<p>I'll be going to college this Fall, and I intend to enroll in the local CC for the first two years. My family can't afford a four-year for the first two, and I would prefer not to go into debt too deep, so that seems to be the best option. It will also give me time to sort out what career path I'd like to venture on. </p>
<p>In my Junior year I plan on attending App State in NC, possibly entering their college of business.</p>
<p>One thing I find wonderful about going to the CC for two years is the fact that my meals and housing will be free. I'll pay for my own transportation, and get a job to help me pay my way through school. </p>
<p>What do the parents on college board think of this plan?</p>
<p>It is a very good plan for you and your family. However if you do really well at cc you should probably expand the options in terms of the universities you will be applying to.</p>
<p>However you may want to use a fafsa calculator to estimate what your family effective contribution will be at colleges who meet 100% of need. If the family ec is doable for 4 yrs you may want to expand you options to some 4 year colleges too.</p>
<p>I think this is a very mature and prudent plan. Certainly, college is not just about going to classes and transferring schools mid-stream might prevent other connections and opportunities, and frankly, who knows what financial aid formulas will be in two years time. It’s kind of like that saying, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Taking full advantage of a community college while saving money for two additional years somewhere else seems both cost effective for today as well as tomorrow. It would seem that a business major might suit you well.</p>
<p>Well, it depends on where you stand with your academics. Merit scholarships can help you to get free or very close to free 4 year degree. Another plan is to find a job after CC that pays for college education.</p>
<p>Have you considered looking into a place like Berea, where students work on campus in exchange for tuition? Something you might want to consider, in addition to merit and financial aid as described by others.</p>
<p>Whether CC is a good plan depends partly on the CC available to you. Just like 4-yr schools, they vary widely. It may also depend on your ability to focus when surrounded by students who aren’t as serious, the availability of “guaranteed” transfer plans, and so on. A high percentage of those who go to some CCs never achieve the transfer to a 4-year school. It can be a great plan if you are focused and determined. </p>
<p>The one thing you should not do is take on big debt. The stories of people who keep taking classes for 10 or 12 years, never finish a BA, and have $40K in debt are heartbreaking.</p>
<p>I also think it’s a great plan. My brother went to CC for 2-year and then transfer up to 4 year college. He is the type that my mom would worry that he would give up, ie never finish college, but he did graduate from a 4-year college with a degree in Engineering.
If you are from California then I don’t think you should be too concerned. There are a lot of very good students go to CC first to save money for their family. Last year one of my daughter’s friend with similar GPA(graduated with honors) as my daughter went through the CC route. She did get into a few good colleges but these colleges did not have her major so she decided to go through the CC route.</p>
<p>I know someone with a good academic record who went to CC, with the same plan described by OP. She found the class work not to be challenging (about what she was doing in high school) and the other students not to be especially committed to academics. She found no sense of school spirit or community, just lots of people walking around. She also had trouble getting the classes she needed for a degree. She was not happy and did not finish. I think she is very bright and would have done better to get creative and find a way to go to a more challenging 4 year school she could afford/get aid to attend.</p>
<p>Just another (unpopular!) point of view to consider . . . .</p>
<p>It can be a wonderful plan. At the local community college, you will have smaller class sizes, lower fees, and faculty who see teaching as their top priority rather than an obligation that takes time away from research interests (yes, I acknowledge I’m stereotyping).</p>
<p>As to Consolation’s warning of “less serious students,” in our brief forays into our local CC, we did not see students of this kind. We saw bright high school students seeking dual enrollment, adults seeking enrichment and career advancement, and students seeking bargain credits with an eye toward transferring into the state flagship. This may vary depending on the locale and the CC system (ours is known to be very good).</p>
<p>One thing you must do if you take this path: Communicate closely with the Admissions staff at your target 4-year college. You want to be sure that every credit you take at the CC will transfer to the 4-year college so that you don’t waste any tuition money re-taking classes. Students who take this path typically use the CC to get all their lower-level “General Studies” credits out of the way so they can use their time at the 4-year to focus on their majors.</p>
<p>You’re smart for planning, and your plan is smart. I know a lot of people who have done this. Some did so well at the CC that they got full scholarships (designated for CC transfers) when they went on to their 4-year colleges. Check into what colleges in your state offer. Good luck. (Don’t forget to thank your parents for providing the room and board).</p>
<p>I guess it depends on the school and what you want out of it. There was a very tight-knit group at my cc, mainly those interested in student govt and the newspaper. They all ran around together. I met some of my best friends at cc. We’re still tight almost 30 years later.</p>
<p>I met so many different types at cc. Divorced moms who went back to school after having an empty nest, kids (like me) who were high achievers but for various reasons had to take the cc route, guys in their late 20s back from the military who were just starting their college careers. And, of course, there were those who were aimless and were just killing time and living at home who had no real goals in mind.</p>
<p>As long as you maintain the mindset set that cc is just the first step on the journey, I think you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>To be fair, I did see a small group of students 2 to 3 that would fall in that would cheat on exams. It was so obvious that I noticed them. But these kids have high ambition, they want to transfer to UCB but they cheat on a very easy C++ classes.
The teacher was more than hand holding, like a small LAC. I did not have any problem getting classes and I was doing it for fun.</p>
<p>Are you in-state North Carolina? If so, would it be that much more expensive to start at Appalachian State as opposed to community college? I know someone who goes to App State, and she loves it.</p>
<p>I have the same point of view as cindysphinx. IMO, the majority of the benefit of the college experience comes from outside the classroom, and the extent of that benefit is dependent upon the quality and motivation of your peer group. There are a variety of ways to cover much or all of the cost of a four-year college. Financial aid - both need-based and merit-based - are possibilities. ROTC scholarships are another, but you’d really want to be comfortable with the military commitment. The same is true for military academies - not just West Point, Annapolis and the AFA, but the Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut. Consolation mentions Berea, and there are many other schools that may help you to meet a large portion of your costs through on-campus work. In-state publics in NC are a bargain - while CC may be cheaper up front, the possibility of combining financial aid, outside scholarships and work on campus is something that you ought to fully explore.</p>
<p>It makes sense that, no matter where you go to study or learn, there will always be the “less serious” students. School spirit and activities are important, but I would not rank them higher than school studies and academics. If I go to college, I want to go to focus on a degree and studying. That is what I believe college is for. Doing extra is possible no matter what academic setting you’re in. Social activities are just as accessible in a CC, but not as “in your face” I think. </p>
<p>And as far as course work goes, I’d assume the first two years of college are just basic high school review (general ed). That is not surprising. </p>
<p>Thank you all for your suggestions and thoughts. Much appreciated.</p>
<p>I do plan on applying for FAFSA. Though it may seem odd, my family may not qualify for an abundance of aid. I did consider on-campus work as being a good idea, combined with a scholarship that was offered by a Christian school last year, however, there would still be a large portion of the cost that would go unpaid. I could do this but if I’m to be financially secure and debt-free in the future, I want to go the wisest cheapest route available to me. </p>
<p>Many people go without the “college experience”, or at least the broadest definition of the word, and come out just fine, no regrets or anything. And besides, I think one’s “college experience” can be very different from the set norm.</p>
<p>Your approach is very mature (unusually so!) - kudos for that.
one other very good option would be a college that gives a lot of merit aid - some may cover all your costs.</p>
<p>You definitely is more mature than your peer so it does not matter where you go really. You will be successful.
BTW, from my family survey, only one had a positive experience living in a dorm and still keep track of the friends they’ve made in college, the other 2 did not care for those college friends. My husband did not like his dorm experience and his best friend is from his first job out of college.</p>
<p>CC grad who is in her last semester of her four year degree checking in! </p>
<p>People justify money spent. If someone invested a lot of money into a four year school, most will never embrace the idea that the majority of what they learned their first two years could have been learned for 1/10 of the price. </p>
<p>The idea that four year colleges are just bursting at the seams with serious students is not my experience. I have found the average student at my four year colleges to be less motivated and far more likely to be there because it was the next step not because they have a passion for education. I found the stories of those I went to cc with to be very inspiring.</p>
<p>cc taught me to take responsibility for my education. The idea that a student should be entertained in and outside the classroom and only surrounded with like peers is one of the reasons why there is a grain of truth to the “ivory tower” stereotype. I’ve had more uninspiring teachers in my upper level classes than I did in my first two years. I suppose they must publish and so made tenure. </p>
<p>Lastly, contrary to what is so often repeated, cc students are not a bunch of brain dead drones. We have engaging classroom discussions. We do study groups. We learn from each other. </p>
<p>I wish you the very best of luck. Although I don’t think you’re going to need it.</p>