For at least four decades the conventional wisdom has been that as many high school graduates as possible should go on to earn a bachelor's degree at a four-year college. A bachelor's degree has been the ticket to entry into high-paying professional careers, and many corporations haven't allowed workers onto the first rung of their professional ladder without that degree. Two-year colleges are often looked upon more as vocational schools, and have traditionally been considered the stepsister of four-year institutions, suitable for those without the academic record to get into a "regular" college.

A lot has changed. As college tuition costs have spiked, many students leave a four-year college with a bachelor's degree and a whopping student loan debt, often in excess of $50,000. And with the realization that a four-year degree is no guarantee of a job related to their field of study, many students are opting out of the four-year school and into a two-year program.

Two-year colleges require students to complete certain general requirements, including English and math courses, just like their four-year counterparts, but the emphasis in a two-year college is work-oriented knowledge and the development of practical skills. Participants can earn Associate Degrees in a wide range of majors including accounting, business management, communications, information technology, and programs to prepare students for a variety of medically related professions.

Many programs, while set up to be completed in two years, can also be extended in a three-year timeline, allowing students to work part- or fulltime and pursue their education. There's also a clear path to advancement with some programs; students can opt for additional training at the same college. A program preparing a student for work as a physical therapy or occupational therapy assistant may also offer advanced programs leading to qualification as a licensed physical therapist. It's also possible in many cases to transfer credits from the two-year college to a four-year college.

One- and two-year technical schools, many of them private, for-profit institutions, have sprung up all over country offering training for a long list of different careers. Some caution is encouraged here: Many of the for-profit schools promise career placement after graduation, and fail to follow through. The curriculum can vary from school to school as well; before a student decides on a particular school which promises to prepare for a specific career, it's advisable to research the educational requirement of that particular position and then make sure that the school's curriculum offers all the training needed.

Of course, a public, state-supported, nonprofit two-year college or vocational school is a pretty safe bet. It has the advantages of stability, community involvement, and most likely a good sense of what kinds of training are needed in the surrounding business environment. A community college can probably also offer trustworthy advice on the availability of scholarships, loans, and other types of student aid.

For prospective students with a clear idea of the career they want to pursue, two-year colleges offer a relatively fast, and often less expensive, alternative to a four-year program. No longer considered "Plan B" for students not able to swing a bachelor's degree program, they're becoming a savvy alternative for anyone seeking professional education.