Some background; I was initially accepted and was planning on going to a 4 year college for Entertainment Management. I got in really early so I never applied to any other colleges. Recently I was honest with myself and my family that it wasn’t the school for me, I still want to do Entertainment Management in the future but THAT specific college wasn’t at all what I was looking for. My last option was to just enroll in our local community college for the degree in Management. I was really interested in transferring to a college in California but have recently discovered that I would need to complete about two years of college classes before I can transfer. I know it sounds awful but I REALLY don’t want to be living in my childhood home yet another year just to finish two years at the community college. Im just looking for some advice on what to do/ if anyone has been through anything similar. I feel as if I have messed up my whole college future because of my late decision to go to community college.
Sounds like you are out of state for CA. Can you even afford to go to a CSU or UC? They won’t accept you unless you have two years of CC. Most other schools will. What’s your HS GPA and scores? Home state?
Which California colleges are interested in transferring? Most privates take Sophomore level transfers, but the UC’s and CSU’s take Junior level transfers as stated by @Erin’s Dad.
I don’t think you have messed up your academic future at all. You are 18 years old, chose the wrong school but recognized it early and changed course. You should have no trouble earning a degree in 4 years or so.
For the UCs and CSUs, it isn’t the amount of time you have been in school but your unit count. With AP credit, it is possible to be transfer ready after just one year at a CC. As noted above, many private colleges will accept sophomore transfers. I don’t know your qualifications but, LMU, USD, St Marys are pretty accessible.
Just understand, coming to college in CA is going to be expensive. Most financial aid and merit $ at private colleges goes to freshman. OOS tuition at our public colleges is really expensive. If you live in the Western US, you may be eligible for WUE which provides discounted tuition at many of the CSUs and UC Merced.
Here’s a list of participating schools:
http://wue.wiche.edu/search_results.jsp?searchType=all
Good luck
Yes, I do understand that it would be extreamely expensive, I live in NH and have literally always wanted to go into Entertainment Management. I know the best way to get into that business is through internships. I was interested in going to college in California because if I could find an internship out there, I might be able to start while i’m actually in school instead of trying to find one after college WHILE needing a place to live you know? I feel like I’m in a very difficult position, I don’t know
Instead of starting at the CC this fall, would you consider taking a gap year (maybe there are some entertainment-related jobs you could get now) while you track down a better list of places to apply to for fall 2017. It is likely that you will get better financial aid if you enroll as a freshman rather than a transfer.
I don’t think that would be a good idea for me only because I really do want to continue schooling this year and I don’t live in an area right now that would have any entertainment jobs. Ive looked several times, unfortunately I live in a very country-like area of New Hampshire. I do appreciate that advice though, it definitely would be a good idea if I had begun to plan for that earlier as well. The other plan I had in mind was transferring to the University of New Hampshire after this year of community college since the credits transfer easy, then after a year of UNH apply to schools in California then, when Im older and have (hopefully) more money. But would that be too much “college hopping”? Like would they not accept me then thinking that I cant commit to a school? I really don’t know how they would feel about that, but if that would be a posiblility that might work best for me?
What are your stats (GPA and scores)?