I am a high school senior, and I am working on the whole college decision process right now. I have between a 3.6-3.9 unweighted GPA. When I graduate, I’ll have taken two AP classes and maybe three AP exams. I have an ACT of 28, but I’m pretty sure that it has gone up since I have retaken it. I will be taking the SAT in week, and on the first practice test I got an 1170. As for my financial situation, my parents have been saving for my education my whole life. I am well off and will have no problem paying for college after scholarships are added into the mix.
I say all this to ask if it is weird for me to go to a community college. I know that I could easily get into any of the state schools (KY) and some good private ones too. The thing is, I haven’t visited a college that I connect to. I know that many of the colleges that I can get into have extremely good academics and professors and lots of good research opportunities, but they just don’t seem like the right fit.
I have little to no interest in the social aspect of college. I have no interest in parties or joining a sorority. Living in a dorm sounds like it could be a nightmare. I go to an extremely small high school (about 60 students 9-12) and I have never enjoyed being surrounded by people.
If I go to community college, I’ll go to the one that is down the road from where I live. I pass it everyday going to school and I know a few people who go there or will go there next year.
Basically I’m asking if I should step out of my comfort zone and go to a four year or if I should take the 2+2 approach. Any advice would be much appreciated.
I would go straight to a 4 year college if you can afford it. when you go to community college you (anyone) are more likely to get side tracked by life and or work and not go on to get a bachelors.
do people do the 2 + 2 ?? yes many people have. but in my opinion you are stacking the odds against yourself.
“As for my financial situation, my parents have been saving for my education my whole life. I am well off and will have no problem paying for college after scholarships are added into the mix.”
Exactly how much can they pay? For significant merit-based aid, you need an ACT score of at least 30. Ask your parents to run the Net Price Calculator at the website of each place that is on your list right now. That will give you a better idea of whether or not they are likely to be affordable for your family.
If you are looking for merit-based aid, the 2+2 route can actually end up costing you money because transfer students don’t get the same kind of merit-based aid as freshmen do. However, if your family is expecting to be full-pay except for a basic student loan, then two years at a CC can save you significant money.
Happykid followed the 2+2 plan because it was the only affordable option for our family. She loved both her CC and the big StateU that she eventually transferred to. I felt guilty about the money, but when she graduated from her CC, she told us that she hadn’t felt ready do leave home just yet at the end of high school, and that she and truly appreciated the extra time with us! She also has told us that at her U, she could spot the CC grads in her department right away. Most of them were more independent than the students who had been there for the first two years.
Yes, many students who think they will be 2+2 when they start at a CC don’t end up finishing college, but you also have to remember that lots of students who start out at 4-year institutions (especially at big State Us) drop out along the way. Unless there are significant financial difficulties that force a change of plans, whether you finish a degree, and when you finish that degree is largely up to you.
Not all colleges and universities require that students live in dorms. Not all have social scenes that are dominated by fraternities and sororities. You might like a college/university that is in the middle of a city, or that has a lot of commuter students. Spend a bit of time researching options like that.
It does sound like you are not ready to leave home. If that is the reason then I suppose it is okay plan. I don’t know about your state, but it really takes more like 3 years in my state, you might want to check that out. It also sounds like you don’t want to be challenged academically and that is fine, so kids are not that ambitious. If fit is that big a deal, I am wondering why you haven’t explored more.