High school is not always fun and games. It can be filled with a lot of projects and homework that seem fairly daunting sometimes: it often gets overwhelming. And, much like the majority of the students at Newtown High School, I worked hard throughout my school years to get the grades that I have. I’ve always taken pride in all my accomplishments and have pushed myself to the limit.
When I first entered high school, I was very unaware of the countless all-nighters I would soon be forced to endure just to make sure I got all my homework done or was fully prepare for an upcoming test. I worked hard for the grades I received and I have almost never regretted a late night of work.
To be honest, the reason I am so meticulous with my schoolwork is partially attributed to my want of attaining a grade point average as close to a 4.0 as possible. My goal was always to get into a good school after my senior year and I knew that the way to get there was through hard work. From the first day of freshman year, I had dreamed of college life. I wanted to move far from home and attend a prestigious college. I wanted to have the type of life you see in TV shows.
That fantasy, however, came to a screeching halt during my sophomore year. After becoming more realistic, I realized that I did not want to be drowning in debt for the rest of my life. Though it is valuable, four years of education was not worth $200,000 in loans as far as I was concerned.
When my mother originally proposed the idea of me attending a community college, I was not very happy. Even after her telling me she would pay for my two years at Naugatuck, I was still not interested. The reason for my disinterest was due to the fact that there is a certain stigma behind going to a community college, especially in Newtown. I was embarrassed. I can’t recall the number of times that I have mentioned where I was going to college and people literally stuck their noses up at me.
“You’re going to Naugatuck? But you’re so smart!”
I hate that statement and, unfortunately, I have heard it far too often. I have come to terms with the fact that a lot of people associate going to a community college with low GPAs, poverty, and a lack of drive. That may be true in some situations, but for me, it is not. I’m just realistic. Just because I don’t want to bury myself in debt does not mean that I’m not smart. In fact, I feel it means just the opposite.
College is meant to educate people further so that they can excel in whatever career they choose. With that said, why would someone want to ring up hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans when the whole point of college is to make more money at the job you are passionate about? In the end, most employers just look for the degree.
My plan is to go to Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) to get my Associate’s degree, which I am already well on my way to attaining thanks to the AP courses that NHS offers. I then plan to transfer to either Roger Williams University in Rhode Island or University of Rhode Island. This way, I will graduate with a Bachelor’s degree from a great school at half the price.
Although to me, NVCC’s tuition of about $4,000 a year is beyond appealing, I know it isn’t to everyone. Some people put the college experience over the money aspect, and other people have their parents there to pay for whatever school they want to attend.
Whether it’s for financial reasons or simply because you did not get accepted, it really doesn’t matter if you can’t get into your “dream” school. College is college, and you are bound to get a good education no matter where you end up.
Just because I plan on going to a community college does not mean I’m not smart. It does not mean that I have a low GPA or no motivation. It means that I have a plan. I find it extremely saddening that students put each other down if they aren’t going to a good college. Be happy for each other. There is no reason to make fun of someone just because they don’t want the same things that you do.