In this day and age, from the day you enter high school, you’re pressed with the decision of what school you’re going to go to for your post-secondary education. And as the school year draws to a close, and a new year is just beginning, for the seniors the time to make that decision is now. Even most of the juniors and the sophomores have most likely already started looking  at schools and universities, too.

However, when it comes down to choosing the right school for you, though, the biggest options almost always boil down to three major types of schools: community college,  public and private universities. All three can often offer very different learning environments from the other, which is why it’s important to take the time to decide which you’d like most. And as far as that goes, Windsor’s students all have different opinions and preferences on which type of school they’d like to go to.

“I’m going to Meramec (STLCC) because the A+ program pays for my school,”senior Eric Sager said.

In a country of exploding college prices, many prospective-scholars share this sentiment. Thanks to the A+ program, however, many Windsor students can complete the first two years of whatever their major may be at a community college and then later transfer their credits to a university at sometimes a fraction of the cost that it would be to go four full years at a university, leading many to enroll at Jefferson College or Saint Louis Community College. In Missouri in fact, according to a study by collegeboard.org, the average tuition at a public two-year community college is $3,245, while it is $8,632 at a four-year college or university. Public and state universities, however, are a very popular option as well.

“I’m going to Arizona State. But cost and classes are the main two factors for me,” junior and The Hoot photographer Trenton Deevers said.

Cost seems to be the recurring deciding factor for a large amount of students, no matter where they decide to go. Considering the tens of thousands of dollars of debt in student loans students accumulate, it is understandable why. Many prospective students are intimidated by such large amounts of debt, and rightfully so.

The latest generation of Americans, dubbed “generation Z,” their generation, is one of the first generations to en masse be expected to make less money than their parents. Despite this however, Windsor students and students all over the country continue to pay the significant financial cost for the prospect of a steady and satisfying career.