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Community Colleges With Dorms

Your first thought when you think about community college probably isn’t about their nice, luxurious dorms. Traditionally, if you’re attending community college, you’ll have living arrangements near to campus. But what about students who like all the benefits of community college, yet don’t have a stable place to live? In this article, we’ll talk about various community colleges that offer both an affordable education and housing to their students. We share a few of the pros and cons of dorms, as well as a list of community colleges across the United States that offer them. Let’s get started! 

Why do some community colleges offer housing?

Community college can be beneficial for anyone, including recent high school graduates, parents of young children, and working adults. While all of these people represent various groups, there is one common denominator that can drastically impact them all, and that issue is housing.

A proper living arrangement can make a serious impact on whether or not someone decides to stay in school. Therefore, it’s important to look at what community housing can provide and what some of the drawbacks are for some people. 

Also see: How to find a roommate

Pros of community college housing 

Community 

There’s no doubt that the best part of living in college housing is knowing that you live with people who understand what you’re going through! Having support right next door for times when you feel like you’re struggling, whether it’s with life or school, is a priceless commodity during college. 

Experience

The experience of moving to college and living in a dorm can be expensive. For some students without financial means, it might seem like that’s just a dream. However, with the growth of dorms at community colleges, students are able to get the “on campus” experience at a substantially lower cost. 

Accessibility

Time management can be a difficult skill to master in college. You have to get to classes on time, complete your coursework in a timely fashion, and factor in how long your commute will take. Being able to live on campus helps give you back a bit of that time. Instead of having to drive, park and then walk to class, you now are only a short walk from everywhere you need to be. 

Also see: How to pay for housing

Cons of community college housing

Roommate Issues

Roommate issues are not exclusive to community college. It’s no surprise that roommates, especially random roommates, are sometimes challenging to live with. If you are living on campus, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get along with the people around you. This might be your first time living away from home, so you’ll be experiencing a lot of new emotions during this transition period. This reminder is not meant to deter you, but is something you might need to deal with. 

Moving

This may be a bigger hurdle for some than others. Moving into and out of college housing can be tedious, especially when hundreds of other people are also doing so on the same day. In addition to moving dates, there are also dates that you may be required to leave the dorms, such as on holiday breaks. For some people, this is a huge inconvenience. Again, this shouldn’t be something that deters you from choosing to live on campus, but it is something to keep in mind. 

Shared living space

Similar to roommate issues is the issue of sharing a living space. If you’re in a dorm, it’s likely you’ll share a bathroom, kitchen, and communal living space with anywhere from three to a dozen people. Some students adapt easily to this situation, but others have difficulty depending on their personalities and personal preferences. 

List of community college with dorms

The number of community colleges that offer housing to their students has been steadily growing over the past decade. Along with New York State and Texas, California has one of the highest percentages of community colleges with dorms. The National Center for Education Statistics offers a searchable database to check community college housing offerings. Some of the community colleges listed do not offer dorms on campus, but will help students find housing in close proximity. 

Below is a sampling of various community colleges from across the country that offer housing for their students. At times, we shortened “community college” to “CC” for conciseness.

California

Reedley Community College

Reedley Community College will definitely be one of the community colleges with the most traditional college living opportunities. Reedley CC offers on campus residence halls equipped with resident assistants (RAs), front desk assistants, and a schedule of weekly events to keep everyone involved. 

Students in California luck out when it comes to community college who offer housing. California makes searching easy with a designated website for CCs with housing. 

Don’t miss: Free community college in California

New York 

Dutchess Community College

First up on the list is Dutchess Community College located in Poughkeepsie, New York. With more than 8,000 students, Dutchess CC has a vision of providing an affordable, quality college experience for every person. In addition to their residence halls, they also offer campus dining options. 

Tompkins Cortland Community College 

Tompkins Cortland Community College, located in Dryden, New York, has everything you would find at a typical university. Their campus includes seven residence halls, a campus recreation center, and a dining hall. Tompkins Cortland CC wants to give you the college experience without the university price tag. 

Texas

Northeast Texas Community College

Northeast Texas Community College, (NTCC) is located in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. NTCC opened up in the 1980’s with the goal of providing an affordable form of education to the surrounding communities. Flashforward to today, and they now offer associate degrees, specialized workforce training, and on campus housing for their students!

Frequently asked questions about community colleges with dorms

What if the community college I wish to attend doesn’t offer housing, but I need an affordable place to live?

Unfortunately, offering housing on campus isn’t something community colleges guarantee for their students, but don’t give up hope just yet. Though not all colleges offer dorms, some of them do partner with surrounding apartments and housing complexes to provide special rates for students. 

Related: Top 23 community college scholarships

Do I need to live in the community that my college is in to be a student?

This answer is more of a case by case situation. Community colleges don’t typically have the same rules about where students have to live, or not live, in order to be eligible for classes and housing. The most accurate way to receive information about this topic will be to contact the college directly and ask. 

What are the advantages of living on campus?

Many four-year colleges require students to live on campus for their first year of college for a variety of reasons. Colleges know that earning your degree is not a simple task. They want you to feel supported and like a part of their community. For students who are moving away from home for the first time, international students, or individuals coming back from a gap year,  it can help alleviate some stress knowing that your housing options are clear, safe, and set up to help you succeed.

What kind of degrees do community colleges offer?

Community colleges are more than just two year degrees and technical programs. While not all of them offer bachelor degrees, it is possible to obtain one at some community colleges. Check out our article on whether you can get a bachelor’s degree at community college for more info!

Is the housing process the same at community college as it is at regular universities? 

Again, there is no one answer to this question. Some community colleges have similar processes to universities in that you fill out a housing application after being accepted.  However, no two community colleges will require you to go through the same process. The best way to acquire information is to ask the school you are enrolled at directly for information on the topic.