<p>I will preface my question by telling you a little about my situation. I was in advanced courses all of my life and even skipped a grade, but this all changed when I went to high school. My grades dropped rapidly and I quit pretty much everything. I have what I like to call the worst case scenario high school record. I was absent from class a lot (you have no idea) and probably did about 30% of the homework for the whole of high school. Though I had F homework grades in all of my classes, my usually A test grades balanced everything to a nice round C (or below). I didnt find out I was graduating until the day of graduation (be honest, thats pretty bad). Though my performance in high school was nothing short of horrid, I managed 30 on the ACT and a near 1400 (the key word is near) on the SAT (minus the writing section of course). I have now matured and seen the error of my ways and realize that I need to re-work my way up the ladder and in this lies my question. Because of my high test scores I have gotten into many mediocre universities, but I am torn between eventually transferring from one of theses mediocre colleges or from a cc. My question is, Is it better to transfer from an average university or a cc? and I will clarify that I mean transfer to a selective private university, because I fully understand the relationships between ccs and the publics. I have no doubts that I can maintain an "A" GPA at either, but when it comes down to it, what looks better on an application? Of course I would rather attend one of the 4-year colleges for 2 years and then transfer, but if attending a cc would grant me better position in the end, I would make that sacrifice. My logic may seem skewed to some, but I feel it would be easier to transfer from a cc than from some average 4-year college.</p>
<p>For the publics they usually prefer cc but going to a 4 year and transferring to a private might give your app a little more weight since the curriculum at a four year is probably a little more rigorous than at a cc. Honestly though people from both get into various schools so as long as you do well go where you'd enjoy a two year stay the most.</p>
<p>It's not that publics prefer CCs, it's just that in some states, notably CA, they have a commitment to take the majority of transfers from CCs. There is no doubt that you have a MUCH better shot at highly selective privates if you are at a stronger college. In fact, at top colleges, most transfers come from other top colleges. Go to the strongest college you can.</p>
<p>Many privates, including Williams and Wesleyan, have CC preference programs where CC grads are given priority consideration. Four-year colleges, especially LACs, like CC transfers because they often bring diversity to campus, especially of the socioeconomic sort.</p>