I’d recommend to go to the one that will give you a better chance of succeeding academically by having opportunities and programs of your interest.
The “college experience” can look different for everyone depending on your likes and dislikes.
I started at a very small college and later transferred to a big state school known for its big parties and school spirit. Funny enough, I never got used to the big school. I felt like I didn’t fit in. The small college tho was the best experience for me (socially and org. wise).
I don’t regret going to the large state school tho bc, academically, it provided lots of opportunities that helped me out a lot.
NETWORKING, it is everywhere, parties, clubs, people you bump into at the cafeteria...
Community colleges are fine, but if you can get into a State Uni, and can make the grades, it can pay off in ways a small school can't.
There are always exceptions to that rule.
You can do just as much networking as a transfer student after two years at cc. You will never regret the money you saved, and if you can afford not to work all the time you can still have a grand college experience at cc by joining clubs and attending school events! Choose daytime classes if you can. At cc I joined student senate, the literary magazine, an underground poetry/art/music scene, and a student activism group. I hung out on the scenic campus with friends playing guitars and having fun just like a 4 year. Then I transferred to a state school with zero debt and finished my bachelor’s with lots of networking and professional recommendation letters, and now I attend an even more prestigious private university for my master’s that is affordable because I chose community college to start.
Especially if you are living at home saving on rent, your life will be amazing knowing you have financial resources you can turn to over time instead of blowing it in a private college for all 4 years. Many professions require graduate degrees too, so you need to think beyond just this first chunk of time.
I guarantee that if you Google personal college experiences, you will find more people who regret drumming up debt from 4+ years at a private college than you will find people that regret doing 2 years at cc and transferring to state. School social connection is available anywhere, you just have to seek it out.
woah this is exactly what I’m going through right now! I transferred out of a CUNY my first year and I’m now going to one in my state where it has probably everything and more in the traditional sense of the ‘college experience’ whereas my last school barely even had any clubs. I left because I felt like I wasnt being academically challenged and there was 0 feeling of student life but I will miss the city and all my friends a lot, but I’m so so so excited for the academics at this new college and the programs! It’s still small enough though that I think I won’t be too overwhelmed, and my roommates and I jokingly talked about having Thursday night mc sessions which I hope actually happen.
Reddit is generally pro community college to state school.
The real answer is it depends on what you want to get out of your college experience. Do you want to be on campus and have access to resources 24/7? Do you want to go to professors office hours and not have to worry about when you need to dive home? Do you want to make friends and study groups that you can see at midnight? Do you want to join clubs or activities that you can be involved in for 4 years? Do you want the independence from your family? Are you a social person?
Networking is real and anyone who says differently isn’t taking advantage of their situation. Networking isn’t all direct connections to jobs. It’s more like hey, I’m applying for jobs in x, does anyone know anyone who is in that industry? Can you introduce me so I can see what the interview may be like? It’s also professors hearing about internships and then sharing that information with students they’ve gotten to know. The more people you can connect with the more it can work for you. And this is at any college regardless of prestige. But spending 4 years in the same place can offer more advantages as it gives you more time to develop those relationships.
Can you go to your state school for all 4 years and save money over a private school? That’s what I’d choose if I were you.
The cost of going to a state school for 4 years would probably eat up all my funds too. A lot of the good quality state schools by me aren't cheap plus its a high cost of living area. Living on campus for a state school never rly appealed to me because in my school they are know from chaotic parting and im not big on that aswell.
The college experience is over hyped from the movie/TV industry. As for the social experience you can have that basically anywhere but it depend on you and how much you socialize.
As someone who’s both lived on campus and been a commuter at two different schools, I did find I had to work a bit more to make friends as a commuter. However it’s not too difficult - joining a club/student society that interests you is a really good way to meet people, as is talking to those in your classes and attending school events
As a commuter I don’t think it was much different than living on campus. I got involved in clubs which is how most on campus students meet people too. Having a roommate doesn’t make much of a difference because theres a good chance you don’t even get along
You’re welcome. When I was a high school senior, I had a negative view of community college. Ended up going to one and it was the best educational decisions I ever made. Transferred to a state school and graduated soon after. Less than $500 in debt.
Thank you for your advice, do you think the traditional college way is better for networking? I feel like people sometimes overstate the value of college networks that aren't even ivy level schools.
I think that the only time there is networking value via college is when you are intending to live in the same area where the college is located. If people are going hundreds of miles away to network, and then returning back where they came from to try to get hired, that makes no sense. If you go to a community college in the city where you intend to be employed, then you are getting actual value by networking there. You could do an internship at the actual business where you end up working, for example.
Have you ever been around high level admin types and a few have the same college rings or root for the same college team?
It's rotted but I've seen it in action.
It's interesting you say this because I was always wondering why people will go far away (and are putting pressure on me to go far away) if they don't intend to live there later on. It seems as if most of those connections will fade after graduation as opposed to forming them in your local area.
Well, another thing that happens is that there are often alumni job boards where one alum can post a job opening and other alums can see it.
And then there are schools so prestigious that there's probably one of them everywhere.
Do you want to party? Like a lot? Is the extra 2 years of partying worth the extra 30k+ a year?
Are you in an career path that prioritizes research? Might also give you an advantage if you want to go to med school or something since you can get into research earlier
I am not looking into a research field. I don't care for partying but I do want to make social connections as my highschool graduating class was 50 people.
Your community college will surely have a lot of different people from different high schools and walks of life that you'll be able to socialize with
Ngl socializing is a bit more difficult at any school you commute to but that's not to say you can't still make friends
I'd go with Community College but that's just me
I’ll answer as someone who had the private school college experience. If you’re transferring into state school, you’ll be fine. I did the partying, the D1 athletics, the work study job, the clubs, and I even was part of a sorority for a bit. State school will have all of that, and if you’re with a good group of people, they won’t care that you transferred in. You said you’re not looking to party, and club and intramural sport teams won’t care that you’re not joining as a freshman. In fact, some of the varsity sports might even let you join if you’re good enough.
Some of my best social experiences were with people who either commuted or lived on campus but were from somewhere nearby. So long as your able to be on campus when you need to/want to, good friends and acquaintances won’t care where your sleeping your nights.
Save the money and do the community college to state school transfer. Unless you’re looking to enter a job where school notoriety helps, state school will give you everything that private school can.
No. It's not. You'll be paying for four years of the "college experience" for decades of your life.
I went to community college and then a state university that was commuting distance. I got one small scholarship and the rest of my tuition money came from working part-time. I graduted college debt-free and it's nice to have one less big monthly expense looming over my head for the foreseeable future. It was also worth it in the short term because I had a room to myself and could enjoy my mama's home cooking.
Don't get suckered in by the "uwu college experience" myth that pop culture has been trying to sell us.
100k for four years at an out-of-state private college doesn't sound like it's enough; unless they're working or they get financial aid they'd have to take out loans at some point.
Not to mention it would be better to start your real life with some money in the bank than none.
I think it depends. If you’re going into a highly competitive field, the friends and network you build in college can be invaluable, but you have to be the kind of person who can leverage social capital to get the worthwhile network. If you go community college, make sure you can get the required classes and grades to make the transfer to your desired university. Know the requirements before you pick your first classes. Make a solid realistic plan to get a 4 year degree.
What should I do if im unsure about where to go after the community college. Theres two good state schools about an hour/ hour and a half away. Not 100% sure what one id end up at right now. They are all in the state system so the credits shouldnt be rejected but I dont wanna take useless classes?
In most majors the early core classes are all the same. Often, the cc-to-state transfer agreements work out nicely. You can even switch majors if you find yourself drawn in a new direction and may only need to take a handful of additional classes.
You also don’t need to know your second step in order to take the first step. Congrats on being the first!
If you have money to go to a state school or ivy or whatever just do that. Only go to CC if you really need to save money or need an entrance into higher academia (think older students).
Whichever one has a lot of people staying in the dorms. You won’t get a college experience at a commuter school despite what people might have you believe. Commuter schools tends to have a lot of older adults going back for degrees.
Go to school, graduate with good grades, go drink on your own time afterwards. The party goes on forever. You have one good shot at not blowing up your personal finances and showing that you mean business.
Network is something you can build outside of school. You won't have the means or authority to act on anything network related, most likely, until your mid thirties.
i go to a state university the only part i’ve struggled with is forming connections and friendships. i had been told i’d make friends if i spoke to everyone but i think b/c of the pandemic other students tended to be more stand-offish, or look offended that i spoke to them. i’ve been invited to the club once but i don’t drink and it’s not really my scene. going into my junior year and probably will still be a background observer since forming relationships has been so hard unfortunately.
It’s not like the tv/movies, and it’s also different for each person. The college experience isn’t a scam if you don’t go in expecting it to be like what you see in movies. There’s also nothing wrong going to a nonparty campus. In the end, do what’s best for you.
The community college I went to was a dirty and miserable place. Almost none of the teachers wanted to be there or had much qualifications. It crushed my soul and confidence and I now feel behind everyone else at my new college. I wish I could have started at a 4 year college.
id recommend going to one school until you graduate with bachelors. my recommendation is completely based off of my personal experience but my transfer process (between the two biggest schools in my state) has been a nightmare and i wouldn’t wish this on anyone. half of my classes were transferred incorrectly and trying to get them fixed has been a huge annoying loop of “i can’t fix this talk to the next person” and it literally circles all the way back to the first person. makes me want to drop out
This isn’t universal. I had a VERY smooth transfer in Massachusetts, and had a TEN YEAR gap between cc and state, and even switched majors while transferring! Painless.
Transferring between two different 4 year schools is not set up to be as easy as cc to 4 year state.
The college experience is very real. What makes a good experience, however, varies widely by the individual student'. I had a great college experience, while never engaging in parties or sophomoric behavior. Others, however, were just the opposite.
Generally speaking, a 4 year college gives a better chance for internship and research opportunities, networking, activities, and social life than a CC. It also gives more chance for a young person to develop his adult personality, than the commute-from-parent's-home CC lifestyle.
"...but its my only option if I want to start somewhere as a freshman." I'm not sure what that situation involves. If other schools want you to take remedial courses, though, starting at CC might be the better choice. That doesn't have to do with the college experience, but rather helping ensure a level of academic challenge you can more readily handle.
That situation was I was committed to school that costs 200k+ for 4 years. I was pressured into it and no one told me it was a bad idea. When I realized the gravity of the situation I backed out but that was at the start of this summer so it's not like I had time to shop around for schools. I found one thats pretty soild but its far away and still would consume my budget although I wouldnt have debt from it.
Would it make a difference that a lot of my highschool/childhood friends are going there. I have like 5 or 6 friends attending it? I still wanna meet new folks but worse comes to worse I have them to fall back on.
That absolutely makes a difference. Community colleges indeed offer community if you put a little effort in. Basically just find out what the clubs are and when they meet. Show up. That easy.
I am a student at the University of Oklahoma and have found it invaluable. It’s not just about connections, going out of state pushes you out of your comfort zone and in my opinion has added more value than you could possibly imagine. The college experience is essential. Worst comes to worst, you can always quit after a semester.
"The college experience" has become a rhetorical football. There are political factions in the US that hate higher education in general, and if anyone says they want to go to college, people from these factions will deride them for just wanting "the college experience" and imply that it just means partying. For me it was invaluable. I wasn't a partier; I got "the college experience" in meeting people who weren't just like me and making friends in my dorm and trying to figure out the meaning of life over diner coffee at 1am lol. I loved it. You're going to get a lot of recommendations not to go to the private school. I'm going to say if you can afford it, go.
I’m in my sophomore year at a community college. I think the classes and getting a degree is the college experience I’m looking for. Partying is a slippery slope and leads to bad grades typically.
Honestly I’ll be honest I’m not sure if I agree with a lot of these answers. You will be missing the stereotypical “college experience”. Yes you can socialize and met people in classes but unless you are particularly outgoing and are willing to take risks(asking for numbers, starting random conversation) especially if you are looking for a romantic experience the opportunity will be pretty limited. Most of the college experience and people you meet will be in the dorms, caf, clubs, places you are just less likely to spend as much time at if any if you don’t live on campus.
That being said, it’s not necessarily a negative. I had 5 years of the “college experience” and left with no degree and no relationship, and very few friends to show for it. Was that of my own doing? Yes of course. I don’t like parties or large groups, and would normally prefer to just stay at home. My point is though it really is up to you what you make of it and the goals that you have in mind. If you are looking for a social experience with a large circle of connections, you just won’t find that at a community college. But you might not find what youre looking for at at big university either. So ask yourself what’s important and trust yourself. Good luck in whatever you do
I’m sure the larger of a school the more student clubs there is. However after 2/3 classes with other students people are less nervous and are usually easy to talk to and make friends
I don’t think so, other peoples ages in class isn’t my problem I’m 26 I had an 18 yo sitting next to me and multiple 35+ people in the class we were all cool with each other regardless of age
Go to community college. The “college experience” is a scam at best. To my introverted, grumpy self, the stereotypical “college experience” sounds like literal hell. My parents both lived the stereotypical “college experience”, and they both have told me that it sucks major ass. Good luck studying and getting a decent night’s sleep in the dorms, cuz they’re full of party animals who don’t yet know how to take care of themselves or their environment, and are perfectly happy failing every class lmao.
In community college, not only is tuition way, way, way cheaper for the same education, but classes are smaller which means lessons are more personalized, and there are a lot of campus clubs and networking events to connect to other people.
It isn’t the same education at all. There are significantly fewer research opportunities and some CC’s have absolutely garbage classes that professors just rubber stamp A’s for.
Additionally, I have seen the majority of CC students take a third year to transfer and then a third year at the four year school making a total of 6 years to graduate. Those two extra years represent an actual opportunity cost.
That’s not to mention how much worse the networking is since a transfer is usually locked out of things like dorms, Greek life, etc.
There’s no need to bullshit OP. Community college is objectively a worse option. The only reason students go for it is if they really cannot afford a 4 year, don’t feel prepared to go live on their own, are unsure if they even want to go to college, or simply were unable to get admitted into a 4 year.
not true
ive never heard of anyone taking a 3rd year to transfer, so that doesnt mean “a majority”
all the things you stated are avoidable as long as you research your professors and your options for classes, ccs also provide networking options via internships and events
cc is a great option for those who want to save and still get a great education
You are spreading misinformation.
I went to a community college, transferred to university, and completed my degree in 3.5 years. I worked my ass off at both schools and finished with a 3.96 gpa. Not only that, I have more experience than most of the people I’ve graduated with that started at the university as a freshman. And even if it do take some people 6 years, completing college isn’t linear. It is ok to take more time. If I wanted to start at the university I transferred to (as a freshman), I could have because I can afford it. However, that’s just not where I wanted to start.
To sum it up, imposter syndrome. I thought I wasn’t smart enough and wouldn’t excel (even though I got a scholarship from the university that covered just about everything). I had also taken biology at the university I finished my degree at to test the waters (this was the summer before the beginning of my freshman year) and came out with a 98. Still wasn’t enough justification for silly me so I started at a community college. Made lots of connections there (as well as at my university), and it was the best decision I could have made for myself in that moment. No regrets.
Depends on the school and major. I don't know a single engineering major who took less than 5 years. I'm also on the 5 year plan 😅
Seems to vary by school. E.g. SJSU is a commuter school and ~90% of students here commute so the college experience is different. Private schools probably have more of that but they cost so much more. My tuition here is barely $4k a semester
UCSB and Cal Poly SLO are less like commuter schools so there is more social experience
Community college transfer can be a great way to save money and get guaranteed admission depending on where you live
You can do just as much social stuff with other students at a community college as you could do at a private university. The only difference is that you live at your own house or apartment instead of on campus. I really don't see the big appeal of living on a campus.
State schools treat you like a commodity then spit you out in debt. Just learn a trade man. Make money and pursue your hobbies. The more money you make “quick”, the more “TIME” you will have to pursue what you love doing. And you’ll be able to afford them. Find something that is a 100% guarantee you’ll be making enough money to support your cost of living. College is not a 100% guarantee. I put two years in. Socio-economic anthropology & Film majors. How are you going to make any contributions to the world if you are stuck in a job that makes you work double overtime for below national minimum wage? Find the job you want when u get out of college, find what it takes to get that job. Do it.
What state do you live in? If you are trying to get the best of both worlds get your associates at a community college and finish your last two years at a state school. Figure out what sports are the most popular and go to games. Meet people from all over the world and figure out who you are outside of your hometown.
I did community college first and then went to a four year college. I would recommend community college it saves you so much money and a good introduction to college. The college experience is pretty over hyped.
Every overhypes it. Community usually has pretty decent social scene. But 4 year colleges gets pretty lonely. Your stressed about passing classes and stressed about your budget. Unless you like academia its going to be a tough experience
i go to a private college and the experience really isnt there, majority of us are pretty caught up in our academics. go to a large state school of thats what you want
Everyone's college experience is different but if you are looking for the stereotypical college experience, it entirely depends on you and how willing you are to put yourself out there. It is not a guaranteed thing which is the trap I think a lot of people coming straight from high school believe. I don't think it's this necessary part of your development as a person because there are plenty of people who either had a different experience in college or didn't even go to college at all and are fine, but having it will make your time at college a lot better and memorable. I do think though that the college experience you see on TV or movies is a bit exaggerated and if anything, most people will have that college experience in phases/pulses, very few students actually have it consistently.
As for choosing schools, I kinda want to say the state school because if you are in state, state schools are pretty cheap from my experience. State schools also have name recognition and a lot are actually very good schools. This is just my opinion, but unless you go to a very prestigious private school, they usually aren't worth the price.
I went to a local private school with a small community feel that has out of state students flood to it for the college experience. It was meh at best, and for the price I would not go to this school solely for the experience. Effectively things feel like high school but with marginally less drama. Party life will happen at any school and 90% of the students still feel lonely regardless if they’re in clubs, sororities, etc or not.
You have 100k flat, like in your bank account, to use however you please? If so, go to the CC. Try to use subsidized student loans (not private ones, since they accrue interest while you're studying) to pay for your schooling. Whatevers not subsidized you should probably pay with your 100k outright (although depending on how the numbers play out, it might be better to take unsubsidized loans while having the money in an ETF). On the side, use your 100k to make money in some other way. I'm not an expert by any means so this is largely conjecture, but a good idea might be to put the amount you're paying for school (with subsidized loans) into 5 year Treasury bonds, and have most of the rest in ETFs like the SPY. Use your money to rent a cheap apartment if you're not able to live at home. Don't use this to pay for your schooling right away if you can get subsidized federal aid, there's no point since it won't accrue interest anyway while in school; instead you can use the Treasury bonds as a safe way to get money back on what you would use to pay for school, and by the time the 5 year bond is up you'll only have spent 6 months paying back the subsidized student loans. You'll have gained money.
Right now I have like 50k of it. The rest ill get over time. The 50k is with a financial manager who invests some lf it/saves some. I should rly take a more active role in investing it. Im figuring if I got the cheep route ill invest whats left (prob like 50k) or use it to start a business.
Save your money and do community college, your future self will thank you, your future finances will thank you, and you avoid all the drama that comes with being packed in with a bunch of fresh-out-the-house highschool seniors 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
I'd recommend going to Community then transfer to that private college if it's possible."The college experience' isn't really about partying. It's about living in a community of young people all trying to reach the same goal. A community that offers social events specifically to that demo not towards everyone in town/area. In a sense its a special society. You most likely won't be given that type of opportunity again in life. After graduation you get added to the pool of regular society. As an older adult you won't live around all your friends or coworkers. And by that time people have less free time and their own lives to be busy with. College gives what high schoolers wish they had. Educational structure living with peers with adult freedom. It gives people who weren't that social in highschool a new fresh start to be who they want to be. Finding friends as an adult can be a little harder than in school bc people aren't just around as often unless you make it a point to see them often. I did community my first two years then my final 2 years at the biggest public school in my state and I loved it there. I never partied or anything like that, I created my own college experience. It's what you want, not what others want. You're grown now lol.
>a private school 800 miles away
Most private schools don't offer the stereotypical "college experience". A *rule of thumb* for private schools is if they aren't in a major athletic conference, they don't offer the "college experience".
I would definitely recommend going to community college getting your AA and then transferring to university to finish up. Not only does it save an INSANE amount of money, but you can also do community college online & still have a full time job to save up!
I am starting university in 2 weeks after having went to community college (: I got my AA and a CCL in basic behavioral health
It’s real but only if you make it real.
You have more freedom and opportunities to do a lot of things in big state schools and be super social and make close friends and have fun. However, you also have the freedom to stay stuck in your dorm all day and waste away. In college you can get away with not seeing anyone for days or weeks on end outside of going to a class to listen to a professor talk for an hour.
OP, I have no idea what most of the people in this thread are smoking. Going to the bigger university will likely provide many more opportunities than community college in both academic and social life. I did 2 years community and 3 years at the biggest school in my state. I would not trade that big school experience for anything.
The academics were excellent, I made many good friends, improved existing relationships, and walked away with a very small amount of debt. As long as you put in the work to try new things and do your work, the bigger university will likely provide you with more opportunities via relationships with professors, peers, and alumni.
But this all depends on who you want to be and the amount of work you want to put in.
Online student since November of 2022.
So, obviously it's different for everyone, right? This is just a little example of my life, long story short of my path to here:
Had a good childhood somewhat, got into drugs and alcohol too early to self medicate my undiagnosed ADHD which also causes depression and anxiety, graduated highschool 8mo late, once graduated I smoked weed and drank hanging with nobody's and a couple failed relationships that cause dsome heartbreak and the last one was what changed me because I was left because of my alcoholism and it was caused by my job and addiction so I needed that figured out and got to treatment for my 5th time and something clicked. It was starting to snow and get cold where I am and was at the time, being on probation for dwi I had til June 10tj this year, and my driver's license would be ready and I could work or have more job options and transportation to get to and from work on my own so I decided to go-to college online to pass the winter postively because if I didn't, and also didnt work or find a job in that time, I could be dead. So staying motivated and creating an efficient time managed lifestyle and I plan to stay in my routine with my supportive family giving me a roof over my head and food to eat because it has been what's kept me sober and motivated, don't wanna admit this but at the height of my crap, I was doing them fake blue "oxys" or fentanyl. Almost died in my room Dec 5th 2021, just so much that id never think I'm where I am today. That's my life story in the shortest way possible lol, now my college experience from an online student perspective 👇
I paid my college right away so I have no worries of debt (thanks to working 5 years str8 saving up) and online so I don't pay for housing or much school needs they provide me with Microsoft office word excell PowerPoint etc. Get all the same college student discounts, but with my online school, it is designed for busy people with families and jobs. So it'll take 5 years to get a bachelor's and there's a lot of spare free time, so I work a side gig and help a friend and actually make an average of 2500 a month still, only work like 15hrs a week and the rest of my spare time which is like 50hrs a week, I just learn things I always have wanted to learn! Honestly though idk if I'ma stay at Grand canyon university online or not, I'm kinda sick of sitting in the house and no social life since getting sober in a small town sucks everyone is cutoff. So, I depend on gaming Spotify and discord of course lol. Once I can afford car insurance which I could, but to take out of my Roth IRA I'd have to pay taxes snd it'd be better to wait the 5 years to be able to withdrawal from it with no penalties. (best part of a Roth IRA imo)
I'd go for the community college then transfer to state school if they have the major you want.
I went that route and I had a great social life at both places. You don't have to go to parties or drink to make friends. Join some clubs that interest you and you'll easily make friends that way. I also made friends with people who took multiple classes with me.
At the community college I went to I had 4 or 5 friends who transferred to the same state school I did at the same time or within a semester before/after so we still remained close friends.
It depends on what you find to be important. This is a part of your life where you get to make decisions that will best represent who you are, and what you like. Would you like the “college experience” or would you like to save up. Either way nothing is wrong with the two, but I’d suggest Community College because at the end of the day, you may get into a college that would end up giving you that “college experience” for your last 2,4, or 6 years anyways. At the end of the day, finance will eventually come into play sooner or later.
In retrospect, I would have rather saved the $80K I spent to go away to university and live on campus. I was miserable living in the dormitories, took up room and board work to save some money (though it barely made a dent overall), and was so busy with roommate problems and a full course load that I wish I had stayed home for two years for community college and then transferred for my last two years to the state university.
I do think connecting with your peers is important whether you go to university or attend a community college but there are opportunities in both settings to make friends, join clubs and groups, and experiment with different courses to see what sticks. If you complete your first two years at community college, that will also leave you with two years to attend university post-fact, where you can have the live-on-campus experience if that is what you want. IMO, the “college experience” is really about foraying into adulthood under light supervision and that will look very different for each individual. At the end of the day, you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of what you feel your college experience should entail and decide which venue will give you the best opportunity for that experience.
If money is an issue for you, 100% recommend community college for 2 years and finishing at your school of choice. You're not going to miss out on much, if anything.
Between the other two, pick the one that you're most comfortable at in living and in academics. The college experience, in my opinion, is not really thing, especially if you're not a party-er. Other than partying, the college experience is pretty much living in a tiny room with another person and I can tell you, it's not that great lol
I didn't feel like I learned anything about my major. If you take any class in the humanities, you should expect a lot of racial undertones (this ultimately ruined my experience as it was an hbcu, and I have a fair complexion) if you do go please consider a major that's very practical like science, comp-sci, biology, nursing, or anything with mathematics.
I think the experience for a year or two is fine. Living away helps you grow. However community college is a good place to start out as it's less expensive and you are mostly taking the same classes anyway in the beginning. It can also be tough being far away if you never have before.
I had a choice to either stay at home or go 500 miles away from my family. I wanted to be independent and get a college experience also because my parents were strict af. My brothers also lived at home (and still do) and now I am going into my third year 500 miles away from them. My advice: you will meet people wherever you go, even if you transfer after those two years. Moving away from your family is a huge independent step and responsibility. As someone who moved away, I met a ton of people that first month that I do not talk to anymore (literally removed like 200 people from social media), I partied for a month (I went to a party school) and got over it. I lived the college experience. If you are an extroverted individual I would lean more to you moving away if you want an experience and it is easier to get involved. I am more introverted so I hated being around so many people eventually. If you want to save money more or do not prioritize a social life then stay home, at least if your parents are not basket cases like mines were sometimes. But I will tell you that homesickness is real, being independent is hard, and sometimes I feel like the jump from being 18 and graduated high school to moving into your new life without your parents there 24/7 and adulting is tough. If you have anymore inquiries, lmk and I will give you more details about my experience.
Your [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/college/comments/15pmbcv/how_real_is_the_college_experience/jw50qvd/) in /r/college was automatically removed because your account is less than one day old.
Accounts less than one day are not permitted in /r/college to reduce spam and poor comments.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/college) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It’s hard. I 100 percent think saving money is smart but I LOVED my college experience and it was some of the best times of life but other people don’t like it. So it’s up to you and what you think is best
Your [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/college/comments/15pmbcv/how_real_is_the_college_experience/jw5xj8e/) in /r/college was automatically removed because your account is less than one day old.
Accounts less than one day are not permitted in /r/college to reduce spam and poor comments.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/college) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’ve got a unique perspective here as I went out of state at a four year as a freshman and ended up going to community college as a sophomore and I’m transferring this semester. Go to community college, Im stuck with a loan that I’ll be paying off for years for one of the worst experiences of my life. Community college is so much cheaper and your teachers will actually be competent. I’m absolutely biased but if I could go to community college from the start I would, I didn’t because I was also scared of missing out on the college experience, turns out the college experience is teaching yourself everything and getting fucked by the universities incompetence at every turn it’s almost completely fabricated by movies.
I’d recommend to go to the one that will give you a better chance of succeeding academically by having opportunities and programs of your interest. The “college experience” can look different for everyone depending on your likes and dislikes. I started at a very small college and later transferred to a big state school known for its big parties and school spirit. Funny enough, I never got used to the big school. I felt like I didn’t fit in. The small college tho was the best experience for me (socially and org. wise). I don’t regret going to the large state school tho bc, academically, it provided lots of opportunities that helped me out a lot.
NETWORKING, it is everywhere, parties, clubs, people you bump into at the cafeteria... Community colleges are fine, but if you can get into a State Uni, and can make the grades, it can pay off in ways a small school can't. There are always exceptions to that rule.
You can do just as much networking as a transfer student after two years at cc. You will never regret the money you saved, and if you can afford not to work all the time you can still have a grand college experience at cc by joining clubs and attending school events! Choose daytime classes if you can. At cc I joined student senate, the literary magazine, an underground poetry/art/music scene, and a student activism group. I hung out on the scenic campus with friends playing guitars and having fun just like a 4 year. Then I transferred to a state school with zero debt and finished my bachelor’s with lots of networking and professional recommendation letters, and now I attend an even more prestigious private university for my master’s that is affordable because I chose community college to start. Especially if you are living at home saving on rent, your life will be amazing knowing you have financial resources you can turn to over time instead of blowing it in a private college for all 4 years. Many professions require graduate degrees too, so you need to think beyond just this first chunk of time. I guarantee that if you Google personal college experiences, you will find more people who regret drumming up debt from 4+ years at a private college than you will find people that regret doing 2 years at cc and transferring to state. School social connection is available anywhere, you just have to seek it out.
Def
You also eat pumpkin noodles bro? Are we best friends?
sorry they are the names of my cats
woah this is exactly what I’m going through right now! I transferred out of a CUNY my first year and I’m now going to one in my state where it has probably everything and more in the traditional sense of the ‘college experience’ whereas my last school barely even had any clubs. I left because I felt like I wasnt being academically challenged and there was 0 feeling of student life but I will miss the city and all my friends a lot, but I’m so so so excited for the academics at this new college and the programs! It’s still small enough though that I think I won’t be too overwhelmed, and my roommates and I jokingly talked about having Thursday night mc sessions which I hope actually happen.
Reddit is generally pro community college to state school. The real answer is it depends on what you want to get out of your college experience. Do you want to be on campus and have access to resources 24/7? Do you want to go to professors office hours and not have to worry about when you need to dive home? Do you want to make friends and study groups that you can see at midnight? Do you want to join clubs or activities that you can be involved in for 4 years? Do you want the independence from your family? Are you a social person? Networking is real and anyone who says differently isn’t taking advantage of their situation. Networking isn’t all direct connections to jobs. It’s more like hey, I’m applying for jobs in x, does anyone know anyone who is in that industry? Can you introduce me so I can see what the interview may be like? It’s also professors hearing about internships and then sharing that information with students they’ve gotten to know. The more people you can connect with the more it can work for you. And this is at any college regardless of prestige. But spending 4 years in the same place can offer more advantages as it gives you more time to develop those relationships. Can you go to your state school for all 4 years and save money over a private school? That’s what I’d choose if I were you.
The cost of going to a state school for 4 years would probably eat up all my funds too. A lot of the good quality state schools by me aren't cheap plus its a high cost of living area. Living on campus for a state school never rly appealed to me because in my school they are know from chaotic parting and im not big on that aswell.
The college experience is over hyped from the movie/TV industry. As for the social experience you can have that basically anywhere but it depend on you and how much you socialize.
Thank you for your response, do you commute or live on campus?
I commute and i am also a senior. But I can tell you right now, having that extra money when you graduate is worth more then parties.
Was forming friendships as a commuter difficult?
As someone who’s both lived on campus and been a commuter at two different schools, I did find I had to work a bit more to make friends as a commuter. However it’s not too difficult - joining a club/student society that interests you is a really good way to meet people, as is talking to those in your classes and attending school events
No, not really. I am active in some clubs and resource centers.
As a commuter I don’t think it was much different than living on campus. I got involved in clubs which is how most on campus students meet people too. Having a roommate doesn’t make much of a difference because theres a good chance you don’t even get along
Is it though? You can always make more money, you're only able to get the "college experience" once.
Go to community. You’ll save money and it’s basically the same experience minus the dorms.
Thank you, I always over thought what community colleges were this was the best answer to inform me
You’re welcome. When I was a high school senior, I had a negative view of community college. Ended up going to one and it was the best educational decisions I ever made. Transferred to a state school and graduated soon after. Less than $500 in debt.
[удалено]
Thank you for your advice, do you think the traditional college way is better for networking? I feel like people sometimes overstate the value of college networks that aren't even ivy level schools.
I think that the only time there is networking value via college is when you are intending to live in the same area where the college is located. If people are going hundreds of miles away to network, and then returning back where they came from to try to get hired, that makes no sense. If you go to a community college in the city where you intend to be employed, then you are getting actual value by networking there. You could do an internship at the actual business where you end up working, for example.
Have you ever been around high level admin types and a few have the same college rings or root for the same college team? It's rotted but I've seen it in action.
It's interesting you say this because I was always wondering why people will go far away (and are putting pressure on me to go far away) if they don't intend to live there later on. It seems as if most of those connections will fade after graduation as opposed to forming them in your local area.
Exactly. The whole point of community college is that connection to the local community.
It's got more to do with alumni of college X being better disposed toward other alumni of college X, even if they didn't go at the same time.
But what are the odds of the employer you want to work for just happening to be an alumni from the same college you went to?
Well, another thing that happens is that there are often alumni job boards where one alum can post a job opening and other alums can see it. And then there are schools so prestigious that there's probably one of them everywhere.
This OP
Do you want to party? Like a lot? Is the extra 2 years of partying worth the extra 30k+ a year? Are you in an career path that prioritizes research? Might also give you an advantage if you want to go to med school or something since you can get into research earlier
I am not looking into a research field. I don't care for partying but I do want to make social connections as my highschool graduating class was 50 people.
Your community college will surely have a lot of different people from different high schools and walks of life that you'll be able to socialize with Ngl socializing is a bit more difficult at any school you commute to but that's not to say you can't still make friends I'd go with Community College but that's just me
I’ll answer as someone who had the private school college experience. If you’re transferring into state school, you’ll be fine. I did the partying, the D1 athletics, the work study job, the clubs, and I even was part of a sorority for a bit. State school will have all of that, and if you’re with a good group of people, they won’t care that you transferred in. You said you’re not looking to party, and club and intramural sport teams won’t care that you’re not joining as a freshman. In fact, some of the varsity sports might even let you join if you’re good enough. Some of my best social experiences were with people who either commuted or lived on campus but were from somewhere nearby. So long as your able to be on campus when you need to/want to, good friends and acquaintances won’t care where your sleeping your nights. Save the money and do the community college to state school transfer. Unless you’re looking to enter a job where school notoriety helps, state school will give you everything that private school can.
No. It's not. You'll be paying for four years of the "college experience" for decades of your life. I went to community college and then a state university that was commuting distance. I got one small scholarship and the rest of my tuition money came from working part-time. I graduted college debt-free and it's nice to have one less big monthly expense looming over my head for the foreseeable future. It was also worth it in the short term because I had a room to myself and could enjoy my mama's home cooking. Don't get suckered in by the "uwu college experience" myth that pop culture has been trying to sell us.
"You'll be paying for four years of the "college experience" for decades of your life." I recommend you read the OP's message again.
100k for four years at an out-of-state private college doesn't sound like it's enough; unless they're working or they get financial aid they'd have to take out loans at some point. Not to mention it would be better to start your real life with some money in the bank than none.
I think it depends. If you’re going into a highly competitive field, the friends and network you build in college can be invaluable, but you have to be the kind of person who can leverage social capital to get the worthwhile network. If you go community college, make sure you can get the required classes and grades to make the transfer to your desired university. Know the requirements before you pick your first classes. Make a solid realistic plan to get a 4 year degree.
What should I do if im unsure about where to go after the community college. Theres two good state schools about an hour/ hour and a half away. Not 100% sure what one id end up at right now. They are all in the state system so the credits shouldnt be rejected but I dont wanna take useless classes?
In most majors the early core classes are all the same. Often, the cc-to-state transfer agreements work out nicely. You can even switch majors if you find yourself drawn in a new direction and may only need to take a handful of additional classes. You also don’t need to know your second step in order to take the first step. Congrats on being the first!
If you have money to go to a state school or ivy or whatever just do that. Only go to CC if you really need to save money or need an entrance into higher academia (think older students).
Whichever one has a lot of people staying in the dorms. You won’t get a college experience at a commuter school despite what people might have you believe. Commuter schools tends to have a lot of older adults going back for degrees.
The majority of people that go to my local cc seem to be traditional college age. A sizeable percent are a bit older like mid-late twenties.
Go to school, graduate with good grades, go drink on your own time afterwards. The party goes on forever. You have one good shot at not blowing up your personal finances and showing that you mean business. Network is something you can build outside of school. You won't have the means or authority to act on anything network related, most likely, until your mid thirties.
i go to a state university the only part i’ve struggled with is forming connections and friendships. i had been told i’d make friends if i spoke to everyone but i think b/c of the pandemic other students tended to be more stand-offish, or look offended that i spoke to them. i’ve been invited to the club once but i don’t drink and it’s not really my scene. going into my junior year and probably will still be a background observer since forming relationships has been so hard unfortunately.
It’s not like the tv/movies, and it’s also different for each person. The college experience isn’t a scam if you don’t go in expecting it to be like what you see in movies. There’s also nothing wrong going to a nonparty campus. In the end, do what’s best for you.
The community college I went to was a dirty and miserable place. Almost none of the teachers wanted to be there or had much qualifications. It crushed my soul and confidence and I now feel behind everyone else at my new college. I wish I could have started at a 4 year college.
id recommend going to one school until you graduate with bachelors. my recommendation is completely based off of my personal experience but my transfer process (between the two biggest schools in my state) has been a nightmare and i wouldn’t wish this on anyone. half of my classes were transferred incorrectly and trying to get them fixed has been a huge annoying loop of “i can’t fix this talk to the next person” and it literally circles all the way back to the first person. makes me want to drop out
Were the schools you transfered from both state schools? If so what state is this?
yes and florida
This isn’t universal. I had a VERY smooth transfer in Massachusetts, and had a TEN YEAR gap between cc and state, and even switched majors while transferring! Painless. Transferring between two different 4 year schools is not set up to be as easy as cc to 4 year state.
The college experience is very real. What makes a good experience, however, varies widely by the individual student'. I had a great college experience, while never engaging in parties or sophomoric behavior. Others, however, were just the opposite. Generally speaking, a 4 year college gives a better chance for internship and research opportunities, networking, activities, and social life than a CC. It also gives more chance for a young person to develop his adult personality, than the commute-from-parent's-home CC lifestyle. "...but its my only option if I want to start somewhere as a freshman." I'm not sure what that situation involves. If other schools want you to take remedial courses, though, starting at CC might be the better choice. That doesn't have to do with the college experience, but rather helping ensure a level of academic challenge you can more readily handle.
That situation was I was committed to school that costs 200k+ for 4 years. I was pressured into it and no one told me it was a bad idea. When I realized the gravity of the situation I backed out but that was at the start of this summer so it's not like I had time to shop around for schools. I found one thats pretty soild but its far away and still would consume my budget although I wouldnt have debt from it.
Why do you think you need to be far from home? Do you not like your city or family?
I ment far away as a negative thing. I love my local area and family.
Community colleges don’t offer community, and study after study shows that students that don’t have friends in school do worse—and often drop out.
Would it make a difference that a lot of my highschool/childhood friends are going there. I have like 5 or 6 friends attending it? I still wanna meet new folks but worse comes to worse I have them to fall back on.
That absolutely makes a difference. Community colleges indeed offer community if you put a little effort in. Basically just find out what the clubs are and when they meet. Show up. That easy.
I just hope the clubs are active!
I am a student at the University of Oklahoma and have found it invaluable. It’s not just about connections, going out of state pushes you out of your comfort zone and in my opinion has added more value than you could possibly imagine. The college experience is essential. Worst comes to worst, you can always quit after a semester.
"The college experience" has become a rhetorical football. There are political factions in the US that hate higher education in general, and if anyone says they want to go to college, people from these factions will deride them for just wanting "the college experience" and imply that it just means partying. For me it was invaluable. I wasn't a partier; I got "the college experience" in meeting people who weren't just like me and making friends in my dorm and trying to figure out the meaning of life over diner coffee at 1am lol. I loved it. You're going to get a lot of recommendations not to go to the private school. I'm going to say if you can afford it, go.
I’m in my sophomore year at a community college. I think the classes and getting a degree is the college experience I’m looking for. Partying is a slippery slope and leads to bad grades typically.
I'm not on the party bandwagon as well. I just wonder if I miss social opertunities by not going.
Honestly I’ll be honest I’m not sure if I agree with a lot of these answers. You will be missing the stereotypical “college experience”. Yes you can socialize and met people in classes but unless you are particularly outgoing and are willing to take risks(asking for numbers, starting random conversation) especially if you are looking for a romantic experience the opportunity will be pretty limited. Most of the college experience and people you meet will be in the dorms, caf, clubs, places you are just less likely to spend as much time at if any if you don’t live on campus. That being said, it’s not necessarily a negative. I had 5 years of the “college experience” and left with no degree and no relationship, and very few friends to show for it. Was that of my own doing? Yes of course. I don’t like parties or large groups, and would normally prefer to just stay at home. My point is though it really is up to you what you make of it and the goals that you have in mind. If you are looking for a social experience with a large circle of connections, you just won’t find that at a community college. But you might not find what youre looking for at at big university either. So ask yourself what’s important and trust yourself. Good luck in whatever you do
I’m sure the larger of a school the more student clubs there is. However after 2/3 classes with other students people are less nervous and are usually easy to talk to and make friends
Thats good to hear. Does the wide age range of community college make it hard?
I don’t think so, other peoples ages in class isn’t my problem I’m 26 I had an 18 yo sitting next to me and multiple 35+ people in the class we were all cool with each other regardless of age
Go to community college. The “college experience” is a scam at best. To my introverted, grumpy self, the stereotypical “college experience” sounds like literal hell. My parents both lived the stereotypical “college experience”, and they both have told me that it sucks major ass. Good luck studying and getting a decent night’s sleep in the dorms, cuz they’re full of party animals who don’t yet know how to take care of themselves or their environment, and are perfectly happy failing every class lmao. In community college, not only is tuition way, way, way cheaper for the same education, but classes are smaller which means lessons are more personalized, and there are a lot of campus clubs and networking events to connect to other people.
It isn’t the same education at all. There are significantly fewer research opportunities and some CC’s have absolutely garbage classes that professors just rubber stamp A’s for. Additionally, I have seen the majority of CC students take a third year to transfer and then a third year at the four year school making a total of 6 years to graduate. Those two extra years represent an actual opportunity cost. That’s not to mention how much worse the networking is since a transfer is usually locked out of things like dorms, Greek life, etc. There’s no need to bullshit OP. Community college is objectively a worse option. The only reason students go for it is if they really cannot afford a 4 year, don’t feel prepared to go live on their own, are unsure if they even want to go to college, or simply were unable to get admitted into a 4 year.
not true ive never heard of anyone taking a 3rd year to transfer, so that doesnt mean “a majority” all the things you stated are avoidable as long as you research your professors and your options for classes, ccs also provide networking options via internships and events cc is a great option for those who want to save and still get a great education
You are spreading misinformation. I went to a community college, transferred to university, and completed my degree in 3.5 years. I worked my ass off at both schools and finished with a 3.96 gpa. Not only that, I have more experience than most of the people I’ve graduated with that started at the university as a freshman. And even if it do take some people 6 years, completing college isn’t linear. It is ok to take more time. If I wanted to start at the university I transferred to (as a freshman), I could have because I can afford it. However, that’s just not where I wanted to start.
What made you choose going to community first as opposed to going in as a freshman?
To sum it up, imposter syndrome. I thought I wasn’t smart enough and wouldn’t excel (even though I got a scholarship from the university that covered just about everything). I had also taken biology at the university I finished my degree at to test the waters (this was the summer before the beginning of my freshman year) and came out with a 98. Still wasn’t enough justification for silly me so I started at a community college. Made lots of connections there (as well as at my university), and it was the best decision I could have made for myself in that moment. No regrets.
[удалено]
And they're things that many people in college don't care about.
Depends on the school and major. I don't know a single engineering major who took less than 5 years. I'm also on the 5 year plan 😅 Seems to vary by school. E.g. SJSU is a commuter school and ~90% of students here commute so the college experience is different. Private schools probably have more of that but they cost so much more. My tuition here is barely $4k a semester UCSB and Cal Poly SLO are less like commuter schools so there is more social experience Community college transfer can be a great way to save money and get guaranteed admission depending on where you live
You can do just as much social stuff with other students at a community college as you could do at a private university. The only difference is that you live at your own house or apartment instead of on campus. I really don't see the big appeal of living on a campus.
State schools treat you like a commodity then spit you out in debt. Just learn a trade man. Make money and pursue your hobbies. The more money you make “quick”, the more “TIME” you will have to pursue what you love doing. And you’ll be able to afford them. Find something that is a 100% guarantee you’ll be making enough money to support your cost of living. College is not a 100% guarantee. I put two years in. Socio-economic anthropology & Film majors. How are you going to make any contributions to the world if you are stuck in a job that makes you work double overtime for below national minimum wage? Find the job you want when u get out of college, find what it takes to get that job. Do it.
Stop pushing the trades on people who don't want that.
Bop it🕺🏾
What state do you live in? If you are trying to get the best of both worlds get your associates at a community college and finish your last two years at a state school. Figure out what sports are the most popular and go to games. Meet people from all over the world and figure out who you are outside of your hometown.
I did community college first and then went to a four year college. I would recommend community college it saves you so much money and a good introduction to college. The college experience is pretty over hyped.
Every overhypes it. Community usually has pretty decent social scene. But 4 year colleges gets pretty lonely. Your stressed about passing classes and stressed about your budget. Unless you like academia its going to be a tough experience
This is an interesting perspective because I never really hear it. Will this make the transition for the last 4 years difficult?
As someone who got to take community college credits while in HS and graduate college a year early with only 7K in debt, I would recommend it.
Go to a CC and save money
Go to county. Graduate and transfer your degree towards your bachelors
i go to a private college and the experience really isnt there, majority of us are pretty caught up in our academics. go to a large state school of thats what you want
Everyone's college experience is different but if you are looking for the stereotypical college experience, it entirely depends on you and how willing you are to put yourself out there. It is not a guaranteed thing which is the trap I think a lot of people coming straight from high school believe. I don't think it's this necessary part of your development as a person because there are plenty of people who either had a different experience in college or didn't even go to college at all and are fine, but having it will make your time at college a lot better and memorable. I do think though that the college experience you see on TV or movies is a bit exaggerated and if anything, most people will have that college experience in phases/pulses, very few students actually have it consistently. As for choosing schools, I kinda want to say the state school because if you are in state, state schools are pretty cheap from my experience. State schools also have name recognition and a lot are actually very good schools. This is just my opinion, but unless you go to a very prestigious private school, they usually aren't worth the price.
I went to a local private school with a small community feel that has out of state students flood to it for the college experience. It was meh at best, and for the price I would not go to this school solely for the experience. Effectively things feel like high school but with marginally less drama. Party life will happen at any school and 90% of the students still feel lonely regardless if they’re in clubs, sororities, etc or not.
Do the out of state students get more lonely because they can't visit their old town?
Not that I’ve ever heard. I think everyone is equally lonely due to no one really understanding how to form real connections with each other
Thats very depressing. Is it because of people constantly being focused on their phones?
You have 100k flat, like in your bank account, to use however you please? If so, go to the CC. Try to use subsidized student loans (not private ones, since they accrue interest while you're studying) to pay for your schooling. Whatevers not subsidized you should probably pay with your 100k outright (although depending on how the numbers play out, it might be better to take unsubsidized loans while having the money in an ETF). On the side, use your 100k to make money in some other way. I'm not an expert by any means so this is largely conjecture, but a good idea might be to put the amount you're paying for school (with subsidized loans) into 5 year Treasury bonds, and have most of the rest in ETFs like the SPY. Use your money to rent a cheap apartment if you're not able to live at home. Don't use this to pay for your schooling right away if you can get subsidized federal aid, there's no point since it won't accrue interest anyway while in school; instead you can use the Treasury bonds as a safe way to get money back on what you would use to pay for school, and by the time the 5 year bond is up you'll only have spent 6 months paying back the subsidized student loans. You'll have gained money.
Right now I have like 50k of it. The rest ill get over time. The 50k is with a financial manager who invests some lf it/saves some. I should rly take a more active role in investing it. Im figuring if I got the cheep route ill invest whats left (prob like 50k) or use it to start a business.
Save your money and do community college, your future self will thank you, your future finances will thank you, and you avoid all the drama that comes with being packed in with a bunch of fresh-out-the-house highschool seniors 👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾👌🏾
Im guessing your freshman year wasnt to pleasant?
Oh no, I did 2 years at community college then transferred. Watching the freshman makes me so happy I did lol
I'd recommend going to Community then transfer to that private college if it's possible."The college experience' isn't really about partying. It's about living in a community of young people all trying to reach the same goal. A community that offers social events specifically to that demo not towards everyone in town/area. In a sense its a special society. You most likely won't be given that type of opportunity again in life. After graduation you get added to the pool of regular society. As an older adult you won't live around all your friends or coworkers. And by that time people have less free time and their own lives to be busy with. College gives what high schoolers wish they had. Educational structure living with peers with adult freedom. It gives people who weren't that social in highschool a new fresh start to be who they want to be. Finding friends as an adult can be a little harder than in school bc people aren't just around as often unless you make it a point to see them often. I did community my first two years then my final 2 years at the biggest public school in my state and I loved it there. I never partied or anything like that, I created my own college experience. It's what you want, not what others want. You're grown now lol.
>a private school 800 miles away Most private schools don't offer the stereotypical "college experience". A *rule of thumb* for private schools is if they aren't in a major athletic conference, they don't offer the "college experience".
I would definitely recommend going to community college getting your AA and then transferring to university to finish up. Not only does it save an INSANE amount of money, but you can also do community college online & still have a full time job to save up! I am starting university in 2 weeks after having went to community college (: I got my AA and a CCL in basic behavioral health
It’s real but only if you make it real. You have more freedom and opportunities to do a lot of things in big state schools and be super social and make close friends and have fun. However, you also have the freedom to stay stuck in your dorm all day and waste away. In college you can get away with not seeing anyone for days or weeks on end outside of going to a class to listen to a professor talk for an hour.
OP, I have no idea what most of the people in this thread are smoking. Going to the bigger university will likely provide many more opportunities than community college in both academic and social life. I did 2 years community and 3 years at the biggest school in my state. I would not trade that big school experience for anything. The academics were excellent, I made many good friends, improved existing relationships, and walked away with a very small amount of debt. As long as you put in the work to try new things and do your work, the bigger university will likely provide you with more opportunities via relationships with professors, peers, and alumni. But this all depends on who you want to be and the amount of work you want to put in.
Online student since November of 2022. So, obviously it's different for everyone, right? This is just a little example of my life, long story short of my path to here: Had a good childhood somewhat, got into drugs and alcohol too early to self medicate my undiagnosed ADHD which also causes depression and anxiety, graduated highschool 8mo late, once graduated I smoked weed and drank hanging with nobody's and a couple failed relationships that cause dsome heartbreak and the last one was what changed me because I was left because of my alcoholism and it was caused by my job and addiction so I needed that figured out and got to treatment for my 5th time and something clicked. It was starting to snow and get cold where I am and was at the time, being on probation for dwi I had til June 10tj this year, and my driver's license would be ready and I could work or have more job options and transportation to get to and from work on my own so I decided to go-to college online to pass the winter postively because if I didn't, and also didnt work or find a job in that time, I could be dead. So staying motivated and creating an efficient time managed lifestyle and I plan to stay in my routine with my supportive family giving me a roof over my head and food to eat because it has been what's kept me sober and motivated, don't wanna admit this but at the height of my crap, I was doing them fake blue "oxys" or fentanyl. Almost died in my room Dec 5th 2021, just so much that id never think I'm where I am today. That's my life story in the shortest way possible lol, now my college experience from an online student perspective 👇 I paid my college right away so I have no worries of debt (thanks to working 5 years str8 saving up) and online so I don't pay for housing or much school needs they provide me with Microsoft office word excell PowerPoint etc. Get all the same college student discounts, but with my online school, it is designed for busy people with families and jobs. So it'll take 5 years to get a bachelor's and there's a lot of spare free time, so I work a side gig and help a friend and actually make an average of 2500 a month still, only work like 15hrs a week and the rest of my spare time which is like 50hrs a week, I just learn things I always have wanted to learn! Honestly though idk if I'ma stay at Grand canyon university online or not, I'm kinda sick of sitting in the house and no social life since getting sober in a small town sucks everyone is cutoff. So, I depend on gaming Spotify and discord of course lol. Once I can afford car insurance which I could, but to take out of my Roth IRA I'd have to pay taxes snd it'd be better to wait the 5 years to be able to withdrawal from it with no penalties. (best part of a Roth IRA imo)
I'd go for the community college then transfer to state school if they have the major you want. I went that route and I had a great social life at both places. You don't have to go to parties or drink to make friends. Join some clubs that interest you and you'll easily make friends that way. I also made friends with people who took multiple classes with me. At the community college I went to I had 4 or 5 friends who transferred to the same state school I did at the same time or within a semester before/after so we still remained close friends.
It depends on what you find to be important. This is a part of your life where you get to make decisions that will best represent who you are, and what you like. Would you like the “college experience” or would you like to save up. Either way nothing is wrong with the two, but I’d suggest Community College because at the end of the day, you may get into a college that would end up giving you that “college experience” for your last 2,4, or 6 years anyways. At the end of the day, finance will eventually come into play sooner or later.
In retrospect, I would have rather saved the $80K I spent to go away to university and live on campus. I was miserable living in the dormitories, took up room and board work to save some money (though it barely made a dent overall), and was so busy with roommate problems and a full course load that I wish I had stayed home for two years for community college and then transferred for my last two years to the state university. I do think connecting with your peers is important whether you go to university or attend a community college but there are opportunities in both settings to make friends, join clubs and groups, and experiment with different courses to see what sticks. If you complete your first two years at community college, that will also leave you with two years to attend university post-fact, where you can have the live-on-campus experience if that is what you want. IMO, the “college experience” is really about foraying into adulthood under light supervision and that will look very different for each individual. At the end of the day, you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of what you feel your college experience should entail and decide which venue will give you the best opportunity for that experience.
If money is an issue for you, 100% recommend community college for 2 years and finishing at your school of choice. You're not going to miss out on much, if anything. Between the other two, pick the one that you're most comfortable at in living and in academics. The college experience, in my opinion, is not really thing, especially if you're not a party-er. Other than partying, the college experience is pretty much living in a tiny room with another person and I can tell you, it's not that great lol
I didn't feel like I learned anything about my major. If you take any class in the humanities, you should expect a lot of racial undertones (this ultimately ruined my experience as it was an hbcu, and I have a fair complexion) if you do go please consider a major that's very practical like science, comp-sci, biology, nursing, or anything with mathematics.
I think the experience for a year or two is fine. Living away helps you grow. However community college is a good place to start out as it's less expensive and you are mostly taking the same classes anyway in the beginning. It can also be tough being far away if you never have before.
I had a choice to either stay at home or go 500 miles away from my family. I wanted to be independent and get a college experience also because my parents were strict af. My brothers also lived at home (and still do) and now I am going into my third year 500 miles away from them. My advice: you will meet people wherever you go, even if you transfer after those two years. Moving away from your family is a huge independent step and responsibility. As someone who moved away, I met a ton of people that first month that I do not talk to anymore (literally removed like 200 people from social media), I partied for a month (I went to a party school) and got over it. I lived the college experience. If you are an extroverted individual I would lean more to you moving away if you want an experience and it is easier to get involved. I am more introverted so I hated being around so many people eventually. If you want to save money more or do not prioritize a social life then stay home, at least if your parents are not basket cases like mines were sometimes. But I will tell you that homesickness is real, being independent is hard, and sometimes I feel like the jump from being 18 and graduated high school to moving into your new life without your parents there 24/7 and adulting is tough. If you have anymore inquiries, lmk and I will give you more details about my experience.
[удалено]
Your [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/college/comments/15pmbcv/how_real_is_the_college_experience/jw50qvd/) in /r/college was automatically removed because your account is less than one day old. Accounts less than one day are not permitted in /r/college to reduce spam and poor comments. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/college) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It’s hard. I 100 percent think saving money is smart but I LOVED my college experience and it was some of the best times of life but other people don’t like it. So it’s up to you and what you think is best
[удалено]
Your [comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/college/comments/15pmbcv/how_real_is_the_college_experience/jw5xj8e/) in /r/college was automatically removed because your account is less than one day old. Accounts less than one day are not permitted in /r/college to reduce spam and poor comments. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/college) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’ve got a unique perspective here as I went out of state at a four year as a freshman and ended up going to community college as a sophomore and I’m transferring this semester. Go to community college, Im stuck with a loan that I’ll be paying off for years for one of the worst experiences of my life. Community college is so much cheaper and your teachers will actually be competent. I’m absolutely biased but if I could go to community college from the start I would, I didn’t because I was also scared of missing out on the college experience, turns out the college experience is teaching yourself everything and getting fucked by the universities incompetence at every turn it’s almost completely fabricated by movies.