A college option often overlooked

One more way to afford a Christian school

By Jessica High

There are many options out there to deal with the rising cost of a college education today, but there’s one that I initially overlooked: community college.

When I was a high school senior, I focused on applying to a private Christian university and wrote off community college as an inferior choice. I was tired of the public school system and was excited about going to a school with a Christian foundation with students who cared about their academics.

Who would have thought two years later that I would be finishing my sophomore year at a local community college with plans to finish my degree at the private Christian university of my choice? It has been one of the best decisions of my life – but it wasn’t an easy one.

Originally, I was set on going to a private university. But God seemed to have a different plan for me because I started looking at the community college in my area.

I found out it offered dual admission to the Christian university I had picked since the schools had a special agreement. I could take all my general education classes at community college and the credits would automatically transfer to the university I chose. This dual admission plan seemed God-sent because I had been worried about not having enough money to cover my original four-year plan.

The cost savings during my first two years was great. While attending community college, I lived at home rent free and had a part-time job. My parents lent me their car to commute to school, so I didn’t have to buy one. Though I paid a lot for gas, it didn’t come close to what room and board would have cost.

Thanks to scholarships, I attended my first year of college basically for free and my second year was reasonable enough that I paid it all without loans. This fall, when I transfer to the private university I will inevitably incur loans, but I am comforted to know that I held them off this long.

Community college is not for everyone. Every student's situation is different and should be lifted up in prayer. But overall, my experience with community college has been very positive and rewarding financially, academically, and spiritually.

Jessica High, Ephrata, Pa., attends Ephrata Mennonite Church. She is the online community moderator for www.mmaYnow.com.