Community college costs luring more students

By Selicia Kennedy-Ross, Staff Writer
Money was a big factor in Michael Collins' decision not to attend California Baptist University in Riverside, despite a partial scholarship that would have covered half of the $10,000 tuition.
The Redlands High School graduate has opted to enroll at Riverside Community College instead and transfer to a four-year college later, possibly Arizona State University.
"I only had a half scholarship and I didn't feel like spending $10,000 to go to that school for a year,' said Collins, 18. "The baseball team at RCC is just as good if not better and it'll be less than half the price.
Two-year colleges are becoming the preferred path for many high school graduates who hoped to attend a four-year institution but are finding themselves unable to do so either financially or academically. As the California High School Exit Exam looms, community colleges are becoming the gateway to a four-year degree.
Valentina Doucette, who graduated from Beaumont High School on Friday, planned to attend UC Riverside.
Now the 17-year-old wonders whether her grades are good enough and has decided on a community college instead College of the Desert in Palm Desert.
Later, she'll transfer to Cal State Fullerton, her second choice.
"Universities are becoming more and more difficult to become accepted to,' said Valentina, who plans to become a teacher or study law. "Why waste my time going to a UC when I can go to a two-year and get the same exact classes, the same quality of education, the same quality of teachers for a cheaper price?'
Community colleges are more appealing because they are less expensive, allow more scheduling flexibility and even offer online degree programs, said Paul Rubalcaba, spokesman for San Bernardino Valley College.

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