Right out of high school, Jennifer Bell knew she wanted to go to college, but she wasn’t sure the career she wanted to pursue. On top of that, she struggled with addiction.
She enrolled at Bucks County Community College and eventually discovered a love of writing. However, her addiction progressed and took a toll on her education. So, she dropped out in order to focus on getting sober.
As she continued on the path of recovery, Bell became a mom. She balanced caring for her young daughter and working as a server.
But, all this time, she never let go of the dream of finishing school and becoming a writer.
Understanding that it wouldn’t be easy to fit school into her already busy life, she thought of Bucks, knowing it would give her the flexibility to balance family, work and maintaining her sobriety, all while pursuing an education.

Community colleges adapt to students’ needs.

In addition to their affordability, community colleges across Pennsylvania have emerged as a compelling option among institutions of higher education, for adapting over time to the changing, and often challenging, realities of today’s students.
Currently, more than half the nation’s undergraduate students are educated by community colleges, and for good reason.
“Students come to community college for a variety of reasons, including cost, the ability to remain in their communities, flexible schedules, the variety of program and degree offerings, the small class sizes, access to quality faculty, student leadership opportunities, etc.,” said Elizabeth Bolden, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
Looking at cost alone, community colleges provide access to higher education to those who might not otherwise afford it. On average, one year of tuition at a community college is less than half of what students pay at Pennsylvania’s most affordable public four-year universities.
Often a community college student is juggling multiple obligations, such as full-time work or family commitments, along with their studies. These students need a school that can meet them where they are in their lives.
According to the American Association of Community Colleges, “No other segment of higher education is more responsive to its community and workforce needs than the community college.”
Flexibility is a huge draw of community colleges, allowing students to fit classes into their busy schedules. A student can take one class at a time or enroll full-time, going at a pace that works best for them. For many courses, students can choose from a variety of day, evening or online options.
19-year-old nursing student, Joe Woll explained why he chose community college, “Originally, it was for cost and convenience.”
Woll, who plans to transfer after attaining his associate’s degree, said he also appreciates the ability to fit classes around his busy work schedule. “It allows me to keep a job.”
Smaller class sizes also contribute to the appeal of community colleges. Teachers are in a better position to develop relationships with their students, easing the transition into college and encouraging continued success.
“The classes are much smaller, so there’s more individualized help,” said Woll.
Community colleges typically have a more diverse student body, including: students over the age of 24, first-generation students, veterans, students with disabilities, and students from low-income families. Coming from a variety of backgrounds—socially, financially and academically—many community college students face a unique set of challenges that might otherwise deter them from pursuing or completing an education.
Bolden explained that Pennsylvania community colleges provide a wide array of services to aid students in degree completion.
“The goal of all of these efforts is to help students benefit from their educational experience while balancing work, school and family priorities. Several colleges have and/or operate child care programs on campus for students who are also parents. When needed, the colleges collaborate with local community programs to identify appropriate resources for students,” said Bolden.
Additionally, many of the community colleges are adopting a more proactive approach to academic advising with the intention of increasing student retention and success rates.
Bucks County Community College, for example, recently introduced changes to its advising services to help students become more engaged and invested in their progress.
According to Bucks Provost and Dean of Academic Affairs Clayton Railey, “The primary change in making advising mandatory for all students is in establishing a personal and direct connection between a student and his/her faculty advisor in the student’s major; every study conducted across the country shows that this connection increases retention and completion.”
Railey further explained the importance in all students having to see an advisor in regards to academic progress, saying, “This system should minimize mistakes in registering for courses that may not advance their timely progress through a program or to a transfer destination where some credits may not transfer effectively, or at all.”
Montgomery County Community College, through funding from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, implemented its Integrated Planning and Advising Services to increase student success rates. This system assists students through one-on-one advising to plan their degrees, map out goals and track their progress.
The system also allows counselors and academic advisors to “determine in advance whether a student is at risk of dropping or failing out, and it can help assist students on what courses they should select based on previous academic performance,” according to the foundation’s website.
“We’re paying a lot of attention to student degree completion,” said MCCC President Karen A. Stout. “We’re seeing early behavioral changes, students taking more credits. I think it provides really good feedback for the students.”
Many community colleges throughout Pennsylvania offer dedicated support services for veterans, service members, and their spouses and dependents, such as helping ease the transition into college life and providing assistance with VA educational benefits.
“Pennsylvania’s community colleges are dedicated to meeting the unique needs of veterans, their dependents, and those currently serving our country, and we appreciate the service and sacrifice of our service members,” said Bolden. “The array of services provided by our colleges address a wide array of issues ranging from academic, to financial, physical and social needs.”
Within a single community, aspirations can vary greatly, and community colleges aim to provide the education and skills necessary for these various pursuits.
“Pennsylvania’s community colleges are diverse institutions that serve a wide variety of purposes,” said Bolden. “These include providing programs for students who are pursuing an associate degree, students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution, students who are engaged in workforce training to acquire or upgrade their skills for a particular job, and students who attend for personal enrichment.”
For students planning to transfer, community colleges have dual admissions and transfer agreements in place with many of the surrounding four-year schools.
Mattea Kozari, 21, of Doylestown, is a social sciences student at Bucks who plans to transfer to Temple next year. “The dual admissions program with Temple is really awesome. Basically, I’ll get a Temple degree at a fraction of the cost.”
“We also strongly support expanded funding for dual-enrollment programs to shorten younger students’ path to a degree,” said Bolden.
Through dual-enrollment programs, high school students have the opportunity to get a jump on their college education. In giving students a head-start, dual enrollment programs increase the likelihood that they will graduate from high school and go on to pursue a college education.
Working with organizations like the PACC and AACC, Pennsylvania community colleges are continuously working to develop and implement new programs geared towards servicing the specific needs of their communities.
“Pennsylvania’s community colleges regularly evaluate local needs and create new programs to meet the demands of the workforce,” said Bolden.
Recently, a new statewide Prior Learning Assessment, called College Credit FastTrack, was launched. The initiative, headed up by Montgomery County Community College, allows “adult learners to earn credit for learning through training and work experiences – and establishes common standards for awarding these credits across the state,” said Bolden.
Other initiatives being advocated for include expansion of the federal Pell grant program to include summer courses, which would help low-income and first-generation students persist on their path to a degree; and simplification of the FAFSA form, which will benefit all potential college students by ensuring that they receive all the financial aid to which they are entitled.
A second chance
Bell, now 27, returned to Bucks last spring, grateful for a second chance at an education and a better life for her and her family.
“I knew that Bucks would give me the flexibility to be a mom, focus on sobriety and chase my aspirations. I can say that if I was not able to attend community college, I am not sure if I would have been able to continue my education.”
While Bell admits that it’s not easy to balance the constant demands of motherhood and studying, she is determined to press on, having found her motivation.
“The thing that keeps me going is remembering that I am a role model for my daughter. I want to show her that it is always possible to follow your dreams.”