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Anyone who has the luxury of deciding whether to go to a community college or regular university first should go to the university. Many people do not have a choice simply because they are concerned about getting an education for the sole purpose of getting a job that pays better.

For those who have the privilege and opportunity of getting a broader education that does not focus just on one field of endeavor, a university still offers greater opportunities than a college. From both a historical and funding point of view, universities tend to be more established and therefore have a greater depth and range of resources. These resources are both organizational and human.

Universities by their very nature attract a broader range of educators than community colleges. Community college teachers hone in on rather specific areas of expertise where university professors seem to be a part of a community of freer thinkers. This is by no means an attempt to be elitist, but anyone who has wandered the campuses of both universities and community colleges will know what I mean. Community colleges tend to feel more collegiate because they are more concerned about getting the job of teaching over and done with. Universities on the other hand encompass a host of activities and opportunities to explore various avenues of interest apart from one's major area of study.

Perhaps the greatest reason for attending a university first is that the chances of going to a university after finishing college are much less than the opposite. This is because the focus of a community college will have been to train people to do a job. The best time to start that would be while knowledge is still fresh in one's mind. The same holds true for university grads, but their education, unless they studied medicine or engineering, would be more general. Getting a job might not be as pressing as getting some more training that is specific in nature.

Again, this information applies only to those who are in the fortunate position of being able to go to both university and college. For those who just finished university and are contemplating community college because they feel they haven't acquired any job skills, don't worry. The university experience was still a good one that will be with you for the rest of your life.

Learn more about this author, Bohdan Rewko (Bo of T.O.).
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