<p>I want to know what everyone thinks, </p>
<p>Is Community College easier than a 4-Year?</p>
<p>If so, how much easier compared to what schools</p>
<p>Please respond
Thanks :)</p>
<p><em>gets some tacos and soda</em></p>
<p>What about the chips and salsa?</p>
<p><em>brings guacemole</em></p>
<p>Hmmm...depends on the 4 year university.</p>
<p>Overall, CC classes are easier than 4 year university classes in my opinion.</p>
<p>But then again, I've helped people from Sam Houston (sucks), UT (good), A&M, and UIC - often their work was comparable to that of the CC, or in the case of SHSU and UIC, easier.</p>
<p>i think that cc are almost always easier than than a 4 year.</p>
<p>My community college is harder than UC Santa Barbara and i know this because i attended a few classes @ UCSB!</p>
<p>From my experience with Sacramento City College and University of California Davis, I would say CC is definately easier than 4-year.</p>
<p>What does it matter?</p>
<p>CC's are generally easier to score better in because of the small class room sizes. You learn the same material but your homework assignments are shorter or less infrequent and essay lengths are shorter. But I know some classes I take are about the same difficulty.</p>
<p>Community College is generally easier due to these reasons:</p>
<p>1.) Comparably less competition among peers
2.) Smaller Class (more individual attention from the prof)
3.) Professors are almost always 100% dedicated to teaching (whereas profs in 4-year univ. are often too busy with their own research to do the teaching - that's why they use TA frequently)
4.) No curves (this can actually be both advantage and disadvantage for some student)
5.) Most use semester system (whereas MOST 4-year univ. use quarter system)</p>
<p>According to one of my friends who transferred to UCLA froma community college, not one is easier than the other in terms of course material. They are equally easy (or difficult). It's just that in cc, it tends to be easier to get good grade due to factors above.</p>
<p>The reading load significantly differs in a 4 year...it's about four times as much as when I was at a CC. Sometimes I think I'm drowning in my reading!</p>
<p>Hold on, the question is absurd...</p>
<p>Are CCs easier or on par with most four year institutions? Yes.</p>
<p>Are CCs easier or on par with top 25 or even top tier institutions? No, not a chance.</p>
<p>
[quote]
1.) Comparably less competition among peers
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</p>
<p>1) I thought all of you were trying to get into the UCs... that counts as competition to me.
2) You have not been to most 4 year universities, so how would you know?</p>
<p>
[quote]
2.) Smaller Class (more individual attention from the prof)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>1) Really!?! Last I checked, some CCs were overflowing with students!
2) Intro classes at 4 year universities are huge; however, once you enroll in upper-level seminars, the situation differs drastically. My seminar, for instance, had seven students. There is no way CCs approach this. Also, CCs probably do not offer smaller seminars given that you are only in the running for an AA.
3) There are many 4 year institutions that are small enough where professors do pay much more attention to their students. LACs and small universities like Rice and Caltech come to mind. Georgetown is great, too. I did a research fellowship under one professor last semester, and am in the running for another one next semester. The term 'fellowship' is probably foreign to most CC students.
4) Who would want the attention of a CC prof anyways? Perhaps for recommendations for transfer; however, their teachings are not exactly the same as what you receive at many four year institutions. Do not dare to tell me that a professor at a CC teaching Rawls' Theory of Justice is on par with a John Rawls teaching his Theory of Justice. My professors are authors of books that are being used for courses at Harvard Law School. That is something you will never find at a CC.</p>
<p>
[quote]
3.) Professors are almost always 100% dedicated to teaching (whereas profs in 4-year univ. are often too busy with their own research to do the teaching - that's why they use TA frequently)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Read my responses to your previous statement. This is simply not the case at LACs, small universities, and many research universities such as Harvard, Georgetown, Yale, Princeton, and I could go on and on.</p>
<p>
[quote]
4.) No curves (this can actually be both advantage and disadvantage for some student)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Huh? Some CCs definitely do have curves. </p>
<p>
[quote]
5.) Most use semester system (whereas MOST 4-year univ. use quarter system)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Too bad many top universities do not use the quarter system; Harvard, Georgetown, and Rice do not. Also, since when is the quarter system easier? Last I heard, UChicago is hell because students are studying for midterms or finals every other week.</p>
<p>Before some of you even start to argue that CCs are on par with 4 year institutions, there is a reason why top law schools like Harvard, Yale, and Stanford recruit out of top universities and other 4 year institutions: they are simply more rigorous, and students with top grades at such schools pass muster. You can make as many arguments as you want, but the facts are the facts.</p>
<p>As I was writing my post, I was thinking of adding in the word "Big" in front of the "4-year univ" but i decided not to.</p>
<p>But it turned out to be a mistake. I just made you write a whole essay on it.</p>
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I just made you write a whole essay on it.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I do not care. I just wrote a whole essay on why the armchair admissions officer stuck at CC is an idiot. Care to figure out who that is? I would not want you to waste an essay on it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
1) I thought all of you were trying to get into the UCs... that counts as competition to me.
2) You have not been to most 4 year universities, so how would you know?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>With exception of SMC, the actual rate of students that plan on transfer to TOP UCs like Berkeley and UCLA are less than a quarter of the entire population. If you clutter all of them into one class, then Yes, the competition would be INTENSE. But this is NOT the case for most community colleges. </p>
<p>Majority of students who attend CCs are satisfied with just an associate degree, so all they have to worry about is to PASS the class (get C or better). However, those of us that wants to transfer (especially to top universities) will DIE to get an A. But fortunately, we are the VERY SMALL PORTION of the student body. Unless it's the core courses like Calculus and Math which ALL transfer prospects should take, competition is generally very soft in GE courses.</p>
<p>That's the difference with CC and BIG 4 year univ. In Big 4 year univ, GE courses are PACKED with hundreds of people, and they use curve, so only 20% or so will manage to get an A, and only about half the class will pass. This makes competition in GE courses EXTREMLEY intense. That's why some people in this board refer GE courses as "weed-out classes". Those who manage to "survive" the GEs are able to get into the actual major they wish.</p>
<p>However, most CC do not use curve, so if EVERYONE does well in the class, EVERYONE will pass. heck, if everyone's done SUPERB job, EVERYONE will get an A for the class. This is why in CC, if you just try hard, that is ENOUGH to get good grade. And as I've mentioned before, majority of students are "not motivated or pressured enough" that they do not have to stress out when they get a C in a test. THAT is why I'm saying that competition is COMPARABLY LOT softer in CC than the 4 year univ.</p>
<p>Some 4-year schools are very comparable to CCs as far as workload, etc. but another question to ask is whether or not it is worth it to attend some random 4-year university that costs over $10K (room and board) instead of going to a CC which would be ~$2K. </p>
<p>If people can get past the negative connotation that is associated with CC, in many cases it would be very beneficial to attend one if money/location is a problem. Intro classes are similar in many ways at many schools, so if a student is motivated, they should be able to ace their reg. classes and be at the same level as their counterparts in 4-year schools when they transfer. Also many if the schools I have been looking to transfer into say that CC students' grades at their university are nearly identical to that of students who transferred in from other 4-year schools.</p>
<p>OP, what was the point of starting this thread?</p>
<p>^ I really want to know what to expect when transferring. Are my grades going to take a huge drop? This is a big fear of mine.</p>
<p>I don’t mean to ruffle any feathers by starting the post, I just want to know what I’m in store for. :D</p>
<p>
[quote]
^ I really want to know what to expect when transferring. Are my grades going to take a huge drop? This is a big fear of mine.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>They are probably going to drop, but the degree is different for each student. I remember reading somewhere that the GPAs of students who transferred to Harvard all took a drop.</p>
<p>Then again, it also depends on the school. At state universities (except for Cal and UCLA), you could probably maintain the GPA. At top schools, it is difficult. Recall that you are dealing with some of the brightest students in the nation. It is difficult to be the best of the best, and not everyone can be it.</p>