It doesn’t matter where someone starts, what matters is where they end. Once high school is over many students get accepted to university, while many go to community college. Though they take different paths, at the end of their studies there is no difference between the student who went to university out of high school and the student who went to community college.

In 2012, I was graduating from Malibu High School and preparing to go to university. I sent my college apps to over a half-dozen schools and then waited to see my fate. Out of the six schools of interest, San Francisco State was the only school I was accepted into. My decisions were limited, and I felt conflicted about going.

Ultimately, I decided to give it a shot. SFSU was a great experience as I got familiar with a new city and new people. Everything about the atmosphere and vibes was up my alley but something inside didn’t feel right.

After my first semester, I began to feel homesick and realized as embarrassing as it was that I was not ready from an academic and emotional level. From then to now a lot has changed, I realized academics is a job that must be taken seriously and should not be rushed. Learning from past mistakes, I decided to change course. For me, Moorpark is the best path to obtain my goals and return to a university.

There is no right path to reach an end goal though, because we are all different in our own individual ways. However, many students here at Moorpark all share a common goal; to prepare for the next chapter in their lives. For some students getting their associated degree in their respective field is the end goal as this can lead to a job, but for many other students, Moorpark is the path to a university.

Gavin Powell, 19, Simi Valley native and undecided major had a similar story to mine. He got into California State University Channel Islands out of high school but decided to take a step back and go to Moorpark instead of another four year college.

“I’m not entirely sure Moorpark is the best for everyone, but it certainly is a good place to go if you are not sure,” said Powell. “Or if you know that you wouldn’t get adjusted to a four year university straight out of high school.”

The adjustment period is different for everyone, as not all 18 year old students are ready for the rigors of a four year university right away. Powell has interests ranging from cars to fashion and even film. While he sees those aspirations as his passions, the importance of going back to a university remains a priority.

“I really do enjoy college, I would like to transfer and graduate from a four year,” said Powell. “But if it were up to me, I would try to find something I really love, whether it has to do with cars, music, video games, fashion or film.”

Powell knows college is important but he is still looking for the field that best represents his passions.

Chris Greene, 21, geography major took his time focusing on his passions while attending Moorpark. His love for the natural environments of Southern California and the Sierra Nevadas slowly molded his goals for school.

“[In high school] I spent a lot of time hiking my local hills in Simi Valley and became interested in my region’s indigenous and modern history,” said Greene. “I chose the path of geography because it is such a wide discipline that focuses on the Earth as a home for humans, in both a physical and cultural sense.”

According to Greene, he chose Moorpark because he wanted to take time figuring out his own path. Now further down that path, Greene has been accepted to Northridge and Channel Islands but is waiting to hear back from his school of choice, UCLA.

There are also conflicts that arise that are out of our hands, such as finances. For some, admittance was not the issue but the practicalities of paying for four years of university.

Dan Ceco, 22, Newbury Park local and Culinary Arts graduate did not have the finances to go to a university. Despite his financial complications, Ceco made his goals possible by attending Oxnard College for its Culinary Program and Moorpark College for general education.

“I chose Moorpark because they’re a good school and I didn’t have the money to go to a university,” said Ceco. “Ultimately, it’s helped me get into the field I want to be in affordably.”

While Oxnard was where he was learning to be a chef, Moorpark is where he learned how to manage the financial side of running a kitchen.

For Ceco, the cost of University outweighs the positives for now, but double dipping at Oxnard and Moorpark has now made it possible for him to work in the field that he is passionate in.

Regardless of what your end mission may be, community colleges can play a key role in helping students carve a path to their next goal in life. For myself, Moorpark was the place where I was able to slow things down and start again. Some students are still figuring out what they want to do, while others know what they want to do. Whether the goal is a university or an associates degree, the students of community colleges prove there is no right or wrong path to success.