The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) reported that as of January 2008, community colleges served almost half of the undergraduate students in the U.S.

Community colleges are often the access point for postsecondary education, preparing students for transfer to four-year educational institutions. In fact, the AACC states that half of the students who receive a baccalaureate degree attend community college in the course of their undergraduate studies.

So what kind of an education can you get at a community college? Look at these facts from the AACC:

• Health care: 59 percent of new nurses and the majority of other new health-care workers are educated at community colleges.
• Homeland security: Close to 80 percent of firefighters, law enforcement officers and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are credentialed at community colleges.
• Online education: Students at 41 percent of public community colleges can earn a degree entirely online.

Community colleges can also be a good choice for students who aren’t yet sure what field they want to study. Community colleges offer a broad range of classes in many different subjects so students can explore their interests.

Because the cost to attend a community college is often less than a four-year university, many students choose to start their higher education at a community college. After several years at the community college, these students then transfer to a four-year university to complete their educations.

To help defray costs even more, most community colleges participate in the federal student aid programs. According to the AACC, almost half of the students attending community college receive some form of financial aid to help finance their studies. In 2005, more than 2 million community college students received Pell grant dollars.

You can learn more about community colleges at the AACC Web site, www.aacc.nche.edu. The site also offers a search engine to help you find a community college.