"HAVING ENDURED A DECADE and a half civil war while growing up in Liberia, Alphanso Appleton says his interest in a career in health care eventually took him to the other side of the globe – to Grossmont College, a community college in the San Diego area. Appleton, now a public health major, says the school’s health sciences courses and the city’s coastal living were key factors in his decision.
‘As a surfer, the ocean has been a place of solace,’ Appleton says. ‘This is important for my mental health; especially being from a fishing family, the beach is the closest thing that reminds me of my family.’
The U.S. has more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide, according to the American Association of Community Colleges. With so many to choose from, experts say it is important that students find the right community college fit for them." …