So what is the college experience? Depending on who you are, what your life situation is, and why you decided to enroll, college can mean different things. Some students attend two-year colleges to complete their first two years close to home and at a low cost; then they move on to a four-year college or university for a higher degree. Others want to be trained for specific careers and get a job after graduation. Still others may already have jobs but want to change their careers or improve their chances for a promotion. College is the main responsibility for some students; for others, it can be an additional major responsibility added to family or work obligations. Some students come to the United States from other countries just to study. College is really far more than any single image you might carry around in your head.

Basically, college is a process of formal education that will help prepare you to achieve success after you graduate. Because knowledge and information expand all the time, however, college classes won’t teach you everything you will ever need to know. Perhaps the most important skill you will learn in college is how to keep learning throughout your life. Your college classes can give you the experience you will need in creating, managing, and using new information.