The holidays bring family reunions—college-age students returning from their university to spend time with family and friends during their winter break. For many students, winter break is a welcome respite from classes, a time to relax and enjoy some time off. For others, however, winter break brings a realization—that maybe a university is not the right place for them.

This can happen for any number of reasons—academics, finances and maturity are just a few. Some students struggle academically in large lecture classes, missing the engagement they had with their teachers in high school. Others lose the financial support they had initially at the four-year institution or their family’s financial situation changes. Some students are just not ready to be away from home and miss that steadying influence.

The traditional four-year university is not the right fit for every high school graduate, something many realize after the first semester or two away from home. These students don’t need to give up on higher education, however, and transferring to a state or community college is not a step back. I look at it as a step forward.

Data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows that 37.2 percent of all college students transfer at least once. Community colleges were the top destination in that study, with 53.7 percent of students who transferred from a four-year institution moving to a two-year community college. These students are considered reverse transfer students, and at the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, we welcome them with open arms. Typical for our spring semester, we are seeing a strong increase in transfer students for Spring 2017.

At a state or community college in Florida, students can return to smaller class sizes and direct engagement with a professor. Students can get the academic assistance they need in our Academic Resource Centers and find less competition for resources on our campuses. After reverse transfer students get back on their feet academically and earn an associate degree, they can return to a university better prepared academically and with a much clearer vision of what they want from that experience.

Tuition and fees at a state or community college are about one-half of that at a state university and our foundation may be able to assist with scholarships. There are no expenses for residence halls or meals, so students can live at home and save that money as well.

A state or community college can also be a place for academic recalibration. Schools like SCF provide a short, direct path to employment through a certification or associate of science degree for students who don’t want to wait four to five years to get into the workforce. And we will be here in the future if they chose to return to enhance their employment or promotion opportunities.

Transferring is a common occurrence for many students. SCF has a lot to offer anyone looking for a new opportunity. The only step back is not continuing to pursue educational goals. We are here to help students take their next step forward.

Dr. Carol Probstfeld is president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota