community college

community college questions and answers

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Q: How can I tell if one community college is better than another or if a particular community college is good?
I want to attend a community college. I have the choice narrowed to two schools--Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyoming and Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria, Virginia. Aside from trying to glean clues from their catalogs, can anyone give me some suggestions to figure out which is the better school? I mean, is their some objective source--some accrediting agency or something of the sort--that could help me tell the good schools from the bad ones or which schools do a good job of preparing students to transfer into 4 year schools and succeed once they've transferred?

A: Go visit and talk to people in programs that you are interested in. Many times you can contact the school in advance and they'll be help you get in touch with the people you would want to talk to.

Q: Can i start over at another community college?
I had a terrible start at Coastline community college, 9 F's and 6 W= drops. Can i go to another community college like Golden West Community college and start over as in take all the classes i took in the coastline community college over in Golden West community college and do well in them. I know i was immature and ignorant in the past, but i know what to do now.

A: Your decision to start over elsewhere is wise. First, go to the school and visit the counseling or admissions department. Explain your problem at Coastline (without putting anything in writing) and ask how it will affect your chances of admission. You will probably find that everything is fine. You do not need to mention details of your attendance at Coastline unless you are signing papers verifying that the history you have given is "complete," say for some government job or a security check. Even then, it won't matter, because anyone who looks at the record, sees when you attended Coastline and how much better you did later on will get the picture.

Q: What is the best community college to attend in NJ?
Does anyone know which community college in NJ is the best one to attend, at least for extra courses or for a two year period before transfering to a university? I heard Brookdale was the best one to attend in NJ, but I just wanted to make sure. I'd really appreciate the quick response, because I have to make my decisions about college fast. Thanks!

A: attend the one that is the closest to your home. I am attending brookdale next in fall by the way.

Q: How do you transfer from a community college to a 4-year college?
I'm thinking about going to community college rather than applying to be a freshman in a 4-year-college. It's not because my high school record is bad (it is pretty strong, in fact), but because of financial problems I might have if I go to a 4-year college for all four years. If I studied at a community college for 2 years before transferring into a 4-year college, will it look bad? Could I transfer to anywhere, even a top-tier school, as long as my record stays great? Is it more difficult to get admitted as a transfer student? is the process the same as it is for prospective freshmen?

A: If you are looking at top-tier schools, you need to make a counseling appointment with the counselors from those colleges. Especially if it's a private school. Transferring from a JC to a State college is usually pretty straight forward and the counselors at the JC should be able to help you. But, in CA for instance, there are TWO versions of State college - UC and CS. They have different admission/transfer requirements. These days it is very common to transfer from a JC, but you will need to do more research on the schools you are interested in going to. Do an onsite visit if you can - it is the best way to get a feel for the schools. And, look into financial aid and grants - both at the JC's and Colleges. If your grades are good, you may qualify for more help than you know (did you take SAT?) It's tiring, but doing lots of research will help you in the long run. A friend of mine spent 2 years at a JC - but then decided she wanted to go to a private college - they accepted the units, but NONE of the work in her major (basically, they accepted the General Ed stuff, but that was it!) So, she ended up wasting over a year of coursework because she needed to take it all again. Best of luck - talk to lots of people and keep an open mind about it all - but when it's all said and done, the higher degree will be the only one employer's really care about.

Q: Should I start at a community college for a 4 year engineering degree?
I am considering going back to school to get a 4 year engineering degree. Should I start at a community college and then go to a university or should I just start and finish at a university? I have been told that starting at a community college is a lot cheaper but there are sometimes classes that will not transfer so it may take a little longer. Is this true? Also if I got a 2 year degree from a community college would it be possibly to upgrade later on to a 4 year degree? If so how much additional work would it be? Thanks for any comments

A: If you have a very strong community college, you can do this. The problem is that many engineering programs have lots of very specific required courses, and many of these courses are sequenced so that one is a prerequisite to others. What this means is that if you can't get the basic courses that you need at your community college, it could take you longer than two more years to finish at the university. Your best bet would be to get a sense of which university you want to attend, and then to find a community college with what they call an articulation agreement with that university, offering courses which will count for the first two years of the university's program. That way, you won't miss anything. As to your second question, the answer is yes. Again, it would take two more years if the courses you took at the community college were equivalent to the first two years of the university, otherwise, it could take longer.

Q: Community college or uni for an undrgrad student?
I am planning on going to med school.Does it really matter if I go to community college or a university to do my pre-med?I also want to try nursing.

A: As a technical answer, it probably really does not matter if you get the Associates Degree from the local CC and then transfer, or do all four years at the college/university of your choice. As long as your CC classes properly transfer and move over to the four year school, it should make little technical difference. But as a practical matter, I had a roommate first semester my junior year at Illinois who was a transfer student from his local CC. He was not a very good high school student, and went into the military for a term. The military straightened him out, and he went to the local CC and was a 4.0 student. He easily transferred to Illinois. He barely made it to October before he got eaten alive by the pressure. He transferred as a history student. Upperclass history students do pretty much nothing other than read lots of stuff, write research papers, and take primarily essay exams. His CC never made him write a research paper or take an essay exam. He got crushed because he was not prepared to write papers all the time, and had no clue how to take an essay exam. (He was taking an English lit class as well - and when he couldn't write the first three page paper the second week of class I knew he was in serious trouble.) The point? if you want to do the CC, make sure the CC is going to prepare you for the rest of the education. Does the CC calculus class cover the same material as the equivalent class at the four year school - or does the four year school's material do the same in two semesters as three semesters of the CC? Will you have to start over in order to make sure you know the same stuff as the students who went to the 4 year school to start? If you want to try nursing, it would seem appropriate that you start at the CC. You probably could qualify for your RN license with the CC associate's degree, but it might depend on your local requirements. You then could potentially work as an RN and have the hospital help pay for the Bachelor's degree, as many places will pay for further education. At that point you might decide that you would rather move towards hospital administration rather than being a doctor, and you could go get a masters rather than an MD. Or you could get a masters in nursing, or maybe find a specialty which would not require med school (my sister took her bachelor's in nursing and is working on an anesthologist's license). You might also want to check if you might need additional chemistry/biology/other science classes if your undergrad degree is nursing if you want to go to med school.

Q: Can you transfer from a community college to a community college?
I am going to a community college in Kansas. I am moving to California next summer. Can I transfer to a community college out there?

A: You certainly can, but some of your credits may not be transferable to the new community college. You should contact the admissions office at the new college as soon as possible. They should provide you with any information you need in order to make the transfer as smooth as possible.

Q: How much does community college professors make and what are the benefits to this profession?
Well...here's my story put short. I was in the nursing program until now (1 yr total) and realized that I don't want to be a nurse nor want to put up doing that for the rest of my life. I want a career that I'm passionate about and something that I can say, "You know what, today was a bit stressful (cuz every job has its ups and down) but I'm willing to do this!" I changed my major to biology education...my goal is to finish my BA in this and then go on for my master's and work at a community college as a professor. All the nurses I've interviewed so far do not like their jobs (except a few) and all say to do something that is less stressful. I'm glad I made my decision early on...didn't want to be 50 yrs old trying to change my career if ya know what I mean. So my question is what are the benefits to becoming a community college professor and what is their mean salary? Oh, random question...what is your view on careers and why one should choose a profession based on heart or ...based on money cuz that is why I picked nrsg...the money...and realized that won't bring me happiness..

A: Sorry, but to say that you're not "passionate" about nursing tells me that you'd be less than "passionate" as a teacher as well. As a matter of fact, basing your choices on the dollar ... without a "passion" for the work ... really suggests to me, a former teacher, that you would be a very poor teacher at best (and I say this in the kindest manner I can think of). Find something in the private sector, something that will not require you to work "with" the public. Mastering in biology could possibly lead to Lab work in a clinic or hospital and the pay should be at a level you might be satisfied with. Good luck!

Q: Advantages of studying in a community college? How long does it take to earn a BS degree?
I'm considering studying in a community college before transferring to a university. What are the advantages and disadvantages of it? How many years will it take for me to earn a Bachelor's degree if I'll study in a Comm. College first? Will it take shorter or longer for me?

A: The costs are far cheaper, the quality of education is often as good or better than a 4 year institution, and once you transfer there's absolutely no difference between yours and someone who went all 4 years to the college. In terms of time, 4 years is standard, regardless of whether the 1st two years were spent at the community college or not.

Q: How can I enter a community college at age 13?
I'm rounding out the 8th grade and moving on to my freshman year next school year. I am a 4.0 student, and this summer, I'm hoping to enroll in a community college for college classes as a prelude for High School. Does anyone know how I can get enrolled - or if colleges even accept students of my age (if so, which community colleges in the Bay Area do you reccomend?) and if any exams or intervews are needed prior to acceptance? Thanks!

A: You are certainly getting a jump start on college. Good for you! Since you mentioned the Bay Area, I checked on the website for my Alma Mater, Ohlone College in Fremont. Here is the page that gives information for K-12 students who want to enroll: http://www.ohlone.edu/org/admissions/highschool.html I was not aware that young students could attend community college, but I think you are a wonderful candidate for this. I'm not sure what the admissions requirements are for your age, but for those 18 and over, there are no interviews required. They just have exams for placing you in the right English and Math classes. For K-9th graders, you will need permission from your parents and your school. You can see the process on the left side of this chart: http://www.ohlone.edu/org/admissions/highschool.html#applicpackets Now I'm not necessarily selling Ohlone College. All of the community colleges are part of a similar system, so you are sure to find something like this at the community college closest to you. Here is a list of the California Community Colleges. http://www.cccco.edu/CommunityColleges/CommunityCollegeListings/CollegeListingsRegional/tabid/829/Default.aspx Scroll down to the "Bay Area" section to find the one nearest you, then do a Yahoo search to find their webpage, and look for the information like I've linked for you at Ohlone (Admissions or K-12 Special Admissions). Since you live in the Bay Area, here is another idea for you. When my nephew was a 9th grader last year, one of his teachers at High School recommended him for the UC Berkeley Young Entrepreneurs program. He was selected (after applying) for a summer program and is now in a regular year program. He goes up to Berkeley regularly and is learning about business and he loves it. His parents are also thrilled. Make sure one of your parents asks about it when you get to high school. I would think this would be a wonderfully challenging opportunity for you. I no longer live in the Bay Area, and I work in a high school where I spend every day encouraging and helping kids plan for college. What a wonderful blessing to learn of one who wants to do so even before you get to high school! Dream high little co-ed. PS: I just checked to see if I could find a link about the Berkeley program. Apparently they are recruiting 8th graders for a program right now! http://www.haas.berkeley.edu/groups/yeah/

Q: Can I go to a community college part-time, graduate in two years then go to a university and graduate?
I am planning on working full-time and going to college part-time. Can I work full time, graduate from community college in two years, then graduate from a university in another two years?

A: Yes you will need to go during the summer also to make up for not going full time in both community college and the university

Q: What community college offers massage theraphy classes?
I'm looking for a community college that offers massage therapy so i can apply for financial aide and get credits for the classes. I live in the Los Angeles/San Gabriel Valley in California. I would really appreciate your help. Thank You.

A: Massage Therapy is not usually offered at a community college but at a vocational college. It is a certificate not a degree that you get. Go to the website below for a list of colleges that are registered with the AMTA )American Massage Therapy Association. You will at least be able to find a reputable school with them, they are the company that most massage therapists get insurance through as well as use their other services. Many of these schools do not offer grants but some might. Some may also use loans to help you get through. Be sure that the college of your choice meets the standards for your area, you can get these usually from the Police Department in your area. Good Luck.