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<p>In some cases, the community colleges model their courses on a nearby state university for transfer purposes. For example, some community colleges near Berkeley have physics courses modeled after Berkeley physics courses; these community college physics courses cover more material than the physics courses found at some of the less selective state universities. So it is not a given that community college courses will be lacking compared those at the less selective four year universities that still have open application periods.</p>
<p>However, a student who is super advanced in a subject like math may, however, find that community college is limiting if s/he wants to take junior and senior level courses as a freshman or sophomore. Introductory computer science curricula do vary considerably, so transferring courses may be more of an issue in that subject than subjects like math and physics.</p>
<p>But some top students do start at community college and then transfer to complete their bachelor’s degrees:
[Top</a> graduating senior a rags-to-academic-riches story](<a href=“Berkeley News | Berkeley”>Berkeley News | Berkeley)
[At</a> just 14, UCLA math student Moshe Kai Cavalin has written his first book, ‘We Can Do’ / UCLA Newsroom](<a href=“http://www.newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/at-just-14-ucla-math-student-moshe-229359.aspx]At”>Newsroom | UCLA)</p>
<p>The OP should investigate whether community college followed by transfer is an appropriate safety.</p>