She leaves her class which contains about 200 students and heads back to her apartment. On the way back, she passes by the dorms, and reminisces about the nightly parties and lively atmosphere. Tonight, she has to study for a midterm she is having and also make time to attend a meeting for her sorority. Tomorrow, she will do it all over again.

Students often imagine this scenario as being the standard “college experience.” They place strong emphasis on social aspects such as parties and dorm living, leading to the misconception that the complete college experience is missed if a student does not go directly to a university straight out of high school.

Misconceptions about the college experience, or the image that there is lack of experience, is harmful to community college students because it lowers their morale and makes them feel they are in a second-class situation. Instead of utilizing and capitalizing on the resources available to them, many portray an attitude of defeat or shame at attending a community college.

The important thing for students from community colleges to keep in mind is that colleges like Skyline have many benefits and, in many ways, provide the same opportunities and resources as four-year colleges. The experience is not exactly the same in the two different types of colleges, but as community colleges strive to improve programs, resources, and extracurricular activities, students will find the gap between the different institutions is not so wide.

The three important areas highlighted by counselors and students as defining the term “college experience” are personal growth, social interaction, and academic work. These can be cultivated in either type of college. Each area is unique in how it can be experienced at different schools. Students may find themselves nurtured in one area in a community college while experiences in other areas lack.

Out of the three areas, the most important aspect of the college experience is the growth during these years according to both counselors and upper-division students.

“It is about experiencing a much greater level of independence and personal responsibility than you ever have before,” said Harlan Edelman, a counselor at Lowell High School.

Although popular, the notion that there are fewer opportunities to grow in a community college is false. Even students who attended four-year institutions their entire college career list factors in their maturity which are not specific to the four-year college experience.

“I feel by getting out of the house I became a lot more self-reliant, doing my own laundry, managing my meals, and time,” said Timothy Hollingsworth, a third-year student who attends UC Davis straight from high school.

Hollingsworth attributes his personal growth to greater responsibility for basic tasks as well as involvement in extra-curricular activities. Both experiences are available to community college students, even if they don’t move out.

“I work probably 20 hours a week, and do my own laundry on the weekends. Sometimes I do my homework at work, and whatever I don’t finish, I do at home,” said Stefani Wettstein, a Skyline student who attributes her maturity on balancing the many parts of her busy schedule.

“Being in a community college, you have to be your own motivation,” said Sara Chen, a second-year student at Foothill College.

The bridge between personal growth and social growth is in a student’s struggle to find his or her “place” within the community inside and outside of college.

“College experience is soaking up knowledge and finding your own niche that will help you grow and develop into a future adult,” said Virginia Padron, a Skyline College counselor.

Students at community colleges have a slight disadvantage in this factor due to their busy schedules and the “commuter” environment of community colleges.

Students at four-year institutions have the advantage of being in one location for a longer amount of time. This allows for more opportunities to “move through the ranks” as Edelman describes it.

Community college students are able to have the same experience, but may find it more difficult because they spend a short time in one place before moving on to another after transferring. This makes it more difficult for students to “plant their roots” since it takes time to be fully immersed in one community, and catch up when joining another. Ironically, there is little sense of “community” in a community college.

Finding a place to belong greatly depends on a student’s social interaction. Social interaction is very important to college students and many students are mistaken in believing community college students lack in social experiences. Most junior colleges provide access to many clubs and activities. Four-year institutions, however, have a greater variety and stronger community.

The abundance of activity choices can be both detrimental and enriching. Students in universities may have problems narrowing down choices and end up being overwhelmed. However, this is a lesson in time management and a greater understanding for one’s own interests.

“Freshman year I tried to do everything,” Hollingsworth said. “I’d over-commit and then burnout, but it taught me what I can manage and to what extent I can stay productive.”

Students at community colleges do not face as many options, and will have less trouble focusing their interests. Thus, they might miss out on gaining the insight like Hollingsworth’s, until being faced with the same obstacle after transferring.

Academically, going to a community college does not mean having a lower quality education. Students should take advantage of the smaller classes, more personalized teaching. Counselor Sue DeVries from Lowell High School points out that community college classes are taught by teachers who are focused on their students. This can be hard to find in four-year institutions where professors may be more interested in research work or work with their graduate students.

Rod Diolula, a Skyline student who will be transferring to UC Berkeley, compared students who transfer into highly competitive schools with those who attend straight out of high school. Diolula observed that the amount of work put into qualifying for transfer into a university like Berkley keeps students from becoming unmotivated after their hard work, making the most of their education after transfer.

“[Transfer students] are the only ones who really take this seriously,” Diolula said.

Counselors like Edelman caution students from focusing on trying too hard to replicate the experience of a four-year university. Instead he said students should use the community college experience to help transition into life at a four-year university.

In both situations students should keep an open mind and make the most of their experiences.

“You are learning from books on a deep level, but also learning about people in a very real way,” Edelman said, and that is what’s important.

How to Make Your Time at Skyline Most Like a Four-Year-College:

Dorms: Sign up for study abroad. It’s more economic, you get to live in close quarters with other students, and you see the world.

Extra-curricular Activities: Join one of Skyline’s many clubs or honor societies. Volunteer.

Social: Make use of the Bay Area’s lively hangouts. Many students in college towns are limited in their options.

Independence: Get a part-time job and do your own chores. That way, when you do move out, you aren’t overwhelmed.