By: Yasmine Elbeblawy and Daniela Laurel
College is an institution in which students can gain a higher level of education, however, pursuing a profession which requires attending college can be quite costly. So, if a more affordable, close to home option appears, why is it that it is so looked down upon?
Founded in 1959, Miami Dade is the largest college in the Florida College System with over 165,000 students. Moreover, MDC is also the largest center of higher education in Florida and the second-largest in the United States. Yet, there is still an apparent stigma against it.
Many believe it isn’t a “real college” or that it’s ‘slack’ compared to universities, but that’s completely incorrect. The classes, as well as the workload, can be just as challenging and rigorous as any other college. Community college is an excellent option for any student in any situation.
The Watchdog reached out to current Bulldogs to find out their views on this opinion.
Natalie Gomez is a senior who will be attending Miami Dade next fall. She is planning on “…majoring in exercise science to become an athletic trainer”. Natalie says she ultimately “…chose MDC because it was much cheaper to go there [her] first two years. The first two years are going to be the same classes that anyone else takes, so [she] decided to go to MDC to save [her] parents more money.” Community college tuition and other fees are lower than those of traditional universities which make them a greater value. At under $4,000per year, Miami Dade College’s tuition and fees are nearly 10 times less than those of private universities and almost half as much as state universities.
Natalie “… [plans] on completing [her] first two years at Miami Dade and then hopefully transferring to FIU”.
Rolando Fonticobais a senior also attending MDC next fall. He intends to “… major in accounting and hopefully one day get [his] CPA (certified public accountant)”. Rolando’s “…plans for the future after Miami Dade are to go to FIU for business and then hopefully UF to finish [his]major”.
Most students will use community college as a starting point. Usually, for they’ll attend the community college for about two years then transfer after their sophomore year. In fact, in a study conducted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, they found that “when looking only at public four-year colleges, 66 percent of transfer students come from community colleges.”
We asked the students if they felt judged by their peers when they were asked where they’re attending college? Natalie responded, “yes, I feel like many people have a negative outlook on those going to a community college because it’s not a university. In a way, people… would think we don’t have what it takes to make it to a university when that’s not the case for everyone.” Rolando’s response was “Yes, every time I answer someone ‘MDC’ I feel slightly judged as if I were lesser for not attending another college”.
They have little cause for concern. Success comes from those with such seemingly humble beginnings. We reached out to members of our community and local lawyer Irama Valdes, P.A., stepped up to the plate. She graduated with honors from MDC for her AA, with Cum laude from FIU for her bachelor’s in journalism, and attained a Juris Doctorate from St. Thomas University School of Law. She has been practicing law now for 8 years and successfully runs her own firm, Probate Law Miami, in the Kendall area.
At the end of the day, no one should feel ashamed of where they’re going to study. As long as someone is pursuing their passions and fulfilling their desire to expand their knowledge, what does it matter where they attend?
Whether you go to an Ivy League university or a community college, public or private, UF or FSU, it doesn’t matter. As long as you devote yourself to your studies and strive to reach your goals, you will gain the knowledge needed to succeed in the path you choose.
The Watchdog 