as a community college transfer student how important is course load

by Arlene Schaden DVM 9 min read

Is it hard to transfer from a community college to college?

About this course: This course emphasizes the development of knowledge and skills with regard to guiding and supporting community college students through all steps of their community college education, from enrollment through transfer application and admission. Students learn about community college matriculation processes, course selection ...

What do I need to know about transferring to a university?

The Importance of Taking Science Courses in Community College. There seem to be two main types of students: those that are interested in technical pursuits that fall under the headings of math and science and those that prefer more creative subjects like …

Do classes taken in high school transfer to college?

The main differences between a two year and four-year college are the course load, the opportunities, and the price. Typically, universities are known for having harder academics. Many students going to a 4-year university will take classes at a 2-year college or community college over the summer to be able to save money and pass hard classes.

How important is a good GPA when transferring from Community College?

If you're like most students, your goal is to transfer to a 4-year-college to complete your bachelors degree. Along the way, you'll attend community college for two years while earning transferable credits and an associates degree. Of course, you'll also be saving a considerable amount of money depending on where you want to transfer to.

Why do people go to community colleges?

With the price of college continuously rising, a popular thing for students to do is to go to a community college. Some students will go for two years at a community college then transfer to a university. There are many different reasons why students would want to do this. The most common reason is money. By not going to a 4-year university ...

How many credit hours do you need to transfer to a university?

They usually qualify a typical semester as 15 credit hours so this would mean that you would need 30 credit hours to transfer to this university. This is the most common type of situation, however, many schools do you allow you to transfer after one semester.

What is the difference between a two year and a four year college?

The main differences between a two year and four-year college are the course load, the opportunities, and the price. Typically, universities are known for having harder academics. Many students going to a 4-year university will take classes at a 2-year college or community college over the summer to be able to save money and pass hard classes. ...

Can you transfer to a 4 year university?

They only accept a certain number of incoming freshmen and they only accept a certain amount of transfers. Since the number of transfers is usually lower, it is a little bit easier to get into a 4-year university as a transfer. You also have a chance to get your college GPA up while at a community college.

Is 4 year college more expensive than community college?

Tuition is extremely more expensive at 4-year private and public universities than it is at a community college. Plus, normally when you go to a community college you tend to stay at home with your parents which saves a lot of money on room and board.

How many credits do you lose when you transfer to a four year college?

Early on, you need to know what kind of classes are required to transfer to four-year colleges and universities. It’s quite common for students to lose 10-15% of their credits during a transfer.

How to start community college?

It’s essential to start community college with a plan for how you are going to transfer. Go to your career transfer office and see what the academic path will be for a particular major. A growing number of community colleges, 250 by Jenkins’s estimate, offer guided academic pathways for students. Identifying a list of potential classes helps students make progress towards a goal.

What is a student success course?

Take a Student Success Course. Community colleges routinely offer a student success course that shares critical information about studying and time management. Community colleges have reported that students who take these optional courses are more likely to stay in school and transfer to four-year universities.

How to transition to a four year college?

1. Study for Placement Tests. Community colleges routinely require entering students to take placement tests in math and English.

Who is Lynn O'Shaughnessy?

Lynn O’Shaughnessy is a best-selling author, speaker and journalist. Her book, The College Solution: A Guide for Everyone Looking for the Right School at the Right Price , is available on Amazon.com. Categories. College Life.

Tips for Starting an Amazing Experience

First, it's most important to begin community college with a single goal in mind. If you're like most students, your goal is to transfer to a 4-year-college to complete your bachelors degree. Along the way, you'll attend community college for two years while earning transferable credits and an associates degree.

How To Start Community College Off Right

I was also nervous about starting community college and it served me well to learn as much as I could before I got there. Then, once I started community college with a single goal in mind, I was able to focus on what was most important. However, not right away.

What is the role of community colleges in California?

For higher education to serve as a ladder for economic mobility in California, community colleges must play a central role. Community colleges enroll more students than all other colleges in California combined, and they are the primary access point for low-income, first-generation, and other historically underrepresented students seeking a college degree, including African American and Latino students.

Why are community colleges important?

Because community colleges serve so many low-income and underrepresented students, improving transfer from community colleges to four-year colleges is a critical component to improving economic mobility in California. By almost any standard, transfer rates are too low, with most community college students who hope to continue at a four-year institution unable to reach this goal.

What is articulation agreement?

Articulation agreements are designed to improve the transition from community colleges to four-year colleges by creating clear and consistent standards for lower-division course work. Currently, California lacks systemwide transfer protocols, such as common course numbering and consistent lower-division requirements, across all majors and all colleges. Some progress has been made to improve articulation, but those efforts are piecemeal and campus specific.

Who is Hans Johnson?

Hans Johnson is director of the PPIC Higher Education Center and a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, where he holds the Thomas and Marilyn Sutton Chair in Higher Education Policy. As center director, he works with a team of researchers to identify policies that can make higher education policy more successful and sustainable. His own research focuses on improving college access and completion. He frequently presents his work to policymakers and higher education officials, and he serves as a technical advisor to many organizations seeking to improve college graduation rates, address workforce needs, and engage in long-term capacity planning. His other areas of expertise include international and domestic migration, housing in California, and population projections. Previously, he served as research director at PPIC. Before joining PPIC, he worked as a demographer at the California Research Bureau and at the California Department of Finance. He holds a PhD in demography and a master’s degree in biostatistics from the University of California, Berkeley. Back matter text follows.

Summary

California enrolls a much larger share of students in community college than other states; ensuring more of these students transfer to four-year institutions can strengthen the economic security of California workers.

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How to work and attend community college?

If you work, adjusting to your first semester of community college requires you to carefully plan your schedule – both formally and informally. Create a calendar that maps out your specific time commitments, including work and class schedules. Then, you should allocate time slots for all of your academic tasks, such as reading course literature, attending a study group, or preparing for your mid-term.

What is the most exciting thing about community college?

An exciting element of community college is the social interaction; with the plethora of clubs and organizations, you can easily find friends who share your interests. Many freshmen in their first semester become overwhelmed with the social activities – especially considering that this is the first time parents cannot dictate curfews or schedules.

Is community college easy?

Despite the contrary misperception, community college is not the 13 th grade, and the classes are not easy. You must be willing to commit to your education to succeed – which means attending all your classes, reading the course literature, participating in discussions, and studying for your exams.

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