Hi! I’m not from the US but I will start my studies there this fall. There’s something that has been bugging me about the education in your country: What are the advantages of going directly to a 4-year university? In contrast with starting in community colege. I have a friend who is now in a community college. She didn’t have to take the SATs or do almost anything to apply, she already covered two years of studies in one year and she pays less. On the other hand, I had to study a lot for the SATs, was rejected from all of the universities I applied the first time and now I’ve been accepted I have to pay a lot more.
It all depends on what you are planning on studying and what your goals are for the future. Depending on the university, there are some degrees that have very few classes that transfer over from community college classes, so enrolling for an entire year or semester may not be very helpful and might actually delay you getting your degree. However, since many CC’s tend to have an open door policy, meaning they accept pretty much anyone, they serve as a nice jumping off point if you’re struggling with a history of bad scores/HS transcripts, and want to start getting college experience and a good GPA established in order to transfer to a four-year university.
Many people like jumping directly into university because they feel like it gives them the “full” college life experience. Four year universities typically offer amenities such as on-campus housing and meal plans, which many freshman find convenient, especially if they are moving away from home. Meanwhile, CC’s typically require students to commute a certain distance. You also don’t have to worry about credits transferring over to a new school if you stick with the same school.
I started at community college. I think it will alter your social experience quite a bit to begin at community college versus going directly. I am not sure what kind of life experiences you are wanting.
I went to community college for three years. Day in and day out, it was a commute, snooze fest, and then back home. Repeat.
It was more challenging and interesting once I got to a four year institution. There was a bit of an intellectual jump.
There can be financial differences.
Starting at community college and then transferring to a university as a junior can reduce costs significantly in places where the community college is inexpensive and the transfer pathways are well supported (e.g. in California).
However, top-end students can often get excellent scholarships or admission to schools with excellent financial aid as frosh that would make them cheaper than the above path, since transfer students tend to have fewer scholarship opportunities and many of the more selective schools with excellent financial aid are harder to get into for transfer students.