I tell all of my students heading to community college not to beat my record of seven years.
I usually say it with a smile, but I mean it.
Community college wasn’t part of my original plan. But it became a critical part of my pathway. It allowed me to keep a toe in the water academically while I navigated something I never could have planned for: losing my dad when I was 20 and needing to work full time. It also gave me the space to learn how to "do" school after being a not-so-stellar high school student. For me, it wasn’t a setback. It was a reset, a second chance to move forward with intention.
That flexibility mattered. A lot.
I’m working with a student right now who is neurodivergent. At just 16, her pathway has already had many unexpected detours.
She wants to go away to college. She wants the independence, the experience, the next chapter. And she’s capable, smart, thoughtful, and motivated.
But, when we honestly look at what she needs to thrive in her first year... structure, manageable course loads, access to support, and time to build executive functioning skills, community college might be the better fit for now.
This is not because she can’t handle more. It's because readiness isn’t about rushing.
For a long time, community college has been framed as a fallback, a consolation prize, a Plan B, a sign that something didn't go right.
That framing does real harm.
Community colleges are increasingly one of the most strategic entry points into postsecondary education, especially for students who benefit from:
• Smaller class sizes
• Flexible pacing
• Lower financial risk
• Strong advising and support services
• Time to mature academically and emotionally
• Space to navigate real life without burning everything down in the process
Community college isn’t about limiting options. It’s about protecting momentum. It’s a place to build confidence, establish routines, clarify goals, and earn transferable credit, without the pressure of “getting it right” immediately.
A good pathway starts with where you can succeed, and lets that success open the next door.
Community college isn’t a detour. For many students, it’s the on-ramp.
How can we shift the conversation from “where you go” to “how you grow” after high school?
I usually say it with a smile, but I mean it.
Community college wasn’t part of my original plan. But it became a critical part of my pathway. It allowed me to keep a toe in the water academically while I navigated something I never could have planned for: losing my dad when I was 20 and needing to work full time. It also gave me the space to learn how to "do" school after being a not-so-stellar high school student. For me, it wasn’t a setback. It was a reset, a second chance to move forward with intention.
That flexibility mattered. A lot.
I’m working with a student right now who is neurodivergent. At just 16, her pathway has already had many unexpected detours.
She wants to go away to college. She wants the independence, the experience, the next chapter. And she’s capable, smart, thoughtful, and motivated.
But, when we honestly look at what she needs to thrive in her first year... structure, manageable course loads, access to support, and time to build executive functioning skills, community college might be the better fit for now.
This is not because she can’t handle more. It's because readiness isn’t about rushing.
For a long time, community college has been framed as a fallback, a consolation prize, a Plan B, a sign that something didn't go right.
That framing does real harm.
Community colleges are increasingly one of the most strategic entry points into postsecondary education, especially for students who benefit from:
• Smaller class sizes
• Flexible pacing
• Lower financial risk
• Strong advising and support services
• Time to mature academically and emotionally
• Space to navigate real life without burning everything down in the process
Community college isn’t about limiting options. It’s about protecting momentum. It’s a place to build confidence, establish routines, clarify goals, and earn transferable credit, without the pressure of “getting it right” immediately.
A good pathway starts with where you can succeed, and lets that success open the next door.
Community college isn’t a detour. For many students, it’s the on-ramp.
How can we shift the conversation from “where you go” to “how you grow” after high school?
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