I saved so much money by going to community college — and then, I was able to transfer to UC Berkeley

• I didn't want to go to a community college, but then I realized I would save a lot of money.
• At my community college, I found great teachers, inspiring classes, and engaged students.
• I was able to transfer to UC Berkeley and recently graduated with less student debt.

I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with $40,000 in student debt. Consolidating four years of college experience into one large, daunting number feels grim. But that number could have been so much worse.