<p>Firstly, my college is paid off if I stay in state because of a college plan. So either community college (NOVA) or the 4 year university (George Mason), I won't save any money.</p>
<p>Because I have to stay IS, my choices were very limited. The school I'd really like to go to in Virginia is Virginia Tech, but I was waitlisted. Upon talking to the admissions officer, he offered me a contract. I could go to NOVA for a year, get a 3.0 GPA, and get automatically accepted. I cannot do the same for a 4 year university, because this would be considered "stealing" their graduates.</p>
<p>Nova is extremely easy, and I know I can get a 3.0. But should I really waste a year of the college experience? From what I understand George Mason is more of a commuter school anyways - but I'd still get the experience of living on my own, in a dorm. I'm also worried that something will happen and my grades wont be high enough and then i'll be STUCK at a school I hate. He told me that anything above a 3.0 is considered "competitive", but what if I still don't get in? </p>
<p>My mom doesnt want me to go to NOVA, but it is starting to seem like the better choice. :(</p>
<p>NOVA seems like the better deal to me personally, because of the guaranteed agreement. You don’t want to get some really hard gen-ed class or something and end up with a GPA that makes you less competitive for transfer admissions on the GMU -> VT track.The phrase “college experience” doesn’t really mean anything; you’ll have plenty of time at Virginia Tech for that, and you won’t have to deal with that commuter school stuff. A dorm is good, but it’s not that great being on campus when everyone is gone (well, not really everyone, but a huge chunk of the students go back and forth).</p>
<p>I appreciate your response. You have some really good points, especially how I’ll have plenty of time to get the college experience.</p>
<p>One thing I’m worried about is that, at Tech, I feel like all of the Freshman are new. They all want to make friends, they’re all confused, and they all are looking for help and people to talk to. Once they hit Sophomore year they’ve already found their niche, and their friends. I guess I just can’t help but worry that Sophomore year is too late to join in on all the fun. And it’ll be the first time I’m away from home! I’d love to do it with other people who are in the same position.</p>
<p>One thing you have to remember is that you won’t be the only one transferring. NOVA’s guaranteed transfer program is pretty famous and I knew plenty of people (I think it was half my high school graduating class, actually) who would be taking advantage of it to go anywhere. Unlike a four-year university, NOVA is designed specifically with the end goal of transferring from the community college to a state 4-year. You’re likely going to meet people in your classes who are heading to Virginia Tech (among other schools). Sophomore year is nowhere near too late to handle all the fun. From my personal experience, freshman year was a waste anyway; the parties were a little high-schoolish and you had to spend a lot of time trying to manage boring gen-ed classes. Since you’ll have at least half of those done before you enroll, you’ll have kind of a head-start!</p>
<p>Definitely NOVA, I’d say. You don’t seem keen on George Mason in general and you’re just torn because it is a four-year college. I say 1 year at community college and the rest at a four year college you really love is MILES above 4 years at a four-year college you’re not happy with. Work hard, get that 3.0, and go to Virginia Tech!</p>
<p>“I say 1 year at community college and the rest at a four year college you really love is MILES above 4 years at a four-year college you’re not happy with.”</p>
<p>Agreed.</p>
<p>If go to George Mason for 1 yr, you are still going to have the same problems transferring into VTech as a sophomore with not knowing anyone at VTech. George Mason is only a “superior” option in terms of the “college experience” if you decide to stay all 4 years at George Mason.</p>
<p>And then…it’s not really the school you love.</p>
<p>So go to CC, get the good grades in the easier classes, meet other people who will be transferring to VTech (you’re likely see more of them in CC than at GMU). </p>
<p>The only downside to going to CC is you can’t lose focus. Yes, it’ll be a bit more difficult assimilating to VTech as a sophmore than it would be a freshman. You’re going to have to put in a bit of extra work joining clubs, being the one to take initiative and call people, etc. But look at this as opportunity, not as something that will get you down, and then you’ll succeed. I “fell in” with my friends in my dorm my first year of college, and I really wished I took more initiative and was more active in the process. You’re FORCED to be more active, and that could really be a good thing. </p>
<p>Also, don’t see the easy(ier) classes, some uninspired students, etc. as a reason to get “bored with” or “annoyed with” CC. See it again as an advantage, because then you can stand out more.</p>
<p>Good luck…p.s. congrats that your college is paid for You are very lucky that you/your parents planned so well. So many people don’t get that opportunity.</p>
<p>I dunno, maybe I wouldn’t hate Mason. And it would be nice to get used to staying in dorms - easier, even, compared to just waiting until I had to stay 6 hrs away from home at Tech. </p>
<p>I don’t want to waste a year of college. :(</p>
<p>You should go to George Mason if you like it well enough now to feel that you are likely to be happy there for all four years. Once you are settled in and have some friends, you may not want to transfer anywhere else. Not to mention that you would be competing against a lot of other transfer students for a space at V Tech if you did decide to transfer.</p>
<p>Right now, you’ve been offered a really good deal for V Tech if you start at NOVA. Remember that NOVA has transfer guarantees (usually after a full two years) with all of the public VA universities. If you change your mind and want U VA instead, you can get there from NOVA fairly easily.</p>
You have some really good points, especially how I’ll have plenty of time to get the college experience.</p>