I have always been on track to go to a university.
There were always indicators I was preparing for higher education. In elementary school, it was my high reading level, my “advanced” scores on ISAT’s, my participation in the “gifted” program. In high school, it was the upper-level classes and the debate awards. It was the friends I surrounded myself with.
So surprisingly — when I got to the stage to take my diploma — I had absolutely no plan in the works to continue my education.
As a first generation college student and the oldest child in my family, I didn’t have a solid example of what “going to college” meant. Of course my parents pressured me to go, but I could see neither a way nor a reason to do so. I wasn’t sure how to apply. I had no idea how much it would cost. Yet everyone, including myself, expected me to go.
To begin my college career I went to a small community college in Idaho, and it is one of the best decisions I have ever made.
First off, it’s affordable. This was the biggest, factors. The summer after graduation, I considered various in-state universities, but they were simply too expensive. At my community college I paid out of my own pocket almost every semester and graduated with zero debt. Many high school graduates are turned off by the high prices a university can charge, and consequently avoid going to college at all. I encourage those people to look into a two-year school.
Community college is also diverse. Because universities tend to cater to traditional students who live in dorms and take on full class loads, most classes include the same 18 to 24-year-old age group. But community college is geared toward students of all kinds. I had many classes with non-traditional students ranging anywhere from 18-70 years old. I love the atmosphere that cultivates as a result. To be able to learn from and interact with those more experienced than I, as well as those my age, is invaluable.
The student body is small, as are the classes. The teachers knew my name. It gave me so many opportunities to ask questions. Many students attend a university hoping to be surrounded by crowds of new people, but it gets lonely when a campus is so big that seeing the same person more than once becomes a rarity. Community college satisfied both my desire to meet new people, and my need to make friends.
Lastly, there are countless opportunities. The small student body and two-year timeframe meant lots of opportunities to fill vacant seats that might otherwise be filled at a larger university. Several of these opportunities lead me down a path that brought leadership positions, solid resume additions, travel and invaluable learning experiences.
When it came time to transfer to UI, I felt so much more prepared than I did as a freshman. I had already had chances to climb to the top — all at an affordable price.
My community college experience was a good one. The campus was beautiful, the community was tight-knit and there was no shortage of opportunity.
Now I enjoy my university experience more fully — without the stress of debt or inexperience weighing me down.
Taylor Nadauld
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