With her 3.92 grade point average in high school, Laura Zeender of Fulton had several options for higher education, but she knew where she wanted to go: Howard Community College.
Zeender wanted to follow her sister and join the school's Rouse Scholars program for academic achievers. "The class sizes are so much smaller, the teacher-student ratio is really wonderful and the teachers here really care," she said.
And the clincher: "It is way below four-year school costs."
Zeender is part of a growing group of young Marylanders putting off a university education and opting to attend a community college first.
Some want to live at home. Some are not sure what they want to study. Some did not get great grades in high school.
And an increasing number are well-qualified students sold on taking high-quality classes for a fraction of the cost and transferring the credits to a four-year school. They are attracted to offerings at two-year schools such as honors programs, scholarships, leadership training and opportunities for study abroad.
"I think that the younger generation is starting to understand that a community college education is not second-rate anymore," said Zeender, who is in her second year of studying political science and plans someday to join the CIA.
According to statistics from the Maryland Association of Community Colleges, the number of students ages 15 to 19 at the schools grew almost 50 percent over the past five years. Students in that age range made up about five members of a typical community college class of 20 in the fall of 1997 and six out of 20 in fall of last year.
Overall enrollment at community colleges is booming, too. Enrollment rose from 104,459 in fall of 1998 to 114,702 in fall of last year, according to the Maryland Higher Education Commission.
Anthony G. Kinkel, executive director of the community college association, said he expects that the equivalent of 10 more community colleges will be needed to meet demand by 2011. Among the trends driving that growth are larger high school graduating classes and more students planning to pursue higher education.
Difficult economic times, rising tuition at four-year schools and higher admission standards at the University of Maryland have also contributed.
"I wanted to get my feet wet before I went to a four-year school that cost $30,000," said Heather Brandon of Columbia, who started as a freshman at Howard Community College a couple of weeks ago.
She said she earned decent grades in high school but did not feel ready to go away from home for higher education. She plans to transfer to a four-year school and become an art and photography teacher.
Different needs
Community colleges are still an important resource for people seeking to learn new career skills, returning to school later in life or taking classes for personal enrichment. But they are also embracing improved reputations, as the stereotype of a place for low achievers and vocational studies fades away.
That often means more typically collegiate campuses and programs.
"Traditional-age students have more intensive needs for services, counseling, support and student activities," said Steve Simon, a spokesman for Montgomery College. "It energizes the campuses.
"It is also the type of enrollment that places an even greater strain on our resources," he said.
Montgomery College is undergoing a major construction project on its Takoma Park campus, including new classroom and arts buildings and a new student services building. Simon said one goal is to provide more study space, lounge areas and student activity facilities aimed at younger students, who are more likely to spend time on campus. The school is also renovating an outdoor amphitheater on its Rockville campus to offer more space for students to congregate.
Anne Arundel Community College has built a new student services building and moved the bookstore to make it more convenient for students. Last year, Howard Community College renovated its fitness facilities. Its new Instructional Lab Building has a lounge and a cart selling Starbucks coffee, and a newly renovated grassy quad has a fountain and benches.
Brandon said HCC used to look like a high school with extra buildings, but now "it feels more campus-y."
Two-year schools' academic programs are looking more like their upper-division counterparts as well. Many offer honors classes. Some, such as the community colleges in Montgomery, Howard and Baltimore counties, will send students to study in more than 30 countries. Some have scholarship and leadership programs to attract students who did well in high school.
Zeender was excited to be accepted to the Rouse Scholars program, which offers trips to New York and the beach and tickets to plays, among other activities.
