<p>I am considering going to a community college for a year or two to get some of my general ed out of the way before entering a university. Would the financial aid that I am offered by the university be more/less than what they would be offering if I was entering as a freshman straight out of high school? Thank you!</p>
<p>Depends upon the college.</p>
<p>For the rare college that promises to meet 100% of the proven need of undergrad US students, you should get the same amt. of aid per year as you if you entered as a freshman. Those colleges are typically the most selective colleges in admissions - so in effect it is kind of like getting merit aid too because you have passed their barrier for entry. </p>
<p>However, for many colleges that offer merit based aid, they save their best merit aid for incoming freshman. That is because they are trying to rise in the US news ratings, which only considers the stats of incoming freshmen. </p>
<p>To receive merit aid, you typically have to be towards the top of the applicant pool of a college. If you intending to go to a college will you be towards the middle of the pack, it may not make much difference. After all, most colleges do not meet 100% of need. Even the public colleges that say they meet 100% of need (with a couple exceptions) are only talking about in-state students.</p>
<p>It all depends on the college you are going to. They may not offer any aid other the standard federal programs or state programs.</p>
<p>It would be easier to answer this question with more information. Merit-based scholarship awards from colleges tend to cluster around high-achieving incoming freshman, sort of an inducement for the desired freshman to choose that college.</p>
<p>On the other hand, many many students only receive the need-based aid that the government provides any that would be the same for you whether at a community college or a 4-year school – it would not be less for you as a transfer student.</p>
<p>That said, my daughter was a transfer student and she got quite a bit of merit-based scholarship money, and those grants only increased each year over her time at the transfer school.</p>
<p>You should talk to the someone at the community college that deals with transfers to 4 year schools, and ask them what sort of relationships and opportunities they have seen for those who complete the course of studies there. </p>
<p>The picture for transfers is usually murkier than for those kids coming directly out of high schools… Some schools that guarantee to meet full need, even exclude transfers in that guarantee, and there usually is not as much merit money. </p>
<p>But the fact of the matter is that most schools do not meet full need for their students anyways. That you save the money those first two years is a given, when you commute and go to a local state school or cc, unless you got a better deal elsewhere. That is the bird in hand. Once you have successfully gotten half way through college, it is not such risky proposition to borrow for the other half in my opinion, and you have only two years, not 4 to fund.</p>