The Virginia Beach TCC sign shows off its motto as you enter the campus. “From here, go anywhere,” reiterates the college’s amazing transfer opportunities. Photo used with permission from Holly Allison.

Those who attend a four-year college can have a great experience, but it can also cause many stressors that a community college would not.

By attending a two-year community college first, a person can ease into higher education more smoothly, both socially and economically, according to Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC). 

Many find that it is much easier to live at home than to attend college; in addition, it costs less money and may provide more opportunities to work for experience and earn money to take more classes.

Ocean Lakes has a dual enrollment class with TCC, taught by Dr. Christopher Robinson, who took classes there himself to speed up the process of becoming a teacher. 

“The classes are small, letting the professors have more one-on-one time with students,” said Robinson.“They have good transfer agreements, flexible classes, and tuition is a fraction of the cost of a four-year college.” 

Going to a community college can save thousands of dollars in the long run, which makes it easier to pay off student loans faster.

Two-year in-state colleges and community colleges average $3,862 in tuition per year, according to MWCC. In contrast, the annual tuition cost for public four-year universities for in-state students is $9,377.

Based on one’s GPA, students have the ability to automatically transfer to any Virginia college. Since student’s prerequisites are out of the way, this serves as an opportunity for them to finish their schooling with a focus on their major. 

“I chose to go to TCC because I don’t want to go to a four-year college,” said senior Michael Domanski. “I am going to the Virginia Beach campus and studying radiography.” 

Community colleges offer multiple programs that can help students get ahead. For example, the TCC’s LEAP program (Learn. Explore. Accelerate. Preserve.), provides high school students with six to 12 free college credits over the summer, along with a book stipend and a free laptop. 

There are many community college campuses throughout the Tidewater area, including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake and Portsmouth. 

While occupying many locations, they have even more programs for an associate’s degree. There are programs for counseling, nursing, the arts and many more. 

“I am studying computer science at the Virginia Beach campus,” said Ocean Lakes alumnus Justin Watkins. “The classes have more workload than high school, but you have longer to work; the teachers are more flexible and you have more freedom.” 

For more information on TCC, visit their campus, go to their website or sign up in the guidance office to talk to TCC advisor Mark Powers.