<p>Hey guys! So basically I'm at a dilemma right now with trying to decide between colleges to attend. Earlier in March, I was happily greeted with an acceptance letter from UCSB for the fall quarter of 2013. Unfortunately, I was rejected by my dream school of UCLA (mainly for 3.0s my sophomore year, I ended up turning it around finishing with around a 4.0 overall and a 2150 SAT) and am now at a crossroads in trying to decide where to head from here. Part of me is pulling towards UCSB, while part of me is wanting to jump into my local community college honor's program to chase my dream of UCLA.</p>
<p>So my question is: do you believe that it's smarter to transfer into LA after 2 years of community college or just go straight to a 4-year like UCSB? </p>
<p>Do you think that it's worth sacrificing the first 2 years of my undergrad experience in the pursuit of UCLA? If so, is the sacrifice so great that I will be struggling to find friends/feel like a "part of campus" after I transfer? I would love for the transition from community college to UCLA to be easy and seamless but I have a worry that the quality of experience will simply not be the same.</p>
<p>And if you believe that the first 2 years of college are too much of a sacrifice, would it be worth $40,000 in loans from my first 2 years of UCSB?</p>
<p>I don't want it to sound too one-sided: I love UCSB's campus, social scene, etc: the school is amazing. It's just that I don't know if I love it enough to distance myself from my girlfriend (going to SDSU), family, and dream of attending college at UCLA (with a hefty price-tag to boot).</p>
<p>Thanks for reading, I urge anyone that has any opinion on this matter to please comment as I would greatly appreciate any clarity :)</p>
<p>no no I meant that UCSB would be about 40k in loans over the years, sorry for the misunderstanding. It’d cost me about 20k/yr to go to school at SB and thankfully my parents are willing to help a little with tuition, but I’ll still be taking the majority of the hit with loans. I guess the point I was trying to make is I would be a little deeper in debt at SB than I would be at community college transferring to UCLA.</p>
<p>I would go to community college. The first two years of college could be a good or a bad experience, and financially speaking, is 40k in debt worth an “experience”? Probably not. You also mentioned UCLA is your dream school… FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS ! :)</p>
<p>If you’re going to rack up that much debt just for an undergrad degree, then I would say go to community college. You’re most likely be able to get into UCLA right after cc if you got high enough GPA, and I assume you’re capable of that based off your current scores. So follow your dreams. Also if you do decide to just stick with UCSB, you can always transfer from UCSB to UCLA in two years. But I for one would not want to rack up that much debt. I recall reading from a study that the first two years of college, you learn nothing…(this is an exaggeration but you get the point). Save 40k and follow your dream.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, all people aren’t born with the same socioeconomic status. $40k in student loans to pay off for 2 years is quite the sizable amount for some people. Depending on your future occupation it could take many years to fully pay off (or maybe even more should you desire to pursue higher education). Taking 2 years cc and then transferring to UCLA is not an impossible task as long as you get the required gpa. To be honest, yes, you do get quite the experience your first two years of uni, but after that it’s pretty much the same at every other university. students begin to prepare for the next step whether it’s higher education or prepping for jobs. Depending on your major, the jump in difficulty can be quite different. I’ve seen countless transfers try take chem 30CL and get mercilessly crushed by Bacher’s regimen, while some friends who transferred into humanities said they found it quite manageable. You’ll have to decide on whether you think the price tag of $40k is worth 2 years at UCSB.</p>
<p>Trying to experience all you can in life is great, but don’t dig a hole so deep that you can’t get out of it. (Just a personal thought)</p>
<p>I personally think going to CC first and then transferring is your better option. 40k is a lot of money, and it will take time to pay it off. You don’t want to start this new chapter of your life with having to pay off such high loans. Taking the CC path is the best thing to do in my opinion
let us know what you chose to do, May 1st is right around the corner</p>
<p>My advice is to go to a CC first. It would be nice to attend the same U for all 4 years. There is no doubt that all other things being equal it is a better experience. You’ll have more opportunities to get to know profs, build deeper friendships (a lot is forged going thru that same frosh experience together!), feel more a part of the community and college. But all things aren’t equal. $40K in debt is a lot; running the numbers at the website gave me $460/mos in payments, which is huge. And remember that student loan debt can’t be discharged in bankruptcy; it will hang onto you forever. So while it is your decision, if it was me I’d go the CC route. </p>
<p>Do the things that make the most of your college experience and maximize your chances for UCLA. They give preference to TAP students, so attend a CC that offers that program. See [UCLA</a> - Transfer Alliance Program](<a href=“http://www.tap.ucla.edu/]UCLA”>http://www.tap.ucla.edu/) While at your CC be sure to work hard to get good grades since that is going to be the most important factor, and be sure to keep an eye on the xfer prerequisites for majors you are considering at UCLA. Take part in clubs and activities at your CC, and find like-minded students to build friendships with that are intent on transfer to a top U like you are.</p>
<p>thanks for the advice everyone! do you think it’s pretty easy for a transfer student at UCLA to feel like he belongs? The last thing I want would to be to work hard to get in, only to regret my decision because the experience was not welcoming.</p>
<p>How involved you are with UCLA once you transfer is all up to you. Our oldest started here as a freshman is currently a sophomore and it’s still a challenge for him socially. This has always been his issue though so we try to guide him and provide suggestions as best we can. There is a great thread in this forum titled “Some Tips for Succeeding at UCLA” which you should read.</p>
While I can’t speak from personal experience, I’ll chime in with a strong “it depends”. A person who waits for others to come to her/him, who has a more passive approach in general, is not going to have as easy a time of it as someone that is willing to take more chances.</p>
<p>As for the thread “Some Tips for Succeeding at UCLA”, thanks for the kind words mom709! I always hope that people find it useful.</p>
<p>@mikemac You’re welcome! It is extremely useful and timeless! We have crossed fingers that our younger son will be admitted on appeal (marching band) and if so, it will be required reading for him!</p>
