Apparently community college *can* lead to a selective college

[-M-]

http://communitycollegespotlight.org/content/elite-colleges-recruit-community-college-transfers_8927/?preview=true

[Tammyla]

Thanks for the link.

[mommymilkies]

Of course it can. My dh is a community college professor and always has kids transfer to UofI and such places. It's woefully overlooked as a more affordable route to a good school.

[Crimson Wife]

It was my observation that CC transfers to my alma mater were almost always "underrepresented" demographic groups. The linked NYT article states as much:

 

"For elite schools, community colleges offer racial and economic diversity"

 

I did know a white lady who was a CC transfer, but she had been a foster child and had a very unusual life story.

 

Winning admittance as a transfer student to my alma mater is even more ridiculously difficult than winning admittance as a freshman. Only about 1-2% of transfer applicants get in vs. 7% for freshman applicants.

[wapiti]

Winning admittance as a transfer student to my alma mater is even more ridiculously difficult than winning admittance as a freshman. Only about 1-2% of transfer applicants get in vs. 7% for freshman applicants.

 

This is an extremely important point in this discussion. People hoping to try such a path should look closely at the admissions rate for transfers at the selective school they hope to attend.

 

Thinking out loud, such a path might make sense for a student who has very high SATs but a poor high school record - attending another college, or CC, first might provide an opportunity to "prove" themselves. I have no idea whether that's actually true; just a guess...

[Brilliant]

This is considered a good path in California to save $$. Start off at your local community college, and then transfer in to the very selective UC system. (note: they are selective at the transfer level also).

[dancer67]

Check into the CC you attend. Many of them have automatic transfers to prestigious 4 year universities. The one my dd attends can transfer to Smith just to name one. Of course, as long as your GPA is high enough, and you are very involved in the CC you attend.

[LibraryLover]

Of course it can, and nobody has said otherwise. CC can be especially helpful for nontraditional students. I know a brilliant young woman who had a baby at 17, quit school, went later went to a CC to get her GED. Her CC teachers could see she was was gifted, and encouraged her to go further. She applied to a top women's college and was accepted without issue. She was 21 when it all finally came into place. She went to college when her child started school. She commuted each day; lived at home with her mother, and the father of her child. She has a great job today. She did not have the 'traditional college experience', but she did very well for herself.

Edited April 25, 2012 by LibraryLover

[chiguirre]

That's great, but how many of his credits did Penn accept? You need to be very careful about how many credits will really be usable. Of course, here in Texas, the CC credits do transfer to UT and A&M (and Sam Houston and U of Houston...) so it's a great way to get a jump start or save money.

[myfunnybunch]

That's great, but how many of his credits did Penn accept? You need to be very careful about how many credits will really be usable.

 

It would be unusual for a transfer student to have no idea about transferrable credits until applying to the university of their choice. Community colleges work with transfer students and universities to make sure the student knows which courses are transferrable to the university or universtities to which the student would like to apply for transfer. :)

 

Cat

[JFSinIL]

Back in the day, my cc credits were accepted by the State University system of CA (only went one semester), then by a local LAC, then UCLA (Masters), then Northwestern (PhD ABD).....

 

My oldest dd will start at our local cc in the fall. My hubby and his side of the family is trying to keep their mouths shut (a cc and not a four-year school right off the bat like hubby and all his five siblings? Egads!) but I obviously do not see a problem with it! ;-)

[DarlaS]

It's good to know I'm in good company here. I'm not figuring on my kids going directly to a four year school. Some might, but I'm not going to buy into the whole "CC is for losers that flunked out of high school or decided to pursue a career in physical therapy (like what the heck is wrong with that anyway???) etc.

 

Yes, we've looked into transfer rates. Yes, we've considered not all credits will transfer. We're actually very capable of thinking of these things for ourselves and doing the research--just as we did when we decided to homeschool, keep them home for highschool, decide which subjects to farm out, seek out good extracurricular activities etc.

 

I often get the distinct feeling many have not investigated their CC fully as they assume it has not evolved since the 80's (when most of were in high school) and CC's were strictly for remedial students and vocational skills. Maybe some haven't progressed beyond that, but many more of them are stepping up to serve those students who ARE ready for university level work, and who WILL transfer to a four year school, but don't want to go deeply into debt for it. (At least not right away. :tongue_smilie:)

[Plucky]

Yes, they can. My ds did 2 years of running start and got into a good college. Now he did not get an AS or AA, but that is because it would've hurt his chances and be considered a transfer student. Yeah, they didn't accept everything. He's considered a Sophomore next year. It met all the requirements of the uni though.

 

For a kid that doesn't know what they want to do, isn't wanting a specific selective university, or is non-STEM and not looking at a very competitive program then CC is definitely the way to go. You have to look at the universities preferences though every single year because they change constantly. :)

Edited April 25, 2012 by True Blue

[LibraryLover]

CC is very often a great place to begin for many students. A good fit is a good fit. CC can't meet the needs of all students, and you need to do your research.

 

CC is not for 'losers', and I don't remember anyone saying any such thing.

[WeeBeaks]

This is considered a good path in California to save $$. Start off at your local community college, and then transfer in to the very selective UC system. (note: they are selective at the transfer level also).

 

I did this myself in CA. I paid for my own college, so CC kept my costs low. I finished at University of California San Diego. It was a great choice for me. I had acceptance out of high school to several colleges, but it was just too expensive.

 

It is a very common track here in CA. The advisors in the CC had a very good list of what exactly would transfer to UCSD, what was required per college (UCSD had 5 colleges within it at the time with slightly different requirements), what was required for different majors as undergrad requirements and so forth. I took only the courses approved for transfer, knowing going in that I wanted to transfer as a junior. Everything I took then transferred without any problems.

Edited April 25, 2012 by WeeBeaks

[Crimson Wife]

CC is not for 'losers', and I don't remember anyone saying any such thing.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

That said, if the student is not a member of an "underrepresented" minority group, he/she needs to be realistic about the prospects of winning transfer admission to an elite private college. The "flagship" state university is likely to be much more open to CC transfers. For example, UC Berkeley last year accepted 26% of its transfer applications, which is actually higher than the freshman acceptance rate of 21%. If my kids do early college at the CC while living at home, we'd target a UC school to finish the bachelor's given the dismal transfer acceptance rates at the elite privates.

[Momof3littles]

double post

Edited April 25, 2012 by Momof3littles

[Momof3littles]

but I'm not going to buy into the whole "CC is for losers that flunked out of high school or decided to pursue a career in physical therapy (like what the heck is wrong with that anyway???) etc.

 

Maybe you mean physical therapist assistants? Physical therapists need a minimum of a master's degree to even sit for their boards, and many schools are transitioning or have already transitioned to a doctorate in physical therapy. That is expected to become the new entry-level degree for PTs within a few years.

 

Sorry for the thread jack, just wanted to mention it in case someone's DC wanted to pursue a career as a physical therapist.

 

PTs, OTs, and SLPs all need a master's degree to sit for licensure.

Edited April 25, 2012 by Momof3littles

[ocelotmom]

For a kid that doesn't know what they want to do, isn't wanting a specific selective university, or is non-STEM and not looking at a very competitive program then CC is definitely the way to go. You have to look at the universities preferences though every single year because they change constantly. :)

 

Nursing programs are extremely competitive, and, at least in many parts of the country, community college is undeniably the best way to go for the prerequisite and GE classes, even for Bachelor's degree programs. Since many nursing programs have special enrollment requirements, and simply being enrolled in the college where the nursing program takes place won't get you in (and may not even provide any advantage in the admission process), there is little point in taking these classes at a 4 year college/university.

 

It's possible that nursing is the only degree where this is true, though.

[Plucky]

Nursing programs are extremely competitive, and, at least in many parts of the country, community college is undeniably the best way to go for the prerequisite and GE classes, even for Bachelor's degree programs. Since many nursing programs have special enrollment requirements, and simply being enrolled in the college where the nursing program takes place won't get you in (and may not even provide any advantage in the admission process), there is little point in taking these classes at a 4 year college/university.

 

It's possible that nursing is the only degree where this is true, though.

 

Yes, but I'm not sure you should take a lot of classes at the CC for nursing. It is soooo hard to get into our nursing program at the CC. I'm thinking running start at the cc for core classes then apply at a 4-year university. The waiting lists here are longer than the program. :001_huh:

[dancer67]

CC is very often a great place to begin for many students. A good fit is a good fit. CC can't meet the needs of all students, and you need to do your research.

 

CC is not for 'losers', and I don't remember anyone saying any such thing.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

And, my 19 yo went to a Vocational High School. And although she did well on her SAT's, she CHOSE to go to a CC to get her feet wet. She LOVES her CC and plans to stay the full two years and transfer to one of the school our CC has partnered with. She is majoring in Psychology, and will minor in dance once she transfers.

 

I love the CC she goes to. I have looked into going myself. The professors and counselors there are wonderful. MUCH better then she had even in high school.

 

And, the $$$$ I am saving is astronomical, in comparison to her attending a 4 year university. Especially if she hated college and dropped out. All that money down the drain.

[dancer67]

Yes, but I'm not sure you should take a lot of classes at the CC for nursing. It is soooo hard to get into our nursing program at the CC. I'm thinking running start at the cc for core classes then apply at a 4-year university. The waiting lists here are longer than the program. :001_huh:

 

You cannot do that here. You cannot transfer out of a CC(no matter what classes you took) and be accepted into our 4 year state school for the Nursing program. Either you start there, or you cannot go into nursing.

 

I went to a CC back in 1986, and wanted to get into our 4 year university a few years ago for nursing. I was told a flat out NO. They do NOT accept ANY transfer students(even though I went back in the 80's), period, into their nursing program.

 

I was stark raving mad.

 

Our CC LPN/RN program is hard to get into. But, if you start at that CC, and do all of your pre-req's, and then take the entrance exam and do well, you can be accepted into the LPN program which is 16 months straight. Or RN Program which is 24 months straight.(no summer breaks).

 

You only need an Associates for RN unless you want to get into administrative duties or maybe supervisory positions. My MIL has been a nurse for over 35 years, and still has an Associates, and makes more many then most of the nurses with a Bachelors degree.

 

Maybe someday I will return to school ..:lol:

[Plucky]

You cannot do that here. You cannot transfer out of a CC(no matter what classes you took) and be accepted into our 4 year state school for the Nursing program. Either you start there, or you cannot go into nursing.

 

I went to a CC back in 1986, and wanted to get into our 4 year university a few years ago for nursing. I was told a flat out NO. They do NOT accept ANY transfer students(even though I went back in the 80's), period, into their nursing program.

 

I was stark raving mad.

 

Our CC LPN/RN program is hard to get into. But, if you start at that CC, and do all of your pre-req's, and then take the entrance exam and do well, you can be accepted into the LPN program which is 16 months straight. Or RN Program which is 24 months straight.(no summer breaks).

 

You only need an Associates for RN unless you want to get into administrative duties or maybe supervisory positions. My MIL has been a nurse for over 35 years, and still has an Associates, and makes more many then most of the nurses with a Bachelors degree.

 

Maybe someday I will return to school ..:lol:

 

Yep, it really depends on the school.