When I was discussing college and what my plans were for after high school not once was I given the idea to attend our local community college. I personally being a first generation graduate did not know much about the college journey in general I just knew that I was not ready for my education journey to end with a High School Diploma. In many Texas High Schools you will find programs like AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) where their goal is to help first generation students continue their education with assistance registering for SAT’s or ACT’s, waiving college application fees. The purpose of these programs is solely to get students on track for a college education (What AVID Is / College & Career Readiness – Explore AVID Students by Grade Level, n.d.). This kind of assistance may be the difference between a student continuing their education or not. Unfortunately relying on these programs alone to assist the students who would best benefit from them is not and should not be the extent of support these students receive. When High School counselors or other influencers discuss post high school education options, it seems to be that community college is always the “back up plan” when in reality it should be the foundation and “initial plan” for a successful post High School education journey. The truth is that community college is the path to greatness and the door to many other doors for students like me. However, because no one was able to communicate that value to me either through a high school programs or regular community college marketing, I didn’t know it was an option. My life influencers failed to advise me to attend community college, as well as the community college itself. When an education is purely marketed as “affordable” it does not necessarily shine as a desired pathway compared to other colleges. I’d like to discuss how community college education is more than just affordable and that it should no longer be marketed as the “cheap option” or “plan c” but is the actual start to true success.
What AVID Is / College & Career Readiness – Explore AVID Students by Grade Level. (n.d.). AVID. Retrieved January 19, 2022, from https://www.avid.org/what-avid-is
