Where to go to college is a huge decision. For some students, it means going straight into a four-year college or university; for others, it’s going to a community college first and then transferring to a four-year school. There are good and bad aspects to either option and either path certainly wouldn't work for every student. Here are some of the pros and cons of the transfer route.
Pros of transferring
Transferring from a community college to a four-year school isn't as crazy as it seems! In fact, it's really smart. For students who don't feel fully ready to go off to a four-year college or who want to get their general courses out of the way to save money and explore their academic options, starting at a community college is a great option. Here are some major benefits to choosing this route:
- Community college is generally a lot cheaper than a traditional four-year college. Earning general education credits at a community college and transferring into a four-year school can help you save a lot of money.
- Community colleges give you the time and flexibility explore different majors to help you get an idea of what you might want to study long term.
- Not only does going to a community college let you adjust to the difficulty of college coursework, but it also allows you to stay close to home if you aren't feeling ready to branch out on your own just yet.
- Community colleges offer many more night courses, and class schedules are flexible for students who may need to work to earn and save money while working on their education.
- For international students, attending a community college first helps for a smoother transition into a four-year college later on, and many community colleges are actively looking for international students.
- You can earn your associate degree in a minimum of two years, so if something comes up that forces you to postpone a four-year degree and go straight into the workforce, you can still find plenty of jobs with this degree.
- Lots of states have articulation agreements set up between in-state community colleges and four-year public schools to make transferring easier.
- Your high school standardized tests scores might be less important in your transfer application depending on the four-year school, your grades from your community college transcript, and how long you’ve been out of high school.
- Community colleges and four-year schools often have transfer counselors who specifcally can help you during every step of the process.
- You can meet other transfer students at your new school during the transfer orientation and maybe by living in a transfer student dorm to make you feel more at home on your new campus.
Related: Are You Ready to Transfer? Planning for Your Future
Cons of transferring
Despite the many good things about transferring, there are also some potential problems as well. As with any other major life decision, you should consider these drawbacks before you rule out going straight to a four-year college or university.
- The curriculum at a community college is more limited to general education classes and specific trade-heavy jobs (like medical technology, hospitality management, aviation, culinary arts, or automotive repair), so if you know exactly what you want to do in life and it’s not covered at the community college level, then you may have an easier time starting at a four-year school.
- It might be harder to get into your four-year school as a transfer student; admission rates tend to be slightly lower for transfer students unless a college has a specific insitutional mission for supporting transfer students.
- Transfer scholarships might be limited depending on what school you're coming from and which school you're transferring to.
- You would miss many social opportunities and opportunities to meet people that are unique to freshman year, including living on campus as most community college don't have dorms.
- It can be harder to feel like you fit in at the new university you are attending, especially with the people in your classes who have known each other for longer.
Related: Should I Transfer After One Year of Community College?
For many students, the transfer route is a good way to go; it helps you adjust to college courses and save up money before you head off on your own to a four-year university. Other students with a clear idea of what they want to study might be better off going straight into a four-year college. But no matter what your college decision, there is always a silver lining.
There are so many great four-year schools that support transfer students! Start exploring and connecting with them all in one place on CollegeXpress.
