Community college was one of the smartest moves of my life.

The IGETC program ensured that my education was equivalent to what I would have gotten at a UC as a freshmen and sophomore.

My teachers were mostly Stanford and Berkeley PHDs. They were dedicated to teaching. Not trying to balance research and teaching. 30 people per class, maximum. Arguably, I got a better education than UC students.

And obviously, cost. My mom raised me and my brother. On paper, we were rather poor. The financial grants for students from low-income families essentially paid for all costs. If I had been really savvy with my money, I actually could have saved a few grand each year.

I transferred to UC Berkeley after 2 years, right on time.