<p>I'm entertaining the possibility of taking some classes in my local community college. My school doesn't have AP Calc BC, or Macro/Microeconomics. I'd like to get into business or law [in a prestigious university], so I'm thinking of taking the equivalent in community college classes, maybe over the course of the next two years [my jr & sr year]. It's pretty uncommon in my school, so I'm not exactly sure how it works.</p>
<p>So... what I'm really wondering is, is it worth it? I know a lot of ivys have lots of restrictions on giving course credit for community college work, I'm not exactly sure how much it would cost either, and I think it might interfere with my extracurriculars [which are mostly after school] because I obviously won't be in the school to take part in them.</p>
<p>the cost- not much...the books are more expensive than the classes in my case</p>
<p>the credits- if you go to a prestigious uni. they most likely wont take this. I looked into it and most private schools wont take them. All public schools should take them except for the top ones where it becomes iffy. </p>
<p>education- i sleep through the classes and get an A. My friends only attended 2 classes out of 18 and got an A too. You don't really learn much unless you are completely into it and have a great teacher (which most likely wont happen). </p>
<p>EC's- there are a lot of community college classes at night so they won't interfere with your school clubs. Those courses that you are looking into should be offered online too. Online courses are fun because you don't really have to do anything and they don't interfere with any other activities. If you are thinking of taking them online though, you should look into more prestigious online programs. I think UChicago has one where high school students can take classes and I know Stanford has one. </p>
<p>Admissions- I don't think it helps that much in admissions. The schools you're applying to will see what courses were offered at your high school and know why you didn't take BC or the econ. Taking the classes at the community college would look good because you went out of your way to take them and you had enough interest to do well in them but they won't do very much. (This is just what I've heard about them. This section might be completely wrong but to the best of my knowledge, it is correct.)</p>
<p>During my junior year, I decided to do a dual-enrollment in a local CC. I did this mainly because I would have run out of classes my senior year and been stuck taking a bunch of ridiculous/worthless classes. One thing I'd definitely look into is whether the CC you are considering is more transfer focused or career focused; my classes were a good deal more difficult than the AP courses at my HS, two of which I had taken during sophomore year with zero problems (never listened to lecture or anything). I've met some people who went to more career focused CCs and they have said their classes were extremely easy compared to the classes at the CC I went to.</p>
<p>In terms of admissions and transfer, I would try to look at it as good preparation for an elite school, if that's your goal. I can't say exactly how taking only CC/regional university classes will affect admission into elite schools yet, although I did get into Rice ID.</p>
<p>But if there's just one piece of take away advice here, it's this: find a transfer focused CC where you will actually learn something.</p>
<p>That would probably my problem and why planktonelement1 and I had different views. I take classes at my local one since my high school is on the campus. It is just the school for everyone who can't speak a word of english or who are ranked in teh bottom 1% of their graduating class. It really sucks. </p>
<p>take planktonelement1's advice.</p>
<p>In my area there are 2 CC. Next year I'm going to do dual enrolment in the farther of the 2 because it is a much better school. </p>
<p>I have no idea what courses I'm taking yet,or how I'm going to schedule this. I have no intent at taking night classes thats just to messed up of a schedule. i want it to be an extension of my current education not completely seperate. My nights are oh so busy anyways.</p>
<p>Do you have a university near you? I took classes at rutgers for credit and they weren't all that expensive. Private schools would probably accept those if you want them to.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>karen61990 - Do you have a link to the online programs? I've been trying to find them on the school's website, but I'm not getting anything...</p>
<p>I live in suburban Cleveland, so there's Case Western, but it's ~1 hour away. I'm not sure what their policies are with high school students.</p>
<p>How do you tell if the college is more transfer or career based? I don't think they release stats on this type of stuff, do they?</p>