Flashback to senior year, I’m unsure of where my life is going, let alone trying to pick which college I wanted to go to or my major. All of my peers were filling out the “Common App”, and selecting all of these colleges they had dreamed of going to. I never really had a college I necessarily had to go to in order to fulfill some lifelong dream, but I knew I wanted to go to a “good school”. I had visited Southern Connecticut State University in the past, and I really liked their campus. It was small, but not too small. Just right in fact. I somehow decided to apply to SCSU and two other schools in the area because I knew I wanted to commute and work while going to school. I wound up getting accepted to all three but ultimately decided on Southern.
At first, I was somewhat ashamed to say I was going to a state school. I don’t completely understand why, but state schools seem to get a bad rep. I was so excited that I had fully come to a decision on where I would be going to college, but it felt like every time I told someone where I was headed, I got a rude or skeptical response. I shouldn’t have been ashamed then, and I sure am not ashamed now.
There are so many advantages and perks of picking a state school. One of those advantages is that you are paying a fourth of the price as most of your friends. Each state school ranges in price, but they are usually all fairly cheap for a college education. You are getting the same experience as many of your peers. The professors are usually adjunct, which means they don’t just teach at your school, but many of the surrounding schools as well. I have had professors that also taught at the University of Bridgeport, Fairfield University, the University of New Haven, Quinnipiac University, UCONN, and even Yale University; all of which being three or four times the price of Southern. Just because there is a higher acceptance rate, it doesn’t mean they are lacking in valuable education. I have had a fair share of difficult and challenging classes, but just like high school, it depends on your professor; everyone has a different teaching style. Another aspect to look at is that state schools are close to home. You probably will know a lot of people from your high school that go there, but not enough to fill up your classrooms with everyone from your hometown. Believe it or not, it’s nice to see familiar faces around campus.
All in all, going to a local state school for your college education is a great idea. You won’t have to break the bank, and it’s not de-valuing your education. So when you or someone you know says they’re going to a state school, just know that you/they are making a great decision.
Go Owls!
