Same, I had horrible grades in high school and wasn't getting accepted anywhere. I started off with I think a 2.2 in my senior year :o and I ended CC with a 4.0 I transferred to the best school in my state and graduated it with a 4.0. Now, I'm on my second year of medical school.
congrats!!:D i just graduated high school with a low GPA (lower then 2.0) and after seeing this video and reading your comment, im definitely going to CC :)
There's absolutely nothing wrong with attending community college. In fact, I'm thinking attending when I graduate. The only difference between community college and those big universities, are the tuition cost and the location.
I graduated valedictorian of my high school and I went to a community college after high school. I felt the stigma hardcore. I agree it was the best decision I could have ever made. I stayed and got my associates degree which I only paid $6.65 for. Now I'm at a state school where tuition is about $10,000 a year. I only had to take a loan for $3500 because of Grant money from the school and from federal Pell grants. I also commute to school and my mom is gracious enough to let me live in her house. I also work part time. So if everything stays the same for next year I'll only have ~$7,000 in debt upon graduating from the state school.
congratulations on the grade sis!!!!!!! really curious about how your experience was (im from india, so I really just want to know what community college is like and stuff. not gonna need it for my life so you're good 😂) like i just wanna know if it was worth it and your course and all of that jazz
This makes me feel so much better about my choice for college! I was told the exact same thing that I was "too smart for community college" so much that I believed it. I applied to 3 schools and got in to every one because I had a 3.7 GPA however financially I just couldn't afford it. I'm starting at a cc in a few weeks and now I couldn't be happier with my decision! I do plan on transferring after I get my associate degree to my state university but honestly it was the smart choice and I'll be graduating with way less debt!
NileThe146 even Ivy League. There’s a site called the “Ivy lie”. I transferred to Columbia but HATED it so I transferred to state instead. My brother went to UC Berkeley for undergrad and Harvard for masters and is currently at Washington State for his PhD and he knew a lot of students who graduated Berkeley and Harvard who even had good degrees (Mathematics, Economics, Education) but ended up not finding jobs. It’s more of a name brand if you will. If there’s a kid who kicked-ass in state university it’s significantly more impressive than a regular ivy student.
Very similar story here! I had AWFUL grades in High school(were talkin' a 2.3 GPA), and I didn't get into a single school I applied for. Just about to finish my 3rd semester at CC, and plan to transfer to my dream school in the summer with a 3.8 GPA :) CC has taught me how to study, and prioritize my education while balancing it with work.
Joe Gonzalez I think it really depends on what you plan to do. I had a general idea of what I wanted to study (Economics), but I ended up deciding to change my major for a career I felt would be more fulfilling (Wildlife Biology). One of the great things about CC is that I didn't feel like I had wasted LOADS of money on a degree path I didn't end up doing. Community College isn't cheap (I'm paying for next semester out of pocket, and it's going to run me about 2k with books), but it's for sure cheaper than my local Universities. I find that the instruction at CC averages at about as well as a Uni (comparing with my friends who go to Uni). I would totally agree that there are Professors at CC's that probably shouldn't be teaching, but I think that's true of any school you look into. The great thing is that with new advents such as ratemyprofessor.com, it's far easier to avoid those terrible Professors. The ONLY downside to CC that I think is true, is that the amount of kids there just because their parents forced them to go is really frustrating. I'll be honest when I say that every class I've taken so far, there's been at least a couple of kids that just don't want to be there. That only becomes a serious issue if you have a Professor that plays to the lowest common denominator, and dumbs down the material to try and engage them. Most Professors though will simply withdraw them from the class, but there's always that chance they'll try and "fix" a poorly performing kid, and end up endangering everyone else learning experience. All in all CC is a cheap way to get some of your Gen ed's out of the way (English, Math, Science, etc.), and take a couple of focused courses (Economics, Art, Statistics, Psych, etc.) to see what you're interested in. My CC has a super easy transfer process to all three Uni's in my State, so it's always worth looking to see if there's a similar program in your area!
+Brennan Hays Overall how would you rate CC, including workload, professors, and the atmosphere? What classes did you take second year? Thank you so much. I start Fall 2016.
Brilliant video. I wish there wasn't a stigma attached to community college. It is often perfect for smart students who need adjustment time, smart people who want to save money, and anyone else for a hundred reasons.
Going to a CC is the best financial decision you've made. I hear high schoolers in our neighborhood say that they are going to these out-of-state universities for the "experience" knowing full well that the parents don't have the college funds for it. Lots of saving face... Kids really don't understand the gravity of having huge student loans, only the wise ones do.
I went to community college for my first year to save money, and I didn't have to pay a dime, and even got a scholarship. At some CCs they'll pay for your whole education, especially if you got good grades in high school or are poor.
As a student at community college, I could not agree more with this! My first year out of high school, I moved 2,000 miles away to attend a private music school. After a year, I wasn't sure about my career goals and was extremely worried if I'd even make money with a degree in music. Attending CC gave me a far better understanding of what it means to be a contributor to society, gave me the chance to explore other careers, and ultimately showed me careers in music are possible! Additionally, everyone at CC is there because they want to get the best education for of their time and money, a quality I did not see at the music school. Seriously, thank you for making this!
When I graduated high school in 2009, I planned to go to a community college. I'm not stupid and had a 3.4 GPA and did extracurricular activities. Yet, I didn't do PSATS, SATS, sports, and I come from a family without that extra money. Everyone made fun of those of us going to community college, and now, seven years later, nearly everyone has switched over to that same college or they're STILL working to try to get through the local university.
I regret the debt I acquired to get a four year degree I barely used. My much wiser nephew eventually turned his two year cc experience into fully funded undergrad and grad opportunities. He will graduate with a Masters with no debt and hopes to do the same for a PhD.
I definitely don't regret going to my expensive four year school, but looking back I definitely wish I had given CC a shot. Even, if for nothing else, I just took general classes over the summer.
One thing that I always like to mention in discussions like these is, if you have the grades, test scores, etc., and your family does not have a lot of money, don't be afraid of applying to the fancy private schools. Many of them, especially the research university types are need-blind in acceptance (they don't look at financial need in the acceptance process) and will cover full demonstrated financial need. This is obviously not an option for all students, but it is a good thing to keep in mind. I managed a 4-year degree with no debt, my parents paying
Community college is also good for students who have difficult circumstances. I struggled severely with mental health for 2 years and was intermittently in the hospital. I couldn't immediately go to a four-year (even though I did get accepted into a lot of schools and had decent grades) because I wasn't psychologically ready. I also am exploring options in terms of my major that I wouldn't have been able to explore if I had went straight to a four-year.
My counselor in high school pushed me to apply to a lot of small, private, liberal arts colleges my senior year in the hopes of me getting a scholarship. Most, if not all of them, were test-optional schools that I applied to because I didn't feel confident enough to apply to schools like U of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana or UT Austin with an average ACT score. I don't consider myself a bad high school student, though. I graduated with a GPA of 3.5 and was able to snag one scholarship out of the seventeen I applied to. Despite this, I do regret not having applied to more public colleges. In the end, I didn't pick any of the private schools I got into and decided that community college was the best way to start off my schooling (especially since my parents wouldn't be helping me pay for college). I'm glad that the value of community college was discussed in this video, because the stigma that cc's get is not accurate.
I went to Community College and it was the best thing I could have ever done. I had okay grades, I think I left high school with a between a 2.9 and a 3.1 GPA I know it was around there, but I also don't test well and I test horribly with a fever- which I had when I took my SAT's (102). Community College helped my realize I was intelligent and I had great critical thinking skills. It also helped me with punctuation grammar, which surprisingly isn't taught well in public school.
Thanks for making this video. I graduated from High School with high honors and my councilor told me that Community (Junior) College was a very wise alternative since my parents could not pay for my tuition. I worked and went to school, paid everything off as I studied, received a general Associates Degree, then started my own music business. I'm really glad I saved my money, went to CC and gained the knowledge to pursue my dream career without spending money on art/music school.
I absolutely agree with you. When I was in High School I had average grades,and took several AP classes,but I didn't feel ready to go to a major school. People in my own family looked down at me and compared me to cousins who were going to major schools,but I didn't let that get to me now I am almost done with my CC experience and am in the ballpark of getting into the school of my dreams.
I graduated high school with a 1.3GPA anyone else get any lower ? i think that's as low as you can get honestly. All the teachers told me I was going to graduate with the skin on my teeth. I was bullied a good bit. Always hated coming to school I hated everyone I slept through all the classes I didn't like which were most of them. I do plan on going to CC but I really wanna go for something I like. I'm 4 years out of high school and have been doing factory work since then. It pays good but I need something better than working with machines and doing repetitive shit everyday this dulls creativity and has caused many problems in my life. If I'm gonna spend money on school I want it to be for something I'm gonna enjoy doing
This is SUCH a well put together video! The way you structured, articulated, and made it personal was so great! I'm shocked this video doesn't have more views - people NEED to see this! Excellent job, hands down.
I went to community college and loved it! Now I’m attending a 4-year university and graduating with a bachelors at the age of 19. I’ll be heading to grad school soon after. CC is the best financial choice I made. It also gave me insight on how important school is by meeting older people who told me they were proud of the choices I’m making. I also have a high paying salary than my peers because I had an associates degree. I loveeeddd CC!
Great advice!!! My son is considering this due to finances and I think it's a great option. I went to a 4 year college and it took me into my 30s to pay it off and I paid what I could as I was going. My debt was what a year would be right now.
I did well in high school but still went to community college, in part because I just wasn't ready for full-time university. It was great and I got to meet wonderfully grounded people. Once I did transfer, I was able to hit the ground running and did arguably better than peers who started university directly out of high school.
I got my A.A.S. in CC and passed my nursing boards as RN w a 4.0. I then went to a state school with 4.0 and got a Bachelor's in Nursing and saved A LOT of money. I wouldn't change a thing.
Although I did not studied in the USA. I graduated from high school in Greece with no good grades. Then I went to England to study. I graduated with a 3.5 GPA. And instead of Master degree I decided to do an apprenticeship as a machinist in Germany. And know I am working as an Industrial Engineer , which is between Business and Engineering fields. And my dream job.
Probably one of the few people that went to university, got a Bachelor of Arts, then went to TAFE (Australian Community College) for a Diploma in Community Services and plan to go back to university to study social work. I'm putting all of my education in plan to help people through the arts. Don't listen to people saying a BA in Arts is a waste of time, you not using your degree to excel in your career and having no interest in it is a waste of time (regardless of what you study this still applies). I'd suggest doing TAFE/CC during highschool, trim off as many subject/certificates as you can before you graduate so you are in the favour of the school and you already know how the assessment works. In my Diploma, we are more practically and theoretically intensive than the university students but there is still the bias that TAFE students aren't smart. We are people and life educated though, try and teach someone that through a course and they'll flunk immediately. Do what makes you happy and make a plan for what you want to do
You forgot to mention you could also meet the love of your life at cc. Still together 10 years later. I finished prerequisites and then went To State for nursing, and then he went for nursing as well a few years later.now we're working nurses and only had 11,000$ in debt between the 2 of us which is a lot better than the 40k he brought with him from his previous private school degree
As someone living in the UK (where student loans aren't quite as bad as the US) this was still cool advice; making sure you've planned a financial path for Uni makes living so much easier and having only been at Uni for 2 weeks so far, I can say that thanks to this channel I already feel more positive about and more prepared for the future
I graduated high school with great grades and SAT scores, but was rejected my from first choice. Chose the school I'm at now purely because of its "prestige" aka because it was the hardest school I applied to to get into. Hate it. Completely and totally hate it, and I miss home so much. The social aspect is lacking, and I feel like I'm so homesick I can't make any real connections with people. It's so big it's so easy to feel anonymous and lost, plus the professors don't establish any sort of relationship. I'm planning on transferring to a CC close to home to save money while living at home, work, and then transfer. I'm excelling academically, so hopefully I get accepted and am way happier!
I graduated valedictorian with a 4.0, honors, tons of extra curricular activities, etc, got married and am going to community college. I'd rather get a free ride at a community college than graduate with $100,000 in debt like the people from my highschool, all because they wanted to brag about going to a state school; I'd rather not start out life with that hanging over my head
My high school had a program that let me take community college and it count for both my AA and high school classes. I wouldn’t have an my degree now without that. Having a transferable degree let me get great scholarships at a 4 year, and as a low income child of someone with disabilities I would NEVER have gotten a BS without scholarships.
Just wanted to say hi and that I think this was a really great video and something I hope to show to my future children some day. I also loved the little "...and CC what it can do for you..." play on words at the end :)
Graduated High School with a 1.25 GPA so I start community college the 29th and I feel that there is a lot of stigma like that you're not worth while if you don't start off at a University, or you're pretty stupid and I even had to be placed in an English class for those who have fallen a bit behind where they're supposed to be level wise because I was so severely bullied and had a lot of family drama during my high school years. I couldn't make the grades, I had so many things to worry about and all of the bullying and not just from students either. I had some teacher to student disrespect making school hell for me as well. I feel so stupid and worthless sometimes because I know that I have it in me to be a Uni student but High School was my own personal brand of Hell. Hopefully CC is my chance to turn this all around and get into the college of my dreams.
Damn this really hit home with me I can totally relate to this. I graduated with a 1.3 for pretty much the same reasons. It got so bad for me that I became very anti social with everyone but I still have hope
You can do it! I had a rocky path myself but now I almost have my bachelor's in international business. The biggest mistake you can make is thinking that you're not going fast enough. Decide the path that's right for you, even if it means taking longer and going a different route. Take care of your mental health too and prioritize it. I hope your first month at CC went well. I wish you good luck!
I relate! I used up 3 years of university doing part-time studies for Biology but ended up flunking it. I was at a confused state, thinking that all along, I needed to get to university to look good on the outside and to feel better about myself which is a whole facade. Last year, I just realized taking Nursing at a community college was alright for me after all. Now I have finally found a direction. Judging colleges for university was a huge mistake. If most people open their mind and eyes a bit more, they need to know that employers would prefer their applicants with hands-on experience that colleges provide more than a 4 year university degree with no experience.
I got a GED and went straight into a community college. I didn't apply to any universities, but it would probably have been harder to get accepted if I did. My problem is that I didn't behave myself in high school, so I got kicked out. Community college gave me a second chance to do well and prove that I am still perfectly capable of doing school. I recently transferred to a university, and I am very thankful that I went to community college first now that I have seen how expensive university is compared to community college.
My first video on your channel, and it's amazing. My son will be attending CC this fall and I personally had/have many of the same negative assumptions about CC over a four-year college. He doesn't, but I think he'll get a lot out of this video. Thank you so much for this!
Yes to everything! I'm currently a student at a CC. I had fabulous grades in high school, but I was very intimidated by going straight to University. I know that I would've been so culture shocked that I don't know if I would've done well. On top of that, I'm going for FREE!! Woo!!! I use to hate when people I graduated with, adults, friends, etc. would say something like "I cannot believe you're going to community college. That's not real college." At some point, I just learned to roll my eyes, inform them that my classes are the exact ones they are taking at a 4 year, and end the conversation by simply saying "I'm getting these two years of very real classes for free...and how much debt are you going to be in...?" Community college is the bomb.
Thank you Chelsea! I went to community college for 3 years and ended up changing my major while there (biology to history/education) so even after I transferred to a 4 year school I had all my gen-ed courses done so I only had to focus on my core classes when I transferred. I also had so many friends and was involved in so many things at CC I don't think you really miss out on anything socially going there, unless you're a big sports fan in which case you can still go to your state's football/basketball/ etc events anyway. I say to my students now, there is nothing wrong with community college especially if you're not quite sure what you wanna study yet, and many of the professors at least at my CC also taught at 4 year schools so I was getting everything I would've gotten at a 4 year school for a fraction of the price. Even though I do still have student debt it's not nearly as bad as it could've been had I gone into a 4 year school right out of high school, especially considering my major switch.
I had good grades throughout high school but I sucked at standardized testing, I completely flopped on my SAT and participate in any clubs, I only had my theatre class. I have applied to a community college and felt so ashamed and dumb for some reason- this is the video I needed to realize that is such bullshit! Thank You!
I love u... thanks for the heads up. I have this chance of going to community college and I wanted to change but I didn't know think it was this awesome... 'I'll proudly CC"...
There are a million different ways to do things. I went to various grade schools, was homeschooled for a few years, got my GED when I was 16, went to community college and got my AA degree at 18, then went to a four-year arts conservatory college and got a BA. This was all with the help of financial aid, scholarships and loans, and I do have some debt but it's manageable (less than the average she gave). If you're relying completely on a 4-year school to be well-educated and well-adjusted socially, that's terrifying. Hang out with friends, travel if you can, join clubs, join a band, figure out what you enjoy by trying stuff, live your life, and don't worry about how anyone else defines 'success'.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS VIDEO!!!!!!! Had great grades, text scores and extracurricular activities, but chose to go for financial reasons and have saved thousands. Will get my BA later this year, my undergraduate total cost is less than $30,000....easy!
totally agree with this video. I was pushed by all my teachers to go to apply to big name schools and got that same "you're too smart for xyz cc" but the truth is that I was too lazy to truly hunt for scholarships and didn't understand the financial impact that I was signing up for. let's just say that I graduated 2.5 years ago and I absolutely hate making that monthly loan payment and seeing that overall debt barely move! I have a younger cousin graduating high school in a year and I'm pushing her to go to cc first!
I can completely vouch for the financially beneficial decision of community college. I, too, transferred to a four-year school to get a degree that didn't land me a job right away. (Theatre) But, thanks to my two years at a CC, I was able to graduate with my BA less than $3,000 in debt. Like you said, it's all about planning and doing what's best for *you,* not anyone else.
You're neglecting to mention a few things: 1. Community college ISN'T always a smart financial decision. Private universities covered all of my expenses as a low-income student (and I'm not an exception--this is common for private universities). Not to mention the fact that my parents couldn't afford to keep me at home, so had I chosen a community college, I STILL would have had to move away and pay all of my own expenses, which would have given me more debt than I accumulated at a private university. It all depends on your personal situation. 2. Not all community colleges are created equal. Yes, some of them are AMAZING and will transfer all of your credits and will have plenty of spaces in all off the classes you need and offer awesome extracurricular activities BUT many of them are absolute shit and don't do any of these things. I can't tell you how many friends I have at various community colleges who can't finish their certificate programs 6 YEARS LATER because classes aren't offered in sequence, class sizes are too small so they can't get in, etc, etc, thus delaying employment in their field and lowering their earning power. Do your research before you decide to sign up at the nearest CC. Make sure it actually WILL work for you, if that's what you decide to do.
+Music Dork Sorry this is so long... 1. I definitely agree that finances always depend on your personal situation, but there are always options out there. Most community colleges do exactly the same thing and cover expenses for low-income students. A friend of mine paid only $16 for the semester just for the health services fee; all books and tuition were free. I found enough scholarships to cover my $700 in books and tuition plus housing and am lucky enough to be able to stay with a roommate. A lot of people also stay with friends if they can't afford to stay home (or with their parents if their parents can afford it) to keep costs down and community living has a number of other benefits. If this isn't an option, search for the thousands of scholarships out there and put the time into applying for a couple. Its worth a shot. 2. Not all community colleges are created equal, however its not always the fault of the college or even university you plan on transferring to, you have to do the research. Most universities have a transfer tool where you can choose the community college class you have taken and see if it transfers to said university and what it transfers as. This is great because you can check with my university beforehand whether or not my classes transfer and not waste money on the classes that don't. My photo class is transferring as an art class to my university, but I'm using the credit as an elective so it works beautifully in my situation. If your university you plan on transferring to does not have this tool, community colleges have a transfer center or student center where they can help you figure out your schedule. There is almost always an option to pre-register for classes so you are practically guaranteed the classes you require as well so you aren't wasting your time waiting for the required courses. I hope this helps if you are still studying and gives other people a little insight to community college. Before starting, I thought it would be terrible and desperately wanted to go to university because I did have the grades, but still lack the finances. So far, it has been going pretty well and I've been able to balance school with my job so I can save money and transfer to university in a couple years. There is always a negative connotation to community and of course it has its flaws as well, but I've never met someone who regretted their decision to choose community first. I hope you choose the option thats best for you as well.
...so, you agree with me? This seemed like a long thing to type out in order to agree with someone. Do you research, and it depends on your personal situation? I find it irresponsible for somebody running a financial blog/vlog to tout CC as the definitive "cheapest" option when that isn't always true. The sticker price of a private university is outrageous, but, like a car, nobody actually pays sticker price. Like we both said, it depends on your personal situation, and do your research. Obviously it is the fault of the people who signed up at CC without checking their programs (though when this happens to 95% of the people you know there, you have to wonder if it's them, or the college telling them false information. Also, pre-registration?? Are you SURE you went to CC? That only exists for special needs students here). Again, DO YOUR RESEARCH. I chose the right option for me, because I researched, and I merely hope others do the same. tl;dr: Don't sign up at the nearest community college because some lady on the internet told you to. DO YOUR RESEARCH. (Also, where is this stigma you all speak of coming from? Your HS guidance counselors should be pushing everyone to community college; acceptance anywhere, be it community college or a conservatory, makes their numbers look better. Literally everyone should be advocating for it, and they damn well were where I come from. It's not a stigma when 5/6th of your graduating class goes to CC. It doesn't mean it's the right choice for everyone, but it's certainly not a stigma.)
The most important thing is that people research the school they are looking at. They will usually say whether or not their credits transfer and where they can transfer to, and if they don't, universities will be able to tell someone whether or not they accept any or all credits from certain community colleges. I can't agree with anything you said, because there are three local community colleges in my area, all of which transfer ALL credits to many universities in my state, and they all have multiple campuses that each offer the same classes at many different times. I've had no problem with availability of classes, and my CC offers every class that I need to get my AS before transferring to my uni of choice. Although, I do live in Tennessee, and there is a big emphasis on the importance of community college (all high school grads can get 2 years free at a CC, woo!). So, it may be different here than some other places.
Brittany Davenport Lol you don't have to have the same experience to agree with me. I used examples to highlight a point: do your research and make the decision that's right for you. It seems like you agree with that, no? That's literally your first sentence. I'm glad this isn't the case with CCs everywhere and I'm apparently the only person familiar with shitty CCs. I'm genuinely glad your experience was different. I'm from Michigan. There are several decent CCs in the area, but one particularly terrible one, which unfortunately is also the closest to where I live and where a lot of people from my high school end up because it's cheap and close and people think they can't get into/can't afford anywhere else (see comment #1) and the school makes grand promises (like most schools do to attract students). I took classes there as a high school student and it was an awful experience. They have spaces saved for HS students in several classes and trying to get into those classes was still a nightmare, even with the help of competent HS guidance counselors. And none of the credits transferred anywhere when I graduated and went to college, of course. So many friends are there now with such bullshit struggles that nobody should have to go through. "I need a science class and they only have one this semester that fits my schedule so I signed up for it and they cancelled it 3 weeks in! Now I can't even try to change my schedule to get into a different class, and I'm short on credits so I can't get full-time aid! They didn't even warn me they might cancel the class!" "I took 101 level class and 102 supposed to be offered in the fall but it's not in the course catalog and according to my counselor it's not being offered again till next spring!" Yeah, great school.
Music Dork You just highlighted a niche. CC usually is the best way to go, and obviously there will always be exceptions. Most CCs have a transfer system because they know a 2 year degree isn't generally where students stop. CC is also waaaay cheaper than almost every university. You just just happen to be an exception, whether you see that or not. If Private Universities were paying off smart, low income students, 50 of the graduating seniors at my school should be in a private university. CC is GENERALLY the way to go.
I recommend community college to everyone graduating high school. The pre-reqs at CC are exactly the same quality as any other school. Plus you probably wont be in debt and will be able to change your major any time you like. I did CC then transferred to a fancy private school and saved myself $60k - which is SO much money
I went to a community college for automotive technology and it really paid off. The only reason I chose CCAC in the Pittsburgh area because it was the cheapest and best option, and because I was sponsored by a dealership, I don't have to pay anything back.
I've attended community college, two universities and a for-profit school, and the best quality (and cheapest) education was by far at the cc. After I graduate and get a full time job I will continue my education most likely at a cc.
i kinda ended up realizing this info in the past few weeks and as i hear you explain it, i feel rather comforted, in a way? but also, since i’m not living in the country i want to go to college in, it’s kind of.. strange. idk. the video’s really helpful regardless!
As someone who just transferred this year after getting a degree at a community college, I can say that the experience was TOTALLY worth it. I worked throughout those two years, so my associate's degree is entirely paid off and the only debt I have is for the half of the tuition I have to pay towards my currently schooling. Yeah there's good and bad teachers, just like anywhere. One of my teachers there was nominated for two Pulitzer prizes.
I went to save money. I was accepted into 4 different schools. Then when my parents and I looked at the cost vs my college savings the Community College option was just the smartest choice. And I will not lie the stigma was something that I had to get over. But now I'll be graduating with no debt. Most of my friends though have at least $20,000 debts. One of my close friends went to a private University for all 4 years and will be walking away with over $200,000 in debt. In Texas that's the cost of a pretty nice house.
I actually graduated high school in June with a 3.7 GPA and scored a 1390 on the SAT, but I didn’t do a stellar job applying to schools, so the aid packages I received were paltry at best. I’m graduating CC in May because I started the early admission program last year, and I’m in the honors program so I may be able to get scholarships.
State school satellite campuses are also a great option! Penn State has a program where you spend 2 years at a satellite campus (usually as a commuter) and then transfer to their main campus. It's a good way to start out and save some money, although I think it's slightly more expensive than CC.
I attended community college in high school through running start. Many schools have programs like this so if you are in high school you should ask your counselor. It could give you 2 years worth of free college credits that can cut some time and costs from school.
i have a 4.4 gpa and got into all the UCs except berkeley and i’m going to cc because i just can’t afford any of them, which sucked butt btw if anyone’s wondering
I'm going to community college while working full time community college is great and it's a hell of a lot cheaper than a 4 year university, I'm currently taking ACT prep and my scores have definitely improved I went from a 16 to 24, and I'm determined to not have any student debt.
Wow (just saw this). Congratulations on being recruited right out of college. I like your videos on the Financial Diet. Thus helped demystify for me, the going to school. I love school, but didn't do well. I did not keep up. I would probably now try to learn as much as I could on my own (a general education)_ and the see if I could follow a structure, as school seems to be that. It could be that this is the turning point to my life (poverty,etc). thanks (good luck with everything). You don't know how what you do or are even, can make a difference (yeah). I'm off (at 64). A fan.
Same story with bad high school grades and going to CC, and now I'm going to transfer to a 4 year next semester with no debt going into it! Sharing this :D
I'm very lucky that my local community college grew into a regular college, It's still growing. This school is 1,500 full time. The local university near me, full time is 3,500. Some of my friends are taking the same classes as me in the university. I'm paying 1500 each semester.
i was actually mostly unaware of the stigma surrounding CC. while i know people prefer going to big fancy schools, my family has always gone to CC because we're poor. I'm a senior in high school but I'm doing online classes (more variety and flexible schedule) so I don't even know the social aspect of highschool. I'm actually planning on attending a CC and then transferring to another school because my family is poor and I'll have to rely on financial aid. But because of how poor my family is, I qualify for grants. But money problems aside, I actually get good grades too but I'm still going to do CC because it's what I'll be able to afford. (as in I'm an A-B average with only one C on my transcript)
Yay canada! I'm living off government money for the time of my school (3 years)... this means 6700$ of money just given to me, no need to pay it back, and 3000$ of loans that are interest free. I will also be receiving bonuses for my good grades. Each of my semesters cost 150$ and about 200$ of books per semester (some programs cost a lot more in books.) I have no need for a weekend job, although i do live very modestly, no stress about after school and having to pay it back. Education should be affordable to have a majority of people be qualified for a big variety of jobs and have competent workers.
I did my first two years as an undergraduate in community college. My grades were good enough to get me a scholarship at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, making an $80,000 (mid to late 1990s) bachelor's degree in biochemistry cost on $20,000.
Being both a PhD (chemistry) and a community college graduate, I find the expression "too smart for community college" hilarious. Community College is a large part of why I was able to pay off my student loans four years after graduate school. I was too smart NOT to go to community college.
I went to community college at 13 and transferred to university. I met SO many 4.0 high school students it was insane. I transferred to Colombia but HATED IT! So I transferred to a state uni.
@@raiha1425 douchebags. Douchebags. Douchebags. Douchebags. So much opulent arrogance. People who have never experienced a day of the real world. Offering their snobbish solutions on what to do without experiencing anything. No empathy. No sympathy. Too many fake personalities. Narcissists dehumanizing each other and the world around them. Ivy League universities to them are equivalent to designer brands to these people. Over-commodified. Half the students go there for the name of the university and that’s it. They show off their statuses of students at a prestige college the same way an entitled “Karen” would show off an expensive handbag. Half of them are not there to learn, but they’re there for NAME of being there. Not for the professors. Not to discover. Not to expand their imaginations, world views, knowledge, learning other cultures, etc. They dare not to drive into ghettoes and hoods to see how bad their elitist parents (both Democrats and Republicans) have betrayed our country. No moral and philosophical nuance. It’s “I go to Columbia and I’m better than you. You know nothing in spite of what you have experienced.” The ones who are there because Mom and Pops were able to pay for an private preschool, private school and expensive tutors in their teen years, and so on. The only good ones there are the other 50%, the eager to learn, eager to question, challenge, become in awe at the library, raised by blue coller parents. Will study because they are fervent about what they study. The ones who have found their callings. However, they have to put up with the other ungrateful 50% that I mentioned earlier. I love and cherished the good half, but the ungrateful arrogant half just was too much. I can see why so many of the good ones are depressed as hell when they get out.
I coach soccer at a community college. This stigma hurts my bringing in players I'd like to get. They end up going to four year schools and are sometimes miserable and going to end up in huge debt. I wish I had gone to my CC like my Dad suggested.
And by the way when you are choosing a private college over a public you should consider is that private college a good college because many private ones are not worth the money don't pay extra for the same education if I were to go to a private college I make sure that it is a good one and that it would be right for me and my future you don't always have to take out student loans if you want to go to a public one and it is in state it about 10k to 15k tuition a yearly most middle class can afford that and there is also scholarships too unless you got not a single dime but many of them have plans for low income students same for private many have scholarships and low income students plans you're not really going to a bunch of debt it depends on how you play the money game and you probably should know how to play that if you want to go that route because private ones are expensive
I'm an international student and I really want to study in the US so its very appreciated if someone guided me through cheap community colleges and what to do, how to apply...etc. I'm so lost at the moment and this would really help a lot
Not all community colleges do all of that and I'm not saying it is bad. For a lot of students who are out going and know how to be a student and have a game plan and know how to play the game of school community college a lot of times can be a waste of time and money because only about 11 something percentage of people nationwide who went to community college get bachelor degrees and many of them don't transfer your credits and it could affect your future dreams if it is the shitty ones many would find themselves limited with choices. Some community college are great you screwed up your high school you go in and they teach you how to be a student and they transfer all the credits unless you're totally stupid and got terrible grades while in community college. Not all higher or university degrees are unless it depends on the person and their interest people can come out of regular colleges and it was useless people coming out of community college can think it was a waste of time
I’m so glad we have A levels in my country’s education system. Your community college associates degrees are equivalent to my A levels and I’m 2 years younger by the time I’m done. Completely debt free because secondary school education is paid for by the government. Not to mention we have a tertiary education program that pays anywhere from 25% to 100% of university tuition depending on your household income. AND the government offers national scholarships to high school students based on their A level grades that covers tuition and other expenses for up to 5 years of their tertiary education. AND since we follow the British model we can go to med school or law school, etc straight after A levels and the government programs will pay for it. The best part is we’re not even a socialist or communist state, we’re a capitalist society. The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago simply puts emphasis on education.
I really liked this video even if I didn't understand : What is a community college exactly ? I'm French and I don't think we have That kind of stuff like that here bc schools are free.
Can you do a video on transfer/undergrad scholarships? I'm in community college and it is hard to find scholarships that aren't for high school seniors, minorities, or first year students. It's like as soon as you finished a class in college no one wants for give you money 😂
*Community college is academically inferior to a "real school?" There isn't any social scene where you can avoid responsibility and get shit-faced at community college? Yeesh, those people need to make up their minds.* *Having never experienced a community college, and am hesitant to whole-heartedly endorse them, but they are definitely a viable option. I personally went to a large state school with a full academic scholarship.* *Fun Fact: The public schools I applied to not only had lower sticker prices than the private schools, two of them also offered me free rides. One of the private schools I applied to gave me their biggest available scholarship, but they were still the second-most expensive option I had on the table. Don't buy that bullshit about "Oh, but you'll get financial aid that will make the price comparable."*
Help: I'm at a large four-year high school now and I really wasn't to sure about it to begin with but went with it anyway to please everyone around me. I've decided to take the semester off and try to see what the next best thing to do it is. My decision to leave was also due to financial problems. My parents cannot afford to pay for me to go to school and I don't have any other outstanding forms of income headed my way. My grades in high school were slightly below average and my test scores were poor. My first semester college grades are almost all A's. I want the college experience but thinking about student debt literally brings me to tears. I'm trying to avoid going directly back home and am trying to figure out a way to swing it. Do you have any advice for me? Thanks
Same, I had horrible grades in high school and wasn't getting accepted anywhere. I started off with I think a 2.2 in my senior year :o and I ended CC with a 4.0 I transferred to the best school in my state and graduated it with a 4.0. Now, I'm on my second year of medical school.
that's awesome!
Wooooo! I'm at community college now, and thinking about going to med school.
Good for you!
congrats!!:D i just graduated high school with a low GPA (lower then 2.0) and after seeing this video and reading your comment, im definitely going to CC :)
There's absolutely nothing wrong with attending community college. In fact, I'm thinking attending when I graduate. The only difference between community college and those big universities, are the tuition cost and the location.
I graduated valedictorian of my high school and I went to a community college after high school. I felt the stigma hardcore. I agree it was the best decision I could have ever made. I stayed and got my associates degree which I only paid $6.65 for. Now I'm at a state school where tuition is about $10,000 a year. I only had to take a loan for $3500 because of Grant money from the school and from federal Pell grants. I also commute to school and my mom is gracious enough to let me live in her house. I also work part time. So if everything stays the same for next year I'll only have ~$7,000 in debt upon graduating from the state school.
+Jennifer Goebel Holy shit what state are you in? I'm at a state school and I'm paying more than double that in tuition!
I go to Ohio State University and I live in Ohio.
$6.65 for your associates - that is AWESOME!!!! Very cool and unique story, Jennifer!
I have a 4.0 and I'm still going to community college
congratulations on the grade sis!!!!!!! really curious about how your experience was (im from india, so I really just want to know what community college is like and stuff. not gonna need it for my life so you're good 😂)
like i just wanna know if it was worth it and your course and all of that jazz
your grade is so admirable :')
This makes me feel so much better about my choice for college! I was told the exact same thing that I was "too smart for community college" so much that I believed it. I applied to 3 schools and got in to every one because I had a 3.7 GPA however financially I just couldn't afford it. I'm starting at a cc in a few weeks and now I couldn't be happier with my decision! I do plan on transferring after I get my associate degree to my state university but honestly it was the smart choice and I'll be graduating with way less debt!
Yeah, I share a similar situation.
Nobody cares about where you get your degree from. From an employers perspective, unless it's an ivy league, it's all the same.
NileThe146 even Ivy League. There’s a site called the “Ivy lie”. I transferred to Columbia but HATED it so I transferred to state instead. My brother went to UC Berkeley for undergrad and Harvard for masters and is currently at Washington State for his PhD and he knew a lot of students who graduated Berkeley and Harvard who even had good degrees (Mathematics, Economics, Education) but ended up not finding jobs.
It’s more of a name brand if you will. If there’s a kid who kicked-ass in state university it’s significantly more impressive than a regular ivy student.
Very similar story here! I had AWFUL grades in High school(were talkin' a 2.3 GPA), and I didn't get into a single school I applied for. Just about to finish my 3rd semester at CC, and plan to transfer to my dream school in the summer with a 3.8 GPA :) CC has taught me how to study, and prioritize my education while balancing it with work.
Nice man is CC in your opinion worth it?
Joe Gonzalez I think it really depends on what you plan to do. I had a general idea of what I wanted to study (Economics), but I ended up deciding to change my major for a career I felt would be more fulfilling (Wildlife Biology). One of the great things about CC is that I didn't feel like I had wasted LOADS of money on a degree path I didn't end up doing. Community College isn't cheap (I'm paying for next semester out of pocket, and it's going to run me about 2k with books), but it's for sure cheaper than my local Universities. I find that the instruction at CC averages at about as well as a Uni (comparing with my friends who go to Uni). I would totally agree that there are Professors at CC's that probably shouldn't be teaching, but I think that's true of any school you look into. The great thing is that with new advents such as ratemyprofessor.com, it's far easier to avoid those terrible Professors. The ONLY downside to CC that I think is true, is that the amount of kids there just because their parents forced them to go is really frustrating. I'll be honest when I say that every class I've taken so far, there's been at least a couple of kids that just don't want to be there. That only becomes a serious issue if you have a Professor that plays to the lowest common denominator, and dumbs down the material to try and engage them. Most Professors though will simply withdraw them from the class, but there's always that chance they'll try and "fix" a poorly performing kid, and end up endangering everyone else learning experience. All in all CC is a cheap way to get some of your Gen ed's out of the way (English, Math, Science, etc.), and take a couple of focused courses (Economics, Art, Statistics, Psych, etc.) to see what you're interested in. My CC has a super easy transfer process to all three Uni's in my State, so it's always worth looking to see if there's a similar program in your area!
+Brennan Hays so how's the transferring aspect going?
MLG_Mahal I got accepted :) I start in the summer!
+Brennan Hays Overall how would you rate CC, including workload, professors, and the atmosphere? What classes did you take second year? Thank you so much. I start Fall 2016.
Brilliant video. I wish there wasn't a stigma attached to community college. It is often perfect for smart students who need adjustment time, smart people who want to save money, and anyone else for a hundred reasons.
Going to a CC is the best financial decision you've made. I hear high schoolers in our neighborhood say that they are going to these out-of-state universities for the "experience" knowing full well that the parents don't have the college funds for it. Lots of saving face... Kids really don't understand the gravity of having huge student loans, only the wise ones do.
I went to community college for my first year to save money, and I didn't have to pay a dime, and even got a scholarship. At some CCs they'll pay for your whole education, especially if you got good grades in high school or are poor.
As a student at community college, I could not agree more with this! My first year out of high school, I moved 2,000 miles away to attend a private music school. After a year, I wasn't sure about my career goals and was extremely worried if I'd even make money with a degree in music. Attending CC gave me a far better understanding of what it means to be a contributor to society, gave me the chance to explore other careers, and ultimately showed me careers in music are possible! Additionally, everyone at CC is there because they want to get the best education for of their time and money, a quality I did not see at the music school.
Seriously, thank you for making this!
Its not all bout money. But I agree nothing wrong with community. Follow your dreams man.
When I graduated high school in 2009, I planned to go to a community college. I'm not stupid and had a 3.4 GPA and did extracurricular activities. Yet, I didn't do PSATS, SATS, sports, and I come from a family without that extra money. Everyone made fun of those of us going to community college, and now, seven years later, nearly everyone has switched over to that same college or they're STILL working to try to get through the local university.
Alicia Kistner-King good one ..!
I regret the debt I acquired to get a four year degree I barely used. My much wiser nephew eventually turned his two year cc experience into fully funded undergrad and grad opportunities. He will graduate with a Masters with no debt and hopes to do the same for a PhD.
I had a 3.6 gpa after high school and went to a community college it saves money bro!
I definitely don't regret going to my expensive four year school, but looking back I definitely wish I had given CC a shot. Even, if for nothing else, I just took general classes over the summer.
One thing that I always like to mention in discussions like these is, if you have the grades, test scores, etc., and your family does not have a lot of money, don't be afraid of applying to the fancy private schools. Many of them, especially the research university types are need-blind in acceptance (they don't look at financial need in the acceptance process) and will cover full demonstrated financial need.
This is obviously not an option for all students, but it is a good thing to keep in mind. I managed a 4-year degree with no debt, my parents paying
Community college is also good for students who have difficult circumstances. I struggled severely with mental health for 2 years and was intermittently in the hospital. I couldn't immediately go to a four-year (even though I did get accepted into a lot of schools and had decent grades) because I wasn't psychologically ready. I also am exploring options in terms of my major that I wouldn't have been able to explore if I had went straight to a four-year.
My counselor in high school pushed me to apply to a lot of small, private, liberal arts colleges my senior year in the hopes of me getting a scholarship. Most, if not all of them, were test-optional schools that I applied to because I didn't feel confident enough to apply to schools like U of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana or UT Austin with an average ACT score. I don't consider myself a bad high school student, though. I graduated with a GPA of 3.5 and was able to snag one scholarship out of the seventeen I applied to. Despite this, I do regret not having applied to more public colleges. In the end, I didn't pick any of the private schools I got into and decided that community college was the best way to start off my schooling (especially since my parents wouldn't be helping me pay for college). I'm glad that the value of community college was discussed in this video, because the stigma that cc's get is not accurate.
I went to Community College and it was the best thing I could have ever done. I had okay grades, I think I left high school with a between a 2.9 and a 3.1 GPA I know it was around there, but I also don't test well and I test horribly with a fever- which I had when I took my SAT's (102).
Community College helped my realize I was intelligent and I had great critical thinking skills. It also helped me with punctuation grammar, which surprisingly isn't taught well in public school.
Thanks for making this video. I graduated from High School with high honors and my councilor told me that Community (Junior) College was a very wise alternative since my parents could not pay for my tuition. I worked and went to school, paid everything off as I studied, received a general Associates Degree, then started my own music business. I'm really glad I saved my money, went to CC and gained the knowledge to pursue my dream career without spending money on art/music school.
I absolutely agree with you. When I was in High School I had average grades,and took several AP classes,but I didn't feel ready to go to a major school. People in my own family looked down at me and compared me to cousins who were going to major schools,but I didn't let that get to me now I am almost done with my CC experience and am in the ballpark of getting into the school of my dreams.
Luz Ramos
Saaame
I graduated high school with a 1.3GPA anyone else get any lower ? i think that's as low as you can get honestly. All the teachers told me I was going to graduate with the skin on my teeth. I was bullied a good bit. Always hated coming to school I hated everyone I slept through all the classes I didn't like which were most of them. I do plan on going to CC but I really wanna go for something I like. I'm 4 years out of high school and have been doing factory work since then. It pays good but I need something better than working with machines and doing repetitive shit everyday this dulls creativity and has caused many problems in my life. If I'm gonna spend money on school I want it to be for something I'm gonna enjoy doing
This is SUCH a well put together video! The way you structured, articulated, and made it personal was so great! I'm shocked this video doesn't have more views - people NEED to see this! Excellent job, hands down.
I went to community college and loved it! Now I’m attending a 4-year university and graduating with a bachelors at the age of 19. I’ll be heading to grad school soon after.
CC is the best financial choice I made. It also gave me insight on how important school is by meeting older people who told me they were proud of the choices I’m making.
I also have a high paying salary than my peers because I had an associates degree.
I loveeeddd CC!
Great advice!!! My son is considering this due to finances and I think it's a great option. I went to a 4 year college and it took me into my 30s to pay it off and I paid what I could as I was going. My debt was what a year would be right now.
I did well in high school but still went to community college, in part because I just wasn't ready for full-time university. It was great and I got to meet wonderfully grounded people. Once I did transfer, I was able to hit the ground running and did arguably better than peers who started university directly out of high school.
I got my A.A.S. in CC and passed my nursing boards as RN w a 4.0. I then went to a state school with 4.0 and got a Bachelor's in Nursing and saved A LOT of money. I wouldn't change a thing.
I got my RN at CC and a lot of scholarships and transferred to a state school for a bachelor's degree.i love community college.
Although I did not studied in the USA. I graduated from high school in Greece with no good grades. Then I went to England to study. I graduated with a 3.5 GPA. And instead of Master degree I decided to do an apprenticeship as a machinist in Germany. And know I am working as an Industrial Engineer , which is between Business and Engineering fields. And my dream job.
I graduated with a 3.5 but I'm just going to save money
Probably one of the few people that went to university, got a Bachelor of Arts, then went to TAFE (Australian Community College) for a Diploma in Community Services and plan to go back to university to study social work. I'm putting all of my education in plan to help people through the arts. Don't listen to people saying a BA in Arts is a waste of time, you not using your degree to excel in your career and having no interest in it is a waste of time (regardless of what you study this still applies). I'd suggest doing TAFE/CC during highschool, trim off as many subject/certificates as you can before you graduate so you are in the favour of the school and you already know how the assessment works. In my Diploma, we are more practically and theoretically intensive than the university students but there is still the bias that TAFE students aren't smart. We are people and life educated though, try and teach someone that through a course and they'll flunk immediately. Do what makes you happy and make a plan for what you want to do
You forgot to mention you could also meet the love of your life at cc. Still together 10 years later. I finished prerequisites and then went To State for nursing, and then he went for nursing as well a few years later.now we're working nurses and only had 11,000$ in debt between the 2 of us which is a lot better than the 40k he brought with him from his previous private school degree
As someone living in the UK (where student loans aren't quite as bad as the US) this was still cool advice; making sure you've planned a financial path for Uni makes living so much easier and having only been at Uni for 2 weeks so far, I can say that thanks to this channel I already feel more positive about and more prepared for the future
I graduated high school with great grades and SAT scores, but was rejected my from first choice. Chose the school I'm at now purely because of its "prestige" aka because it was the hardest school I applied to to get into. Hate it. Completely and totally hate it, and I miss home so much. The social aspect is lacking, and I feel like I'm so homesick I can't make any real connections with people. It's so big it's so easy to feel anonymous and lost, plus the professors don't establish any sort of relationship. I'm planning on transferring to a CC close to home to save money while living at home, work, and then transfer. I'm excelling academically, so hopefully I get accepted and am way happier!
This is what I did. If you want details just PM me.
I graduated valedictorian with a 4.0, honors, tons of extra curricular activities, etc, got married and am going to community college. I'd rather get a free ride at a community college than graduate with $100,000 in debt like the people from my highschool, all because they wanted to brag about going to a state school; I'd rather not start out life with that hanging over my head
Damn you didn't get any offers from being valedictorian?
@@715SF probably, but maybe not a full ride or something
My high school had a program that let me take community college and it count for both my AA and high school classes. I wouldn’t have an my degree now without that. Having a transferable degree let me get great scholarships at a 4 year, and as a low income child of someone with disabilities I would NEVER have gotten a BS without scholarships.
Just wanted to say hi and that I think this was a really great video and something I hope to show to my future children some day. I also loved the little "...and CC what it can do for you..." play on words at the end :)
Graduated High School with a 1.25 GPA so I start community college the 29th and I feel that there is a lot of stigma like that you're not worth while if you don't start off at a University, or you're pretty stupid and I even had to be placed in an English class for those who have fallen a bit behind where they're supposed to be level wise because I was so severely bullied and had a lot of family drama during my high school years. I couldn't make the grades, I had so many things to worry about and all of the bullying and not just from students either. I had some teacher to student disrespect making school hell for me as well. I feel so stupid and worthless sometimes because I know that I have it in me to be a Uni student but High School was my own personal brand of Hell. Hopefully CC is my chance to turn this all around and get into the college of my dreams.
Damn this really hit home with me I can totally relate to this. I graduated with a 1.3 for pretty much the same reasons. It got so bad for me that I became very anti social with everyone but I still have hope
You can do it! I had a rocky path myself but now I almost have my bachelor's in international business. The biggest mistake you can make is thinking that you're not going fast enough. Decide the path that's right for you, even if it means taking longer and going a different route. Take care of your mental health too and prioritize it. I hope your first month at CC went well. I wish you good luck!
How did you even graduate highschool? I can’t graduate if I don’t pass 4 main course tests and 4 work samples...
I'm in Community College!!! 😋😋😋
+desteddyeggroll Awesome! Keep at it!
How's it going?
+MLG_Mahal It's great! Just started my 2nd semester
+desteddyeggroll how's the workload and the professors?
It's pretty normal. There are a lot of papers to write though. And the professors are friendly and nice! (At least mine are!)
I relate! I used up 3 years of university doing part-time studies for Biology but ended up flunking it. I was at a confused state, thinking that all along, I needed to get to university to look good on the outside and to feel better about myself which is a whole facade. Last year, I just realized taking Nursing at a community college was alright for me after all. Now I have finally found a direction. Judging colleges for university was a huge mistake. If most people open their mind and eyes a bit more, they need to know that employers would prefer their applicants with hands-on experience that colleges provide more than a 4 year university degree with no experience.
I got a GED and went straight into a community college. I didn't apply to any universities, but it would probably have been harder to get accepted if I did. My problem is that I didn't behave myself in high school, so I got kicked out. Community college gave me a second chance to do well and prove that I am still perfectly capable of doing school. I recently transferred to a university, and I am very thankful that I went to community college first now that I have seen how expensive university is compared to community college.
My first video on your channel, and it's amazing. My son will be attending CC this fall and I personally had/have many of the same negative assumptions about CC over a four-year college. He doesn't, but I think he'll get a lot out of this video. Thank you so much for this!
Yes to everything! I'm currently a student at a CC. I had fabulous grades in high school, but I was very intimidated by going straight to University. I know that I would've been so culture shocked that I don't know if I would've done well. On top of that, I'm going for FREE!! Woo!!! I use to hate when people I graduated with, adults, friends, etc. would say something like "I cannot believe you're going to community college. That's not real college." At some point, I just learned to roll my eyes, inform them that my classes are the exact ones they are taking at a 4 year, and end the conversation by simply saying "I'm getting these two years of very real classes for free...and how much debt are you going to be in...?" Community college is the bomb.
Thank you Chelsea! I went to community college for 3 years and ended up changing my major while there (biology to history/education) so even after I transferred to a 4 year school I had all my gen-ed courses done so I only had to focus on my core classes when I transferred. I also had so many friends and was involved in so many things at CC I don't think you really miss out on anything socially going there, unless you're a big sports fan in which case you can still go to your state's football/basketball/ etc events anyway. I say to my students now, there is nothing wrong with community college especially if you're not quite sure what you wanna study yet, and many of the professors at least at my CC also taught at 4 year schools so I was getting everything I would've gotten at a 4 year school for a fraction of the price. Even though I do still have student debt it's not nearly as bad as it could've been had I gone into a 4 year school right out of high school, especially considering my major switch.
I had good grades throughout high school but I sucked at standardized testing, I completely flopped on my SAT and participate in any clubs, I only had my theatre class. I have applied to a community college and felt so ashamed and dumb for some reason- this is the video I needed to realize that is such bullshit! Thank You!
I love u... thanks for the heads up. I have this chance of going to community college and I wanted to change but I didn't know think it was this awesome... 'I'll proudly CC"...
There are a million different ways to do things. I went to various grade schools, was homeschooled for a few years, got my GED when I was 16, went to community college and got my AA degree at 18, then went to a four-year arts conservatory college and got a BA. This was all with the help of financial aid, scholarships and loans, and I do have some debt but it's manageable (less than the average she gave). If you're relying completely on a 4-year school to be well-educated and well-adjusted socially, that's terrifying. Hang out with friends, travel if you can, join clubs, join a band, figure out what you enjoy by trying stuff, live your life, and don't worry about how anyone else defines 'success'.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS VIDEO!!!!!!! Had great grades, text scores and extracurricular activities, but chose to go for financial reasons and have saved thousands. Will get my BA later this year, my undergraduate total cost is less than $30,000....easy!
totally agree with this video. I was pushed by all my teachers to go to apply to big name schools and got that same "you're too smart for xyz cc" but the truth is that I was too lazy to truly hunt for scholarships and didn't understand the financial impact that I was signing up for. let's just say that I graduated 2.5 years ago and I absolutely hate making that monthly loan payment and seeing that overall debt barely move! I have a younger cousin graduating high school in a year and I'm pushing her to go to cc first!
I can completely vouch for the financially beneficial decision of community college. I, too, transferred to a four-year school to get a degree that didn't land me a job right away. (Theatre) But, thanks to my two years at a CC, I was able to graduate with my BA less than $3,000 in debt. Like you said, it's all about planning and doing what's best for *you,* not anyone else.
You're neglecting to mention a few things:
1. Community college ISN'T always a smart financial decision. Private universities covered all of my expenses as a low-income student (and I'm not an exception--this is common for private universities). Not to mention the fact that my parents couldn't afford to keep me at home, so had I chosen a community college, I STILL would have had to move away and pay all of my own expenses, which would have given me more debt than I accumulated at a private university. It all depends on your personal situation.
2. Not all community colleges are created equal. Yes, some of them are AMAZING and will transfer all of your credits and will have plenty of spaces in all off the classes you need and offer awesome extracurricular activities BUT many of them are absolute shit and don't do any of these things. I can't tell you how many friends I have at various community colleges who can't finish their certificate programs 6 YEARS LATER because classes aren't offered in sequence, class sizes are too small so they can't get in, etc, etc, thus delaying employment in their field and lowering their earning power. Do your research before you decide to sign up at the nearest CC. Make sure it actually WILL work for you, if that's what you decide to do.
+Music Dork Sorry this is so long...
1. I definitely agree that finances always depend on your personal situation, but there are always options out there. Most community colleges do exactly the same thing and cover expenses for low-income students. A friend of mine paid only $16 for the semester just for the health services fee; all books and tuition were free. I found enough scholarships to cover my $700 in books and tuition plus housing and am lucky enough to be able to stay with a roommate. A lot of people also stay with friends if they can't afford to stay home (or with their parents if their parents can afford it) to keep costs down and community living has a number of other benefits. If this isn't an option, search for the thousands of scholarships out there and put the time into applying for a couple. Its worth a shot.
2. Not all community colleges are created equal, however its not always the fault of the college or even university you plan on transferring to, you have to do the research. Most universities have a transfer tool where you can choose the community college class you have taken and see if it transfers to said university and what it transfers as. This is great because you can check with my university beforehand whether or not my classes transfer and not waste money on the classes that don't. My photo class is transferring as an art class to my university, but I'm using the credit as an elective so it works beautifully in my situation. If your university you plan on transferring to does not have this tool, community colleges have a transfer center or student center where they can help you figure out your schedule. There is almost always an option to pre-register for classes so you are practically guaranteed the classes you require as well so you aren't wasting your time waiting for the required courses.
I hope this helps if you are still studying and gives other people a little insight to community college. Before starting, I thought it would be terrible and desperately wanted to go to university because I did have the grades, but still lack the finances. So far, it has been going pretty well and I've been able to balance school with my job so I can save money and transfer to university in a couple years. There is always a negative connotation to community and of course it has its flaws as well, but I've never met someone who regretted their decision to choose community first. I hope you choose the option thats best for you as well.
...so, you agree with me? This seemed like a long thing to type out in order to agree with someone. Do you research, and it depends on your personal situation?
I find it irresponsible for somebody running a financial blog/vlog to tout CC as the definitive "cheapest" option when that isn't always true. The sticker price of a private university is outrageous, but, like a car, nobody actually pays sticker price. Like we both said, it depends on your personal situation, and do your research.
Obviously it is the fault of the people who signed up at CC without checking their programs (though when this happens to 95% of the people you know there, you have to wonder if it's them, or the college telling them false information. Also, pre-registration?? Are you SURE you went to CC? That only exists for special needs students here). Again, DO YOUR RESEARCH.
I chose the right option for me, because I researched, and I merely hope others do the same.
tl;dr: Don't sign up at the nearest community college because some lady on the internet told you to. DO YOUR RESEARCH.
(Also, where is this stigma you all speak of coming from? Your HS guidance counselors should be pushing everyone to community college; acceptance anywhere, be it community college or a conservatory, makes their numbers look better. Literally everyone should be advocating for it, and they damn well were where I come from. It's not a stigma when 5/6th of your graduating class goes to CC. It doesn't mean it's the right choice for everyone, but it's certainly not a stigma.)
The most important thing is that people research the school they are looking at. They will usually say whether or not their credits transfer and where they can transfer to, and if they don't, universities will be able to tell someone whether or not they accept any or all credits from certain community colleges. I can't agree with anything you said, because there are three local community colleges in my area, all of which transfer ALL credits to many universities in my state, and they all have multiple campuses that each offer the same classes at many different times. I've had no problem with availability of classes, and my CC offers every class that I need to get my AS before transferring to my uni of choice. Although, I do live in Tennessee, and there is a big emphasis on the importance of community college (all high school grads can get 2 years free at a CC, woo!). So, it may be different here than some other places.
Brittany Davenport Lol you don't have to have the same experience to agree with me. I used examples to highlight a point: do your research and make the decision that's right for you. It seems like you agree with that, no? That's literally your first sentence.
I'm glad this isn't the case with CCs everywhere and I'm apparently the only person familiar with shitty CCs. I'm genuinely glad your experience was different.
I'm from Michigan. There are several decent CCs in the area, but one particularly terrible one, which unfortunately is also the closest to where I live and where a lot of people from my high school end up because it's cheap and close and people think they can't get into/can't afford anywhere else (see comment #1) and the school makes grand promises (like most schools do to attract students). I took classes there as a high school student and it was an awful experience. They have spaces saved for HS students in several classes and trying to get into those classes was still a nightmare, even with the help of competent HS guidance counselors. And none of the credits transferred anywhere when I graduated and went to college, of course. So many friends are there now with such bullshit struggles that nobody should have to go through. "I need a science class and they only have one this semester that fits my schedule so I signed up for it and they cancelled it 3 weeks in! Now I can't even try to change my schedule to get into a different class, and I'm short on credits so I can't get full-time aid! They didn't even warn me they might cancel the class!" "I took 101 level class and 102 supposed to be offered in the fall but it's not in the course catalog and according to my counselor it's not being offered again till next spring!" Yeah, great school.
Music Dork You just highlighted a niche. CC usually is the best way to go, and obviously there will always be exceptions. Most CCs have a transfer system because they know a 2 year degree isn't generally where students stop. CC is also waaaay cheaper than almost every university. You just just happen to be an exception, whether you see that or not. If Private Universities were paying off smart, low income students, 50 of the graduating seniors at my school should be in a private university. CC is GENERALLY the way to go.
I recommend community college to everyone graduating high school. The pre-reqs at CC are exactly the same quality as any other school. Plus you probably wont be in debt and will be able to change your major any time you like. I did CC then transferred to a fancy private school and saved myself $60k - which is SO much money
I went to a community college for automotive technology and it really paid off. The only reason I chose CCAC in the Pittsburgh area because it was the cheapest and best option, and because I was sponsored by a dealership, I don't have to pay anything back.
More relevant than ever. Thank you!
I've attended community college, two universities and a for-profit school, and the best quality (and cheapest) education was by far at the cc. After I graduate and get a full time job I will continue my education most likely at a cc.
Brilliant video. I was in such a similar spot my senior year and I too became a professional writer in my 20s.
i kinda ended up realizing this info in the past few weeks and as i hear you explain it, i feel rather comforted, in a way? but also, since i’m not living in the country i want to go to college in, it’s kind of.. strange. idk. the video’s really helpful regardless!
As someone who just transferred this year after getting a degree at a community college, I can say that the experience was TOTALLY worth it. I worked throughout those two years, so my associate's degree is entirely paid off and the only debt I have is for the half of the tuition I have to pay towards my currently schooling.
Yeah there's good and bad teachers, just like anywhere. One of my teachers there was nominated for two Pulitzer prizes.
I went to save money. I was accepted into 4 different schools. Then when my parents and I looked at the cost vs my college savings the Community College option was just the smartest choice. And I will not lie the stigma was something that I had to get over. But now I'll be graduating with no debt. Most of my friends though have at least $20,000 debts. One of my close friends went to a private University for all 4 years and will be walking away with over $200,000 in debt. In Texas that's the cost of a pretty nice house.
I actually graduated high school in June with a 3.7 GPA and scored a 1390 on the SAT, but I didn’t do a stellar job applying to schools, so the aid packages I received were paltry at best. I’m graduating CC in May because I started the early admission program last year, and I’m in the honors program so I may be able to get scholarships.
This was perfectly said. Good job!
State school satellite campuses are also a great option! Penn State has a program where you spend 2 years at a satellite campus (usually as a commuter) and then transfer to their main campus. It's a good way to start out and save some money, although I think it's slightly more expensive than CC.
Great video! I think you covered all the advantages of going to a Community College.
I’m attending CC full-time during my senior year. I’ll probably stay another year. Great way to limit debt! My GPA is 3.7 and my SAT was a 1390.
this video came out on my birthday last year, i love this!! such a good video
I attended community college in high school through running start. Many schools have programs like this so if you are in high school you should ask your counselor. It could give you 2 years worth of free college credits that can cut some time and costs from school.
I'm about to go into my senior year and this really helped me a lot. Thank you :-)
i have a 4.4 gpa and got into all the UCs except berkeley and i’m going to cc because i just can’t afford any of them, which sucked butt btw if anyone’s wondering
I'm going to community college while working full time community college is great and it's a hell of a lot cheaper than a 4 year university, I'm currently taking ACT prep and my scores have definitely improved I went from a 16 to 24, and I'm determined to not have any student debt.
Wow (just saw this). Congratulations on being recruited right out of college. I like your videos on the Financial Diet. Thus helped demystify for me, the going to school. I love school, but didn't do well. I did not keep up. I would probably now try to learn as much as I could on my own (a general education)_ and the see if I could follow a structure, as school seems to be that. It could be that this is the turning point to my life (poverty,etc). thanks (good luck with everything). You don't know how what you do or are even, can make a difference (yeah). I'm off (at 64). A fan.
Same story with bad high school grades and going to CC, and now I'm going to transfer to a 4 year next semester with no debt going into it! Sharing this :D
I'm very lucky that my local community college grew into a regular college, It's still growing. This school is 1,500 full time. The local university near me, full time is 3,500. Some of my friends are taking the same classes as me in the university. I'm paying 1500 each semester.
monica solis which college do ypu go to?
i was actually mostly unaware of the stigma surrounding CC. while i know people prefer going to big fancy schools, my family has always gone to CC because we're poor. I'm a senior in high school but I'm doing online classes (more variety and flexible schedule) so I don't even know the social aspect of highschool. I'm actually planning on attending a CC and then transferring to another school because my family is poor and I'll have to rely on financial aid. But because of how poor my family is, I qualify for grants. But money problems aside, I actually get good grades too but I'm still going to do CC because it's what I'll be able to afford. (as in I'm an A-B average with only one C on my transcript)
Bcuz you have been honest and I know it after watching tons of your videos, I believe you on this. But I still do my own research
Yay canada! I'm living off government money for the time of my school (3 years)... this means 6700$ of money just given to me, no need to pay it back, and 3000$ of loans that are interest free. I will also be receiving bonuses for my good grades. Each of my semesters cost 150$ and about 200$ of books per semester (some programs cost a lot more in books.) I have no need for a weekend job, although i do live very modestly, no stress about after school and having to pay it back. Education should be affordable to have a majority of people be qualified for a big variety of jobs and have competent workers.
Thank you, this helped gain me a lot of insight!
I did my first two years as an undergraduate in community college. My grades were good enough to get me a scholarship at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, making an $80,000 (mid to late 1990s) bachelor's degree in biochemistry cost on $20,000.
Being both a PhD (chemistry) and a community college graduate, I find the expression "too smart for community college" hilarious. Community College is a large part of why I was able to pay off my student loans four years after graduate school.
I was too smart NOT to go to community college.
I went to community college at 13 and transferred to university. I met SO many 4.0 high school students it was insane. I transferred to Colombia but HATED IT! So I transferred to a state uni.
Why’d you hate it? Really curious to hear your thoughts!
@@raiha1425 douchebags. Douchebags. Douchebags. Douchebags. So much opulent arrogance. People who have never experienced a day of the real world. Offering their snobbish solutions on what to do without experiencing anything. No empathy. No sympathy. Too many fake personalities. Narcissists dehumanizing each other and the world around them. Ivy League universities to them are equivalent to designer brands to these people. Over-commodified. Half the students go there for the name of the university and that’s it. They show off their statuses of students at a prestige college the same way an entitled “Karen” would show off an expensive handbag. Half of them are not there to learn, but they’re there for NAME of being there. Not for the professors. Not to discover. Not to expand their imaginations, world views, knowledge, learning other cultures, etc. They dare not to drive into ghettoes and hoods to see how bad their elitist parents (both Democrats and Republicans) have betrayed our country. No moral and philosophical nuance. It’s “I go to Columbia and I’m better than you. You know nothing in spite of what you have experienced.” The ones who are there because Mom and Pops were able to pay for an private preschool, private school and expensive tutors in their teen years, and so on.
The only good ones there are the other 50%, the eager to learn, eager to question, challenge, become in awe at the library, raised by blue coller parents. Will study because they are fervent about what they study. The ones who have found their callings. However, they have to put up with the other ungrateful 50% that I mentioned earlier.
I love and cherished the good half, but the ungrateful arrogant half just was too much. I can see why so many of the good ones are depressed as hell when they get out.
What's about international students?
This has helped me lot, thank you :)
Oh my god this is ssooooo helpful thank you so much for making this video
I coach soccer at a community college. This stigma hurts my bringing in players I'd like to get. They end up going to four year schools and are sometimes miserable and going to end up in huge debt. I wish I had gone to my CC like my Dad suggested.
And by the way when you are choosing a private college over a public you should consider is that private college a good college because many private ones are not worth the money don't pay extra for the same education if I were to go to a private college I make sure that it is a good one and that it would be right for me and my future you don't always have to take out student loans if you want to go to a public one and it is in state it about 10k to 15k tuition a yearly most middle class can afford that and there is also scholarships too unless you got not a single dime but many of them have plans for low income students same for private many have scholarships and low income students plans you're not really going to a bunch of debt it depends on how you play the money game and you probably should know how to play that if you want to go that route because private ones are expensive
i like this video it was like you were reading my mind with the situations that had happen to you cuz they're similar to me
Helpful!
I'm an international student and I really want to study in the US so its very appreciated if someone guided me through cheap community colleges and what to do, how to apply...etc. I'm so lost at the moment and this would really help a lot
Awesome information, thank you so much!
Tennessee has free two years at a CC for residents and all the credits transfer.
Not all community colleges do all of that and I'm not saying it is bad. For a lot of students who are out going and know how to be a student and have a game plan and know how to play the game of school community college a lot of times can be a waste of time and money because only about 11 something percentage of people nationwide who went to community college get bachelor degrees and many of them don't transfer your credits and it could affect your future dreams if it is the shitty ones many would find themselves limited with choices. Some community college are great you screwed up your high school you go in and they teach you how to be a student and they transfer all the credits unless you're totally stupid and got terrible grades while in community college. Not all higher or university degrees are unless it depends on the person and their interest people can come out of regular colleges and it was useless people coming out of community college can think it was a waste of time
In Canada we call it colledge and university, but is it the same for here with the transfer thing?
Thank you so much. ❤
I love this video.
Im from indonesian 🇲🇨 n i school here community college madiun
Community colleges are the best thing ever
I’m so glad we have A levels in my country’s education system. Your community college associates degrees are equivalent to my A levels and I’m 2 years younger by the time I’m done. Completely debt free because secondary school education is paid for by the government. Not to mention we have a tertiary education program that pays anywhere from 25% to 100% of university tuition depending on your household income. AND the government offers national scholarships to high school students based on their A level grades that covers tuition and other expenses for up to 5 years of their tertiary education. AND since we follow the British model we can go to med school or law school, etc straight after A levels and the government programs will pay for it. The best part is we’re not even a socialist or communist state, we’re a capitalist society. The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago simply puts emphasis on education.
I really liked this video even if I didn't understand : What is a community college exactly ? I'm French and I don't think we have That kind of stuff like that here bc schools are free.
+GoodNight Gwen Really? School is free in France that's awesome.
lol school isn't "free" it's paid by tax dollars.
Great Video 👍
cc costs expensive for foreign students😢
Can you do a video on transfer/undergrad scholarships?
I'm in community college and it is hard to find scholarships that aren't for high school seniors, minorities, or first year students. It's like as soon as you finished a class in college no one wants for give you money 😂
*Community college is academically inferior to a "real school?" There isn't any social scene where you can avoid responsibility and get shit-faced at community college? Yeesh, those people need to make up their minds.*
*Having never experienced a community college, and am hesitant to whole-heartedly endorse them, but they are definitely a viable option. I personally went to a large state school with a full academic scholarship.*
*Fun Fact: The public schools I applied to not only had lower sticker prices than the private schools, two of them also offered me free rides. One of the private schools I applied to gave me their biggest available scholarship, but they were still the second-most expensive option I had on the table. Don't buy that bullshit about "Oh, but you'll get financial aid that will make the price comparable."*
What were your grades like, out of curiosity?
Help: I'm at a large four-year high school now and I really wasn't to sure about it to begin with but went with it anyway to please everyone around me. I've decided to take the semester off and try to see what the next best thing to do it is. My decision to leave was also due to financial problems. My parents cannot afford to pay for me to go to school and I don't have any other outstanding forms of income headed my way. My grades in high school were slightly below average and my test scores were poor. My first semester college grades are almost all A's. I want the college experience but thinking about student debt literally brings me to tears. I'm trying to avoid going directly back home and am trying to figure out a way to swing it. Do you have any advice for me? Thanks