“We’re thrilled,” Waiwaiole said, noting that much of the money will likely be used to preserve existing programs and staff. “We’re glad to be seeing some money.”
Faculty positions are not the only places where community colleges are seeing overqualified applicants. Homan noted that Montgomery College recently received 600 applications – about three times the average – for an office assistant vacancy. She added that one of the applicants even had a Ph.D.
Such stories, while rare, illustrate the degree to which overqualified candidates are willing to go to get jobs in academia. Since community colleges are also more flexible in their hiring schedules, more candidates with Ph.D.s may choose to apply there first.
However, given the unique skills needed to teach community college students, a Ph.D. is not necessarily a guarantee to get a job or even an interview, administrators such as McCalla noted.
Given the importance of community colleges in Obama’s efforts to increase higher education opportunities, it appears that they will continue to be the primary beneficiaries of overqualified candidates. However, some say it’s too early to speculate on how long this trend will last.
“I think it’s connected to the economy,” McCalla said. “As to whether we're at the beginning or middle of that effect, we're not sure.”
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