Parent Trouble

College Search & Selection
1

<p>I've posted a couple threads about this before, but my case has been renewed this time, and it's a little more dire than before.</p>

<p>For many years my parents have been pushing me to go to the community college for 2 years after I graduate from high school. My parents are kind of like reverse Asian parents. They're still controlling, but they want me to get the bargain education instead of the prestigious education.</p>

<p>Anyway, my mom asked my cousin where he would be going (he's a senior), and he said he'd take 2 years free at the community college and then transfer to a local public university. Then later, my mom told me that I would be stupid not to take the 2 free years of college and then transfer somewhere, unless I got a full ride somewhere else. I've casually conveyed that I'd like to go to an Ivy or other top private school, like Amherst. She hasn't said a whole lot against that, but she doesn't like how I'd be so far from home (12 hours to the East Coast). And when I asked about visiting, she sort of balked at the idea, saying that we don't have enough money to go around the country looking at colleges. Income is around $70k/year, so financial aid will most likely be scarce.</p>

<p>Since I've sort of avoided this before, I thought today would be a good day to express my opposition. I said that I won't rule it out, but I REALLY don't want to spend another 2 years with the same homogeneous stupid white kids who are all majoring in nursing or teaching (I have nothing against those professions, but EVERYONE in last year's senior class went into those two fields).</p>

<p>My parents seem to want me home all the time, since they said they thought if I went too far away to school, I'd get homesick. They think I'll be coming home every other weekend. I doubt that will happen. I wanted college to be the time when I get away from my parents. That and the money difference are the most likely reasons that they want to keep me here.</p>

<p>Now for the debate part. How bad is a community college? If I did this, it would be as a part of a 4 year degree. I plan on majoring in Finance, Econ, or ORIE. What are the pros and cons of a community college compared to a four year college? How do the pros of each compare to each other? Which one is better overall? How does a CC compare with each low-on-the-totem-pole private colleges, public universities, and top private colleges in terms of actually preparing you for a career?</p>

<p>One of the cons I've noticed so far is the lack of a strong curriculum at the community college. If I took 1 semester of Calculus, I would exhaust their math curriculum. I also wanted to learn Chinese in college (because it interests me), but this CC doesn't have any languages besides Spanish 1 and 2, which I've already taken in HS. Most AP students wouldn't have anything to take there. I'm obviously a little biased, but it seems as though this college might not even be able to accommodate me.</p>

<p>Could I have some help in answering the above questions?</p>

2

<p>Why don't you call/visit your local community college and ask them these questions? They may be able to offer alternatives -- like studying Chinese with someone in the community -- for credit.</p>

<p>And obviously, you'll drop the attitude that you're better than a community college when you talk to them.</p>

3

<p>your community college sounds like crap.</p>

4

<p>My parents where supportive of me, but my school really pushed me to go to community college. My school consoler made me visit community colleges. I gave community colleges and state colleges a fair chance. I visited them and scrutinized them the same way I did every other school. I hated community colleges. They are like high schools. I'm happy where I am now, a real college where I don't have to be brain dead all of the time.</p>

<p>That being said, I have friends who go to low end colleges and are happy there. Even though the schools are low end, they suit their goals. Their goal is to be trained for a specific profession, get a degree, maybe make some friends. But if your main goal is to learn a lot, discover new things that you didn't learn in high school, and gain independence, community college is not the ideal place to do it.</p>

5

<p>If you are ultimately interested in going to a school like Amherst you should look into whether your community college classes will transfer. Many of the top schools will transfer the credits but will not consider the requirements fulfilled.</p>

6

<p>Linzoy, it really bothers me that you consider yourself to be in a "real college," yet you appear to have the verbal skills of a middle schooler.</p>

<p>"Where" should be "were" and "consoler" should be "counselor."</p>

<p>Community colleges are still "real colleges." Going to a community college shouldn't cause the brain inactivity you speak of because you clearly are in need of basic education.</p>

7

<p>You're right, my spelling sucks. That's not because of my lack of education, I have some learning disabilities. </p>

<p>I don't care if I'm an idiot, that doesn't mean I have to be bored constantly. If you don't find community college boring, that's wonderful, but all the ones where I live are boring. I have no disrespect for people who want to go to college to get a degree in teaching or something, but that's not what I want. I want to live away from home, at a school that teaches things I want to learn.</p>

<p>I'm just bitter about my high school trying to discourage me from doing the things I want to do. It's annoying.</p>

8

<p>Financial aid will not be scarce for someone with a family income at about $70k. For someone in that bracket, FA at Amherst will likely be fantastic.</p>

<p>Amherst does not accept any prior courses for credit unless the student applies as a transfer.</p>

9

<p>Community colleges are a great schoice.</p>

<p>Oh, also, as stated before, FA for $70k income will be significant, I would say.</p>

10

<p>JB... you're right. The community college experience is not the same as a four-year university, especially if you live on campus. I'm assuming that you're a relatively bright student because you're referring to AP classes and maxing out of their math classes in the first semester. Some important things to consider are whether or not these lower ability level classes will even transfer when you're ready to because you're looking at some very competitive schools to transfer to. If not, then although you're attending community college 'free', it won't matter if classes won't transfer when you do.</p>

<p>That this community college only offers spanish 1 & 2 also concerns me. Our community college offers Chinese, Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Russian and Italian, and most of these courses are available in four levels or more. </p>

<p>A compromise would be to apply to some truly safety schools that have reputable honors programs that you could participate in, and focus on getting as close to a full ride as possible. That way, if you decide to transfer to a more prestigious school, then you'll have a better chance of your classes transferring, too.</p>

<p>Look at some of the SUNY schools - their out-of-state tuition is extraordinarily reasonable. With some scholarships, your cost might be next to nothing. </p>

<p>
[quote]
And obviously, you'll drop the attitude that you're better than a community college when you talk to them.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I don't think she's saying she's better than them, but would you want to spend two years at a place that offers no academic challenge? I know what it's like when my kids have one class that's easy... it's very frustrating when you know you could be challenged so much more in other classes.</p>

11

<p>Thanks for the great replies!</p>

<p>Yes, I've reviewed Amherst's credit policies and they don't give any credit for APs either, which is OK since my high school has few of them.</p>

<p>What concerns me about a community college is that it's aimed at preparing you for a specific career, but the average person has 6 careers in their lifetime. I don't want a narrow scope of knowledge upon which to base my life. But it is difficult to pass up 2 free years.</p>

12

<p>I've taken courses at both community SUNY colleges and 4 year SUNY Albany. The community college courses were just a step about high school. They take attendance and treat students like they are in high school. A lot more is expected from 4 year college students. The courses at SUNY Albany were more intensive. </p>

<p>Four year colleges have a sequence of courses for a purpose- to make sure students have the needed pre-reqs.</p>

<p>I know I'll get flamed for this comment, but I'm only saying what I experienced. It's not just the content- it's the level of expectation from the profs and the level of class interaction with your fellow students. SUNY 4 years are more challenging than SUNY 2 years.</p>

13

<p>I should have clarified, I meant the four-year SUNYs. Do they even have honors programs in two-year SUNYs?</p>

<p>I know that SUNY-Geneseo in particular is looking to increase its out-of-state student population.</p>

14

<p>Most top liberal arts colleges will meet 100% of your financial need. Many of them are trying to do it with few or possibly no student loans. If your GPA and test scores are good, don't rule out private schools. Many of them are a better value than public schools. Apply at your dream schools and see what they offer in financial aid. You may be surprised.</p>

15

<p>Amherst and Davidson are the only schools that won't be giving loans in the 08-09 year, as far as I know.</p>

16

<p>^I think Princeton has eliminated loans too, but we all know that's a big stretch for anyone.</p>

<p>I personally don't mind a little debt, especially if I start paying it off with paid internships and co-op programs. My parents would most likely oppose any debt, but I think a four-year college education is worth $5,000 in loans.</p>

17

<p>Oh sorry, I was responding to the previous post about LACs. I should have stated that Amherst and Davidson are the only LACs that do this, not "schools". You're correct about Princeton.</p>

18

<p>JBVirtuoso: "I REALLY don't want to spend another 2 years with the same homogeneous stupid white kids"</p>

<p>Thumbs down on that remark.</p>

<p>That being said, although I feel reluctant about giving advice at this point, I think you should follow your heart and stand up for what you really want. I could have gone to an Ivy in what my parents felt was a crime-ridden area. They refused to pay the added cost over the top 50 LAC I attended, saying that safety and money were the reasons. I folded pretty quickly, out of guilt and just not feeling up to a fight. I had a blast where I went, but it was a totally non-intellectual environment and entirely different that who I wanted to be. I completely derailed myself educationally. </p>

<p>Fight hard to go where you think you belong. Leave no stone unturned in trying to come up with money, and don't decide you "can't" get the money together until you actually try and fail. If you do end up having to go to the CC, do better than I did and excel despite the match between you and your environment.</p>