Community College or University?
The debate as to whether to go to college or university is a large one both for neurotypical and ASD students alike. No one choice is right for everyone, so I won't make a recommendation - I'll simply give you the grounds on which to make it yourself. In addition, we'll look at certain characteristics that may not be as important to NTs, such as services on campus, staying close to home, and minimizing change.
Cost
Community college definitely wins this round...for the first two years. Universities, however, have the potential to make up for this in spades when you factor in all four years needed to get a Bachelor's degree. Why? Four year scholarships. There are a great many scholarships from universities that you get specifically your first year of college and which last for all four (given that you maintain a decent GPA). If you can get a full ride, or at least a good deal, then it makes financial sense to pick a university for all four years.
So the ultimate winner of this round depends on whether you can get scholarships. If you can get four year scholarships (and don't sell yourself short here!), universities win. If not, community college wins out. But in order to know for sure, you have to apply for both.
So the ultimate winner of this round depends on whether you can get scholarships. If you can get four year scholarships (and don't sell yourself short here!), universities win. If not, community college wins out. But in order to know for sure, you have to apply for both.
Size
As you're probably familiar with, community colleges are smaller, while universities tend to run much larger. Again, that can have benefits for both sides. On the one hand, community colleges (and private schools) have the benefit of being smaller, which means you get to know your teachers and those in charge a lot better. On the other hand, when it comes to having experience with people with autism, unless the community college (again, or private university) specializes in autism, big universities win out. And experience with autism is beneficial, should you accidentally offend a professor, have sensory problems/panic attacks, etc.
Again, this is a tie between small class sizes and experience with autism. What determines which wins this round is your personal preferences.
Again, this is a tie between small class sizes and experience with autism. What determines which wins this round is your personal preferences.
Resources
Hands down, unless the community college specializes in autism, the winner for resources is certainly a four-year university. Bigger universities have things like health clinics (or even hospitals), fully staffed counseling centers, students with disabilities service offices, and more. Community colleges just don't have the size to support (or justify) many of the resources universities can offer. Whether you think you need such resources or not, however, is a different matter. Check out your university's services on campus for more information.
Change
With a community college, you get two smaller changes over the course of four years, hopefully giving you time to transition to college life - high school to college, followed by college to university. With a university, you get one bigger change at the beginning, but it lasts you for four years. Again, this is another category that's a toss-up - it's up to you to decide which is right for you.
Distance from Home
Community colleges do tend to be, unsurprisingly, closer to your own community. However, if you live in a larger area a university may be just as close. In the case of my city, in which the community college is only five minutes away, there's a university that's just twenty minutes away, another thirty minutes away, and yet another forty five minutes away (the one I go to). None of them are too far to commute if you have your own car and can drive. So this really depends on the area you live in. That said, even if you don't live at home, having your home close enough to drive to for visits is a plus. That way, if things ever get too overwhelming at school, or even if you just want to visit, it's an easy drive.
Further Resources
Again, I couldn't find other websites with articles on this subject, so I'll once more simply be giving you some links to discussion threads on Wrong Planet discussing the subject as it applies to people with AS.
Go away to college or stay close to home?
Advice about Going to College?
Which is better Community College or University?
Finding Community College Depressing
And on a slightly different subject...
Private Technical Schools vs Community Colleges
Go away to college or stay close to home?
Advice about Going to College?
Which is better Community College or University?
Finding Community College Depressing
And on a slightly different subject...
Private Technical Schools vs Community Colleges
Give Your Input!
How much weight do you give to each of these considerations in your own decision? Are you using additional criteria to help you? Contact me and share your experiences with other readers!
How much weight do you give to each of these considerations in your own decision? Are you using additional criteria to help you? Contact me and share your experiences with other readers!