Community College vs 4 year University

[Zurealsoon]

I just found out my very bright High School senior neice has decided to attend the local Community College next year as a sort of protest, as her Father is a professor at the University. She can't transfer credits , if she later decides to go the 4 year route.

Do community Colleges offer a decent education? I guess I'm under the impression that they are there for the kids who want to learn a trade, like plumbing, electrician , etc.

 

[Marseeya]

I don't understand why she wouldn't be able to transfer credits, unless it's like a business school.

I did the same thing -- went to a community college when I should have been attending a university. No, I didn't get what you'd consider a "decent" education. I learned basic accounting, typing, basic business English, word processing, and office machines. It was a total waste of time and money. I hated being a secretary, and the only thing good that come of the schooling was that I learned about computers (this was in the 80s when everthing was DOS based).

I wonder if her parents can get the guidance counselors involved to talk to her. I'm not cutting down community colleges, as they really are a great alternative. But for someone who has higher ambitions and is as smart as you say your niece is, then she really ought to look at a 4-year college.

 

[DVC-Don]

Both my DW and myself went to state community colleges (Massachusetts & New Hamster) and transferred the credits to a state university (New Hamster & New York) for the 4 year degree. Much, much less expensive that way.

 

[quiteblonde]

Why can't she transfer credits? Most of the credits I have from Community College transferred into my 4-year university.

I don't think there is anything inferior about a Community College. The education I got at mine laid the groundwork for my university time. Actually, I think the CC experience got me ready for the university....it wasn't such a slap upside the head with regards to stress and pressures at the university. There are colleges that specialize in trade educations, but my CC wasn't one of them. I got a very good education and this particular CC is known for one of the best nursing programs in the entire state.

I wouldn't worry too much, some of us like to take the rough road after high school. Gotta 'find yourself'

 

[Kaycee]

Hmmm...I wasn't sure what the problem was with attending a community college until I read the part about the credits not transferring. I know that a lot of people attend community colleges for the first two years then transfer to a university. It can save money and also make the transition from high school to college easier, since community colleges usually have a smaller, more relaxed atmosphere. But if she's attending a college that won't transfer credits, that's a different story. Not only will she be limiting her future options, it makes me wonder about the quality of the college she'll be attending. Usually credits will transfer unless the school is unaccredited. Unaccredited schools usually have poor reputations, making it difficult to get a decent job with a degree from that school.

Is she planning to get a degree from this college that will lead to a job upon graduation? Or is she doing this solely as a protest against her father? If her primary goal is protest, then she would be better off saving her time and money and not going to college at all rather than spending two years getting a worthless degree.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Can't transfer credits?

Two of Marie's cousins, in their mid 30's now, are both high school counselors. Both have said the best recommendation they can give parents and graduating students is to take advantage of the local community colleges, get the basic credits out of the way, learn the ropes of higher education, get an idea what direction you REALLY want to go in, then off to a college or university for the later years. They both say the pressure of peers, sometimes even more strongly felt by the parents trying to have their kids 'show well', makes so many kids waste time and money for 2 years.

 

[Zurealsoon]

My Sister said it was a brand new policy of the University- not transferring credits from the Community College.

 

[janette]

I can't understand why the credits wouldn't transfer either. In TX they've changed the rules so the basics must transfer.

I wish I'd gone the community college route. I attended a few 4 yr universities, have 90 credits and no degree. If I'd gone to a community college I'd have at least an Associate's which looks better on a resume. Really not a big deal for me now, I do work in the area my degree would have been in but if I need to find a job it will make it more difficult.

 

[bicker]

I had a discussion about the variances between various types of colleges and universities with a nice older woman I met last night at a party. There definitely are differences between colleges and universities, between two-year schools and four-year schools, between principally instructional universities and more comprehensive instructional and research universities. Each serves its specific purpose. While some of the so-called "best and brightest" tend to come from the more comprehensive instructional and research universities, that doesn't mean that the more instructionally-oriented universities aren't good choices for many students, because many students simply wouldn't excel at the more competitive and challenging universities, so going to such unversities would not be to those students' advantage. The same goes for the difference between four-year schools in-general and two-year schools: Some students simply won't excel in the more competitive and challenging atmosphere and therefore are "better off" with the two-year school. In those cases, especially, they typically have the option to switch to a four-year school, even a very competitive and challenging one, at any point, and transfer the bulk (though not necessarily all) of their educational credits at that time. They can then finish their education in that more competitive and challenging atmosphere, demonstrating that they are able to pursue scholarly work at that level.

 

[DawnCt1]

The Community College System in Ct. offers direct entry into the state university system, including UConn, as long as the GPA is good. DS 26 attended both community college and a state university and found that the education was personalized and the professors were just as good (many of them teach at other colleges and universities) for a lot less money. DS 18 will go to community college next year. He was happy with average grades through out high school and I don't want to pay $20K for more "average grades". Some kids need to prove themselves before being given the expensive free ride. Sons #1 and #4 fit into that catagory. It also cuts down on the distractions that campus life provides.

 

[lajones81]

I just found out my very bright High School senior neice has decided to attend the local Community College next year as a sort of protest, as her Father is a professor at the University. She can't transfer credits , if she later decides to go the 4 year route.

Do community Colleges offer a decent education? I guess I'm under the impression that they are there for the kids who want to learn a trade, like plumbing, electrician , etc.

As a high honor roll student myself I decided to attend community college in part because I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do for a career and also because the cost was much more reasonalbe.

I'm not sure why she would not be able to transfer credits. Many community colleges have programs where you can automatically transfer your credits to universities they have agreements with. For example, I got my A.A. and was automatically granted junior status when I transferred to the unversity. (They didn't need to go through each class and determine if all the classes were transferable or not.)

Community colleges offer more than a decent education! They offer an excellent education! The community college I attended was one of the best in the nation and is often looked at as a model for other community colleges.

However, I think you are confusing community college with a trade school. Trade schools can be for individuals who want to go into plumbing, carpentry, etc. Community colleges can include those things, but that is not there only purpose. My community college had to programs that were just as difficult to get into as a four year university (nursing and dental hygenist). As for me, I majored in elementary education and believe my school did a wonderful job preparing me for teaching.

If you have any other questions please feel free to PM me.

 

[crazelion]

I went to a Community College for 2 years get myself prepare to a university. it was no way I was prepare go straight to a university with my writing disability. i am so glad I did because I would had fail.

Plus community College was cheap route for me because I could not afford go 4 years to a university.

 

[bicker]

With regard to the specific situation the OP reported, I cannot say I'm very surprised at universities cracking down on transfer credits though. There has always been a measure of concern about the comparative quality of the transferred credits. When I was in college, they just started reviewing transfer credits and routinely invalidating some (such as some community college English and Math courses taken which were categorized by the university as remedial, i.e., at the high-school level). It sounds, from the OP, that things have progressed over the last 25 years to the point where some universities are having a difficult time finding merit in a substantial amount of credits coming from 2-year schools.

I think that's a shame -- it probably represents more a matter of how much work is involved in qualifying every single transfer credit from every single school than an accurate depiction of the true worth of those credits. Hopefully, such universities will reconsider such extreme positions.

 

[Zurealsoon]

Added... It may have to do with the course she wants to study...Restaurant management. The Univeristy doesn't offer this , but is a very highly rated Marine Biology Institution.

 

[bicker]

Zurealsoon: Is there an accreditation conflict, perhaps? Are both the 2-year school and the university accredited by the same regional accreditation council?

 

[Mariposa]

It sounds as though the issue with the credits not transfering is with the university, not the community college, correct? In that case, as she doesn't want to go to that university anyway, I'd see no problem with her going to the community college for her AA and then transfering to the university of her choice. (Unless, for some reason, the university her father teaches at is the ONLY one she'd be allowed to attend??)

Maybe I'm completely wrong about the transfer issue, but you'd said that it's the university's new policy.... ?

 

[Mariposa]

With regard to the specific situation the OP reported, I cannot say I'm very surprised at universities cracking down on transfer credits though. There has always been a measure of concern about the comparative quality of the transferred credits. When I was in college, they just started reviewing transfer credits and routinely invalidating some (such as some community college English and Math courses taken which were categorized by the university as remedial, i.e., at the high-school level). It sounds, from the OP, that things have progressed over the last 25 years to the point where some universities are having a difficult time finding merit in a substantial amount of credits coming from 2-year schools.

I think that's a shame -- it probably represents more a matter of how much work is involved in qualifying every single transfer credit from every single school than an accurate depiction of the true worth of those credits. Hopefully, such universities will reconsider such extreme positions.

Actually, as a returning college student, my experience has been the exact opposite. So many state school systems now have programs in place that allow them to work with community colleges so that transfer students will have an easier time moving credits. Many of them have collaborated with the 2 year schools to make sure that all the AA programs meet the requirements for the students to be able to become juniors at the state 4 year Unis.

(But, yes, I know that the quality of the classes at community colleges has been, in the past, quite a concern--sometimes transfering was just setting yourself up for a VERY hard road the last 2 years of your degree.)

 

[DawnCt1]

Can't transfer credits?

Two of Marie's cousins, in their mid 30's now, are both high school counselors. Both have said the best recommendation they can give parents and graduating students is to take advantage of the local community colleges, get the basic credits out of the way, learn the ropes of higher education, get an idea what direction you REALLY want to go in, then off to a college or university for the later years. They both say the pressure of peers, sometimes even more strongly felt by the parents trying to have their kids 'show well', makes so many kids waste time and money for 2 years.

I believe it isn't how you start the race but how you finish. DH graduated from Greater Hartford Community College, transferred to UConn and then graduated in the top 10% of his medical school class at Tufts University.

 

[tar heel]

Some of the technical classes at community colleges don't tranfer to universities, and it sounds like she is looking at that kind of program. Standard college courses (English, history, etc.) usually do transfer from most community colleges to most universities. The university needs to offer a similar class (i.e., English 1 at the cc = English 101 at the university), and a lot of universities aren't going to have restaurant management practical classes.

 

[DisneyPhD]

My DH has taught at both a 4 year university and now at a 2 year community college. Many of the general education classes at 4 year schools have very large classes sizes. At Michigan State, for example, there are 2,000 students taking freshmen chemistry. They have 5 lecture sections with 400 students each. DH taught two of these sections each semester and so had 800 students. It's much more formal and the students are much less likely to ask questions. At the community college, each section he teaches has 30 students. These kids are getting the same education they would have received at MSU but for 1/4 the price and the prof knows their name. Keep in mind that wherever you go to school there are good and bad professors. Some profs at 4 year schools only care about their research so teaching is more of an annoyance. Some profs at 2 year schools are inexperienced and may not know the material as well as they should. There are great profs at both and the trick is to seek them out. Talk to your professors, ask them questions so they know that you are working hard for them. That way if later you need recommendation letters or references they will be much more willing and equipped to help you.