Not only does Lone Star offer inexpensive tuition, it also offers students the opportunity to become more independent. Being an international student in the US, I have to pay higher tuition and fees, which is why I started working within the college. I feel that the opportunity to work has made me more independent as I now have the ability to cover my expenses. Working also means taking on another responsibility in addition to studying, which is why time management is a necessary skill that I feel I have developed through my experience at LSC-M. This semester I learned my third lesson: community colleges make it easier for students to be better prepared not only to transfer to a university, but also to enter the workforce.