Why College? Part 7 – Community College Changed My Life

So why college? “I hate school.” “It’s just not for me.” “School is boring, and it’s a waste of time.” “I don’t need college to be smart.” These are common responses people give when they finish high school and are suddenly asked why they don’t want to continue their education. Those statements can be valid reasons for certain individuals, as they were once valid for me when I was in high school. However, one day, I got a miraculous wake-up call. Hopefully my story can be yours. My parents came to the United States from Egypt 30 years ago. Today, they still can barely speak basic English and haven’t been educated beyond high school. My parents, my three older brothers and I live in a two-bedroom apartment, which forces me to share a room with my parents. My household has always consisted of constant yelling, fighting, putting others down, and [...]

Community Colleges Part 1 — Speech & Debate

As BetterGrads will continue to produce college admissions and acceptance-related posts for those anxiously awaiting bulky packages from first-choice four-year schools, we will not fail to serve those prospective college students looking to further their education at a community college. This will be a series of posts, and I encourage readers to submit their comments and feedback regarding two-year schools. Let’s cut to the chase. Community college has a bad rap. While I could have a field day listing numerous stigmas and stereotypes about community colleges, I’d rather divulge the impressive accomplishments I’ve witnessed from my peers at two-year schools. While I bypassed community college (adding onto my ever-growing student loan…) I look back on the debt and general education classes and wonder if I wouldn’t have been the same–or better–getting those first two years out of the way at one of these underdog institutions. Perhaps next week’s post will [...]