I've got a problem with something I've been hearing a lot recently. For some reason, people see CUNY schools as a bad thing. Honestly, it's not the first time I've heard this. When I was applying to college last year, that was all I heard. When I committed to Hunter College, the biggest reactions I got were ones of shame. For those who don't live in New York, CUNY stands for the City University of New York. In this system, there are community colleges, four-year colleges and graduate schools. I go to Hunter, which is a four-year college in the system. Personally, I feel you can go to any school and get where you want to go to in your future, as long as you have a plan. I won't lie, it's easier to achieve certain paths if you go to certain schools and it sucks, but that's life.

What gets me is when people say that CUNY schools are bad schools. The CUNY system has some of the best ranked schools and has amazing professors. The curriculum is fantastic no matter what your path is and you can get so much out of a CUNY school. There are amazing connections made at these schools, amazing internships and great jobs come out of going to a CUNY. This is true whether or not you start at a community college or go straight into a four-year college. These are great schools and some of the most amazing people in the world have come from CUNYs. The City College of New York alone has produced 10 Nobel Prize winners.

A highly known competitor to CUNY schools is the SUNY system, which stands for the State University of New York. Like CUNY, they have four-year colleges and community colleges, which are also great schools. An issue that many people have with CUNY is the social life. It's common to hear commentary about going to a commuter school means you'll miss out on the college experience. Let me call that out right now because college is what you make of it.

You can go to a dorming school and still have a crappy experience. It is all about you. If you go around, make friends and try to have fun, you will have an amazing experience. If you just go to school and then leave without talking to anyone or making an effort, you will never enjoy your experience in school. But honestly until about two weeks ago, that was me.

I just went about my day barely ever talking to anyone and now that I try to communicate with people, it makes the day go by quicker. CUNY schools throw parties, amazing ones at that but you have to find them. Find your niche and love it because it just makes college a more memorable experience.

The best part is, where CUNY lacks, it makes up for with the many events and clubs we have! I know at my school we have an amazing amount of clubs. I say amazing because that means that there is something for everyone. There is a club for any person and every major, which I feel shows the diversity that commuter schools have. All clubs are welcoming and I definitely recommend them. It gives you a chance to unwind and find others who share the same interests!

By far though, an amazing part of going to Hunter is how affordable it is. It is an amazing school for such a cheap price. The education that people get here is great and it doesn’t break your wallet. It allows for everyone to get an education. The CUNY system is great and if you go to one, don’t let anyone tell you different. You will still achieve your dreams and be debt free by the end of it. It doesn’t matter where you go, it’s the education you get there that matters.