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Junior colleges, also mostly known and referred today as a community college, were first thought about because educators began to realize that students needed more educational opportunities after high school. The idea of these smaller colleges came about because educators saw that a lot of students were not able to go away to a four-year college after high school and they also saw that extending high schools for two more years could never happen. .
The most striking negative aspect is the notion that junior college is inferior to four-year universities. Unfortunately, this opinion is held by many in our society ranging from journalists to students who attend junior colleges. By many, junior colleges are viewed as "high school with ashtrays" or ". places you went if you couldn't get in anywhere else, couldn't afford anywhere else or didn't know better". Yet for some, a junior college is a last resort for students who were unable to attend a university, but this does not represent every student at a junior college. This assumption causes apprehension and embarrassment to the students who attend junior colleges for reasons other than the "last resort". Junior colleges allow anyone to attend which gives everyone a chance to further their education. Since anyone can attend, another assumption arises. It is thought that junior college students are lazy or lack the knowledge to attend a four-year university. Yet junior colleges have become a primary bridge leading students into four-year universities. Thus, junior colleges are adequately preparing students to compete at a university level. The increase in tuition and competition are causing many students to choose junior colleges over universities. Junior college offers many students a cheap alternative to equivalent expensive university classes. They are not wasting their money on required classes that have little impact on their major. These students who are attending junior college to complete the general education requirements are making wise monetary decisions.