2 years at community college or straight to 4-year university?

Question

I graduated high school in 2006 and went to DeVry University in Georgia. I planned on getting a degree from there, but it turned out to be a horrible school and a complete waste of time and money.

Everything my parents saved up for me to go to college was used up trying to pay for DeVry. Now, I applied to a four year school and got accepted, along with all of my redits from DeVry. I can go there in Fall 2007 if I continue with the registration.

However, my dad is complaining about money and wanting me to go to community college since it's wiser financially. I have a friend in Daytona Beach who offered me to come room with him in an apartment and go to Daytona Beach Community College. If I do that, I've got to arrange to have my college transcripts sent and apply.

I really want the social life of a university. Community college can't give me that. But I'll be in debt until I'm 70 if I do 4 years at a university. So what's the better option?

Answer 1

Dude, I don't know. It's your decision. Here's what I'd break it down into:

4-Year University: Lots of money, dorm social life (which you want), good education (but very hard), don't have time to work a job or get off campus much, come out with a lot of debt

CC: Save money, earn money working the whole time, moderate education (high school all over again just to get the basics done), may not get the social life you want if you don't work hard for it, risk that credits may not all transfer to university causing you to go to school for 5 years instead of 4, and in your case, DAYTONA BEACH!

That's a very hard decision. I don't even know what to suggest for you. But if it's the social life you want most, I have a feeling you can find it both places, especially since you'd be at Daytona Beach. Living in a dorm basically gives you a social life whether you want it or not. Community college forces you into a commuter lifestyle, so you'd have to work harder to make friends with your classmates and co-workers. But it can be done.

Good luck with that, Man. Wish I could suggest one to you, but it's entirely your decision, and it's suh a hard one to make, if I was in your shoes, I'd be lost. So, for that, I wish you the best of luck.

Answer 2

I have one friend out of many that went to a community college for the first year, I went to a four year university and had a relatively good gpa and class rank. My HS was in a highly 'stuck up' town, so going to a JC was not a popular option. Someone with your class rank and GPA should NOT go to a community college, as it is a waste of time, money, and you should get the most out of your education. I have many cousins, who lived in another town, that went to a JC first and it really hurt them in the long run. If you are intelligent enough with good grades to be able to get into a 4 year, do it or you will regret it. I took a couple summer courses at the JC in my town and was so academically bored as it was so easy and not a challege at all, which college should be. If you have to take courses in the summer, then I suggest JC because it will boost your GPA and is cheaper but other than that I DO NOT recommend it at all. But this is just my opinion based on college experience, not to mention that most employers look down on those that come from a community college as a 4 year college is better. I completly understand the money situation though as my mother is a single teacher and does not make that much and tuition at a 4 year is exspensive. All you need to do is fill out FAFSA, Financial Aid, and determined by how much your parents make and can afford to spend on college, you will recieve some assistance which greatly helps. With my mom's salary of 40K a year, so underpaid, I recieved about 2,000 to 3,000 per semester without having to use loans. Hope this helps. :)

Answer 3

This i a choice YOU have to make and live with.

If cost is a very big factor, consider this. CC's are a hell of a lot cheaper. True, the social life sucks, but are you there to have a social life or collect some credits??
Most courses are easily transferred to a 4 year college.

In 10 years, what will have been more important, the degree or the social life. You have the rest of your life to party, and considering the disaster at DeVry, it might be better to give 100% to the college work.

This is just my opinion. You have to do what's beft for you.

Good luck.

PS, Don't feel alone. This is not uncommon.

Answer 4

Tough choice, huh? If you are already accepted, maybe finding the tuition and transcripts should be the way to go. You have to do the work for schooling, you will be responsible for the loan, right?? You aren't making your parents take out the loan? Well, that's a family discussion. However, Many community colleges lately do have a small campus scene, you just have to look for it. You can still join clubs, join student government, be on the newspaper or play sports maybe. Often campus jobs pay in reduced tuition or cash stipends if you have good grades. Ask at the financial aid office. They university probably has a website for frequently asked questions, or an 800 number for finance office. Then again,
the more classes you take at community college can allow you to transfer into university at a higher standing in your credits, more than the credits you take from the computer school.
. However, you have to decide for yourself. If you have your heart set on moving up to a big university, will you still be considered a Freshman? As your parent probably already mentioned, you also have to understand moderation in your social scene. Studying has to be a priority or else you will be wasting money if you don't apply a fair amount of time and dilligence in attending classes and working on every assignment/projects.
Whichever type of school you choose, check out the web, ask around, or look for a list at the city library or the school of your choice's financial aid office for loan information and qualifications for grants. Use the laws to your advantage as for tuition. sometimes you can qualify ahead of time for a grant or loan you don't need to repay. If you can get a grant, go for it. Send for the transcripts and get going. if you take a full load of classes you can finish sooner, plus taking summer school...which usually isn't covered by grants or loans unless you ask for it up front beforehand, but then again, often it's out of your own pocket for summer school because summer's not mandatory. Good luck and Look to the Future!
My best thought is this; put all the pluses and negatives on a paper--one for each option of schooling and see which comes out on top.

Answer 5

So much of your question is wrong! Worry about getting the diploma, not a buzz, or a piece of tail!

I suggest that you examine all of your options.
1. 4 year college---and work between classes.
2. 2 year college and get your intial studies done at a lesser rate.
3. Either one: apply for pell grants and scholarships.

I think you need to think about what you want for education before you start thinking about the beer.
(Animal House was Hollywood...)
I had a LOT of fun at my first college (2 year campus, and I lived on campus) but the social scene is ALWAYS secondary.
If you are concerned about the cost of your education, then maybe you should look at the military first.
Not just the regular duty or reserves, but the Coast Guard as well. Do 4 years, grow up, and then go to school.

Answer 6

If money is a concern, then I'd definitely do the community college route. Unless you're really confident that you can work off your debts in a timely matter after graduation, I don't think the social life of a university is worth being knee deep in debt!

However, keep in mind I'm not sure how your transfer credits would work though, since I don't know anything except the UC system and the TAG program.

Answer 7

Do the community college first and save money as well as get your GPA to a good start. It's easier to get better grade with smaller class sizes and you can get rid of your required courses and breeze through them. Do not worry about a good social life. There are many people in your exact position and they know how to socialize and have fun like any kid at a 4 year university.
Go to a commnunity college, get your grades up, save money AND have fun, then get your university experience too. You can do it all and end up better off than if you only did one.

Answer 8

This isn't research-based... just my personal experience and opinion.

I went to three different colleges and the transfer process is horrible. So many of my classes didn't transfer, or else they were just a "blanket credit" and I had to take the same kind of things twice. I ended up in school for five years as a result. Plus, anytime you have to submit your transcripts in the future, you have to get them from every college you attend.

If I were you, I would go straight to a four-year program. It may seem expensive, but in the long run you may end up saving money if a lot of your classes don't transfer.

Answer 9

Depends on a few things
If there's ANY doubt that you'll be a serious student, then go to community college for the basic courses first.
If you're planning to major in art or social work or something, go to communtiy college first.


If you're majoring in computer science or engineering or achitecture or something, and you're a serious student, then go for the 4-yr school right away if you want to.

Answer 10

Go to a community college! They are pretty much just gen ed classes anyway. (math, science,writing) 4 yr colleges are harder and cost more. When you make a decision what your major will be then contact the next college you will go to right away. They have requirements you must have to transfer.