So you have just graduated high school. You spent your whole life up until this point getting an education, and now you are finally free. Why in the world would you want to go right back to school? I certainly didn’t. Looking back at the last couple of years after graduating, I am happy with the choices I made. I have talked to a lot of people on their college experiences and if they thought it was worth it. I tend to get a lot of the same answers. Some use their degrees, many don’t. A lot of people made lifelong friends and connections, and some feel all of it was unnecessary. Although I am just one more perspective, maybe this will help you with your decision. 

If you are like me, you will appreciate a low risk, high potential pathway. On the island I live on there is only one college and it is a community college but that is not why I decided to go there. Let’s start with a little back story on my educational journey. Skip the next paragraph if you are uninterested. 

In the early years of my life I went to preschool and I will say that was the best school ever because we got to have nap time everyday. After that I skipped kindergarten and went to a really strange hippy day care. We would sew, craft, make fairy houses and play in the mud. The cool thing is I still sew till this day. From elementary to middle school I bounced around different schools on the island because we were moving a lot. I was driven to get good grades and be the best learner I could be. I fell in love with media and technology throughout this time frame. In ninth and tenth grade I decided I wanted to pursue surfing full time and left school. I did online school, but barely. I even officially dropped out of school in tenth grade. I didn’t care for the school system or typical high school experience. I was surfing every day and teaching surf lessons. I thought I was on the path to success. Despite my exit from the typical education, I still loved learning. I was spending so much time in the ocean my mind shifted and the ocean became my greatest teacher. I became comfortable in solitude and spent my time connecting with the waves. A few weeks before summer was over I couldn’t erase this thought that kept consuming my mind. Would I regret it if I never graduated high school? What if something happened and I couldn’t just surf anymore? With that being said, I went back to high school, had to make up ninth and tenth grade while completing eleventh grade, went to prom and graduated.

Immediately after high school I went into starting a business. This left me with no time for school. But, the irony of the story is that my business actually came from the community college. In high school I took early college classes and was presented with an opportunity to enter an entrepreneur business contest. I drafted my business plan, presented it and somehow received the storefront. Kaya’s Vegan Express was a year-long business venture that was instrumental to my next decision. I decided that I wanted to pursue an education so I could use what I learn and apply it to a new business venture. If it wasn’t for this experience and my mentors, I would have never decided to go to college. 

Although it took me three years to finish my associates degree, college has been truly instrumental to my life. There are so many opportunities that came with it that I didn’t even know were possible. I am happy to share this journey with you. Let’s start with the benefits of community college.

1. Half the cost of universities.

First of all, if you have no clue what you want to do after high school but you feel like you should at least try going to college; this is the cheapest route. On average, community colleges are typically half the costs of attending a university. This is because the campuses of a community college are generally smaller, there are less students, less fancy infrastructure and less extracurriculars that require space and money.

2. Smaller classes.

What I enjoyed most about my community college was the class size. My Teachers knew my name and had time for my questions. I was able to make friends and create a good study group. I feel like the teachers were very passionate about what they did and want to see you succeed. 

3. Go in undecided.

Picking a major was just out of the question for me. It is very assuring to know that you are able to go in undecided and explore classes that may interest you. To my surprise there are classes for almost everything. My school offered things like automotives, beekeeping, yoga, website design, nursing and so much more. You never know what might spark your interest.

4. Easy transfer.

So, let’s say school is going good and you want to continue. Most community colleges have transfer programs with higher universities. This means automatic acceptance. This is the best way to save money, figure out what you want to do and earn a great degree.

5. Unmatched opportunities.

There is so much funding, scholarships and career opportunities that come out of community college. Part of this is partially because you get rewarded for staying in your hometown for your education. Always check with your teachers and counselors for the latest opportunities.

I have been wanting to write this since May, it is now the beginning of September and I am on to new things. I hope this helps in your decision whether you’re fresh out of highschool or retired and wanting to continue your education. Never stop learning. 

*Bonus Tips*

Okay so as I was attending school, I definitely learned some good ways to get opportunities. The number one thing is check your email. If it’s from your school, open it. Most schools have a newsletter and you never know what you might find in there. They also send out funding opportunities, employment openings and scholarships you can apply for. Other fun things I’ve seen are writing contests, photo contests and things of those sorts for cash prizes. Another important thing, your professors are your friends not foes. You never know when they might mention your name in a room full of opportunities or be your reference for that once in a lifetime internship. Always check the bulletin boards and just talk to the faculty. Another important person to have a good relationship with is your counselor. They have your back and always want you to follow the path that leads to your greatest success.