Community college is most often someone’s ultimate fallback when they are planning out their collegiate career. Any other school seems more desirable, as one’s attendance at community college has certain connotations which follow. Why did you go to community college? Is it because you don’t have enough money? Because you don’t have a strong work ethic? These are the kinds of questions oftentimes asked of community college students, because many times community college is seen as a melting pot of burnouts, bums and grown adults all meandering their way towards an associate’s degree. Despite the commonality of criticism towards community college, a community college education is one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences a student can have.

While community college has its critics, it's still the choice of many bright and promising students who choose a more economical educational path. Instead of crippling student loans, students can be saving money that would have been spent on a four-year institution. Instead of being in a lecture hall with hundreds of other students at a university, students at many community colleges have opportunities for hands on experiences and interactions with professors. Community colleges have a smaller community base that is unparalleled among large universities, public and private.

Does all this mean you should go to community college? Choosing your education path is your decision that must be what’s best for you. If that means attending community college, then that’s fantastic. If that means attending a four-year university, then that’s also fantastic. However, don’t make a decision -- such as choosing not to attend community college -- without knowing that community college can be one of the best academic institutions to learn, grow and achieve your dreams.

Here are five reasons why you should attend community college, listed in no particular order)

1. Cost

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average college cost per year, accounting for tuition, room and board and fees (in 2014 dollars) is $9,000 for community college, $18,000 for public four-year universities and $37,000 for private four-year universities. College has become so expensive that cost has become a major barrier to entry for many young people, especially for lower- and middle-class communities.

Is college still worth it despite the cost? Absolutely. Is community college a much decision, economically speaking? Absolutely. According to Time, graduates of the class of 2016 in the United States graduated with an average of $3,700 dollars of loans, double the debt of college graduates in 2003.

By alleviating the overall cost of college with the more cost effective community college pathway to university, students can save tens of thousands of dollars. Student loan debt is poised to be a major obstacle for millennials, and in this expensive world it just makes sense to be saving for a more successful and fun career life.

2. Faculty

Community college is a completely student-focused educational institution. Professors have the ability to focus on their students instead of them being focused on their own research. There will be good professors and there will be bad professors, but that goes for any community college or university.

In my own experience as a student at community college, I did not have a single professor whom I did not respect. There certainly were professors who pushed and challenged me to be a better student. While I may not have appreciated such guidance and intention at the time, such growth has become invaluable now.

3. Diversity

You would be hard-pressed to find a more diverse student population than that at a community college. Where I live in San Jose, CA, community colleges represent the confluence of age, class and ethnicity. Sitting in a classroom, as a freshman in college, with students my own age, students in their later 20s and even adults in middle age was a remarkably enlightening experience. I got to learn from not only my professors, but also from the life experience of men and women who have lived much longer and fuller lives than I have. Community colleges have become a place for the disenfranchised, a place where everyone is welcome.

Because of the diversity of community college, students have a unique opportunity to become more aware of the world at large. They're more aware of their community, and more aware of problems outside of a college student’s realm of understanding. While universities may tout diverse populations -- and certainly many do for good reason -- community colleges are uniquely positioned among academic institutions as they cater to both the casual learner and the student.

4. Convenience

For many students who are about to leave home, community college can be an extremely viable option. Many students have opportunities to live with their parents following high school graduation and can attend community college while either not paying for rent or paying a greatly reduced rent. Even then, staying in your local community provides many benefits. These include job connections (or already having a job), nearby friends and established communities like clubs, friend groups and churches.

5. Opportunity

Community college students are saving money, enough that they will be better positioned financially when they have graduated compared with their indebted peers. But community college has immediate opportunities as well. At community college, your friends are who you choose them to be, not whomever you’re forced to live with on your dorm floor.

Trial and error are possible at community college -- more so than at a university. Want to try being an economics major? An art major? A philosophy major? Rather than wasting money at a university, (and perhaps being pressured into a degree or field which you are not entirely sure of) community college allows for experimentation. Apply your passions and interest at community college and see what happens!

All in all, community college is not for everyone. Some may find that due to technicalities in their program or field, it would be wiser to attend a university. Some may wish to not live at home with their parents, or may realize that for their own growth they need to seek a new community.

Whatever your situation is, remember this: your education is your decision and no one else can make that decision for you. Your determination and tenacity while decide whether you flounder or succeed.

So succeed, and do the best that you can wherever you choose to go to school!