Community College can be seen as less acceptable than other universities, but Bucks students themselves chimed in this week to reveal their opinion on Bucks County Community College.
It is widely known that opinions about community college vary due to how you were brought up, how wealthy you are, where your family went to college, and the type of people you are surrounded by.
Some people think going to community college is the best and smartest decision you can make. Getting your associate degree for a cheaper price than other universities may seem to only have benefits.
Others look down upon it viewing it as a place where only people who couldn’t get into actual universities go. Bucks students had their own opinions about community colleges.
Gabe Cortez, 19, a fine arts major transferred to Bucks from Cairn University. Although Cairn has good opportunities for other degrees, Gabe said, “Cairn didn’t have my major… Bucks had the way that I could pursue my major, even though it didn’t have it. I could take similar classes to it.” About Bucks, he said “Well, one, it’s cheaper and two, it was close to my house. Also, it has a good reputation.”
Toni Valentini, 19, never planned on coming to Bucks. However, now she intends to get her “associate’s in Business in order to better my … skills for my photography business.”
When asked why she chose Bucks, she said, “It was cheap: an inexpensive way to get the knowledge I need as fast as possible. I have money to go to a university but I’d rather save that.”
However, Valentini wasn’t particularly thrilled with community college. “Part of me is happy that next year I’ll have a degree, but another part of me feels like it’s hindering me. Coming from a semester where I was away, the atmosphere and environment of Bucks is not what you feel when you think of college.”
She goes on to say it “was not the most thrilling decision, but at the end of the day, to get the education I need, it’s a good cheap choice…(and that is) the best benefit they have going for them.”
Meanwhile, Cortez kept some benefits in mind: “Coming to Bucks was a smart decision… you get a little more variety in the way you’re taught. You get different people’s styles and meet new people… but the main reason was just to save money.”
In an interview with early education major Jess Hendrix, 20, and psychology major Marissa Faia, 19, Hendrix said she “chose to go to Bucks because it saves so much for my family and I wasn’t ready to go away…I wanted to work.” Faia agreed, “ I didn’t want to leave, and I could also keep my full time job.”
Hendrix went on to say, “I’m glad I chose Bucks. I think it was a smart decision.” Agreeing with Hendrix, Faia stated “Yea.. I’m glad, it’s kinda sad going to visit your friends at college… at the end of the day it saves a lot of money. I’m glad I did (go to Bucks) anyway because I ended up changing my major.”
Then there are also the people who seem to love Bucks and have no second thoughts about it. “I would say that like high school… senior year everyone is excited to go away but no one looks at the costs and it’s still the great education as another college,” business major Zan Bires, 20, said about Bucks.
He went on, “As much as people complain and say Bucks isn’t a good stepping stone, I think it’s a good way for people to get their feet wet and see what college is like so when you go out you know… it’s not as strenuous as a four-year college but it’s preparing you for it.”