Recent class of 2012 graduate Nolan Peterson had a plan. He got accepted to Illinois State University last year and was going to attend there this fall. However, Harper Community College had another plan set in store for him.

“I was planning on going to ISU this year, and then I received the distinguished scholar award at Harper for 60 credit hours or two years paid full,” Peterson said. “So I chose to stay at Harper to reduce my college debt.”

Peterson is among the 48 percent of graduates from the class of 2012 who chose to pursue a two-year college for various reasons against the 47 percent who went off to a four-year university, according to college and career counselor Paul Genovese.

In the current state of the economy, more and more high school seniors are turning towards community college for a cheaper option in lieu of paying the increasing costs of a four-year university.

And according to a new study from the National Student Clearinghouse Center, those that have gone off to four-year institutions are now coming back.

“Roughly 14 percent of first-time students who enrolled at a four-year institution in the fall of 2005 had transferred to a community college by 2011” the study notes. “Of the transfer group, about 17 percent eventually returned to their original four-year institution. A larger group, about 28 percent, went on to a different four-year. The other 55 percent either stuck it out at community colleges or dropped out, with that group split right down the middle.”

This research sheds light on this “reverse transfer” pathway for students, which Genovese said is growing to be a sort of “phenomenon.”

“These days, finances are really affecting the ability of a family to pay for college,” Genovese said.

He also adds a scenario in which colleges are offering presidential scholarships to students as a marketing ploy, but all of a sudden that money will suddenly just “disappear,” forcing that student to have to return back home because the burden of paying the lofty college tuition would just be too much.

Another change he’s also noted is how in recent times, he’s more likely to advise students not to go to college undecided in order to save money.

For senior Marissa Luisi, a way around this is going to Harper where she’ll be paying less to figure out her future.

“The biggest reason I chose to go to Harper is because I’m unsure of what I really want to do yet,” Luisi said. “I don’t feel as prepared as I should be to actually go to a university. It’s also an easy way to get all of my gen eds out of the way, which to me is really important.”

While many students come to this decision under the duress of their parents, Luisi proudly admits she’s come up with this plan on her own.

“Going to Harper is entirely my own decision,” she said. “My parents support what I want to do. And after two years, I plan on transferring, but I’m unsure on where.”

However, Genovese reiterates that four-year institutions or even two-year institutions are not the only option.

“College is a really good choice; schooling is important and schooling beyond high school opens up doors and gives students opportunities– period. But, one type of schooling isn’t better than the other of schooling,” Genovese said. “There are trade schools, there are certificate programs, and one type of degree isn’t better than the other either.”

Therefore, having options and keeping them open is key to the college process, which is exactly what Peterson did.

“I applied there [Harper] because it’s just always a good idea to have that option,” Peterson said. “Even if you don’t plan on going to a community college, something might come up and it’s always a good idea to have that as an option. I kept my options open and Harper seemed like the best choice for me at the time.”

By: Julianne Micoleta