I’m an international student, im graduating high school next year. My parents cant pay me a full 4 year education at a good university, which why im looking for community colleges so then I can transfer after 2 years. Not saying community colleges are bad but there’s obviously a decent quality gap between both. But I’ve also heard a lot of good experiences from other international students that transferred after two years.
Now, my question is, what are some good community colleges? that are in cities what are not too costy to live in and also have good transfer options near them but again, not too costy. Also I’ve looked through a lot of scholarships because I’ve read that its the “best” option for an international student that can’t pay full price at a good university but given my stats and stuff I think its impossible for me so not really interested in any of that.
GPA: 3.7
SAT: 1850
TOELF: 105
Languages: English, Spanish, German
California has perhaps the best developed system of community colleges. They partner with the University of California/California State University system to ease transfers. Unfortunately, California is expensive and its most renowned community colleges – Foothill and DeAnza colleges in the Bay Area, El Camino and Santa Barbara City College in the Los Angeles area – are located in very expensive cities. Still, the California system of community colleges is worth exploring.
I’d strongly encourage you to consider re-taking the SAT or the ACT. (Many non-native speakers find the ACT easier than the SAT, though time constraints are a problem for some.) A slightly higher score would put you into a good position to qualify for scholarships that would reduce the cost of a 4-year-university to less than that of a CC + transfer path.
In terms of specific scholarships, public universities in Alabama and North Dakota are currently quite generous with scholarships for out-of-state and international applicants.
Where do you want to transfer to after you finish at the CC? If you start with that list, you can check each website to find out if they have any articulation agreements or other guaranteed transfer programs with any CC. Your best option would probably be to find an affordable CC that has an articulation agreement for the subject that you want to study. That way you really don’t have to worry about where you will transfer, because if you take the courses and get the grades that the agreement includes, your transfer will be pretty automatic.
Three years ago I researched CCs for a the child of an international friend. I did not find any where the estimated Cost of Attendance for an international student was less than USD 20,000. You can find that estimate on each CC’s website. You will need to demonstrate that you can meet the international COA or you will not get your student visa.
@gearmom@happymomof1 to be honest with you I dont consider myself good enough to get an scholarship. If the community college is in New York I dont have to pay living expenses because my family there will take me, they live in Long Island, so maybe that can help a bit?
Be able to stay with relatives will help the costs a lot. Maryland also has a really strong CC system, and are really well set up for international students. The areas closest to DC are expensive to live in, but a little way out they are quite reasonable costs of living (not as reasonable as living with family, obviously!).
@collegemom3717 yeah I’ve read that the better CC are in both east and west coasts but those happen to be the more expensive ones. Looking at the central part of the country CC are more affordable but of course they’re not the better ones.
Nassau Community College should be commutable from most areas in Long Island. If you have relatives there, it’d be the best choice for 2-3 years. They have transfer agreements with a lot of good colleges - CUnys and SUNys plus a few privates at different levels, from Cornell to Hofstra to Adelphi and Touro. https://www.ncc.edu/admissions/articulations.shtml
" If the community college is in New York I dont have to pay living expenses because my family there will take me, they live in Long Island, so maybe that can help a bit?"
For your visa application, you will need to demonstrate that you can cover those costs. Your family members will probably need to provide some type of documentation indicating that you will indeed be living with them. I don’t know how that would work, so ask the CC’s international admissions offices.
^an affidavit can be asked of relatives who’ll take you in, to justify your not paying room&board. These charges would thus not be counted in the COA you need to demonstrate.
HOWEVER, having relatives in the US raises the index of suspicion that you may want to immigrate to the US. Especially if you’re close enough to them that you’d let you stay at their place for free for several years. Your student visa application will get denied if you cannot convince your interviewer that you intend to leave the US upon completion of your studies.
