Community Colleges
January 14th, 2008 by KenricA new semester starts at the community college today. I’ve signed up for two classes this semester. What many people don’t realize is that many classes at a community college are bargains. I mean they are so cheap that I’d consider them a steal. Last semester I took 14 weeks of beginning golf lessons for $65 and it actually helped me alot.
I did not sign up for any academic classes. No I’m way too cheap to buy books and stuff. In fact, I signed up for recreational and physical education classes. Recreation and physical education classes are 1 credit hour. College tuitions are determined by the number of credit hours you are taking. If you live within the county, you get the lowest tuition rate, which for me was $65/hr.
I was looking for a pilates class at a local gym or studio. The gyms were charging about $15 a session and you have to purchase 5 or 10 sessions. If you wanted to do just single sessions, they were $20 each. So instead, I enrolled into Pilates 101 at the local community college. 14 weeks, twice a week for $65. You do the math, $2.32 per session. Want to try Yoga? 14 weeks, twice a week for $65.
My second class is a Backpacking class. This class meets 3 times and has a 4 day trip to Havasupai Canyon. I took this class because I’ve always wanted to camp at Havasupai Falls. Unfortunately, you either have to reserve a campground spot a year in advance or pay an outdoor tour company over $500 for a trip. The trip is a 10 mile one way hike to the falls. You camp overnight at the falls and hike back out the next morning. This class cost $205 through the school.
I would have taken every class in the book but my schedule began to get bogged down. I don’t think I can go camping for 3 weekends in a row. There is a canyoneering class and a caving class available. Both included 4 weeks of class and an overnight trip at a cost of $100 each. They also had a mountain biking class, but it was cancelled due to low enrollment. I really wanted to take that one!
So check out those community colleges near you. There may be some great classes for practically free!
Posted in Vacations | 
Stumble it!
It’s funny you should say that! I almost signed up for a modern dance class at the local community college just recently. I’d also like to take some language classes. Luckily, I didn’t miss the boat–they offer eight week classes that start mid-semester, too.
By Trisha on Jan 15, 2008
haha, that was funny. you should start every blog with a quote like that!
By Mindi on Jan 16, 2008