“HCC: Debunking the Myths”
Dr. Ervin V. Griffin, Sr.
President, Halifax Community College

As I met with members of Halifax Community College's Student Government Association recently, I discovered that there are a number of myths about community college education. In our discussion, some said that community colleges are for those who can't get in anywhere else or that the quality of education is not as high.

In this column, my goal is to shed some light on these myths and to assure the public that a community college education is valuable, of the highest quality, and necessary to a variety of people. It's important to recognize that, according to the U.S. Department of Education, 40 percent of all traditional-age college students start out at community college.

In the article, “Five Myths about Community Colleges,” author Jennifer LeClaire highlights the most prevalent myths out there about community colleges. First, there's the myth that students only attend community college because they can't get into a four-year university. Let me note here—statistics strongly deny this misconception. Although it may be true that community college students have, on average, lower test scores, many students attend a community college for convenience, family, job or financial reasons. Even more students are expected to attend community colleges in the future for purely economic considerations, not because they couldn't gain admission to a college or university.

Here's Myth #2: A degree from a community college is not as good as a university degree. Actually, a degree from a community college can take you straight into the workforce or to a four-year university. About 62 percent of allied health professionals and more than 80 percent of law enforcement officers and firefighters are educated at community colleges, according to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

Next, here's Myth #3: Community colleges are inexpensive, so the education is not high quality. Yes, community colleges are less expensive than four-year universities, but that is not an indicator of lack of quality. Many honors program classes at community colleges are smaller and the curriculum is more in-depth. Students often find a more open interaction with teachers as well.

The next myth—community college credits do not transfer to four-year universities. With the quality of a community college education continuing to increase, more articulation agreements are being created between institutions. With this type of agreement, four-year colleges are agreeing to award credit for comparable courses taken at community colleges. It is helpful if a student knows where he or she would like to transfer to as part of the process. Knowing an institution's requirements, carefully choosing classes and making the grade are all critical in having a smooth transfer process. HCC has several articulation agreements in place that allow the College to offer the best educational experiences to its students through partnerships with institutions in the community college and state university systems.

Myth #5: Community colleges have low academic standards. Even though community colleges have an “open admission” policy, not all classes are open to just anyone. Placement tests are required in order to qualify for college level work. Other technical and special programs often have high entry standards and students have to compete for a slot to enroll.

Now that we've explored the top five myths about community colleges, I wanted to add two more of my own. It is a myth that community colleges cannot document the quality of their programs and services. HCC, like all North Carolina Community Colleges, has 12 performance indicators to denote quality of programs. This year, HCC was recognized as one of only seven community colleges in the state to meet all 12 Performance Measures set by the North Carolina Community College System. The standards review measures including the employment status of graduates, performance of college transfer students, retention and graduation rates of curriculum students, satisfaction of employers, and the progress of basic skills students.

As for the last myth that community colleges are primarily for students who want to transfer to a university, AACC statistics show that 46 percent of all U.S. undergraduates are educated in the community college system. Also important to consider is the 57 percent of adult learners, age 40 to 65, who attend community college for personal and professional reasons. Every year, community colleges enroll close to 12 million students through a network of more than 1,200 colleges, ensuring affordable access to college and helping to keep the country's workforce competitive.

From the President's Perspective, HCC and other community colleges are part of the largest and fastest growing sector of higher education. Our institution is an invaluable resource for individuals and communities alike. I hope I have been able to shed some light on myths that surround our community colleges. HCC has an open door policy, serves a diverse population of students, and offers 34 unique curriculum programs. To find out more about our programs, contact HCC at (252) 536-HCC1 or visit us on the web at www.halifaxcc.edu. Please feel free to send comments or ideas about HCC to me via email at president@halifaxcc.edu.