The growth of community colleges

I've been reading more and more about the growth of community colleges so I thought it was time to share some of the information I'm finding.

What are the benefits of spending your first two years at a community college?
1. COST - it is a fraction of the cost of most colleges plus you can live at home for free!
2. Diversity - the mix of students at community college often includes adults who are currently working or changing careers. These adults can become invaluable contacts for employment and/or a wealth of information offering an educational perspective based on real world experience.
3. Sampling - how many college freshman really convinced of their major when they start college? The price at community college gives them the freedom to try on a few different subjects to see what excites them, what they enjoy and what fits well.

Here's an artilce about the growth in Long Island New York community college system:
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-licomm1210,0,76056.story?coll=ny_home_rail_headlines