Hi, I’ve been accepted to UC San Diego for Human Bio and UC Davis for Biochem/Molecular Bio, and I am debating whether to go to these schools or community college. I would like to one day go to med school. I come from a middle-class family and I have the whole 30,000+ tuition/room and board (and yes I have been applying for scholarships but haven’t heard back from any). I don’t want to burden my parents to pay this and take out a hefty student loan. Another option is to go to community college for 2 years and then transfer to a UC to save money (called the TAG program).
If I go to a community college, I would certainly save money, but is it worth missing the college experience, making connections with professors, and possibly missing research/internship opportunities offered at a UC? How hard exactly are 1st/2nd year classes at a UC (weeder classes from what I hear)? Is there anybody who used TAG and what is your experience/ is it worth it? Thank you!
I can’t offer help specific to the pre-med track but I can provide insight into the community college option. My S17 has friends who stayed back for various reasons and now strongly regret not going “away” to college. I also believe you will have to re-apply as a transfer, meaning future admissions to UCSD/UCD will not be certain.
Have you toured your local CC? Sat in on a few classes? Treat it the same way you would the UC and see what you think. If you were my kid, I’d tell you go to the UC if I could afford it. Transfer is not guaranteed…go read the anxiety on the transfers forums right now.
Have you asked your parents what they can afford? If no money was saved for college, you really have no choice but to go to CC first and then transfer. Close friend’s kid just did TAG and got accepted to UCLA, UCSB, and UCD, so it is very doable if you apply yourself.
Yes, you will absolutely miss out on some of the college experience (and I say this as a JC transfer to UCD) but you really have no other good options. 120K loan for a middle class family is brutal to pay back and I personally would not do it, especially if you are planning on grad school.
Based solely on what I observed this admissions season, and knowing many highly qualified applicants in-state, who were not admitted to any UC, I suggest you accept one of your offers - go straight to a 4-year rather than CC