After graduating from high school, is it better to attend a junior college or go straight to a four year college?
<p>Depends on about a billion factors, so the question is virtually impossible to answer.</p>
<p>Also, define "better."</p>
<p>If money isn't an issue...hell, even if money is an issue...go to a 4 year. You will save time, hassles and a myriad of other problems.</p>
<p>The only reason I can think of why you should attend a JC first is because you have no other choice.</p>
<p>Ive been taking soem classes at my local community college and everybody I talk to says that it is really hard to transfer into a four year school. You have to have really good grades (which wont count towards your gpa once you go to a four year school) and some of the courses that you took at community college wont count towards graduation either. Unless you dont have a choice Id go to a four year school.</p>
<p>Its hellafied easy to transfer to 4 year from a juco. There is this little thing called the transfer module that is very simple to follow. If you are paying for this yourself, def start out at the juco level. If you are undecided if you want to even be in college, or are unsure about your major go to start out at juco. Otherwise go to state U.</p>
<p>I agree with exilio-- four year college unless your high school record was very poor and you want to prove you can do well at the jc and transfer afterwards to get a B.A.</p>
<p>my vote says go to the 4-year. I think you miss out on some of the college experience if you go the JC xfer route. </p>
<p>For one thing, frosh year everyone is in the same boat of knowing few people on campus are are very open to meeting new friends. After 2 years together they have met people and have a circle of friends; a xfer who is not outgoing may face more problems in making new friends than they would have frosh year.</p>
<p>Secondly, by the start of junior year the students who have been there from the start are old pro's at how ways things work at the school, the stuff you just learn from experience. They have friends they can ask about what prof is good for what course, they know good places to study, what to do for fun, the myriad of things that take a semester or two to pick up. But as a xfer by the time you pick this up you're getting close to leaving.</p>
<p>Which brings up my last point, that college is largely over spring of senior year. Sure you still have classes to complete but people are focused on finding jobs and are sometimes burned out on the whole college thing after 3 1/2 years. So as a junior xfer your college experience in some sense lasts 1.5 years at the new school, and a good part of the beginning is spent just learning the ropes and getting integrated into it.</p>