By Michael Yang
For many students, community college is frowned upon: “Going to De Anza” is often seen as a sign of failure or stupidity. Despite this common misperception, however, not only is community college much cheaper, it does not necessarily disqualify one from receiving a proper education.
Community college is much cheaper than a regular 4-year college. Not only does one not need to find dorms/living arrangements, the actual classes are often significantly cheaper than those that one would take at public colleges. Because of this, community college can be seen as a more affordable alternative to a state or private college.
Additionally, community colleges do not necessarily hinder one’s future academic success. De Anza Community College, a community college within the Bay Area that is often the subject for derision, is one of the best community colleges in the nation. Furthermore, at community colleges such as De Anza, there are also many options to transfer out later on to a state or private institution. For example, if one does well in De Anza, he can potentially transfer to a well respected UC and finish his education there, receiving essentially the same education as one who went to that UC for 4 years.
Although community college is often frowned upon, it should be seen as an option for students, rather than a place for rejects.
