Tuesday, December 2, 2014

How the Community in College Can Benefit You

A student looking to complete their post-secondary education may look at Community Colleges with a critical eye, viewing them as the lesser educational path. One potential complaint is both the smaller class size and smaller campus size removing some legitimacy. Well, nothing's farther from the truth. Instead, that smaller size creates the "community" in the name of the college. And when a community surrounds you, you reap numerous educational and life benefits.

Support
At a community college, it's easy to get to know everyone in your class, and for them to get to know you. It's strange how isolating being in a lecture hall of 200 can be, but 30 is a more manageable amount. Instead of a crowd of classmates, you'll have friends, colleagues and peers. you'll know everyone and they'll know you. This translates into academic and personal support. When school gets tough, you'll have a study group, a team to share resources, and a dedicated crew for working on group assignments. And going to school is always easier when you're with friends.

The Personal Touch
That community doesn't just refer to the students around you. In a class of 30 the instructor is able to know who you are, too. Knowing the instructor means you'll receive personalized help and education. On top of that, they'll be easier to talk to for help and advice, be it through email or in person. At colleges like Centennial, those instructors are industry professionals, with time spent in the career you're interested in. Getting to know them can be beneficial to your own career in the long run. Speaking of connections…

Networking
Colleges in Toronto like Centennial do everything they can to connect students to their career, and one such method is connecting them with professionals in their field. Another way is those previously mentioned industry professional instructors, and yet another is field placement and co-op opportunities that put students in front of the actual career. This is all in the name of helping students develop a network of contacts in the industry, the first step to finding career opportunities.

However, students can take those first steps themselves, by connecting to the community around them in the form of their classmates. Each one of them is looking to break into the same career path, and if you all stay in touch with each other as you finish school, then you have the first steps in a broader professional network, perfect for sharing resources, job tips, and general support. That's how the community keeps paying off even after school is completed.

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