<p>Ok. Right now I am really contemplating on whether I should attend SFSU, SJSU, or Community College. I heard it is really hard to get classes at State right now because of the cuts and consequently in is said to be difficult to graduate in 4 years. I applied to SFSU as a Biology(Physiology) major and one of my questions is whether anybody knows how to increase my chances of graduating in 4 years. I understand that this might be a little to ambitious, but because of financial reasons I really need to graduate in 4 years or somewhere close to that. Is there any program I can join that will help or a track I should follow ? Can someone help me? I would really appreciate it.</p>
<p>did you take any ap classes?</p>
<p>Save your money and go to CC the first two years, especially since your end target goal is SFSU or SJSU.</p>
<p>1) It will cost a fraction of the cost (about 1K a year in tuition vs about 6K a year in tuition… what could you do with that extra 10K saved over those two years?)</p>
<p>2) The classes will be smaller - many CC classes are just 30 - 60 kids max, even for an intro biology class. You get to know the professors and are taught by the professors instead of being stuffed in a lecture hall with 200 - 400 other kids.</p>
<p>3) Your final degree will still say “SFSU” or “SJSU” on it even if you start at CC</p>
<p>4) You could contemplate transferring to a more prestigious university in two years (one of the UCs). That 10K saved in the first two years almost covers the price different in tuition between the CSUs and UCs.</p>
<p>5) If it does take more than 4 years - at least the first 2 years were extra cheap</p>
<p>Yes, I did AP Classes. I passed AP English Language (4)and AP Spanish Language (5). This year I am taking Psychology, English Lit, Art History, and World History. I am also thinking of Med School, Law School, or Grad School after. Would going to a community college affect the way schools look at my course work?</p>
<p>No, CC will not affect your ability to go to grad, med or law school. </p>
<p>In fact, I have heard that for med school, GPA is so important that many kids deliberately go to undergraduate colleges where they know they can ace their GPA vs. going to a very selective school where they will have too much competition for a good GPA. </p>
<p>Many CCs have honors courses, if you want to go that route (check out the CC before hand) to stay competitive in those first two years.</p>
<p>But again, let’s get realistic – SFSU and SJSU (your two main choices) are NOT that much more prestigious than a local CC for the first 2 years.</p>
<p>One more thing to add… if you start as a frosh at SF/SJ, you are likely stuck there all 4 years. If you go to a CC, you will STILL be eligible for SF/SJ AND have the option of transferring to one of the big UCs.</p>
<p>I get the sense that what you are struggling with is this idea that if you go to CC that you are selling out or doing something “not prestigious”. The reality is that while neighbor Joe Blow or a HS friend who is headed off to a 4year college might be suffering from the notion that CC is the lesser route - the reality is that if grad school is your ultimate goal, that CC followed by a strategic transfer (possibly even to a <em>UC</em>) is long term your best option.</p>
<p>Adcoms for grad school just don’t care about those first two years - that is not what they are looking at. They don’t care where you took an introductory college course–it is so basic as to not make a difference. Physical Anthropology at West Valley Community College is taught using the SAME text book as the Physical Anthropology class at UCLA. The professor who teaches Physical Anthropology at West Valley Community College has his PHD <em>from</em> UCLA. The class at West Valley Comm College is approx 40 students - the class at UCLA is an auditorium of 600 kids. Let’s get real - which kid is getting a better education?</p>
<p>Any Adcom who is even remotely logical knows that CC kids are getting just fine 2 years of general education. As long as your transfer school grades (upper division) are solid, you are fine.</p>