If you go to any community college and you tell someone then you have probably seen that "oh I pity you" look more times than you can count by now. Well, I am here to tell you, and quite possibly the people who stereotype community college, that community college is not a bad thing. I have asked people around my community college and taken my own personal experiences to compile a list of top 5 myths that we all have heard time and time again.

Myth One: Your education is not as good as a four-year university.

Truth: Your education is just as good, if not better than any four-year university. Most community colleges have much smaller class sizes, even if it's a lecture class. In most universities, the class sizes could be around 400 people whereas, in community college, the classes are typically no more than thirty people in a class. This also allows you to get more attention and help from the professor because they can give you one-on-one time. In addition to this, most professors at community college have better office hours and you, most of the time, don't have to make appointments to see them. So basically at a community college, you get a more personal education than you would get at a typical four-year university.

Myth Two: You couldn't get into a four-year university.

Truth: Most of the people that I know did get into four-year universities. I myself actually got into multiple, including Harvard (I applied there for fun just to see if I would get accepted). However, most people decide to go to a community college because it can save a lot of money. Because who wants to graduate with a lot of debt right of debt right out of college? I know I wouldn't. According to some research I have done, the average student attending community college comes out with about $8,287 in debt, whereas a four-year degree has about $37,172 and up. In addition to saving money by going to community college first, it is easier to have a job out in the real world while you are getting your education. It's a win-win for you and your banking account!

Myth Three: You're lazy if you go to community college.

Truth: I don't know how many times I have heard this one and quite frankly, it is getting VERY annoying because it is not true. If you are a lazy person, you will be lazy at any school you go to. PERIOD. I actually find and have heard professors say it too, that people at community college take their academics more seriously because they actually want to be there. And if anything, you are anything but lazy because most people I know are working at least a part time job and are taking a full load of classes and are managing to pass all of their classes. And me personally, I am working a full-time job and going to school part-time and maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Now that takes some skill. In addition to these tidbits, there is also proof that the unemployment rate is relatively low. For someone with a two-year occupational degree, it's a whopping 4% and for a two-year academic degree, it's 4.8%. That woud be pretty comforting to me because I know that I would have a job to pay off that small amount of loans and take care of myself.

Myth Four: You don't get the "full college experience".

Fact: One thing I never understood is what is a "full college experience"? Like I am going to college, getting my education, living off of coffee, and getting barely any sleep some nights. Like what more is there to college? For some crazy reason, some people think you need to live in a dorm, eat a ton of horrible food, and do other crazy things to have that full college experience. I don't know about you, but I know that I would not want some of those things to happen to me. Most of this stuff you can do on your own if you REALLY want to anyway.

Myth Five: The credits won't transfer.

Fact: Despite what everyone else is telling you, most of the credits WILL transfer. You just have to plan it out. All you need to do is while you're going to community college, keep in contact with an academic advisor at the four-year college you would like to transfer to and they will let you know what will transfer. And guess what, it's completely FREE!