Jasmine
If my overall GPA isn’t that good in high school isn’t that good and I’m a senior, is going to community college my first two years a good option? I don’t think I’ll get intnthe college I want to get into.
#GPA #college #college-admissions #college-advice
6 answers
Lillian Wang, LMSW
Lillian’s Answer
If you are choosing between go to community college vs. not have any schooling at all, you should definitely take at least some classes at community college. It is definitely a good option, depending on your circumstances:
1) Getting your basics done in community college could save you a ton in not taking out as much in loans.
2) If you're still unsure of what to major in or what your career path will look like, you might want to take some time to explore in community college. It might help you save money and facilitate a speedier graduation if you did your self-exploration at a community college.
3) Do you want to stay closer to home? Community colleges are generally more local to where you are compared to universities. This may be a factor if you want to live at home to save money or simply want to be closer to family for a few more years.
Universities generally have more resources and opportunities to do whatever you want, which is why it's nice to transfer in as soon as you can. However, going to a community college for the first year or two is probably more beneficial financially as you would have less debt overall.
Kevin Metsers
Kevin’s Answer
Community College is a great option and will save you a lot of $$. Make sure you talk with the college adviser to ensure you take classes that transfer to your desired college. I work in high-tech and when I went through the hiring process no one cared that I first attended community college. In fact, going to community college, transferring to college and eventually graduating shows that even when things don't work out perfectly you find a way to make it happen.
Jennifer Tse
Jennifer’s Answer
What I would add here is that most state schools have close relationships with certain community colleges in that if you attend one of those community colleges for the first two years in order to complete the required general courses then it is much easier to transfer into your desired college or university. For example, here in Los Angeles, Pasadena City College and Santa Monica College (both community colleges) have close ties with the UCs; so, there are many students who attend these community colleges and then transfer to UCLA, for instance.
Also, in my experience working with students who struggle a bit academically, community college is a great way to step into higher education. And it saves you a lot of money!
Jennifer recommends the following next steps:
Devon Kobayashi
Devon’s Answer
Kim Igleheart
Kim’s Answer
Jasmine,
Your college of choice has a 60% acceptance rate, with an average 3.4 GPA. If it is not likely you will be accepted, then, you could try to find a different 4 year university where you are more likely to be accepted, or, like you suggested, go to a community college first. However, I recommend you talk to Georgia State to see how they treat transfer students. That is, you need to know if your plan to transfer is likely to be successful. Find out how they evaluate the transfer requests. It may be important for you to not only get good grades, but also to join student organizations and show leadership/community involvement. Knowing this information, and doing everything possible to satisfy their requirements, will improve the likelihood of your being accepted as a transfer student.
Good luck!
Kim
