College has the been the most common path for graduating students since the 70’s, but recently increasing tuition costs and debt have caused students to ponder whether or not the risks are starting to outweigh the benefits. According to Lindsay Ellison, college advisor, college is still a more viable option than any other alternative.

“Personally, seeing the benefits of college far outweighs the cost,” said Ellison. “[Weigh] your costs and look at the different options; don’t just settle for a school that’s super expensive if your degree isn’t going to make you that much money. It is very important to think about a long term plan in order to pay back your loans,” said Ellison.

In addition to weighing your degree and costs, Ellison recommends the possibility of attending community college in order to help with debt.

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with attending community college first,” said Ellison. “In fact, it’s a really economical way to start off because you’re still responsible for getting all of your basic subjects out of the way. For some, community college can be a great starting point.”

Although community college may be cheaper, like all options, there are downfalls.

“Unfortunately, sometimes there’s bad press that can be associated with community college, and mostly from its students,” said Ellison. “Personally when I attended I had a great experience but I think the biggest attribute is having a positive attitude and make out of it what you want.”

According to Ramia Owens, senior, college allows students to continue to develop and broaden their horizons.

“I think college is important because once we graduate it’s our time to explore and learn about who and what you want to be,” said Owens. “Being in college allows you to further your education, learn how to be out on your own, and you have this wide variety of possibilities at your disposal. It may be expensive, time consuming, and you have to stay focused, but you receive better results going rather than not going.”