College & Career Options

No! As a high school student you have many different options to pursuing further education after high school. The most important factor is not the length of schooling, but how effectively it prepares you for your future! Here is a brief list of choices and their general time frame:

• Bachelor's Degree (4-5 years)

• Associate's Degree (2 years)

• Career Certificate Program (1-2 years)

• Apprenticeship/Job Training (1-2 years)

A bachelor's is a four-year degree program where learners study a specific subject, such as economics, biology, or communications. These degrees equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue various careers.

Bachelor's degrees are often required if the student wishes to attain a master's or doctorate degree. A bachelor's degree is also required to attend medical school and law school.

An associate's degree is an academic program taken at the undergraduate level (the first stage after high school). It aims to give students the basic technical and academic knowledge and transferable skills they need to go on to employment or further study in their chosen field.

Columbus State Community College only awards associate's degree, not bachelor's.

College certificates allow students to obtain expertise in a field without investing the time needed to earn a college degree. ... Upon completion of a college certificate program, students generally receive a certificate of completion or certificate of achievement, not a degree or diploma.

For example, Columbus State offers certificate programs in Culinary Arts, Medical Assisting, IT Workforce, and many others.

Historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) are defined as: “…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency.”

HBCUs offer all students, regardless of race, an opportunity to develop their skills and talents.

Today, there are 107 HBCUs with more than 228,000 students enrolled. Fifty-six institutions are under private control, and 51 are public colleges and universities.

Ohio is home to two HBCUs: Central State University (public) and Wilberforce University (private).