Bergen Community College

Special Education Teacher, The New York Department of Education

After graduating from high school, I was undecided about what I wanted to do. A friend recommended Bergen Community College as a place to explore my interests in the meantime. I had also heard that Bergen was one of the most competitive two year schools in the nation. How fortunate I was to live two towns away!

I really enjoyed the variety of classes I took and my involvement in campus organizations and activities. These two elements combined to make Bergen feel like a family environment more so than a place where I came just to take classes.

Even if you aren’t completely sure what you want to do, make a concrete educational plan from the beginning. Use the counselors as a resource and make some decisions about what you want to do (or at least about what you don’t want to do). Whether or not you stick to your original plan, it will give you the structure you need to make progress towards a specific goal. By my second semester, I knew I wanted to transfer to Rutgers. When I applied, I was able to maximize my transfer credits and complete my Bachelor’s Degree within four years.

Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; The College of Staten Island

M.S. in Special Education