What I Gained, What I Missed: The Hidden Costs of College

By Delaney Veprek

Save money. Stay local.

Probably not the four words you immediately associate with choosing a college. I wouldn’t have either as a fresh high school graduate. 

My college experiences have taught me a lot as someone who attended community college before transferring to a four year school. I began to notice the things I gained and experiences I lost. 

I was always someone who loved school, but a decision as big as where to go to college? That was overwhelming. On top of that, I didn’t know what I wanted to study, which posed a real challenge as an indecisive person.

So, I chose to attend community college. It wasn’t the most seamless experience, but it served its purpose. 

I never realized how different of an experience they can be until I had attended both. At the time I had nothing to compare it to. Neither school was good or bad, better or worse, just different.

It felt like much more than simply changing schools, there was a major difference in the college atmosphere and culture.

Community college in a way felt like an extension of high school. You went to class and immediately went home. In my experience, there was no student life or community. 

Now at a four year school, there are students all over campus hanging out. I was shocked. Students worked together to create a community. You were still attending school, but it didn’t feel like as much of a chore. 

Community college gave me the academic foundation I needed, but it didn’t exactly prepare me for the independence that came with leaving home. 

At community college, my house was always ten minutes away. 

If I needed something, I still had the option to go home. If I had a bad day, I was still surrounded by the same people I always knew.

Going to a four year school meant going completely outside of my comfort zone and into a new place. I had to learn to meet new people and make decisions on my own. 

There was this sense of almost starting over that came with transferring. 

I was so used to the routine I had built around community college and now that familiarity was gone. I was the new person and didn’t know anyone. 

It definitely felt uncomfortable and overwhelming at first, but in a good way. I felt like everyone knew what they were doing, and eventually I would too. It was just a matter of getting comfortable and finding my place.

Transferring also taught me that college is much more than the inside of a classroom. It’s the people you meet, the experiences you have, and the opportunities you’re given. Everything was valuable. 

For the first time in college I found myself wanting to become more involved. 

 I didn’t feel like I was attending college, I felt like I was experiencing it.

When everyone thinks of community college they think of saving money, and they’re not wrong. Attending community college saves students thousands of dollars a year.

Community college allowed me to explore various career paths with less financial repercussions. If you change your major in a four year school it is likely it will be costly, and this financial burden can make students feel tied down to their original decision.

For me, community college took away some of that pressure. I was able to change my major without feeling like I’d thrown away thousands of dollars or potentially years of my education.

My first year at community college I went in as an education major. Turns out becoming a teacher actually wasn’t something I was super interested in, so I switched to liberal arts. Without that flexibility I wouldn’t have found my passion for journalism and storytelling.

I went into community college unsure of what I wanted to do and came out with a good idea of my passions. Not only was I able to save money, it allowed me time and freedom to figure myself out. 

That being said, transferring to a four year school opened my eyes to more opportunities outside of the classroom. There were so many different ways to get involved in what I was studying. College wasn’t just about earning credits, it was about opportunities. 

I was meeting professors who had worked in my areas of interest and networking for the first time. There was access to internships and help building portfolios. I was even able to get involved in student organizations. 

These opportunities are what showed me how what I was learning in the classroom could translate into my dream career. That wasn’t something I had fully understood at community college. At a four year school my dreams didn’t feel completely out of reach. 

So do I regret going to community college?

Absolutely not. 

That being said, I now fully understand what I traded at the time for financial savings and flexibility.

Community college gave me the opportunity to find myself and my passion; it allowed me to focus on figuring out what I wanted to do. At a four year school, I started thinking about what I could actually do with it.

Everyone follows different paths in their lives whether it be with school, careers or anything else. 

There is no right or wrong choice when it comes to college.

If you are unsure of what you want to study, community college can be a great choice. You can save money as you explore different career paths.

If you know what you want to study and are looking for independence and a sense of community, living at a four year school might be the option for you. 

Looking back, I don’t wish that I had done anything differently. I just wish that I had understood sooner how picking a college is much more than choosing where you will get a degree.

It is the environment that will surround you for some of the most important years of your life. The things you gain don’t have to be measured in dollars saved, but by the experiences that shape you into the person you become.