Two Year College Requirements

Applying to college in your senior year is an important step, but all of your high school years are important in preparing for life after high school. Students who are planning to attend a two year college and then transfer to a four year college can prepare throughout high school. This article will discuss two year college requirements and the process to enroll.

What is a Two Year College?

A two year college, also known as a community college, provides the opportunity for students to take their general requirements and earn a two year or Associate’s Degree to transfer to a four year college and declare their major and graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree. In Washington State, some two year colleges offer a limited number of four year degrees.

Two year or community colleges also provide certificate and trade programs. These programs provide specific classes leading to a specific credential for a specific job, such as massage therapy, respiratory therapy or wine making.

Two year colleges offer open admission, which means if you have completed high school or a GED then you will be admitted.

Who is a Two Year College for?

Two year college is a good option for students who want to live at home a bit longer or who want to build up a higher GPA before applying to four year college.

It’s a good option for lots of students for lots of reasons. Similar to a four year college, two year college is also excellent for students who don’t know what they want to do yet. Similar to a four year college, you’ll be taking many different classes in different subjects for two years, which will help you decide what you want to major in.

It is also a good option for students who want to study for a certificate or program that is offered at that two year college, such as culinary arts (cooking) or web design.

Two year colleges are also less expensive than four year colleges, though with financial aid the actual cost of a two and four year college might not be different. Don’t make the decision based on cost alone until you’ve seen all your financial aid offers.

How much time does it take to Graduate from a Two Year College?

It seems obvious that it’s two years…right?? Not necessarily. Some certificate programs take less than two years.

Some students take longer than two years to finish, especially if they choose to take classes part time.

What are the Requirements to go to a Two Year College?

The first thing is to graduate from high school (or get a GED). Additional classes beyond graduation requirements are not required for two year colleges, although it’s still a good idea to take a full day of academic classes even if your high school doesn’t require it. This will help you not have to relearn anything you forgot between high school and college (especially in math).

Beyond the basic requirements, generally two year colleges require a placement test for math and english. You can sometimes avoid this by providing your official high school transcript or SAT or ACT scores.

By Jennie Flaming