The most common question people between the ages of 18 to 22 are asked is, “what school are you going to?” When attending a community college, it can be embarrassing to answer that question, not because community college is a bad thing, but because the most common response to that is, “Oh, well that’s still okay.” Community college students don’t need to be told that it’s okay. They know it's okay. Actually, we know that it’s more than okay. Don’t look at them with pity or disappointment; our education is just as valid as university students', and they are lucky to have an opportunity to continue learning, even if it’s not at a school that costs $45,000 or more a year.

Community college students are just as dedicated as university students, despite contrary belief. There is a stereotype that community colleges are full of slackers, trouble-makers, people who didn’t make it into a “real school” and students that are being forced to get an education. Before I started meeting people on campus, this is what I thought too. Now I know that this is very far from true. The tutoring center is full of bright minds who want to succeed. Classes are full of people who are eager to learn. Everybody I meet has a goal to move forward in life. No matter the college, there are going to be people who really want to succeed, and there will be people who are just trying to get by. Universities can be full of slackers and trouble-makers; they’re just slackers and trouble-makers who pay more money and have the option to get a bachelors degree.

Community colleges don’t just hand out 4.0s and associates degrees, students have to work for them. Classes are equivalent to those found at a university. A lot of the time they are even taught by professors who have worked at universities for years and use the same material. So why are students constantly looked at like they are taking the easy way out? There are some classes that require a 99 or 100% to receive a 4.0. This is a higher expectation than is found in plenty of universities, and it’s not any easier to reach them. Students still walk around with dark circles under their eyes, coffee in their hand and a $300 textbook in their bag. When finals come along, there are students rushing to the library, picking up scantrons, pulling all nighters and crying over math equations. They still have to go through the suffering of physics tests and science labs, 20 page reports in either MLA and APA, and the 10 minute speeches they are dreading. Community college isn’t an easy way out. It’s not “settling.” Many students have the option to go to a different school, but they chose to come to community college. For many, it's a second chance. For others, it's a stepping stone. For some, it means having financial stability. They shouldn’t be looked down upon for getting an education. Just because they can’t get a bachelors degree, doesn’t mean that it is any less of a quality education.

Even though students do not pay thousands of dollars a year, live on campus, eat in a cafeteria, go to many parties or have to walk miles to get to class, they are still receiving an important education, just like every other student. It's an education that needs to stop being negatively portrayed and undermined. Community college students don't need reassurance, so stop saying that it's okay; start saying that it's great and treat them like a "real student."