I’m currently in highschool (as a junior) but I currently have about 16 college credits from my dual enrollment classes. I plan to complete 12 more by the end of this semester. That would only be 28 at the end of this year of course, but if all goes according to plan (which it never does but let’s pretend it will for this scenario) I will complete more in the summer and at least 30 more during the next academic year, or however many I may need to bump it up to 60.
I plan to then graduate from highschool, enroll in the junior college where I’m taking these courses full time to obtain an associates degree, and go on to apply to the colleges I’ve had my eyes on from there.
I know I would have to apply as a transfer student but…
would I be treated like a freshman?
Would I get freshman housing and need to attend orientation?
I’ll be a new student and fresh to the college scene (also younger than most of the college students in their “third year”)
but I would already have a two-year degree (this is preferable to individual credits because sometimes they may not completely transfer over).
Also are my SAT and ACT results going to still be useful…haha…?
If you attend community college AFTER graduating from high school, and apply to a four-year institution after attending, you will be a transfer student.
There are MANY homeschooled transfer students who are younger than typical freshman students. The age doesn’t give you freshman benefits.
would I be treated like a freshman? -> No
Would I get freshman housing -> No
and need to attend orientation? -> Yes for transfers orientation
I’ll be a new student and fresh to the college scene (also younger than most of the college students in their “third year”)
but I would already have a two-year degree (this is preferable to individual credits because sometimes they may not completely transfer over).
-> Age and associate degree don’t prevent you from becoming a freshman. Attending community college after graduating high school does.
Also are my SAT and ACT results going to still be useful…haha…? Yes. Many colleges require or recommend SAT/ACT scores for transfers.
Generally:
- No college courses *after* high school graduation => frosh.
- College courses *after* high school graduation => usually transfer. Some colleges have exceptions (e.g. fewer than N credits of college after high school graduation), but you would need to check each college individually to see what they are.
It is more advantageous at most colleges to apply as a frosh than a transfer, due to better scholarship opportunities. Also, unless you have been planning your college courses taken while in high school to meet the frosh/soph requirements for your college major and general education requirements, they may not match up well enough to be a good base for junior-level transfer.
The age was more of a lack of experience thing.
Anyways, so if I get an associates during highschool then apply, I would be treated as a freshman?
That is, if the junior college in question would allow that.
But if I enrolled only to get the degree (having the credits before hand, which I have been taking according to the recommended courses to degree plan) then I would have to apply as a transfer?
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The age was more of a lack of experience thing.
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Still irrelevant.
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Anyways, so if I get an associates during highschool then apply, I would be treated as a freshman?
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Very likely yes. Depends on school but it was Yes at all schools that I asked.
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It’s more just about where you were at before you went to the college in question?
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Yes
You don’t need the associates degree. There’s no reason to lose freshman status simply to get it.
You need to check with your high school and with your CC about the associates degree. Lots of students complete the full associates degree while still in high school. My niece even received her AA before her HS diploma because the graduation date at the CC was earlier.
In some cases, completing the AA will mean that transfer to an in-state U is automatic, and that all of the gen eds are covered. You need to meet with the transfer advisor at your CC to find out what is possible along that line.
Transfer students normally are advised to attend transfer orientation. That makes it easy for them to learn about policies at the new college/university, and lets them meet with their new advisors to set up their class schedules. Whether there is housing on campus for transfers depends entirely on the institution. Again you are going to have to do some research about each of the places that you apply to.