So it's that time of year, when all of the high school seniors are running around frantically, turning in applications and working on scholarships. College. It's stressful. Everyone these days has the mentality that if you don't go to a four year university right out of high school you're going to fail in life. But a university isn't your only option, and if the thought of leaving your hometown or paying thousands of dollars for something you aren't even sure you want is giving you major anxiety THEN DON'T DO IT.
Community college is always an option, an option you're probably going to be judged for choosing, but an option. Before I even entered my junior year of high school I knew that there was no way I was going away to college. The thought of moving out scared the hell out of me and having thousands of dollars in loans scared me even more. So I chose to go to the community college in my area and EVERYONE had something to say about it. Some people thought it was a great idea, they wish they had gone that route, save money, blah blah blah. Others, such as my boyfriend, best friend, and classmates, thought I was stupid. I never once considered changing my plans just because of another persons opinion, but I'm sure theres a lot of people out there who would rather do what everyone else is doing then be judged, so I'm going to give you 3 reasons why a community college is a better option than a university.
Reason #1: You save SO much money
College is expensive and most people's parents don't have 100k laying around to send their kid to school for 4 years. For this reason, many kids end up paying for themselves or having to take out loans. In a community college, you are taking the same exact basic college classes that everyone else is taking, for literally a 10th of the price. For my first year of college I paid $5000, and that includes tuition, books, and parking. The average cost for a semester at a university is $20,000. This obviously depends on where you're going and if its in state or out of state but I'd say 20k is a pretty average cost. Very few people have that type of money and if you choose to go to a 4 year school you're most likely going to have to take out loans which you'll be paying for years after you graduate. It's not worth it. Do your first couple of years at a community college and in total you'll pay half of what your friends will be paying for one year.
Reason #2: You Can Work While You're In School
If you go away, chances are, you won't be working. By going to a community college you also have the opportunity to work which is a great way to be able to pay for school, food, rent if you have it, and even your car. Unlike anyone else I talk to, I have my own car that I bought and paid for, because I stayed home and am able to work. It also gives you the opportunity to do something productive with your time away from class and studying instead of partying like college students
Reason #3: It's A Lot Less Stressful
While all of your friends are spending their last few months of high school taking SAT's, scrambling for recommendations, and applying to scholarships, you won't have to worry about any of it. I remember a lot of my classmates saying that their senior year was a lot more stressful than they had wanted it to be and I didn't feel the same way at all. I literally just had to register for my classes and I was done. I did apply to some scholarships, and got one of them, but because my school was so much cheaper I didn't feel at all pressured or stressed about it. Spend your last few months of high school enjoying it, going to prom, getting excited for graduation, and not feeling stressed about college.
Obviously, for some people, going away to college is the better way to go and there's nothing wrong with that. But so many people feel pressured to go away to school and it shouldn't be that way. Don't go away if you don't want to, I promise you won't regret it.
Thanks for Reading!
Kylie
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