large number of working student parents, so they provide classes during nights and weekends to help accommodate students. This means that it is possible to keep your day job and manage your family life while attending school.
You would prefer to go to a nonprofit school because you understand that you don’t need to spend a lot of money on education to improve your career path
It is important to invest in your education after high school and the cheapest way to do it is to get an associate’s degree from a community college. These two years of community college will significantly improve your job opportunities. Here is some data to prove that point. Between 1991 and 2015, the number of quality jobs that required a high school diploma decreased by about 1 million, but during the same period of time, the number of quality jobs for people with community college associate’s degrees increased by more than 3 million.
You would like to experience some of the other great aspects of Community College like joining a club or playing a sport
As we know, getting a degree is important and good grades will impress employers, but there are additional ways at community colleges to show employers that you are a well-rounded job candidate. There are many opportunities at community colleges to join clubs or play sports. Clubs are a great way to demonstrate passion for a cause, participate in planning events, acquire leadership skills and have a great time socially and cooperatively with other students. If you like to play sports, you can also take that opportunity at community college. A number of community colleges have club teams in many sports. If you are a talented athlete, you may be able to play for your community college team, and this might be a way to get some of your schooling paid for with a scholarship. At the very least, playing a sport at your community college will demonstrate to future employers that you are a team player and like to compete.
You would like the option to change your career path in the future
If you go to a trade school, you are basically committing to that career path for the foreseeable future. If you are a student that still wants to explore your career options, then you are better off enrolling in a community college. For example, if you are a student who may want to work in a medical or healthcare career, but are still not sure about what exact job would be the right fit, then you would be better off enrolling in a community college to get exposed to different career options and then later, focus on a specific job.
You have credits that you can apply to your Community College that will help you earn your degree quicker and at a lower cost
If you have taken any AP classes during high school or if you took any community college courses somewhere else, then you can transfer those credits to your local community college to lower the cost and decrease the time it will take you to get your degree. This is an advantage that community colleges have over most trade schools since 4-year universities usually won’t accept trade school course credits.
You need the flexibility to keep working while you continue your education
For students that need to keep working while attending school, community college is their best option. Community colleges offer more evening classes and weekend classes than trade schools or even 4-year colleges.
You want the ability to take some classes that interest you even if they aren’t directly related to your career path
Since classes cost much less at a community college than at any other post high school options, there is no better or less expensive way to take that unique course that interests you. Community colleges have a very wide variety of courses every semester that gives you the ability to explore an interest that you otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to pursue.
You have GI Bill benefits that will cover more of the costs of a Community College education than a Trade School education
If you are eligible for GI Bill benefits, then all of your community college costs will be covered for the period of time you are eligible. On the other hand, your GI Bill benefits may not cover the full expense of a trade school. Be sure to follow your GI Bill Benefit terms to ensure that you are maximizing your educational expenses covered by your GI Bill while you are taking your community college courses.
You want to avoid taking a sizeable student loan
Over 70 percent of students at trade schools take out federal loans, compared to just 17 percent at community colleges and 48 percent at public 4-year institutions. Trade school students have an average three-year default rate of 22.7 percent on those loans where students that have loans for community college only default on those loans 11 percent of time. Defaulting on student loans will have a lasting, negative impact on your credit that can prevent you from buying a house or a car in the future. You are very smart to avoid taking out a sizeable student loan, and make sure you make on-time payments on any loan that you do take.
You are not sure how you feel about taking a loan for school
Over 70 percent of students at trade schools take out federal loans, compared to just 17 percent at community colleges and 48 percent at public 4-year institutions. Trade school students have an average three-year default rate of 22.7 percent on those loans where students that have loans for community college only default on those loans 11 percent of time. Defaulting on student loans will have a lasting, negative impact on your credit that can prevent you from buying a house or a car in the future. You are very smart to avoid taking out a sizeable student loan, and make sure you make on-time payments on any loan that you do take.
You want a career where you can actively work with your hands
Trade schools provide a hands-on methodology that emphasizes career-specific learning and training. Trade school students spend far less time in classroom lectures than community college students. Additionally, the vast majority of time for trade school students is spent on actively doing their desired trade. The focus of a trade school is to give students as much direct hands-on experiences related to their desired career as possible.
You want your school to help you with an internship and job training for your career
Where community colleges somewhat expect students to seek out opportunities for themselves, trade schools are known for handholding their students. It is common for trade schools to partner with companies, professional organizations and even trade unions to provide training and actual job experiences for their students. Also, many trade schools help their students get apprenticeship opportunities after completing their school-work to help their students make a smooth transition into the workforce.
You want your school to help you get a technical diploma or professional certificate
One of the most attractive reasons to go to a trade school is that they will provide you with a professional certificate or technical diploma that will give you the needed credibility for your career. Also, many trade schools help students prepare for the licensing exam if that is required for their profession.
You want to get your technical diploma or professional certificate quickly even if it will cost more
The amount of time it takes to complete a trade school program can vary depending on the program, but almost always, they are shorter than getting a community college associate’s degree. Since the programs offered at trade schools are more specialized for a particular career, they generally are more expensive. If you need to complete your schooling quickly and you don’t mind paying more to do it, then a trade school can be the right fit for you.
You have a job waiting for you once you get your degree or certification
If you have a job waiting for you when you attain your professional certificate or technical diploma, then a trade school can be the right solution for you to get it quickly. In some cases, an employer will help fund the trade school costs because they need you to get that certification or pass a licensing exam. If that is the case, then you may be making a good financial decision to pay more to get it done quickly through a trade school because it will open up the opportunity for a good income once you complete you schooling.
You know what career you want, and you don’t have any interest in going to a 4-year college in the future
If you are focused on a specific career choice and you don’t have any interest in going on to a 4-year college later, then a trade school can be a good option for you. A trade school will use focused coursework to help you learn all the details and application of the particular job you want to pursue. The trade school won’t have you take any of the general classes outside your chosen field that would be required if you attended a community college. While trade schools are a good way to master the skills you need to get into the workforce quickly, the trade school education won’t give you much flexibility to change careers in the future. It is important you are confident that you will enjoy your chosen career for a long time.
You are financially independent
If you are in a financial situation where you don’t have dependents and you have some funds to invest in your education, then a trade school education can help you make a quick transition to a different career. The benefit of getting trained in a new career quickly comes with the financial cost, but if you don’t have any other significant expenses to worry about, it might be worth it for you.
You would prefer to go to a for-profit school because you want to be treated like a customer
Nonprofit schools like community colleges or in state public universities are less expensive ways to continue your education than going to a trade school, but there is a unique benefit of going to a for-profit trade school. When you go to a for-profit school, you are the customer and they will likely make more of an effort to ensure that you are happy with you experience because they want students like you to refer future students to their trade school.
You have no interest in experiencing the other community aspects of college like joining a club or playing a sport
Community colleges provide opportunities for their student to join clubs or play on sports teams, but these types of social activities aren’t for everyone. If you are one of those people that wants to completely focus on your career without any social activities that could be a distraction, then a trade school will give you that type of experience.
You are confident that you won’t want to change your career path in the future
When you choose a career path at a trade school, you are basically dedicated to that career path for the projected future. A trade school education doesn’t give you the opportunity to explore your career options like you could at a community college. So, if you are confident in your career choice, then a trade school will help you focus on that career choice and get you into the specific details of that particular job. If you aren’t worried about having very little room to change your mind about your career choice, then a trade school will likely be your fastest way to make progress on your desired career.
You can afford to go to a trade school or you are confident that you will be able to pay back your student loan
The average annual trade school cost is over $16,000 per year, which is more than 3 times as much as the annual cost of going to a community college. Over 70 percent of trade school students take out student loans, compared to 48 percent of the students at public 4-year institutions, and just 17 percent of students at community colleges. Since trade school students have an average three-year default rate of 22.7 percent on those loans, it is important that if you do take a loan, then you complete your trade school education and pay back those loans responsibly.
- Get the full details on the best reasons to go to a Trade School...
- Get the full details on the best reasons to go to a Community College...
