Save some money, community college first

By Feature Editor: Hannah Snyder

Senior year, by far, has to be the most stressful year in high school. Trying to maintain a good grade point average while also trying to allow yourself to enjoy all of the senior advantages and activities can be a hard thing to balance. And what’s the one thing that’s on every senior’s mind? College.

The questions pour into your head. What college should I attend? Am I eligible for any scholarships? Do I want to stay on campus? Who would I room with? But, the one big question that everyone seems to try and forget is the good ole’ how much money is going to cost? College is not cheap. You have to really have your mind set on your future before making your decisions because if you don’t then a lot of money could be drained from your pockets.

There’s a solution to the money situation. The first two years of college are the basic classes that every person has to take whether they’re interested in the medical field or wanting to be a lawyer. So why spend a ton of cash at a university and live in a dorm when it’s so much cheaper to go to a community college and commute from home?

Community college is a great option to have. Going for the two years that consist of your basic classes will not only be cheaper but you’ll also save money on food and you won’t have to pay extra for a dorm.

After you get your basic credits out of the way, you can transfer to a university and spending your money on the specific classes you need to take in order for you to become what you want to be. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that your credits that you earn at community college will transfer to the university of your choice in the future.

Don’t sweat the money, pay for the memories

By Staff Writer: Lexi Petroi

College is one of the most important choices a teenager will make. Deciding on where to attend and what subject to major in is critical. So many students have had the dream of leaving home after graduation and beginning their adult lives away at school. Is money really going to stop them?

If students are looking to attend community college completely they should probably rethink your plans. Most community schools don’t offer a variety of majors or programs lasting more than two years. If the student has serious goals and dreams they’d like to accomplish it would be the best choice to apply to their desired university and start there early. That way, there will be no hassel with figuring out which college credits are eligible to be transferred over or not. If saving money is the goal, paying for courses that aren’t even able to count towards your graduation from a four year university is a big waste of cash as well as time.

One of the best parts of attending college is to meet new people. It’s a point in your life that marks one step closer to adulthood. For most high schoolers, they’ve been with the same group of students in their community since elementary school. In order to grow up, move on and mature, their peers are going to have to change. Students attending community college aren’t there to build long lasting friendships, rather just to pick up an extra few classes here and there. At a four year university, everyone is looking for new friends. From roommates, classmates or just random kids walking throughout campus, at a university students are in constant communication. Plus, who doesn’t want to get involved with college activities like sororities or groups? Living on campus makes interaction much simpler and more inviting.

College kids are on a budget no matter what school they attend. Unless however, they have generous parents who are willing to pay for their education completely – which is unlikely if they’re looking at attending community college. Student loans, grants and scholarships are available to almost every student that is eligible for college. With financial aid, the cost of a university could potentially be cut tremendously. It just doesn’t seem worth it to miss out on so many experiences that would never happen if a student chose to attend community college. In 50 years when looking back on college education would it be better to remember the time when you were at your parents house doing nothing or  rather reminisce on the times you went out with friends in college and had the time of your life? Money doesn’t buy memories.

In order to fully succeed throughout and after college, attend a four year university. Even giving it a chance for the first year after high school is still better than skipping out in general until after your pre reqs are complete.