CONNOR HUFF
Connor is majoring in Physics and will be attending University of California, Santa Barbara in the Fall
CONNOR'S STORY
Dublin High School | Diablo Valley College
The greatest struggle I experienced in school was feeling like I was in a competitive environment where the success of my peers meant that my ability to progress might be impeded. I was in a place where it felt like instead of working together with my classmates to create opportunities for each other, we were being set up to enter cut throat job markets where we would be pitted against each other for limited opportunities.
Community college offered me a way to achieve a higher education that was affordable; while seeking a traditional education at a four year university was not. I performed decently in high school but after applying to many universities, which was costly in of itself, I received no financial aid, nor did I have financial support from home for my education. But community college allowed me access to affordable classes and a more flexible schedule which helped me balance working a full time job.
WHY'RE YOU SHARING?
I'm sharing this because no young adult should have to feel helpless about having a goal to achieve a higher education or opportunities for a career simply because they don't know what their options are and don't have anyone to discuss their goals with.
SOMETHING YOU WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW...
I am aware that there are many people who have been exposed to stigmas about community college that project a negative and inaccurate representation of what community colleges are built for. They are not just for students who could not get into university straight out of high school. If a student has the options to accept student loans from a four year university and can manage to scrape by financially for those four years and get their degree quickly, or attend a community college for 2-3 years and save money for when they transfer out to get their degree; I would recommend the community college route every time. It not only will save them money, but it will remove a great amount of stress from their lives, and it will have done nothing to diminish their education.
