So I only applied to 3 schools this year because my family did not qualify for fee waivers, so CSU Fullerton, CSU Long Beach, and UCI, all local schools. Initially I thought I could get in to CSUF and CSULB and that UCI was a stretch. My GPA was not that competitive although I think my ECs were decent. Anyways, I only got into CSUF, which I was fine with. It was cheaper than UCI too and my family will most likely not qualify for financial aid so it made sense to me and I felt satisfied. But one of my friends told me that I’m just “settling”. She said, “Do you really want to go there? Would you have been happier if Long Beach accepted you, or UCI?” And to tell you the truth, I don’t really know. Long Beach had been my dream but when I got rejected, I just didn’t feel that sad. Anyways, she tried to convince me into going to CC for 2 years and then transferring somewhere like UCLA or USC and it did sound like a viable option. But I don’t think my parents would like it. And my peers at school are so judgmental. There’s such a stigma around going to CCs and even CSUs… I’m not even sure of what I want to major in yet, but I really like history and chemistry and I think maybe I would like to become a teacher (elementary or HS) in the future, although only one of my parents is supportive of me. I know they were disappointed when I didn’t make it into UCI and it hurts thinking that I should have done better from the start to not have let them down like this. And to go into teaching, now it doesn’t seem like such a good idea. My mom who was a preschool teacher tells me I will end up hating it (but I definitely don’t want to be a preschool teacher). I know she wants me to go into something more prestigious like pharmacology or political science and stuff like that, but I think I would hate my life if I were a pharmacist. My dad tells me “I don’t care what you do, just don’t go broke,” but he also said he won’t pay for a history degree, so I’m scared. I just don’t know what to do anymore. I’ve been thinking about this so much and the more I think about going to CSUF the more uncertain I become. And it doesn’t help that our counselors at school shame us for even considering CCs over CSUs and UCs so I can’t get help from them. So what do you think? Am I making the right move? Am I really just “settling”? What would you do?
hi! im sorry that this is the situation you are in. i applied to 12 schools and was accepted only to one of them. i have waitlists but the reality of having to go to the one i got into scares me, and what people (friends and family) will think scares me more. idk what im going to do either but im taking it day by day. you dont have to figure everything out now and know that your reality in this moment is not the rest of your life. i think that you should embrace csuf for all that it is and try to find your niche in the community…it is okay if your interests change and always have faith. you cannot control the perceptions of others but you can control how you react to them and how your perceive yourself. you are capable of so much, whatever you choose.
The hardest thing you have to do right now is tune out other people’s voices and focus on what you want.
So what do you want? A few things stand out: (1) you are undecided on major but like chemistry and history and (2) you like the idea of teaching and (3) you know what you don’t want.
CSUF seems like a good choice based on the above. Don’t be afraid to go that way but community college is also worth considering if you haven’t already. You can save a lot of money and besides the UCs, you could get another shot at CSULB as it sounds like you really liked that school.
There is no generalized stigma in California about either community college or CSUs. To the contrary, most of us in the state are incredibly proud of both systems and the students who attend.
Have you personally spoken with your high school counselor about CC or are you getting hearsay from your friends? Any counselor I know is going to strongly encourage you consider CC as an option, especially for students who are uncertain about their direction or who didn’t get into their first choice UC or CSU.
Most important is that you take the negativity and mute it. They are trying to be helpful, but it does seem somewhat condescending. DO what is best for YOU. This is your life…not your friend’s, not your parents’… the decisions you make will mainly affect you, put yourself first. CSUF is a great school and is the Cal State I want to transfer to after 3 years attending a CC. In high school, I was scared to tell people I was going to a CC and the stigma of a CC put a weight on my shoulders for months. I was always one of the brighter students in class and I remember feeling almost shameful and embarrassed. High school was rough. I grew up around a lot of entitled, rich kids who all set off to prestigious colleges. I felt like I was not reaching my fullest potential and was upset for not taking my SAT or applying to any schools. I was upset for not taking school more seriously, and choosing partying and work over school and all that. I knew that I had to pay for my own education, so I brushed off all the negative talk from others and even myself and logically accessed the situation. After 3 years of being a full-time community college student I learned a lot of things:
(1) It is okay to not know what you want to do with your life yet. You are only 17-18. I went from being a Psychology major to Biochemistry major to finally an Economics major. All completely different and a big reason why I spent 3 years over 2, but I am glad I was able to not fear what others would think and spent as much time as I needed figuring out what I wanted to do. This decision does shape your future after all, and being happy with your job is a critical aspect in being happy with your life. Thoroughly think about what interests you (most enjoyed subjects in school) and maybe do some research to see if you would like a career in that field. I personally could not do science, because it requires a lot of volunteer work (for most jobs in the field) which seems nearly impossible being a full-time student and working full-time hours.
(2) This stigma is pretty non-existent once you graduate HS. Sure, your friends are all going to universities. A lot of mine did, but when you become an adult your whole life changes. Priorities change. Friends change. People move. You get a job. You gain some freedom. You meet all kinds of people, and most will applaud you for continuing education. I even have people tell me how smart I was to choose a community college. The bad stigma for CSU’s seem pretty ridiculous, they are excellent schools. CSUF is a great school, especially for business. They have a lot of ties with OC/LA and employers care about your GPA, not seeing if you went to the most pretentious college in the state. They want to make sure you have the knowledge required to do the job and ability to handle the work load.
(3) Some people who went to a 4-year after HS, will move back home and restart at a CC. Some people are not sure what they want to do, or mess up their first semester, or do not like their school and move back home to attend a CC and transfer to a different school. I met quite a few people who took this route. Once everyone attends school in Fall term, you might even be surprised with how many people you know who decided to go to community.
(4) You will save a lot of money and time. It is fairly easy to switch majors at a CC. I have never attended a 4-year, but I assume it would be a bit harder since you apply for specific schools within the University. I was lucky enough to get FAFSA, but if you do not think you would be eligible for financial aid I recommend CC for this purpose. Especially if your dad seems finicky about giving you financial support (what if you decide to major in History?). If this does happen, you can always claim yourself as an independent and get SOME financial aid.
(5) You get the same education. What matters in the end is the education you receive and the skills and knowledge you acquire. Community colleges are all accredited schools that have curriculums that are CSU/UC approved (or else they would not let you transfer to their schools).
(6) I have met some geniuses at my community college: 4.0 GPA, honors society, president of multiple clubs. If you go to a CC and do not get distracted and focus rigorously on your studies, you can easily get into UCI. Do research on the TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee) program. Six UC’s offer it, one being Irvine with a GPA requirement of 3.4. If you attend a CC and maintain a 3.4 GPA, this program pretty much guarantees admission.
I am a strong advocate for community college. I regretted my decision my first year, because I am an extremely social person and felt like I was missing out on the college experience. Looking at the bigger picture, I regret nothing now. I grew in my early adolescence/adult years and really figured my life out. I was completely lost when it came to college, I mainly attended because it was the right thing to do for myself. I met a lot of determined peers who motivated me to do better for myself. I heard a lot of life stories and picked up on a lot of useful school skills by utilizing what my CC had to offer. My most important word of advice-- if you do go with a CC, talk to counselor about your education plan, but when it comes to actual transfer questions and making sure you’re on track the transfer center is your new best friend.
Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck. Fullerton is an excellent school and there is nothing wrong with attending a CC-- there are more benefits than costs.