Copiah-Lincoln Community College has an incredibly misleading and misguided reputation. Many students coming out of high school have misconceptions that Co-Lin is too small, too easy and much too close to home. However, the reality of Co-Lin is quite different. Since beginning my educational journey at Co-Lin, I have realized that Co-Lin has exceeded my expectations tremendously. Co-Lin is not what people expect it to be.

One major misconception many prospective students have concerning Co-Lin is the size. I have heard numerous complaints and concerns students have had about the size of Co-Lin.

Another major misconception prospective students have about Co-Lin is that it is not as academically advanced as a four-year university. A few years back, a couple of my friends were commenting that Co-Lin is located in a small hick town and that the instructors there are probably not as educated as instructors at a four-year university. My friends and I also came to the conclusion that a two-year community college degree would not be taken as seriously as a four-year college degree when applying for a job.

Finally, the main misconception that prospective students have about Co-Lin is its location. “It is simply too close to home,” my best friend stated. The majority of people choose not to go to Co-Lin for the simple reason that it is in or near their home town, and they want a fresh start.

Oh, how foolish people can sound when they are ignorant about a particular subject. The reality of Co-Lin is never seen by people with closed-minded misconceptions. Co-Lin is the ideal size for a student starting out as a freshman in college.

The buildings may not be two stories, but there is less walking, and you are almost guaranteed to get to class on time. I could not possibly imagine having to walk 10 minutes across a 6-acre campus to make it to class. Not only are the smaller buildings a benefit, but also because the population is smaller than a four-year university, the student-to-teacher ratio is lower. Therefore, you are guaranteed to have an instructor who has more time to give their students one-to-one attention and focus on the educational well-being of their students.

Furthermore, in response to a concern about social opportunities, Co-Lin has a wide variety of clubs one could join, such as Student Government Association, Student Christian Ministries and Trailblazers. Co-Lin is not too big and not too small; it’s the perfect college that fits all.

With well-educated instructors, you are guaranteed to get a well-rounded education. You can most definitely see how the instructors here at Co-Lin care about their students by looking at the fact that the instructors worked hard to earn their degrees and yet still choose to take a pay cut so the students in this “small hick town” may have hope for a better life. You could not ask for a better instructor than one who would choose the educational well-being of their students over financial security.

Lastly, the main area of concern young people have is how close Co-Lin is to their homes or hometowns. The reality of Co-Lin’s location is that, first and foremost, it is most definitely cheaper when considering tuition, travel expenses and room and board. Most people do not take into consideration that Co-Lin offers most of the same classes a four-year college offers, with Co-Lin’s tuition being only $1,275. You could save a fortune simply by staying at home. Also, staying at home allows younger students to get a sense of independence, while also giving them time to grow up and mature. Students often drop out after their first year of college because of excessive partying and the extreme responsibilities moving away from home has on a person.

The moral to all this goes way back to when that first person realized not to judge a book by its cover. I encourage all prospective students to open the book of Co-Lin and see what the true reality of Co-Lin has in store for you. I can assure you, you will not be disappointed. I look forward to seeing all of you local high school graduates in the admissions office.

William D. Little is a student at Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s Natchez campus.