<p>I'm currently a senior in high school and I need to start applying to colleges. I'm going to have 17 college credits when I graduate high school. My parents think that I should go to a community college that's about 25 minutes away for the first semester so I can finish my first year (13 credits) and then transfer to a 4 year university. I'm starting to think about it now and it kinda sounds like a good idea. The only problem is that I already made a list of universities I was planning on applying to. I also already asked 3 teachers for recommendation letters, started the common app., and finished my essay too. I feel like I did all that work for nothing. I don't know if I should apply to the universities on my list and then decide what I want to do in the spring or if I should just not even apply to them and just go to the community college for the first year. I feel that if I get into the universities I want and don't end up going I'll be worried I won't get accepted again after my first year of community college. What should I do?</p>
<p>At most universities most or all of those 17 college credits will count towards your degree immediately, so why wait?
Were they from AP classes or college classes or what? They will probably be used towards your general ed credits, allowing you to skip those at the college or might allow you to start at the next level of class instead of the intro class, depending on the college, where these credits came from, and how they fit in with your potential major. My older daughter had so many AP credits when she entered Freshman year that she could have graduated a full year early if she wanted to (she did not). I don’t understand the point of finishing a full year in credits at a community college.</p>
<p>My suggestion is to look at the websites of the colleges on your list and see what will transfer, call if you need to, then revisit this discussion with your parents. Oh, and generally speaking, you get much less financial aid as a transfer than as an entry-level student.</p>
<p>Good luck! </p>
<p>I would apply and go to the four year university now rather CC. </p>
<p>Will your grades and score put you in the running for merit aid at a four year college? If so you should look closely at that. There is very little merit aid given for transfer students. Run the Net Price Calculator for schools in which you’re interested and see what the costs are over 4 years vs. some time at a CC and a transfer with very limited aid.</p>