It is not uncommon for students to begin searching for colleges around their junior year of high school, so that they can make their final decision after acceptance as early as possible. It is pretty much expected out of students and almost trendy now-a-days to go off to big-name, expensive, large four-year universities. If it is easily affordable and convenient for a family to send their child off to such a school, that is an absolutely wonderful opportunity that many students should take advantage of. A good education is extremely important, and for sure something to be immensely proud of, but there are ways other than the traditional four-year university path.
During my senior year of high school, I was still a little unsure of what exactly it was I wanted to do in life. I had always known I wanted to be a teacher, but I also desperately wanted to include theater in my career. I felt as though going away to a four-year school and not being one-hundred percent positive of my field of study would have been a waste of money when I could just take the same exact required general education courses at the community college that I coincidentally live on the same street as. For some odd reason that I cannot seem to figure out, many people look down on those who attend community college as if it is a bad thing. That, or they look at you as though you are not bright at all. "Oh, you only go to community college, that is not real college," and "What, you did not want to go away from home so you went to community college?" are two statements that I, and many of my classmates are more than tired of hearing. As the years continue on, more and more young students are choosing large universities instead of community college. It is one thing if they have their heart set on the school, but another when faced with the extreme amount of work involved in getting their degree without fooling around. However, there always will be the ones who go just for the social aspect, expecting to just pass.
I forever will be proud of myself for choosing community college first and here's why .
1. General Education courses.
Once every student is enrolled in college, they need to take mandatory classes in order to graduate and/or transfer. These gen ed classes include the basics: math, English, speech, computers, etc. At most community colleges, a student is easily able to complete all of their general education courses in the span of their first one or two years. When I would converse with my friends that attend four-year schools, I would notice that we were taking the exact same classes. Only difference is I was saving thousands of dollars while taking the same course.
2. Saved money.
Completing my gen ed courses and then transferring to a new school to continue on was also the most inexpensive way to go about things. While my parents encouraged me to do what I wanted to do and not just go down this path because of the reasonable price, I did take into account that I was saving thousands and thousands of dollars. While the university I transferred to has a tuition of between $30,000 and $50,000 a year, completing my first two (or three for me) years of college locally saved me over $100,000, when I took the exact same classes I would have taken at the university. Along with the fabulous education, the price is right.
3. Eased into adulthood close to home.
This was a crucial time in my life, and I was able to spend close to home.
4. Work.
It was nice that I was able to work at my job that I have been at for four years while in school. Whether I worked 30 hours a week or 15, it was nice to make money so I could afford what I needed without having to ask my parents consistently for money. While it is not impossible for one to work on campus while away at school, it was just very convenient while getting used to adjusting to college while already working a job I already knew how to do. Therefore, way less unnecessary stress.
5. All of the learning opportunities.
Community college is an awesome choice for people that are very into field trips and getting involved. In multiple of my classes, we were able to visit places relevant to the lesson. Many people that I know including myself were also able to easily partake in two internships, where I was fortunate enough to student-teach at my former high school and middle school for two whole semesters each. It was really comforting to be in a familiar environment working alongside professionals that I knew well who taught me so incredibly much.
Attending community college is definitely the right choice for you if you are unsure of what exactly it is you want to study. When taking general education classes, students are also encouraged to take alternative elective classes. Taking all different types of classes is a good way for students to be exposed to different things, and get a feel for what they may like and be good at. It not only may help you discover your passions, but within that alone it helps you learn about yourself.
