By David Koeppel
FORTUNE – In the aftermath of the Great Recession, thousands of students have learned the bitter lesson that the college degrees they paid for do not guarantee a steady job. In response, many have opted for grad school to give their status, pay, and job security a bump.
Then there are those who seem to be taking a step backwards. It may seem counter-intuitive but some graduates are choosing to pursue community college associate degrees, after their bachelor's.