So You’re Starting at a Community College, Now What?
Kelsey Fulton
Uplift JUMP2018 – Arlington, TX
4/7/2018
ROADMAP
START YOUR ENGINES
WEIGHING YOUR OPTIONS
PICKING YOUR PATH
DECIDING ON A COMMUNITY COLLEGE
THE RACE BEGINS
FIRST SEMESTER:
SECOND SEMESTER:
THIRD SEMESTER:
FOURTH SEMESTER:
IN THE FINAL LAP
THE TRANSFER PROCESS
FINISHING STRONG
THE CHECKERED FLAG
TRANSFER BY DEFAULT
TRANSFER BY DESIGN
REFERENCES (Because Plagiarism is bad kids)
START YOUR ENGINES
Now is the time to turn the key in the ignition and start thinking about the race ahead of you. While the engine idles towards the starting line, and you get closer to graduating it’s important to OWN your decision of how to tackle college.
WEIGHING YOUR OPTIONS
Benefits of a CC:
Lower Costs
This is the number one big advantage to starting at a two-year.
Sticker prices for college depend completely on what type of school you attend. According to CollegeBoard here are the average yearly costs broken down by school type:
Public Two-Year College $3,440
Public Four-Year College (In-state) $9,410
Public Four-Year College (Out-of-state) $23,890
Private Four-Year College $32,410
Meaning Two Years at a Community college could save you roughly $29,000!
Even if you want a prestigious degree from a private university, you can still get same exact degree while paying significantly less by attending a community college first.
Work Opportunities
There are many job opportunities that pay well with a 2-year degree. Check and see what your career path will actually require.
Many jobs in the Medical field require only an Associates, for example:
Radiation Therapists - $80k, MRI Technologist - $60k, Nuclear Medicine Technologist - $70k, Dental Hygienist - $70k, Registered Nurse - $70k
Similarly paying positions only requiring an Associate’s degree exist in the fields of Information Technology, Computer Programming, Industrial Technology, Law Enforcement, Aviation, Technical Design & Architecture, and Legal Work.
Transfer Only Opportunities
You have an opportunity to get scholarships exclusive to only transfer students.
If you don’t have perfect grades or test scores, attending a community college to establish a new GPA can open new doors for you.
If you weren’t accepted to your first choice school, transfer requirements may be different than freshman requirements and it could still be an option if you attend a two year school first.
You could take advantage of a special arrangements between 4 year colleges and community colleges.
Flexibility
If you have financial responsibilities or a full time job, this is a good way to balance that with your studies.
You’ll be able to test out classes at a much lower risk. According to Penn State University, “80% of students entering college admit that they’re not certain of what they want to major in, even if they’ve initially declared a major. In addition, up to 50% of college students change their majors at least once before graduation, and some change numerous times.” (Eneriz)
Challenges of a CC:
Limited Curriculum
It’s only limited because it only offers up to sophomore classes or Associates Degrees
There is a wide variety of time and days to take courses, but the only levels available are 1000 and 2000.
Transferring Credits
Students may enroll in a college only to find out that their credits didn’t all follow them. This happens more often than you think and can be difficult.
Developmental classes that are commonly taken at community colleges won’t transfer.
“College Experience”
Sometimes it’s hard to get connected to a community when you’re not living on campus or getting involved in clubs or organizations.
There are still clubs and organizations, but they are much smaller and limited on than on a larger university campus.
There’s likely not big sporting events or competitions to go to. You may not have access to all the events or promotions a four-year school would offer.
Getting stuck
When you don’t have a plan, it’s easy to get stuck.
This means you’re more likely to take random classes, waste time or money, or drop out because you don’t have a clear path.
PICKING YOUR PATH
What are your goals?
If you’re going to go to a community college then understand why exactly you are going to do it.
Ask yourself:
Are you going with the intent to transfer to a four year university?
Are you going simply to receive your Associates Degree?
Are you going because you weren’t accepted to your first choice school?
Are you going because you don’t know what you want your next step to be?
This helps give you clarity and helps you visualize your next step.
It’s important to understand that if you don’t have a goal, you have a higher chance of getting stuck.
Many people go to community college in hopes to save money, but if you’re there without a goal and clear path, you may end up spending thousands of dollars more than you needed to and wasting years.
Be smart, don’t spend unnecessary amounts of money by treading academic water.
Write out a plan (Adapt if from this one if you’d like!)
Set yourself up for transfer success by writing out your goals and your steps to reach them.
You don’t have to know everything, but a general timeline will help keep you on track.
Keep it in a safe place, write it in a journal, back it up to the cloud – just make sure to check in on your plan and don’t lose sight of it!
DECIDING ON A COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Check out Campus Resources
By learning what’s available, you will be better able to target the relationships you’re building
Look for Writing Centers, Academic Advisors, Tutoring Centers, Centers of Identity (i.e. centers that support students of color, or centers that support people of your gender)
Mentorship Programs
If there are none on the campus, learn to develop a strong relationship with professors. Find at least one campus champion for yourself, which is all you need.
Transfer Offices/Coordinators
These centers are your biggest partner if you plan to transfer to a larger school from a community college. They can help you with information gathering, setting up tours, comparing costs, and a whole bunch of other great things!
Find out if the community college you want to attend has this office and if possible speak to a coordinator from that campus before enrolling to find out how they can help during your first two years.
Identify Community College Partners
These are 4 year universities that partner with community colleges to facilitate the transfer process, they make sure to accept college credits, they have a point of contact from the 4 year university that comes to the community college to assist students in gathering all the correct information.
THE RACE BEGINS
Once you’ve picked out a community college the green light is ON! Your race towards a college degree has begun and you’ll need to follow the track to reach the end. There might pit stops or road hazards along the way, but here’s what the first four semester should look like.
FIRST SEMESTER:
Meet with your academic advisor
it’s important to establish their preferred method of contact
Ask how regularly they see their advisees (you may only see them once a semester so it’s important to make it count!)
Your transfer advisor may be the same person as your academic advisor but they may also be a completely different person so it’s important to establish that from the start
Research Four Year universities
This list will probably be a little different from your list from high school. The four year university you had your heart set on in high school may not be the perfect fit for you now that you’re in college.
Become familiar with their transfer policies.
Academic and Career Goals
Make sure that the classes you’re taking align with what your goals are for community college
If you’re building up your GPA, then remedial classes might be beneficial because they’ll fill in the holes in your education
If you’re unsure of your future, then make sure that you’ll get transfer credit for the basics you’re taking
SECOND SEMESTER:
Visit the campuses of 4 year schools
The only way to see what life will be like at a certain school is to see for yourself!
Check out the buildings and classrooms, speak with current students, and dine in their dining hall if you can.
Speak with a Transfer Coordinator/Advisor
During these visits you’ll want to speak with a transfer coordinator/advisor/counselor about what transferring to their university would look like for you
Ask about credits, scholarships, financial aid, programs, deadlines etc.
THIRD SEMESTER:
Start Gathering Information and Comparing
Financial Aid Opportunities
Ask for Letters of Recommendation
Give your bosses, professors, or mentors time to write a good response for you, ask early!
Keep Track of Deadlines!
The last thing you want to do is have to pay late fees or worse – miss out on an opportunity all together. Mark deadlines or dates on a calendar you’ll actually use to keep track of what is needed and when.
Narrow Down your Choices
Now is the time to narrow down the campuses you’ve researched and visited to a short list of the colleges you’re most interested in.
FOURTH SEMESTER:
Submit your Applications
Submit Applications for Colleges, Departments, and Scholarships
FASFA
Make sure to fill out a FASFA (or TASFA) and put the correct school code on the form so the college you’re applying to will have access to it
Request Transcripts
Getting several copies of your transcript in sealed envelopes can save you time later.
IN THE FINAL LAP
Once the first four semester are over you aren’t quite done yet. You’ve still got a lap to go before you make the jump to a four year college. The transfer process is just as complex as an engine, so we’ll break the moving parts down in detail here and cover a few quick tips on how to finish out the race.
THE TRANSFER PROCESS
Applications
Community Colleges don’t require much as far as entrance requirements and applications, but four year universities may require personal statements, essays, resumes, or letters of recommendation. It’s worth your time to make sure all your documents are updated before applying for these schools.
Requirements for transferring to a four year university are unique to each college. You’ll need to check and see what documents are needed for an application.
Deadlines vary wildly among colleges, but generally speaking applying earlier is better. It could mean you get first access to limited money, early decision benefits, or the chance to pick classes first.
Most universities charge an application fee so be ready to pay that upfront. Work to set aside some money to pay the associated fees.
Make sure you apply to the university overall, but check and see if there is a separate application for your program or department. These can sometimes have separate processes, and getting admitted to a university doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be accepted into the major you want. The same rule applies for separate scholarship applications.
Transcripts
When you’re ready to transfer, you’ll need to submit transcripts from the college you’re currently attending and possibly a HS transcript or test scores depending on the universities’ requirements.
Physical transcripts must be in a sealed envelope from your university to be considered “Official”. Different schools accept transcripts in different ways so ask if you can drop off a physical copy, mail it
Transcripts usually have to be up-to-date and shouldn’t be more than a year old, so the “technically still official” sealed transcript from your desk drawer probably won’t work. Request transcripts just before you get ready to apply.
Transcripts can usually be sent electronically, but they have to be sent directly to the university you’re applying to, an email through your personal account is not acceptable.
Some schools may ask you to pay a small fee to send a transcript, usually less than $20.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Double check to see if financial aid has a priority or earlier date for awarding scholarships, you don’t want to get accepted an find out that you missed out on money that was available to you.
Some colleges award scholarships to students transferring in the Fall semester. Verify this with the universities you’re considering and see if there is any aid for Spring semester transfers.
Many schools offer transfer scholarships, but the requirements vary wildly. There may be more aid available for you as a transfer student with a high GPA or if you transfer with a certain number of hours. Check these requirements as well.
If you have a high GPA, its suggested you join Phi Theta Kappa or other honor societies for additional scholarships or opportunities.
Credits
Not all credits were created equal, and if you transfer you may be hit with the realization that some – even a lot – of your credits will not count towards your 4-year degree. Factors that influence whether credits will transfer include:
College and/or state transfer policies: Colleges determine which credits they will accept, with some schools influenced by state-wide articulation programs.
Appropriateness of the course: Institutions tend to accept credits from programs and courses that are similar to those they offer.
Grade received in course: Applicants must meet minimum grade requirements for their credits to be considered for transfer.
Proper accreditation and educational quality of the institution/course: You can check if an institution is accredited on the Department of Education’s Web site and the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Time limits: Policies differ from school to school, but many schools have time limits on transfer credits. If the credits you hope to transfer were earned more than a year ago, consult the credit transfer policies at the four-year school.
If enough of your courses transfer, you’ll start at the four-year college as a junior. If you don’t get credit for some of your courses, you may need to take them again at the four-year institution.
Make sure your credits transfer to the four-year institution. Look for “Articulation Agreements”, these are agreements between two schools about what will transfer between them. Planning well at community college will help ensure that your credits will count.
Some schools don’t post credits until after you’re already enrolled, so again, make CERTAIN your credits will transfer before committing.
Orientation
Just because you’re a college student already doesn’t mean you can skip out on orientation!
Most colleges have an orientation specifically for transfer students that’s designed to address your needs and ease the transfer process.
Navigating university will be much different. A new campus, new classes, and new policies you’ll have to know. Take advantage of what the college will be providing through these orientations.
FINISHING STRONG
Once you’ve been accepted to a four-year university you don’t want to run out of gas! Keep in mind that in order to continue the success you’ve had so far you’ll need to finish strong.
Stay Focused
Regardless of what subjects you find easy or struggle with, your study habits can make or break your grades.
Community College classes generally have a lighter load than upper-level 4-year university classes, so be prepared to step up your academic game.
Make use of tutoring sessions, seminars, free supplies, or any other resources your university provides to promote your success.
Building Relationships
The relationships you developed at Community College will aid you in being successful at that level and with the transfer process, but you’ll need to develop new relationships as well.
Just like with your academic advisor before, get to know your new advisor well and schedule meetings with them as soon as you transfer.
Introduce yourself to your professors and speak up in class, you want to build a relationship with the professors you’ll be seeing on a daily basis.
Get to know people both in your major and outside of it. The relationships you build in college could be your ticket to landing your dream job or pursuing an opportunity. You never know who you’ll run into in five years!
Graduation
Crossing the finish line is incredible. After four or five years of grueling classes, late nights, and lots of coffee – graduation is the sweetest prize you’ll ever receive.
Invite your parents/family/friends. Take lots of pictures. Do something memorable or fun to celebrate. Enjoy the day because you EARNED it!
THE CHECKERED FLAG
When the checkered flag is flown the race is essentially over, but how well did you drive along the way? Did you plan out the race and memorize the map? Or just take the turns as they came towards you? You’ll want to make sure that YOU are in the driver’s seat when all is said and done!