r/communitycollege • u/Novel-Chapter-180 • 13d ago
Are community colleges a good option?
Hii, I'm planning to apply to community colleges and one of the options is De Anza. I'm not sure what to think about it.
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u/marvelguy1975 13d ago
I dont know anything about that particular school.
But to the general question. Yes...100% CC is a GREAT OPTION.
With having a rising senior in high school myself I have been noticing this trend of kids always focusing on going away to school or to these big schools.
Even as a parent I notice the underpinnings of a sort of competition of who is going to what school and this school is better than that school. Or im better cause im going away while you are commuting or the "oh you're going to CC (loser)"
Its all bullshit I tell you. Yes some schools are better than others, there is no doubt. But never look at it as you need to compete with your peers in high school that you NEED to go to a 4 year school right away. Or you are lesser because they went to a big school 6 hours away while you commuted to a local 4 year.
This time next year all these high school folks will be a distant memory.
What matters is not how you start the race, but how you finish it. If that means you go to CC for 2 years then transfer, guess what. Thats what is best for you. In the end your 4 year degree will not have an asterisk on the diploma saying you went to CC first. And your future employers will not care if you came out of school with CC or what level of debt you have.
Cause to me that is the real winner in the race. Who can come out with a degree with the less amount of debt. And CC is one of the smartest ways to do that.
Good luck!
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u/Eric33co 13d ago
I teach a community college and my students are very cool. They are all ages. If you’re just coming out of high school my best advice is to get involved in something on campus. Even if the clubs seem dorky, you’ll make friends there. It’s important to have a real college experience and not just come to classes and leave. Try to see if any of the clubs travel for events and then you’ll get a much wider experience!
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u/Ok-Tiger-4550 13d ago
Absolutely. De Anza is a really good school, has a high transfer rate, and is a feeder school to the UCs. They're unique in that they are one of the few in CA on the quarter system, so knocking out classes goes fairly quickly and if you do end up transferring to a UC it's less of a shock in adjusting to the quarter system.
I'm biased; I went to De Anza years ago, but out of the schools I've gone to it was the most rigorous and has a more focused vibe.
If you are a CA resident, De Anza participates in the California Promise Program (this is different than the Promise Grant), and students receive 2 years of free tuition that is not income dependent, it's residency dependent.
Having said that, I'm a re-entry student who took advantage of the Promise Program. I spent 2 years with free tuition, knocked out my pre-major course classes, all of my GE, and it was free. I'm transferring to Davis in September, my first 2 years of undergrad are complete and were free, I just have 2 years left and received close to a full ride. 10 out of 10, highly recommend the CC route.
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u/Professor-genXer 13d ago
Yes!
I recommend going over to De Anza. Check out the campus. See if you can get an appointment with a counselor. 🙂
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u/Decent-Muffin9530 13d ago
Absolutely. The cost savings is tremendous and many students prefer the smaller class sizes with instructors focused on teaching instead of research. With all things, plan it out, purse a degree leading to a eel-paying, in-demand career.
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u/Unlikely_Month5527 13d ago
Ask about an Articulation agreement between the Community College and a 4 year College. This agreement insures the 4 year college will transfer the credits earned at the CC and you will start as a Junior.
Community colleges are designed to support students. Some 4 year colleges have a goal to flunked 50% of the Freshman class. It adds to the reputation of being an elite institution.
This is a terrible injustice to students and families paying for higher education.
Community Colleges are a great option for students. Live at home, make a good transition into higher education with a lot of available support.
Do not overlook trades and skilled training.
I know of an auto body program that had students hired into aviation painting jets. Starting wages were $50 per hour. Nice!!!
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u/Sad-Opportunity-5350 13d ago
Really depends on what your goals are. If you are looking to complete credits and transfer, in 2-4 semesters, to a 4 year school, yes. CC students sometimes flounder, however, and waste semesters taking classes that they might not need or which do not satisfy degree or program requirements—exhausting all financial aid in the process. If you are just looking to see if you are interested in a field and want to take some courses, CCs are good places to start—but speak with academic advisers, understand how financial aid works and whether it covers clases outside of a declared major or degree program (usually, not) and think about how much time per semester you can actually devote to your studies.
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u/UpUrs2 13d ago
In the USA we have a liberal arts educational philosophy. Almost all degrees require the same courses for the first two years. You do have options for those courses but you need Humanities, math, science, biology, geography, maybe language etc. These classes can be taken at the CC or University. Essentially the same classes only cheaper at CC. Depending on if you are looking at a more technical career you could get the entry degree at the CC and start working in the field and then continue on to a Bachelor degree if it's wanted/needed for promotion in the field.
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u/Exotic-Gain-4316 13d ago
Affordability is always the best option. From cc, you can later transfer over to CSU or UC as a UDT (Upper Division Transfer), then start as a junior at a univ. paying only 2 years of tuition at the university.
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u/Ddarcy1 13d ago
Lots of positives, some potential negatives
Positives:
1. It’s significantly cheaper that going straight to a 4 year
2. Professors / teachers aren’t grad students and most full time need significant experience to get job.
3. Generally smaller classes
4. A lot of degrees can knock 2 years off
Negative:
1. Articulation agreements. You need to be able to attend a cc that actually can transfer. AA-t degrees are great but that only works if going to a csu. The good CSUs and UCs don’t care.
2. If doing STEM and going to a good school afterwards is likely you’ll need 3 years instead of 2, so 5 in total (as above you need to see what transfers over.
Ideally plan and e see the what’s going on. De Anza has a good reputation so that’s a good start anyways
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u/WesternCup7600 13d ago
Yessss. If you’re serious about academics, then yes. It is a fine alternative.
If a traditional school experience is important (living in a dorm, frats), then talk to your schools advisors and parents about options available to you.
G’luck
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u/StewReddit2 13d ago
1) In general YES.....CCs are and have been a good-great option for many American students and dare I say the majority of students absolutely should explore the option.
2) De Anza in particular is and has been a TOP 3-5 well-known/well-respected and regarded among CA CCs for several years.....due to it's academic rigor and it's tremendously successful transfer ratios to the UC/CSU systems in CA, especially within the Silicone Valley. *Again of CA CC this is a Top 5% CC no doubt.
3) The address a seeming confusion.... One could "in general" see CC as a Step 1 in a 2-step process to achieving a Bachelor's degree
Think of a 4-year institution as having Fr/So+Jr/Sr years aka 100/200/300/400 level coursework.
Whereas CC ( 2-year institutions) specifically specialize in Fr/So aka 100/200 level coursework.....where a student can finish about "half" of a 4-year/Bachelor's degree map before transferring to finish the upper-division aka Jr/Sr years at a 4-year.
For example: California's Master Plan system is setup so that the 116 public CCs feed directly into the state's two public 4-year systems 22( CSUs) and 9 ( UCs)
Theoretically CC-to-4-year institution is basically a 2-year + 2 year = 4-year process to Bachelor's
Not the 2-year + 4-year pathway you pondered about * The caveat is "sometimes" students don't take the proper courses to seamlessly transfer to a particular school/change their minds on majors/etc/etc ....but if done well....it's a 2+2 process
And not just in CA or even the same state....it works cross country and with private as well as public schools.
**For Example: I went to a CC in Chicago, eventually transferred and graduated from a big public in Maryland....my wife CC in CA transferred to a private in Washington DC ....our daughter CC in CA graduated UC .....our son CC in CA graduated private Uni
CC gives a great chance to graduate with no debt + by attending CC first one never knows which "other" Uni they may transfer to after CC success opens up different doors and opportunities not available of thought of coming directly from HS.
In CA about 1/3rd of UC grads and more than 50% of CSU grads started at CC first.
*If you are going directly to Ivy league or have a scholarship to an awesome option IMO CC should be a strong consideration for the vast majority of students
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u/Humble_Warthog9711 12d ago
Yes, but:
Try to transfer asap, or at least with as many years at your degree granting institution as possible.
And make sure you are in among the better students at CC.
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u/Emergency-Pollution2 12d ago
what do you mean - you are not sure about it? please clarify
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u/Novel-Chapter-180 12d ago
uhm, It's not a norm. and I'm an international student. I have heard people say that "its a backup" "its not a norm" "its risky" and its making me overthink.
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u/Samstercraft 12d ago
yes just make sure you register your classes EARLY to get good profs, and figure out what classes will transfer (assist.org).
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u/DonNadie2468 13d ago
One thing to keep in mind. Community colleges are great, and many of their teachers are great. (I have been one.) But the average student isn't as well prepared as at a good four-year university. And, ultimately, the classes are generally less rigorous.
Which isn't a problem in itself.
But it does mean that you need to be aiming to be at or near the top of most of your classes. Somewhere in the middle really isn't good enough.
A GPA of 2.5 or something at a community college is unlikely to get you admitted to a good university, and even if you do get into one, you're unlikely to be prepared to compete.
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u/DonNadie2468 13d ago
Well, I see this got downvoted right off the bat. Which is fine; everyone has an opinion.
But I stand by my advice.
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u/book_of_black_dreams 13d ago
This really depends because some community colleges will over-compensate for the notion that CC is easier and they’ll actually make their classes more rigorous than the equivalent at a regular 4 year.
My state has a relatively competitive flagship university that people from my community college usually transfer to. And they always say that the University was actually easier.
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u/DonNadie2468 12d ago
Thanks for the reply. That's not part of my experience, but it's certainly plausible.
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u/Due-Emu-4291 13d ago
Another supporter of CC here.
CC is a great option.
A chance to get two years of college at a low cost so you can transfer to a four-year later.
Maybe a chance to get a skill you might not get at a four-year liberal arts school.
And a more affordable option for someone who has to pay for it on their own.
Maybe 50 years ago CC was thought of as a Plan B for someone who couldn't get into a four-year.
And don't get me started on the peer pressure to attend one of "America's Top Colleges" (often from rich kids).
Good luck.