I recently read the articles published in your paper concerning the quality of education that community colleges provide.

I wholeheartedly disagree with the allegations that Sen. Hammond threw at Iowa’s community colleges. She is very misinformed as to the type of education we receive and the reasons for choosing a two-year school first.

Speaking on behalf of many on North Iowa Area Community College campus, I know that many of us “chose NIACC first” because of many different reasons, including the closeness of campus to our families, the availability of great educational resources at a low cost and above all, the general knowledge that NIACC students do as well if not better at Regents institutions than those students who began their education there.

But you don’t have to take my word on it. There are statistics that back up this claim as well as many who can offer firsthand experiences of this being true.

How can our education be less in quality at community colleges if universities such as Iowa State are repeatedly making articulation agreements to allow our credits to transfer?

It makes no sense, and before the next time Sen. Hammond decides to make an accusation, my advice to her is to do her homework as well as community college students do.

Lindsay Kalvig

Mason City