@AMDG110 The biggest change that I have seen within myself and with what my friends have noticed within themselves has been mentality (which affects a lot). I had never received straight-A’s prior to community college and neither had most of my friends.
I recognized that there was an opportunity to transfer to elite schools and that I really wanted to do this. Entering my first semester I was incredibly apprehensive, but I knew I was going to give everything I had. I attacked every class knowing that I “NEEDED” to get an A regardless of what people told me. After achieving a 4.0 my first semester, I felt even more motivated to achieve my goal. It was really just carrying this mentality throughout the past two years. The best feeling was that after awhile I recognized that I was in complete control with what I wanted to achieve.
In regards to clubs and student organizations, they really helped with the social side of things. After having fun with student organizations and feeling in control of your destiny within the classroom, I felt like I always wanted to be at school. Although it might be cliche, I honestly feel that if someone is motivated and really wants to achieve this, they can do it. Regardless of how they performed in high school. The student just needs to drop their high school mentality and to be certain that it doesn’t hold them back.
@autumn1924 Right, it was a pretty complex sheet that would have columns of subjects and rows of universities. This would help with choosing the best course. (Examples, not necessarily representative of what schools prefer) If Georgetown wants Calculus 2, Maryland wants Calculus 1, and Columbia wants Calculus 3, I would recognize that I needed to take Calculus 3 because then I would be eligible for admission to all three schools. Also, it would set me up for an even better chance at Georgetown and Maryland. Of course, doing this for all subjects is challenging as you are typically taking courses above the introductory level in most subjects. But it was pretty generous when it came to transfer credits.
@Rockwell5 hey I just read your post and wow! man, how did you do that? I’m going to be working and studying near a local community college. I plan to transfer to some in-state but mostly out-of-state colleges, one of them being Cornell. Cornell has an awesome InfoSci program and I am planning to apply via CALS. CALS has guaranteed admissions with local NY colleges, but I’m from a state that does not have that contract. What advice would you give me? thanks.
Hello @Rockwell5 and thank you so much for your post! Honestly I’ve been thinking my dream of transferring to an Ivy League was quite ridiculous. I currently attend a CC as a sophomore and have a 4.0, my SAT is at a 2100. In HS I barely had a 2.0, so I did not even bother applying to my dream school, Columbia. I have really changed my life and would want nothing more than to attend Columbia University. If I was to apply as a junior I was wondering if I would I have a shot, despite my HS records? I spent my high school career focusing on extracurricular activities and not my grades, but now I understand what is a priority. I was wondering how much HS grades effect you in the transfer process? Thank you!!
Hey Rockwell! I’m a freshman at my local California community college. Like you, I got a 1660 on my SAT, but am now getting a 4.0 as a political science major.
I entered CC with 30 UC credits due to AP, so I might get into UCLA/Berkeley this year. Even if I do, do you think it would be wise to continue CC for another year, and try getting into Northwestern or UPenn? It’d be the dream.
@Rockwell5 congratulations on your success. Im currently in a similiar situation, its transfer season for fall 2016 and Im hoping to end up at columbia or cornell. This may be in this thread somewhere, but I was wondering if you could elaborate on any of your cc ECs? Im currently feeling up and down about my chances at an ivy, I will be sending out my app with a 3.84 cc gpa and a similiar hs gpa to yours, but I keep myself busy with ECs (work/internship, mainly), so im hoping that will make up for my sub-4.0 gpa. A handful of students from my cc (reputable cc in NJ) have found themselves at Upenn and cornell after earning an associates with a gpa below my own, but im not sure about what they were doing outside of class. So it would really help me judge my chances if I knew what ECs a successful cc to ivy transfer was participating in. Regardless, thank you for your article, it brings me some hope and does a good job at debunking the stigma around cc students!
Loved the article! As a community college student applying to some very selective schools, this gives me some hope. It is also reassuring that I made the right decision by saving money and getting my GPA where it needs to be. I’d like to add a side note that if there is an honors program available at a local community college, students should take advantage of that opportunity! I certainly can’t speak for every community college, but taking part in the honors program at Rockland Community College was one of the best decisions I’ve made! It seriously challenges us and helps us prepare to transfer. Good luck to community college students out there, and congrats to the OP!
@Rockwell5 I know this discussion is a few months old, but I wanted to ask if it is necessary to be on a degree or certificate program to be able to transfer to an elite school? The CCs I’m considering don’t offer specific certificates or degrees for the fields I’m looking at. Would it be ok to mix and match?
For some background, I had a rather unusual schooling in that I have an associates from a liberal arts and was a semester away from a BA but flunked out… And honestly, I learned to be grateful since I realized it’s not quite what I want to get into.
Now, I want to enter community college and work towards either material engineering or architecture depending on how my interests develop as I am still dabbling. I want to ultimately transfer to a college (that offers 100% need that offers a solid engineering and hopefully a fine arts program). Unfortunately, the schools that do so are the ivies and the elites like Amherst and Tufts. If not, I am willing to segue into a state university that had a joint admissions agreement with the CCs I’m considering.
@OHMomof2 It does offer physics and basic sciences from which i could then apply to a masters/phd program with. Not ideal, but I guess I’m trying to keep my options open since I also realize that planning 3 years ahead can often have a lot of hiccups on the road; my interests could change or I find that a specific field is what I really want to go for.
Inspiring article! Not exactly in your position as I’m at a LAC right now, but still feel what you felt! If you have a chance look at my thread, too, as I’m seeking some advice myself!
@Rockwell5 I’m going to attend community college and will transfer after two years. I first went to a public high school, then did online schooling, which I know is considered a joke. After going through a lot of experiences that made it difficult for me to even speak or walk, I just believed that the best thing for me was to do online schooling. And for the past few years, while I understand that everyone had difficult circumstances and obstacles as well, it was difficult for me to be motivated because of being mentally ill, and then I regressed and placed myself into this self-fulfilling cycle as I would continuously look bad at my previous accomplishments and felt as if there was no chance. It had gotten to the point I was hospitalized and had to learn to deal with PTSD and anxiety. I understand that everyone has their own hardships and I’m not trying to downplay anyone, or excuse myself.
I’ve improved a lot, to the point that it’s been a long time since I’ve relapsed.
I finished school with an extremely low gpa, and it’s not something I’m proud of! I went from an excelling student to this! And education is very important in my household and culture. But I cannot change this, and I cannot change what has happened; I can only redeem myself.
I’m going to attend community college, with hopes of transferring to a university- hopefully a decent university. I heard that most universities require your high school transcript, and I’m scared that this will deter your ability to be accepted. I’ve heard mixed answers; some stating that universities don’t care, while other posts will say that they do. What is truly the case? In a scenario in which I exceed throughout college academically and involve myself more with the community, do you think it’d be possible for me to transfer to a good university?
@Rockwell5 Hey, I’m about to attend Montgomery College in a week and plan on transferring so I appreciate your work here. The link to your article no longer seems to be active though. Do you have a blog or posts anywhere else?