The leaves are falling, the sun is setting later; this can only mean one thing: it’s college application season. More high school students are forgetting the four-year universities by turning to a more affordable, more convenient option. Although, not every student is applying to university. One Braintree High senior, Vinh Dinh, has other plans.
“My plan is to go to a community college nearby, and then transfer to one of the state schools,” says Vinh Dinh.
Dinh is applying to Bunker Hill Community College to begin courses in the fall of 2025.
After four years of postsecondary education, Vinh hopes to walk across the stage of a university with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Through the MassTransfer program, students can transfer credits from a community college to a state university. By transferring his credits, Dinh will still be able to have the college experience at a lower cost.
While the education system prioritizes the education of a four-year institution, Dinh sees the benefits of other options.
“Community college is a lot cheaper and closer to my house. Also, academically speaking, the first two years mainly consist of general education, so I’m not missing out on much by not going to a university.” explains Dinh.
According to the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges, all state residents can now receive free tuition if they have not received a bachelor’s degree. This is a huge deal for students who cannot afford four-year institutions. Dinh is not the only student taking advantage of this new opportunity.
More students in Massachusetts are opting to go to a community college, rather than four-year institutions. According to the Mass.gov website, enrollment at Massachusetts community colleges increased by 14 percent after the MassEducate program was released. With the support of this program that provides free tuition to students, approximately 10,000 students have been added to the community college population.
The lower cost of community colleges may not be the only incentive for increased enrollment; four-year universities are becoming more of a financial burden on students and their families. According to the Education Data Initiative, the average annual cost of university is around $38,000 per student, including supplies and daily expenses. This price tag is extreme for many high schoolers who want to further their education.
“I started looking into community colleges, mostly because of how expensive a lot of universities are, and so I thought it could be a better idea.” states Dinh.
Forced away by the high cost of four-year institutions, students are exploring other courses.
After graduating Braintree High, Vinh Dinh has hopes of enrolling at Bunker Hill Community College to further his education.
Another Braintree High senior, Olivia Singleton plans to take a similar path. She plans on taking classes at Massasoit Community College to earn an associate’s degree to become a veterinary technician.
“The program I want to go to college for only takes two years so I don’t need to go to a four-year university to get my degree.” explains Olivia Singleton.
Not all students need a university degree to achieve their dream job.
“The main benefits would be going to school for less time, so you can begin working sooner. Also, now it’s a lot cheaper to go to community college.” says Olivia Singleton.
Since choosing what she wanted to study in junior year of high school, Singleton has been persuaded to enroll in community college. Like Dinh, she recognized the benefits of not attending a university.
“Some people think it’s about money, that you can’t get as good as a job if you go to a community college, rather than a university” says Olivia Singleton
While some students like Singleton and Dinh understand the benefits of community college, many are unaware of how helpful it can be.
“Sometimes, students think it’s a negative thing to go to community college but it’s not because you can get an associate’s degree, transfer to get your bachelor’s degree. So, I do think there’s a stigma. More recently, I think more people have developed a better understanding of community college and what it entails. Because of this, I feel like that stigma is being broken a bit.” explains Guidance Counselor, Ms. Smyth.
If more people enroll in a community college, the stigma surrounding it will decrease over time. This will make community college a more obvious opportunity to students. While not every senior at Braintree High is planning on enrolling in community college, regardless, students are coming to realize that going to university is not the only path. For years, students have followed a plan to get good grades, graduate high school, go to a university, and find a job with their newfound degree.
Currently, however, this idea is being challenged. Today, students are encouraged to do what is best for them and their future.
“I would definitely consider it and look at it,” says Ms. Smyth. “It can be a great option for students who want to do it.”
