Is it worth staying in your hometown for college?

I did it too, and there’s a reason why community college enrollment has gone up by 3.9% since 2023.

The direct four-year university route is not as desirable or achievable as it once was. College was supposed to be four years dedicated to learning skills that would land you a full-time job after graduation.

Now, it seems like bachelor’s degree holders and over qualified candidates with master’s degrees can’t get a high-paying job. Instead, that diploma from a standard four-year university experience leads to a fancy paper costing hundreds of thousands of dollars in student debt.

From my experience, apart from being forced to attend community college, it seemed like the return on investment was not a worthwhile financial burden to bear. Especially with the uncertainties of postgraduation job searching.

This year, the United States is seeing the largest graduating class of  high school students totaling 3.9 million people, and chances are you know a couple of them.

If you’re nosy and curious like me, you’ll ask them their most dreaded (or most prideful) question: “Where are you going to college?”

I’ve already checked two students off that roster and both said they were going to “Harvard on the Hill.”

For those not familiar with the nickname, it refers to attending community college to transfer schools and go to a four-year university, sometimes a higher sought out one.

Attending a community college is not always a student’s first choice and going to College of San Mateo definitely wasn’t mine.

During my senior year of high school, I applied to multiple colleges and had a short-lived excitement when my acceptance letters came in. Once I saw the financial aid packages … it turned into a different story. My parents were unable to afford it considering I didn’t get enough money from merit scholarships.

At 17, I remember feeling embarrassed, jealous and shameful for going to a community college. The entirety of my first year was extremely lonely considering commuter schools aren’t necessarily the best for making friends. Students usually had part-time jobs to help them and their families and had a stack of responsibilities outside of lectures. It’s unfortunate, but the reality. It was rare to find students at my community college only dedicated to school.

When my second year of college began, I understood why people decided to attend community college first, separate from the financial aspect of it.

Not only is it affordable and flexible, but it is a great starting point for people who are going into their postsecondary education without knowing what major or career to pursue. State initiatives like California’s Promise Scholars program makes education risk-free by offering a year of free tuition.

Mediocre students who did not learn the importance of being a high achiever in high school have a second chance to improve their GPA and turn their lives around. Professors are kind and, if they see a student putting in the effort, they will be rewarded with homework extensions, guidance and 1-1 curriculum support.

Community colleges thrive with small class sizes and supportive staff. Transfer Admission Guarantee programs make the process easy and guarantee students are set up for their second half of college.

I stayed local at San Jose State University but my peers transferred to their dream schools like the University of Southern California, UC Berkeley, UC Davis and Stanford.

What makes a student stand out in community college is their story first and what they decide to do with it. Opportunities are far from scarce, but a student will only thrive if they search for them.

Nothing will ever be handed to you, whether you’re a college student or not. It takes grit, asking questions and trying everything.

For recent high school graduates attending community college, embrace the journey. To not be ashamed, but motivated to defeat the odds, as the school of their dreams is just two years away.

I would tell them to disconnect their identity of just being a “student” and tap into their potential outside of the classroom. That’s where real evolution begins.

As for the adults in their lives, I challenge you to look beyond devaluing community colleges and instead recognize every student has a beautiful story if you ever get the chance to speak to them.

Remember to applaud students for continuing to pursue their education regardless of where they go. They are not flawed, “dumb” or failures. They are simply taking a different route — a route easier on student debt and one that will lead future professionals to the same workplaces as those who went directly to a four-year university.

I’d say it’s worth it.

Giselle Espinoza writes about health, mental well-being, higher education and entrepreneurship. She brings a Gen Z perspective with a slight coffee addiction.