<p>
[QUOTE=calmom]
What make you think that a kid can’t make friends at a community college? Both my kids have made their strongest friendships at college outside of school, either with young people who attend different schools or whom they have met via their work or internships.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That may be the case for your kids. In general though, two things are pretty clear: some of the closest bonds of friendship are formed at colleges with strong residential communities, and one forms better friendships if one is able to develop them longer (aka staying at the same place for 4 years).</p>
<p>That will obviously not be true for everyone, but it is certainly true in general.</p>
<p>For this family, going to CC might be a reasonable option; but if the idea is to get “cheaper” GE credits, and that is the only motivation, then they shouldn’t do it - assuming they are able to pay for a university, which I assume is the case since it wasn’t mentioned otherwise in the OP and would’ve been had it been an issue, I suspect.</p>
<p>I just don’t see the upside in skipping the full college experience in favor of saving some money. If the money is that big of an issue, so be it. But otherwise, I don’t think it’s a good decision at all.</p>
<p>As for how to bring it up… I don’t know. If it were me, I’d just put my opinion forward, being both deferential but clear in how I felt about it. Yes, technically it’s none of the OP’s business, but I don’t think that means it shouldn’t be said. Input should always be welcomed, as long as it’s put forward in a clearly constructive way.</p>