The talk about college starts as early as freshman year. Wide-eyed and undecided, students go through high school feeling the pressure as counselors constantly seek for their future plans. Teachers focus on big universities and shove college requirements in the faces of unsure teenagers. This makes deciding on a life path intimidating, especially when it seems like one wrong move could ruin any chance of success. The truth is, it does not have to be such a detrimental decision. While many may put community college on the bottom of their lists, staying close to home can actually offer a great education, and spare your wallet.

The stigma that community college is not a “real college,” or that it does not provide a real degree, is completely false.

It has been proven that community college classes are just as rigorous as university classes. Also, most professors at these campuses have a masters, doctorate or a professional degree in their field. With that being said, the stigma that community college is just a continuation of high school is false as well. Understanding that community college is just as good of an option as a university is an important step to consider when deciding your future.

The pros of community college significantly outweigh the cons. For one, staying at home, or close to it, will save you money. Leaving home fresh out of high school can not only be an intimidating experience, but it can also be an expensive one. To go to a top university in state, the cost per year is around $19,000. This price does not include any grocery, house or rent bills a student may encounter. Community college averages to about $11,000 a year. There is no rent fee for most because they stay at home, and even if one were to move out of the house, the total price is still notably lower than moving to a university. Also, university classes can eat up a lot of one’s paycheck. Community college classes are much more affordable. It is not uncommon for a student to get to college with one major in mind, and realize halfway through that they want to pursue a different career path. The problem with that is changing majors can be expensive. Because the classes at community college are cheaper, there is less stress about changing your mind. Most campuses offer a variety of study fields, which can help an undecided student choose the right path. Going to community college allows for more time to decide your future plans and lets you look at multiple career options.

Community college does not have to be the only education you get after high school. For many, it is just the beginning. Most students will choose to attend the local college for their associates degree, then transfer to a different university to achieve a higher one. The majority of the time, the first two years of one’s college experience is getting the basic credits out of the way. Additionally, most universities are very open to transferring credits. This allows for students to move on to their dream schools and only pay for the next two or so years.

It is a shame that most high schools do not push community college as much as they do big universities.

If counselors expanded more on the possibilities of community college, the myths about it would decrease drastically.

Attending community college is nothing to be ashamed of. If anything, it is the smarter choice.