<p>So my parents, mainly my dad, wants me to go to a CC this spring semester. I couldn't go to CC during the fall because we moved. But the schools I'm applying to, which are CSU's, don't allow lower division transfers. So wouldn't this be a waste of time and money if I do go? The credits won't transfer and I'd rather work full time and save up my money for an apartment for school. What do you guys think?</p>
<p>Hmm…I personally would wouldn’t bother with the community college if your ultimate goal is to get into a CSU(do you mean California or Colorado State universities?). However, how you spend your time is key in admissions too. If they see that you do nothing before applying for fall they will probably reject you. If you want to work that’s fine but make sure you’re doing something in your field too extra (like if you’re pre-med volunteer in a hospital, education volunteer to tutor kids, etc.) so they don’t think you skipped a year for no reason.</p>
<p>Have a nice long heart-to-heart with your parents about the money issue. Often parents will push CCs to save money. </p>
<p>You are correct that within the CA public system, you can enter as a freshman or you pretty much have to wait until transferring in as a junior. If the CSUs you are interested in are likely to admit you now (your old guidance counselor at your old HS can tell you about your chances), then applying for the fall of 2014 and working during this spring can make a lot of sense.</p>
<p>Your location is listed as TX. Did you move to CA? You need to check to see when you might be considered instate for costs.</p>
<p>Yes, I am talking about the California state systems, sorry for the confusion. I worked for 3 months before moving to California at a pet resort and am currently looking for a job but it’s so much harder to find a job out here! And I forgot to change my location when I moved. I’m considered in state and even got a fee waiver for Chico State! Anyways, whenever I talk to my parents about it, my dad gets very defensive about his point of view and won’t reason with me. Meanwhile, my mom thinks it’s a good idea to not go to a CC. I’ll have to talk with them again for what I think will be the 7th time. lol</p>
<p>It may be because your dad doesn’t realize that CC in CA is the stepping stone to a UC, not a CSU. You could always work full time to save money and humor him by taking one or two classes at the community college.</p>
<p>your dad may not realize that CSUs and UCs only accept junior transfers.</p>
<p>Your idea is better.</p>
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</p>
<p>CC in California is a stepping stone for either UC or CSU. See [Welcome</a> to ASSIST](<a href=“http://www.assist.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.assist.org) .</p>
<p>If you take any college courses (including at CCs) after the summer immediately after high school graduation, you will be ineligible for frosh admission to UC or CSU and must later apply as a transfer. Most or all of the UC and CSU campuses consider only junior level transfers with at least 60 semester units or 90 quarter units.</p>
<p>However, if your high school record is not good enough to get into the UC or CSU that you want to attend, then starting at CC may be a second chance to the desired campus, if you do well.</p>
<p>If you intend to apply for frosh admission to UC or CSU, you have only until the end of this month.</p>
<p>I apologize. I had forgotten that California publics won’t let you “transfer” a couple courses, you can either apply as a freshman (zero college course after high school) or a transfer (after several semesters), there’s no midway. I was thinking of keeping the peace through a compromise, but the compromise would indeed jeopardize your Fall enrollment.
Your idea is better.</p>
<p>If your parents feel like they can’t afford college, what are you willing to do? ROTC, take out loans in your name, work thru college?</p>
<p>Another reason for holding off is residency. If you moved into CA this Fall, your residency has not been established and community college will still be pretty pricey. Waiting until you’ve been in the state a year before taking CC or state university classes will save you a lot of money.</p>
<p>It could be that he worries if you aren’t taking classes that you’ll not go back at all. A compromise could be taking some skill classes at your local adult education center. You could get some interesting training, be “in school” but those classes won’t interfere with your freshman status. You’d still be able to work full-time as well.</p>
<p>I do agree that going to CC for a semester is not the right move if you have already graduated high school and are currently applying to CSU’s. You can only get away with CC credits and not be a transfer if they were earned WHILE you were in high school OR if you do the full transfer program which will take about 2 years to complete and you go in as a junior.</p>
<p>I did want to add that California does have an excellent community college system. There is no shame at all in going that route. Your dad isn’t wrong that it’s a good way to get educated and saves a boat-load of money. </p>
<p>My disagreement is that you should go for a semester while applying to CA state schools.</p>
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That’s an excellent idea! Great compromise 
Keeps your father happy because you’re still taking classes, helps in establishing in-state residency (which will save you LOADS of money down the road), and doesn’t jeopardize your ability to attend a CSU in the Fall.</p>
<p>I’m definitely going to work through college and possibly take out a loan. But, again, when I talk to my parents about taking out a loan, they laugh at me and say I’ll be in debt my whole life. But that won’t be true because the max I’d take out a year is only $2,000 and that would be enough to cover the rest of tuition with FAFSA.</p>
<p>IMHO most CSUs are commuter schools and if you already planning on living in an apartment it makes no sense to go their over CC. You are essentially just paying extra for the same courses. Plus taking out loans for CSU when you could just pay for the classes outright at CC, idk what you are thinking. It sounds like your dad is completely right. I’ve even meet people from CSU going to CC because the classes are cheaper and fulfill the same requirements. </p>
<p>Furthermore there are some really nice CCC like Santa Monica College.</p>
<p>One more thing. My geology teacher at CC also teaches as CSUF and USC. I would say teaching at a CC and UC/USC is kinda rare but teaching at both a CC and a CSU is very common.</p>
<p>I think you should do a little research into your local CC, you might find out you like it. California has done a good job of educating kids at a reasonable price.
As ucbalumnus has stated above, you can cross reference any classes you want to take at CC with the CSU or UC of your choice at assist.org to make sure you take the right classes. If you get your transcript certified the CSU will except the classes as meeting the general ed requirement for lower division. Something else to consider, depending on your SAT scores and other criteria, you may have to take English and math placement tests. This would also be required at CSU and UC as well, I think it is 500 critical reading and 550 on the math portion.</p>
<p>But that won’t be true because the max I’d take out a year is only $2,000 and that would be enough to cover the rest of tuition with FAFSA.</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>Do you understand what FAFSA is? It’s just an app for federal aid. Is your family low income? </p>
<p>What aid do you think that you’d get after submitting FAFSA?</p>
<p>With FAFSA, you can borrow $5500 for Frosh year. </p>
<p>I think you’re confused about FAFSA.</p>
<p>In summary, your choices if you want to pursue a bachelor’s degree at UC/CSU are:</p>
<ul>
<li>Apply to UC/CSU campuses now (deadline is the end of this month), do not attend any college next spring.</li>
<li>Start at CC next spring, commit to going the junior transfer route to UC/CSU.</li>
</ul>
<p>Either can be a good option, though it depends on your academic status (how advanced are you at this stage) and financial considerations (when will you get California residency?).</p>
<p>Note that you need to check the California residency pages for the UC/CSU/CC. All of them become more expensive if you are not a California resident:</p>
<ul>
<li>UC: $22,878 additional; financial aid grants do not cover this portion</li>
<li>CSU: $11,160 additional (based on $372 per semester unit over 30 units per year); appears that you would get no state (Cal Grant) or campus financial aid at all that California residents could get</li>
<li>CC: $5,700 additional (based on $190 per semester unit over 30 units per year); no state (Cal Grant) financial aid at all</li>
</ul>
<p>UC and CSU are generally good with financial aid for California residents; check their net price calculators. For high-need California residents, the net prices are usually CSU-commuter < UC < CSU-resident, but you should run the net price calculators for your own situation.</p>
<p>Which option is less expensive depends on when you become a California resident, so you may need to calculate costs for each option based on some semesters or quarters as a non-resident, followed by California resident costs later.</p>
<p>UCB…Since the OP didn’t graduate from a Calif school, what aid is he prevented from getting even if he gains residency? </p>
<p>I’m thinking that he wouldn’t get a Cal Grant even if parents’ income is low enough. Is that true?</p>
<p>I’m also concerned that this student is thinking that he’d get more aid after filling out FAFSA than he will. Unless his parents are lowish income, he’s not getting “free money”. </p>
<p>OP…do you know what your FAFSA EFC is?</p>
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<p>OP needs to see when s/he will get California residency. Due to the 366 day waiting period, if the OP and parents moved to California during fall 2013, the OP may not get California residency for tuition purposes until spring 2015.</p>
<p>[Establishing</a> Legal Residence - Office Of The Registrar](<a href=“http://registrar.berkeley.edu/establish.html]Establishing”>http://registrar.berkeley.edu/establish.html)</p>