<p>CC is ridiculously easy and offers an excellent transfer opportunity. I can see myself going to a school like USC or UCLA after two years (Maybe one with USC since they don't have a minimum requirement). That is, so long as the funding doesn't get too much worse... </p>
<p>USC will also be near free for me (Employee assistance program). It also offers the exact major I want, being Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. So its a hard opportunity to pass up.</p>
<p>However, I think I would be much happier at Pomona with the dorm experience and all, compared to my CC which is full of people I don't really like and is literally 5 minutes from home.</p>
<p>I really have no idea where I will be even two years, let alone 5, from now. This is seemingly an important decision for me. Any pointers would help. </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>There are a few things to consider if you choose to go to a CC first and then transfer to a university:</p>
<p>Are you motivated? I once read that an overwhelmingly large percentage (I forgot the actual number, but it was over 50%) of 1st year CC students who have plans to transfer to a university drop out of school the first year. This is obviously an unfair statistic for those who are actually motivated to transfer because many people who go to CC’s aren’t motivated. However, if you are motivated, CC would be a great option. My friend went to a CC and transfered to UCI after 2 years. He got good grades and took a full load every semester to make it possible. He got average grades in high school, but ended up at a good school after trying at CC.</p>
<p>What classes does the CC offer that count towards your major? There are GE courses that every bachelor’s degree holder needs to take, and there are also lower division classes that every person in your major needs to take. If your CC offers all or many of the needed lower division major courses you need, then you’re in good shape. If your CC doesn’t offer a lot of the courses you need and you end up taking all GE before transferring, this might add an extra year to graduate once you transfer to the university. You should check assist.org to see if courses match up for your major. If you see all “NO COURSE ARTICULATED”, this isn’t good. If you do find yourself seeing this, a workaround is to take one course a semester at a nearby university extension center so you’re not behind when you transfer. My friend is doing this. Also you should take summer courses at nearby universities (they let anyone take Summer) to take these required courses.</p>
<p>Are the classes highly impacted at your CC? There has been a trend in increasing enrollment for CC’s due to the bad economy. You’ll see older people going back to school to finish or start their education. This can mean more impacted classes and make it hard to get into classes that you need (like English 101). This is a hard one to avoid because it all depends on your school’s budget. My best advice for this is to take as many classes as possible each semester.</p>
<p>In summary, if you’re not motivated, don’t go. If your CC doesn’t offer the classes you need, try to take them elsewhere. If your CC has impacted classes, there isn’t much you can do about it besides consider a university that doesn’t.</p>
<p>Like the previous poster stated, CC’s are a great resource IF you are motivated. Get in, get what you need, and get out. On the way to my first degree is went to a CC for a year and a half. After 52 credits and a 4.0 I got into my top choice school (UNC Chapel Hill).</p>
<p>To be honest, I actually had some really great teachers at the CC. One of my professors had his PhD from Harvard, and others were PhD’s from Duke and so on.</p>
<p>My biggest fear is that I will be lazy in CC as I was in High School, but I am going to say that if I go there I plan on getting out with a 4.0.</p>
<p>I have 12 units there completed with a 4.0 plus whatever AP credits I get (I passed 3 so far, 2 with a 4, one 3 and will be taking 4 more exams this year so it might be another 20+ credits). So really I’d be entering with 30 or more credits. I also plan to get into the Scholars program which offers both priority registration and priority transfer.</p>
<p>I am already convinced that CC is a good option. However, I am torn on whether going through the pain of being in a CC with people I don’t really like and classes which I don’t really care for, is worth missing the whole dorm/college experience.</p>
<p>It however offers me a good chance of going into a higher tier school like UCLA, USC, or at worst UCs like San Diego and Irvine.</p>
<p>Pomona is still a good school though. I am not one to care much for prestige. I think I’ll be happier at Pomona. Its also ~40 minutes away from home. I wish I had gotten into Irvine :-$</p>