Finding the right path to an education

Kaitlin Gardiner drives to California State University, Northridge and makes sure she arrives early to class. She enters the classroom, sits down at a desk and begins studying.

Gardiner transferred to CSUN for the 2009-2010 school year as a business management major after earning her associates degree in business administration at Moorpark College. The path to Northridge had its obstacles for Kaitlin, but she would eventually discover which direction she wanted her life to start heading.

“I am glad that I went to a community college first," said Gardiner. "I learned a lot about myself in the process."

Gardiner may be your typical college student, but the journey that brought her to the Northridge campus is different than the route taken by hundreds of thousands of high school graduates every fall. Instead of enrolling at CSUN straight out of high school, Gardiner transferred from Moorpark College. Gardiner used her time at Moorpark College to explore different subjects because she wasn’t sure what to major in.

“I had numerous offers to go away and compete collegiately in track and field, but I was not ready to move away,” said Gardiner.

Gardiner’s decision to attend a community college was made easier by the fact that she wanted to still be close to her friends and family.

Gardiner explored different subjects, focusing on kinesiology, but switched majors to business management after realizing her passion was to help operate her family business, Produce Available.

“There are so many opportunities with this major and I am a person who hates to limit my options because I get bored rather easily,” says Gardiner.

According to Judi Gould, Career Transfer Center Coordinator at Moorpark College, 1,700 students transfer from Moorpark College to a four-year university each year. Gould spoke about the benefits of choosing a junior college and then transferring to a university.

“The units cost less; you pay $26 per unit at Moorpark versus $300-$500 per unit at the universities for the same education during the first two years of college,” said Gould.

At CSUN, Gardiner is working on a group project in her marketing class. Tim Godfrey, 21, a business marketing major, attends classes with Gardiner. Tim also transferred from Moorpark College.

“Gardiner is a hard working student," said Godfrey. "She always manages to do the most work and the best quality too."

Today, Gardiner is a student that studies hard to reach her goals for the future.

“My immediate goals are to graduate from CSUN with a Business Management degree," said Gardiner. "After that, I would like to find a career that is interesting and brings me happiness and flexibility."