They offer associate degrees upon completion of prescribed programs of study. These programs are the equivalent of two years in length. Most four-year colleges and universities recognize the associate degree and accept associate degree holders as juniors upon transfer. The associate degree is also the basic requirement for entry into many fields of work. Community, technical and junior colleges are teaching institutions more concerned with student educational programs than with publishing and research.
Faculty members are professional teachers who spend their time teaching and counseling students.
Classes are generally smaller than at most universities, and students receive a great deal of individual attention. These colleges pride themselves on the fact that the education of freshman and sophomore students is their only business while other colleges and universities are often more concerned with their junior, senior and graduate students and with publishing and research. Additionally, many students find it possible to live at home and attend a nearby two-year college, saving thousands of dollars each year in room and board. Community, technical and junior colleges vary in terms of course and program offerings. Some independent colleges offer only a liberal arts curriculum to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college or university.