I'm planning on attending a community college for 2 years, then transferring to a 4 year college

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

I’ve been slacking off too much in high school, so my GPA has really suffered. I’m a Junior this year and my GPA’s only 3.2 Taking into account that my only AP class is APUSH and I have no honors, I think my GPA really is horrible. I plan on taking a community college for 2 years, then transferring to a 4-year college, but I have a few questions.

Should I? I’ve been told that 3.2 isn’t horrible and I can still get into a decent college.

Do SAT scores matter if I’m transferring from a community college? I don’t think there’s really a point in studying for it if it doesn’t matter.

What about high school grades? I’m still going to try my best for the sake of learning, but it would feel a lot less stressful(mainly from APUSH… the tests & essays are hard) knowing that it won’t kill me if I fail a test.

I’ve been told the things that community colleges teach for the first 2 years isn’t much different from the things 4-year colleges teach for the first 2 years. Is this true?

2
  • 3.2 will get you into some OK colleges but I still believe 2 + 2 route is smart.
  • SAT does not matter for community college but it may matter for some scholarships you apply for.
  • No, your GPA is fine for community college. Do your best, learn the most you can, and graduate.
  • With the majority of colleges, the first 2 years are basically the same thing. Only colleges it might be different are the Ivy Leagues.
  • Have taken the 2 + 2 route, learned the same thing at half the cost of 4 year university, and happy I did it. Also, if someone tells you that you will miss out on the "college experience", whatever that is, just don't listen to that BS. Good luck!
3

Honestly, for all purposes still apply to universities. My older bro had like a 3.3 and still got into a decent uni, with some decent financial aid. A 3.2 can get you into a decent university. Don’t try wasting your time with very selective schools, though. Aim for schools where your GPA is in range.

SATs vary from college to college. Some colleges want it when transferring, some don’t. What are your choices of universities?

Keep doing good in high school. It’ll help your chances even more. Plus, if you get lazy now, college is going to hurt more than be fun. Be sure to know when app deadlines are too.

And your final question, yes, your credit can still transfer from CC to uni. My sister transferred from CC with all her prerequisites done and did only her core classes.

So in the end, still apply to local universities. And use CC as a 2nd option. Oh and if you can’t afford college, then CC is also a pretty great alternative.

4

If depends on the major. Some majors at 4-year schools may require you to make up some courses; therefore, you may not graduate with BS or BA in 4 years.

5

A 3.2 isn’t terrible and if you work hard this year and next, your GPA will have improved by the time you begin applying to college (and this will show the upward trend that many colleges like to see). If you do well on the SAT or ACT, you should be able to get into a decent 4-year college. If this is what you want to do, begin exam prep now and plan on taking the test at least once before the end of the school year. That being said, CC is a good option if you don’t feel ready four a 4-year college, or if you want to save some money.

6

I’d still apply to some universities. In my state (NJ), there’s some good schools with a 3.0-3.2 average.
SAT isn’t important after CC.
Your GPA is important. A low GPA can put you in basic skills classes, as well raise your car insurance rates.
As long as it’s a decent CC, that is true. It’ll probably save you tons of money, but all of your credits may not transfer.

7

The theory is that classes at community colleges are the same as 4-year universities’ gen eds. The reality is that, in general, you’re with a less prepared and less motivated cohort of peers; some CC’s mostly offer remedial instructions that does not match what you’d find in 4-year university classes; the content itself can be quite different in terms of pace, depth, or evaluation criteria. In addition, transfers get less financial aid than freshmen and their odds of graduating from a community college, let alone a 4-year college, are MUCH less than the odds of a student with similar stats who enrolled at a 4-year college, even your random barely selective directional.
The exception to all this is California. :slight_smile:
Note that, in some states, if your goal is to attend the state flagship, the expected route is a “branch campus” (Pennsylvania or Ohio have this system).
All in all, the CC’s not going anywhere : it admits students year-round, anyone who’s 18 or a HS graduate can attend.
Your goal should be to find 4-year universities that will admit you at an affodable cost. If that fails, then you can apply to the community college.
With a 3.2 GPA and a college-preparatory program, alongside a decent SAT score (1600-1800) and one AP (potentially 1-2 more through senior year), you’d have lots of choices (off the top of my head I can cite a range of reaches, matches, and safeties): UNC Wilmington, UNC Greensboro, Creighton (like sports?), Temple (in Philadelphia), Eckerd (on the beach), URedlands (in California), Elizabethtown (if you like close-knit & supportive), UMass Lowell, Rowan UMD-Baltimore County (three for STEM students), UMW, CNU, Roanoke (three southern, beautiful campuses), Gustavus Adolphus, Earlham (two colleges for academically motivated but underachieving students who “wake up” junior year), UMN-Duluth, UWisconsin-Superior, Alma, Kettering, Albion, Washington&Jefferson, Duquesne (both in/near Pittsburgh), Susquehanna (friendly and AACSB-accredited business school), Millikin, Beloit, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Plattsburgh (three lower-cost.good quality options, and Plattsburgh even has scholarships depending on SAT scores), St Bonaventure (like sports?), Marist, (1h30 to NYC), Appalachian State (like skiing?), University of North Florida (like the beach?), University of Wyoming, Montana State, Nebraska Wesleyan, U Missouri-Columbia, Saint Louis University, St Edward’s (Austin, TX), Lake Forest (Chicago) …

Read this thread:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/admissions-hindsight-lessons-learned/1664036-my-ongoing-college-admissions-story-p1.html

Prepare for the SAT seriously. The higher your score, the better your odds of getting in AND of getting sufficient financial aid. Take it in May/June, and again in October. Send your May/June results to your safeties/low matches. Send your October scores to your matches/reaches.

What state do you live in?

8

There are many choices for a GPA like yours.

Hopefully this thread will provide some inspiration. Some even got merit scholarships.

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/767966-where-did-your-3-0-3-3-gpa-child-get-in.html#latest

Loren Pope’s Colleges that Change Lives might also provide some ideas. It’s targeted towards late bloomers/the B to B+ student who aspires to more.

I would look for a college that tends to enroll students like you. You don’t want to feel that you’re at the bottom, nor do you want to be at the very top where you aren’t being challenged by your peers. I think you can probably aspire to a four-year college or university.

I wouldn’t force yourself to take a bunch of APs if you are feeling challenged by regular or honors track. One or two is fine. I would but some serious effort into the ACT or SAT (you may do substantially better in one format or the other - take a practice test in each to see which works better. You can get practice tests on line). A good SAT score can help your overall profile.

Good luck!

9

^I absolutely second getting the book Colleges that change lives, it’s a terrific book presenting choices for students in the B-, B, and B+ range (ie., that would be good safeties, matches, and reaches for you).

10

SATs are far more important than GPA for admission. A GPA over 3, as another poster noted, will get you a hefty Good Student Discount on your car insurance. Class Rank in the Top 5-10-15% might get you some grant money for an in-state school.

Depending on your major, the CC to 4-year school plan will save you lots of money. An exception in many cases is Engineering, since the 4-year curriculum is pretty well set and general studies are credited into the engineering curriculum.

11

Class rank “value” depends on your state.

12

It sounds like you are a little more negative than your stats warrant. They’re not terrible. ^^lots of good suggestions above.

It would also help to know your state. Community colleges vary from state to state and even from counties and programs.

I’m actually a fan of community colleges for certain students, and in certain states (CA sounds fantastic). Here in Florida our state is putting an emphasis on certifications which roll into AAs which roll into Bachelor’s. The idea is to get students who might otherwise not go to (or finish) college, and give them productive pathways to higher education and better-paying jobs. Florida is also trying to attract tech companies.

Our son enjoyed community college as a dual enrollment student. That being said, we are more inclined to him going to a 4 year university when he does officially start college next year. The merit aid seems better for freshmen, and he’s academically inclined with good stats. If I thought I there was a risk to him not finishing college, I’d probably push more for the 2+2 route.

And if he really wanted to stay home and do 2+2, we would not be opposed to that either. Our community college got a nice grant for STEM students and they’re really trying to hang on to them. Be sure to attend seminars if you see them advertised, as well as college fairs.

Do you have a guidance counselor or another trusted adult who could help you sort through the options?

Good luck and hope you make the best decision for you!

13

There are PLENTY of very decent colleges that will accept a GPA of 3.2

There are lots and lots of wonderful reasons for attending Community College. But “it’s all I’ve got” isn’t one I would choose, and furthermore it doesn’t apply to you.