Totorus

Photo credit by hip-hop anonymous

Higher education has long been considered important, but today's economy can make it difficult to justify enrolling at a four-year institution. Fortunately, many people find that community colleges are a realistic option offering a faster and more affordable education. If you're interested in attending a community college in Michigan, you're in luck; Michigan is home to 28 community colleges. Read on to learn about some of the best community colleges in the state.

Alpena Community College is located on a 700-acre campus in Alpena. In addition, the college has a campus in Oscoda and holds some classes in Rogers City, Tawas City, and Whittemore. If you're looking for something different, consider applying to the two-year Concrete Technology program; it's the only one of its kind in the United States and has received a great deal of national recognition. In fact, most students graduating from this program receive four to six job offers from all over the country. The college's many other programs include accounting, business management, corrections, network administration, and nursing.

Kirtland Community College, located on 180 rural acres near Roscommon, offers more than 50 degrees and certificates. In addition, transfer programs in arts, business, computers, criminal justice, fine arts, science, and teaching allow students to apply their work toward a bachelor's degree at a university. Kirtland has been recognized repeatedly as a Top Ten Digital Community College by the Center for Digital Education; in 2009, it ranked 4th place in the category of small community colleges. Kirtland is one of the most affordable options in Michigan.

Washtenaw Community College is located on 285 acres in Ann Arbor. Its many certificates and degree programs include 3D animation, accounting, broadcast arts, child development, computer forensics, construction management, culinary arts, graphic design, journalism, and technical writing, to name just a few. Several courses are available in online, blended, or weekend classes. In order to take advantage of the online or blended classes, you will need a PC with Pentium 4 or higher (or the Mac equivalent) and a high-speed connection. Other requirements include one of the newer browsers such as IE 7.x or later, Firefox 3.x or later, or Safari 3.x or later, as well as current versions of Java, Adobe Flash Player, and Adobe Acrobat Reader. You'll also need either a current version of Microsoft Office or the ability to open Office documents in OpenOffice or a similar program. Non-credit courses in basic computer skills are available for those needing assistance.

Bay de Noc Community College is located in the Upper Peninsula. Commonly known as Bay College, this institution is well regarded for the quality of education it provides. The main campus is situated on 150 acres in Escanaba, with a second campus (Bay College West) in Iron Mountain. Bay College offers certificate, associate, and transfer programs. Transfer programs include arts, business administration, criminal justice, and science, as well as studies in engineering, molecular biotechnology, natural resources, and health-related fields. Bay College also offers associate degrees in accounting, automation technology, hospitality management, and many more areas of study.

These are just a few of the fine community colleges located in Michigan. For further information about their programs, tuition, and more, visit their informative websites.