We have a great community college system that provides good skill and college programs that are inexpensive and the govt will pay for depending on your circumstances. Many programs are at night so people can work and get trained, too...
It will? News to me... When President Obama proposed making a two year community college degree free for those who qualified, the Right set it's hair on fire. BUT You are correct about junior colleges offering classes for less money.. they also have some very good certificates in certain trades.
However... even community colleges are not CHEAP... and if you are trying to support a family and have a low wage job... OR TWO... it can be quite impossible
http://education.costhelper.com/community-college.html
Full-time community college tuition and fees (typically for two 15-unit semesters) can cost
$1,000-$12,000 or more a year for state residents, and
$4,000-$30,000 or more for out-of-state students, depending on the school, the location and the program of study.
For example, tuition and fees at community colleges in Texas[SUP]
[2][/SUP] for 2013-2014 are
$1,630-$6,153 for state residents and
$4,150-$16,683 for out-of-state students, with an average cost of
$2,394 for Texas residents and
$6,322 for nonresidents. At Century College[SUP]
[3][/SUP] in White Bear Lake, MN, tuition and fees for two 15-unit semesters total
$5,356 for general classes,
$5,540 for dental hygiene courses and
$5,846 for the nursing program.
Tuition is just one of many college expenses. In order to award financial aid and scholarships, each school predicts its "cost of attendance[SUP]
[4][/SUP] " for a typical student to attend for a full academic year, based on estimates for tuition and fees; books and supplies, room and board, transportation and personal expenses. The COA at community colleges varies from
$7,500-$25,000 or more for state residents and
$12,000-$35,000 or more for out-of-state students, depending on whether student live with their parents/relatives or on their own, and the local cost of living.
For example, Santa Barbara City College[SUP]
[5][/SUP] in California estimates 2013-2014 costs of
$1,378 tuition and fees;
$1,710 books and supplies;
$4,518 room and board for living with relatives and
$11,268 for living away from home;
$2,844-$3,096 for personal expenses; and
$1,180-$1,324 for transportation, for a total COA of
$11,822 for students living at home and
$18,524 for away from home; for out-of-state students, the COA is
$17,758 if living with relatives and
$24,460 for out-of-state students living on their own. In Texas[SUP]
[6][/SUP] the average COA for 2013-2014 is
$14,921-$16,275 for Texas residents and
$18,841 for out-of-state students.
Two-thirds of community college students nationwide attend part-time, according to the American Association of Community Colleges[SUP]
[7][/SUP] . Tuition for state residents typically costs
$45-$250 or more per credit unit/hour, or
$135-$750 for a standard three-unit class. For out-of-district or out-of-state students, tuition can cost
$100-$550 or more per credit unit, or
$300-$1,650 to take one three-unit class. Additional mandatory per-student fees plus other costs like lab fees or a parking permit can add
$25-$200 or more to the total cost for part-time students, depending on the school.
Many community colleges provide an online net price calculator, which allows students and their parents to enter basic information and get a rough estimate of the total amount they might have to pay after receiving typical grant and scholarship aid, based on their individual circumstances. For example, Community College of Philadelphia offers a net price calculator[SUP]
[8][/SUP] .
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