<p>For those of you who went to community college first and then to ucla, how did you get over thinking things like:
1. I've never got to experience dorm life
2. I won't have a solid group of friends when i'm transferring
.... and etc.</p>
<p>I'm a senior in high school, and all my friends are applying to top colleges. I'm going to community college. I feel so ashamed like there's a black mark on me for going to community college. I feel like i will miss out a lot for not going to a uc for the first two years and going to a community college instead. I've been restless over this thought for a couple of days now, but I wanted to know, for all you people who transferred into ucla, how did you get over this? What are you happy for? that you saved money by going to community college? Can anyone relate to the feeling that i'm going through?</p>
<ol>
<li>I spent six years in the USAF. Believe me, I've had my fill of dorm life. Never again!</li>
<li>Getting married next summer so I don't really care about that.</li>
</ol>
<p>Peer pressure is tough when you're a senior in high school. Believe me, I went through the exact same thing. Don't worry too much though man. When half of your friends come back home after their first year because they're home sick/can't handle it, you'll be able to show them around the CC because they'll be right there with you.</p>
<p>The ones that do stick to it? Well, after four years just compare your student loan debt with theirs. Now THAT is a black mark they will have and you will not.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Well that's not really a problem because you will have guaranteed 1 year on-campus housing once you transfer, and you'll have all the fun you want then. And really, although dorm life is indeed a new exciting experience for you, I rather think it is overrated. I've lived in the dorm for 2 months now (7 more months to go, yay) and I honestly wouldn't mind living in my parent's house if it wasnt for the long drive. It's exciting for the first few weeks, but as things get busy with midterms, you'll find yourself mostly stuck either in your dorm or in the library with nose stuck to the textbook.</p></li>
<li><p>More than 30% of the entire UCLA student body consists of transfer students, and I'll bet you that around half of them will feel the same way about making friends. Many transfer from NorCal, and they'll literally have no friend once they start. I, for one, didn't know anyone when I transferred. But now I know enough people to call friends and I'm having so much fun.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>But there are indeed some things that I feel like I left out:</p>
<p>1) Opportunity to become officer of an organization -
True, you always have your senior year for such opportunity, but most likely you'll have enough crazy time having to finalize your last year in college going through your job searches, doing research, or doing some studying abroad before you go out to the Real World. Sure, you can become an officer during your first year at UCLA as junior, but this is not likely for any major student-run organization where they will expect you to have some knowledge and experience in that organization for at least a year to understand how things are run, the culture, etc. </p>
<ol>
<li>Less time to take advantage of UCLA's program -
Self-explanatory. You only have two years to experience everything that UCLA has to offer, ranging from its popular Study-Abroad Program to Internships in National Capital and various outdoor activities such as camping. This actually is possible, but you can't ignore the significant amount of time you have to spend on studying and of course, the summer internship, which will pretty much cost you the entire summer and leave you no time to participate in any other major programs.</li>
</ol>
<p>So far, these two are the only main things that I felt missed out on, but personally, I think CC gave lot more benefits than costs, and I don't regret not having to attend UCLA for the first two years.</p>
<p>I'm not in UCLA, but I can tell you that in general I've preferred Community College classes to University classes. Of course it depends on the respective schools, but I find that at community colleges you usually have smaller classes with more focused attention as well as more mature class-mates. Also, it's a lot easier to get around a smaller college.</p>
<p>Of course, you can only go so far in a community college.</p>
<p>I would focus on your goal. Getting your UCLA diploma in-hand. If you accomplish that, looking back, all the rest of your concerns will seem silly. Being a success in life is about setting realistic goals and doing what it takes to achieve them.</p>
<p>It drives me crazy how under-appreciated the CC system is in California. If you think sitting in a lecture hall of 400 students, taught by grad students with little experience teaching (and often unintelligible English) is an ideal education, well, I would think twice. CC has a lot to offer.</p>
<p>It agree with you ken, in the UCs most your classes are 80+. You can still dorm when you get to the UCs, but by that time you guys do not want to room with freshman and sophomore. You just need to either make friends in your major or join campus clubs to get friends.</p>
<p>Some of the UCs have transfer dorms, though. anyway, there are lots of ways to make friends, you just need to make an effort. The "freshman experience" is all well and good, but in the grand scheme of life, it doesn't amount to very much.</p>
<p>well that sort of good to hear, i always wondered how much i missed out on the freshman dorm experience, but most people get apartments after that</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone who took time to reply to my post. My intention wasn't to garner sympathy or start a "pity party." I am a senior. If anyone here went to any prestigious public schools in California, notable ones like Monta Vista, Lynbrook, Saratoga, Harvard-Westlake, Gretchen Whitney, Bellarmine, etc. they can understand in a way the situation i'm in. I've been surrounded by overachievers my whole life. Sometimes I won't feel up to par with my peers. Now with the rush of college apps, I keep hearing the same conversations of how they have their lives set out, being engineers, lawyers, doctors, and etc. It's hard to cope with their discussions. It's hard for me to come to terms with not being able to experience the same things their experiencing. They have scholarship offers, live in the comfort knowing that ivy leagues want them and they have security in being elc students. I often find myself arguing with why i didn't stay up more, take the same chances that they did, and why i was so afraid in high school. In a way it is peer pressure too, where i often here them make snide comments about going to community college. Maybe some of you haven't been through the same circumstances, but what i was really intending to find with this post was how to cope with going to community college? How do i rationalize this? I've been feeling really ridiculous, being restless at times just thinking about this. All these thoughts just keep rushing towards me whenever i think about this, and even if i transfer i just think my peers will be far ahead. I'll feel out of place. Does time make it better? I'm sorry if this sounds like i'm being paranoid about the whole situation, but it's just frustrating at times that i can't come to terms with where i am and where they are.</p>
<p>If you do well in CC, your end result is the same as theirs. If you are going to a CC after high school then you either can't afford university, or you didn't do well enough in high school to get into the school you wanted to. Since you fall into this latter category, i'll say this: you need to either commit 100% to doing well enough to transfer into the school you want to, or give up. You didn't do well in high school. You can't change what you've already done. This is your chance to make up for it.</p>
<p>If your "peers" make fun of you for going to a community college, who cares? These people are not your friends, and you'll probably never see them again. Once you get out of the high school bubble you'll see how pointless all of this anxiety is.</p>
<p>I had the exact same feelings when I was a senior in high school. I didn't go to a prestigious private high school, but my friends and I were in the same overachieving circles. I was so mortified to reveal that I was going to a CC.</p>
<p>But you know what? The people that care don't matter, and the people that matter won't care. I have found going to CC to be incredibly refreshing after high school. It was a fresh start, a clean slate.</p>
<p>That said, my advice to new CC students is... have a plan for transfer and STICK TO IT! Start working on your IGETC right away. Assist.org is your friend. Do not waste time like I did, now is your chance to show the universities what you are capable of. See a counselor early and hopefully you will get a decent one that will help you make an Education Plan.</p>
<p>I'm not trying to scare you. I just have regrets about wasting my first few aimless semesters at a CC. I wish I had chosen my classes more carefully. With careful planning, you'll be really successful and have your pick of prestigious universities at the end of two years. :)</p>
<p>The only people that need concern themselves with going right into University are people looking at highly competitive grad school programs. If you're such a person, than you'll gain a moderate advantage by being able to establish relationships w/profs, get started with research a bit earlier, etc.</p>
<p>Otherwise, you will very likely get a better lower division education at a CC. Basically, your GE at a university is going to be taught either in a lecture hall by a PhD or in a smaller class by a grad student. At the CC level you get that smaller class size taught by a seasoned MA/MS, often with industry experience depending on the field. Also, most people at a CC are just there to learn. I find that a lot of people at the university level are sort of aimlessly there because it was just the next thing to do. Once you get into upper division major classes I feel there's more focus, though. Also, people aren't breathing down your neck or wrangling you into success at a community college. If you can stand to be your own master, it's a much more liberating experience.</p>
<p>Anyway, if you need to know how to cope, here's the best thing I can say. You're in high school. Your a**hole classmates don't know anything about college, and frankly you don't either. That's not an insult, I mean, I don't really know anything about grad-school! You know, you might go to community college and find it's not a match, and regret it. But, you'll certainly drop very quickly the notion that community college is for losers.</p>
<p>Another great thing about CCC is that you can go anywhere in California with them. If you're happy to live like a pauper, you can take your financial aid and go to LA, San Diego, the desert, Nor Cal. That doesn't work with TAG, I guess, but it's pretty simple to figure out what you need for IGETC, even from a menagerie of schools.</p>
<p>I can relate to what you're going through. I've taken AP/honors classes all throughout high school so I'm pretty much stuck in this bubble of "overacheivers" until June. I've also made the decision to attend a cc after high school, and I'm honestly really happy with my decision. It's taken a load off of my back. But I hate it when I tell people about my plan, and they look at me as if I'm setting myself up for failure--as if I'm an idiot for even considering a cc. Whatever. I have a plan and I'm sticking with it. And I'm not too concerned about missing out on the "college experience." I'll be saving a crapload of money at a cc, and that's enough for me (:</p>
<p>It really does feel good to find someone like myself, kristachvz.</p>
<p>I've taken a number of AP/honor classes throughout high school as well and though I'm not really doing bad at all in high school (3.64 UC gpa), I figure it's not worth the trouble for me to pay and deal with SAT and SAT prep and stressing out over college apps and such. Besides, I doubt I have a good chance at UCLA anyway which is pretty much, aside from Cal, the only school I want to go to. </p>
<p>CC is in my radar and I will be there in '09 and I honestly feel real optimistic. Planning ahead of time like this will prove to be a real asset I think.</p>
<p>HEY jfk....i had a 3.60 and i applied to UCB and UCLA among other schools and only got into Davis... Do well on your APs they pay off immensly, and i could relate to being in the same class with those overachiving competitive student</p>
<p>Don't be so focused on your transfer school that you neglect the opportunities where you are. Community colleges have their own organizations, with plenty of opportunities for motivated students to become officers.</p>