Need Opinion: Boulder or Community College?

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Hi. I'm committed next year for CU Boulder, being a California resident. This means the $30k out of state fee is needed. I ideally would want to go there for a year before transferring to my favorite schools, UT Austin or UNC Chapel Hill (both roughly around $30 k per year schools for me). The other choice is an instate Santa Barbara City College, where I'd go for two years then end up definitely at one of my two mentioned favorite schools. </p>

<p>This tough decision can best be put in pros and cons:
Pros of Boulder:
4-year school vibe/energy
Full 4 years of college experience
Constant/assured fun
Solid Academics
Big school opportunities
Outdoorsy school(hiking, mountains, camping, forests)
Many interesting, attractive (but slightly dumb) people</p>

<p>Pros of SBCC:
Some attractive, dumb people
Easy grades
Cheaper ($8,000)
Quieter
Will serve as a transition phase to build social confidence, bridging to an outgoing school.
Has parties with UCSB people(but they aren't assured)</p>

<p>Basically, I'm worried about both money and socializing. </p>

<p>Money: I'm from a $150K family, and we can afford 4 years of university, even out of state. With the Boulder route, I would go for 1 year, before I can transfer. That's 1 year's tuition used to get me to my final school (as a sophomore) while still getting a year of full, college-experience. This path in total would ultimately cost roughly $120,000 for 4 years before some minor scholarships. Going to a community college for 2 years would take that total down to $60,000. However the college experience is always said to kick ass and be unforgettable;I don't know if I can sacrifice two years at a boring CC. </p>

<p>Socializing: I'm a shy person, and wouldn't fit in well with a party school like Boulder right off the bat. I may adapt quickly, but atm their partying and fun life (which I like) is totally new to me. I can either see how I can gel with the school, or take the CC route. With the CC, I have an apartment off campus that I can gradually ease into the student life from. HOWEVER I MAY STICK THEIR GOD FORBID in a shell-state. Ideally at the end of it, I would be a more outgoing person that will embrace my final 2 years at my school of choice. </p>

<p>Help would be great for this tough decision. Please mention if you think I'm over thinking this...</p>

2

<ul>
<li>That Boulder pros list applies to my first year, after which I end up into a somewhat perfect dream college, without any real issues.</li>
</ul>

3

<p>Is SBCC your local community college?</p>

<p>Were you not able to get into a UC or CSU?</p>

<p>A CC in the same state as your transfer target four year school, with an articulation agreement, is likely the best choice from a transfer academic standpoint. (Within the same state, a CC in the same local area as the transfer target four year school may have even better coverage of courses at the transfer target four year school.)</p>

<p>Remember that a lot of schools prefer transfers at the junior level (i.e. after completion of two years of college courses). Sophomore level transfers will still be evaluated heavily on high school credentials due to the limited amount of college work completed by application time. If your high school credentials are not very good, they may prevent you from transferring to more selective schools.</p>

4

<p>“That Boulder pros list applies to my first year, after which I end up into a somewhat perfect dream college, without any real issues.”</p>

<p>Being able to transfer successfully after only one year is not a given. Neither is being able to get into any of the colleges/universities on your current list. If you think that you could be happy for all four years at Boulder, then go there. If you know now that you absolutely do not want to graduate from Boulder, and that you would need to transfer out at some point, then don’t go. Start at the CC. Or take a Gap Year and apply to a new list of places where you know you can be happy from the get-go.</p>

5

<p>If you don’t want to go to CU, then don’t pony up for the out of state tuition. If UT is your dream school, why not move to Austin and attend Austin Community College. ACC has a well developed program that offers classes that are guaranteed to transfer directly to UT.</p>

6

<p>Go with the Community College since you want to transfer out either way.</p>

7

<p>SBCC is far from a typical community college. It can still give you the “college experience” in many ways, but is much cheaper than most other schools. My cousin goes there and some of his professors teach the same course at both SBCC and UCSB so SBCC may not be much easier than CU - Boulder. </p>

<p>CU Boulder has relatively easy transfer requirements and seems to be very transfer friendly.
[Transfer</a> Admission Requirements | Undergraduate Admissions | CU-Boulder](<a href=“http://www.colorado.edu/admissions/undergraduate/apply/transfer/admissioncriteria]Transfer”>http://www.colorado.edu/admissions/undergraduate/apply/transfer/admissioncriteria)</p>

8

<p>My sense is that you need a realistic college plan. Your post suggests that you don’t have one.</p>

<p>So if money is really an issue, then the CC route is really your only option. Do that with a positive attitude. Get exceptional grades, and then take advantage of the very generous acceptance policy at the UCs for strong CC graduates.</p>

<p>To go to CU with the intention of leaving after one year is impractical and wasteful. Almost from the moment you arrive at CU you will need to begin the transfer application process. And you will need to do this while getting your bearing as a freshman, and acing your courses. Both of your dream colleges are very selective for out of state students. They are also expensive.</p>

<p>It would sad if you go to the community college at Santa Barbara with the attitude of “boring school” and “dumb people”. That’s not a recipe for either happiness or success.</p>

<p>If college financing is an issue that your family can if fact handle, then CU is a large university with space for many type of students. If you do go there drop the notion of transferring after one year. Take advantage of the school, the beautiful setting that is Boulder, and the new experience of living outside of California.</p>

9

<p>One word of caution - Community College is not ‘Easy’…Don’t be fooled by that myth. The teachers at Community Colleges are often more approachable and so the classes can be easier to tackle from that standpoint, but I assure you that Calculus I at most CCs is the same class as Calculus I at many state 4 year schools.</p>

10

<p>If you go the CC route, be absolutely sure to fulfill the agreement where you get a guaranteed transfer to a UC system school and apply to UC’s along with your other targets. You will absolutely need that as a desirable safety net. You aren’t assured at all to get into UNC or Austin from a CA CC. It seems like a long shot to me.</p>

11

<p>Boulder. Get your credit and transfer.</p>