Top Educational Options Other Than Universities

There are several types of colleges near Cheyenne, WY, and student satisfaction depends on choosing the one that will help meet the student’s long-term goals. Here’s a quick guide to help with that choice:

Community Colleges

These institutions offer a few short-term programs, but they are mostly set up to provide the first two years’ worth of classes for students who intend to transfer out to a four-year university. This arrangement allows students to avoid having to spend time in dormitories or pay for rent at apartments at far-away schools.

Trade Schools

These go by a variety of names, but in general, they prepare students for hands-on careers like auto mechanics, carpentry, and similar types of work. They can offer a surprisingly in-depth level of education in these areas since they have a wide variety of machinery available. This saves students from having to set up home shops to get the practice they need, and of course, the certified instructors also make sure that good habits are learned.

Career Colleges

At first glance, these can seem like trade schools under another name, but there is a big difference in their focus. Cheyenne, Wyoming colleges of this sort teach about careers like computer support technology, medical assisting, and being a paralegal. While they do offer degrees and certifications much like trade schools, it’s clear that the type of careers involved are not the same. It’s rare that one of these schools will have offerings for the types of trades that used to require apprenticeships.

One of the biggest benefits of the last two types of colleges is the speed at which a student can go from being totally green to being a licensed practitioner. Rather than spending four, six, or even eight years getting the necessary credentials, a student will be able to complete study in just one or two years – sometimes even less! Once that happens, the graduate will be able to get a license or certification to begin practice and can enter the job market.

For many students, this will be the start of a permanent career. Others may choose to get further education later on and use their original diploma as a stepping stone. Either way, it’s clear that both trade and career colleges offer plenty of bang for the buck.