Any Community College Transfer Stories? (Ivy League, med school, best, masters)

[aplcr0331]

Originally Posted by LandofOpprtnity

I did horrible, horrible in high school-- now that Im older, I regret it and want to get an education to the highest degree humanly possible. I need a little inspiration. So:

-How did you do in high school compared to community college?
-What degree did you pursue once you transferred to a university/4 year college?
-Did you get a job related to the degree you pursued?

Thanks!

1. I was challenged more in Community College, but not much more so I did a little better in CC than High School. I took it more seriously.

2. Psychology undergrad and MBA. I planned to work in Marketing and that seemed like a good combo for it.

3. No, now I work in IT. But the job fits I make a good living and it's a pretty stable gig. All in all I did OK with it.

Also, my BA does not have an asterisk by my name saying that I did my first two years of college at a CC. It look just like the persons degree who went all four years to the college. I was able to graduate without any college debt which put me at a personal advantage over a lot of my peers.

[Beenaroundabit]

I was a TOTAL underachiever in high school. Average grades, not much discipline, didn't try very hard.

Went to a small state college right after HS simply because...everyone else was going to college. I had no idea what I wanted to do, studied something that sounded lucrative, but in which I had no genuine interest. Dropped out after less than a semester.

Went into the Marine Corps. After my 4 years were done, went to a community college; at first it was part-time, but quickly became full-time. Studied a subject I was interested in: history. I enjoyed it, did very well, and my CC grades enabled me to get into a very good state school in Virginia. I ended up with a History and German degree.

I can't say enough about the community college-to-"regular"-college approach. It allowed me to immerse my self at my own pace. Small campus. Less pressure. Most importantly, the scheduling flexibility allowed me to work full time and pay for my education.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

I was not interested in high school and graduated by the skin of my teeth: 2.1 GPA.

I started at CC and did not get serious until halfway through my second year. After three years in CC I worked my GPA up to a 3.0 and transferred to a state U. I graduated with a Humanities degree and took an entry level job at the publishing company I interned at. 12 years later I'm at the same company now working in the market research profession and finishing up my MBA.

The good thing about CC is you can make mistakes or change course without it costing you (or your parents) a fortune. While I would buckle down and take your classes seriously immediately, you can change majors and explore classes much easier than at a four-year institution.

[lvg92]

I didnt do to well in High School, went to University and flunked out. Went to CC, Flunked out. I took two years off and went back again. I didnt get below a 3.7 the whole time I was in College. I got into George Mason University with a 3.5 GPA. I am studying Political Science with a minor in Economics.

[CatwomanofV]

I did ok in hs. It wasn't that I had trouble or anything (except with my music theory class) but I was lazy. I really didn't put the effort in that I should have. Not sure what my GPA was but I would say that I had a B average. Right after hs, I took a semester of community college. Again, about a B average. Then I went off into the Wild Blue Yonder & joined the Air Force. I took a class here, a class there while I was in. When I got out, I worked for about a year before decided to go back to school. When I looked into 4 year schools, I was surprised at how many wanted S.A.T. scores. These were tests that I took at least 10 years earlier which had no reflection on where I was at the time. I could have taken them again but I didn't see the need for it. I decided to take a semester of community college before transferring to a 4 year school-and chose one that didn't rely on the S.A.T.s. Grades were much better-but it wasn't until my last year or so that I really applied myself-made the Dean's List a couple of times but by then it was too late to graduate *** Laude. But, I did graduate "With Honors" because I entered the Honor's Program.



Cat

[MissMaria]

1. I made straight A's my freshman year of high school, but left because it was cliquey and I got tired of eating lunch in the bathroom. My classmates were H.S. sophs when I went to CC.

I got a 3.9 at CC and stayed there for three years; I took a bunch of everything until I figured out what I wanted to do.

2. I'm a second-semester junior right now, and I decided to major in economics. Still picking a minor (something business-related).

3. Not in the workforce yet, so I can't help you there.

However, if I may - I would not at all advise you to strive for "the highest degree humanly possible". Figure out what you're interested in and get the education you need for that field. Try to take a few history, Econ, philosophy, etc. courses along the way. Do NOT, however, keep going to school and getting degrees just to have a lot of education. It may mean nothing to your field, you will spend a lot of money, and you may not be able to finish (getting a Ph.D is a looooot of work).

There, that's my .02.

[Swimmom32]

My son was an average student in HS went to CC 1st semester did 2.5 we relocated back north finished CC here with a 3.0 and was accepted into a few universities as he didnt want to stay at the CC for an Associates...He chose a Private College and is very excited to start his Sophomore Year...They took all his credits from both CC's so he got lucky on that too..He is Exercise Science Major, and Athletic Training as he wants to be a Pediatric Occupational Therapist...The most important advice I can give is find something you really love to do, and take classes towards what it is on you decide..

Good Luck

[KickAssArmyChick]

-How did you do in high school compared to community college?
I HATED high school. HATED IT! I got anything from As to Bs. However, I chose to go to college (high school you don't have a choice really) so I have done well so far. (with the exception of last semester where I got very sick and my body spent 2 months fighting a deadly virus and walking alone made me very tired. I had trouble staying up and concentrating. I got 2 B+s and a C+ YUCK - first C I've ever had in my life). My GPA was 3.88 but unfortunately it is 3.64 now. All of my credits from the CC have transferred. I also got 6 credits from my service in the Army and an additional 33 credits from my Military schooling that were converted to college credits. I also took a foreign language test so I could meet the requirements for foreign language. (12 credits right there that I won't need to take. YAY!) I have 42 credits remaining to graduate and I am taking some this Fall and the remainder next year. I could extend it until Spring 2016 but I'd rather not. I'd like a break between undergrad and law school.

-What degree did you pursue once you transferred to a university/4 year college?
I am starting at a 4 year university in the Fall. I will be majoring in Political Science.

-Did you get a job related to the degree you pursued?
Not yet but I want to stick with the government sector.

[tofur]

High school, well I went to a boarding school in CT, a good one. The course work was hard and I did decent, good enough to get waistlisted at BU (was ultimately rejected). I ended up at Suffolk University, and the work was a joke by comparison. I didn't focus at all, didn't care, got a bunch of F's and got kicked out. Not suspended, straight up dismissed.

Took 3 or 4 years off from school, ended up at Palm Beach State, which is a community college. Did a couple years there and just finished up my AA. What's cool is palm beach state is a sister school to FAU, which is on a sharp upward trend as a school and now only accepts like 20% of applicants. But, if you get a AA from palm beach and have over a 2.5 cumulative gpa, you are guaranteed entry. That 2.5 wasn't easy for me given how many bad grades I had built up, my gpa at palm beach was like 3.7 or something.

So now I'm headed to FAU in mid August, I'm pretty psyched.

[Scared to Life]

I did well in HS. Graduated with a 3.7 GPA #42 in my class. Had extra activities and many more things going for me. After I graduated in 2007 I went straight to a 4 year college, I did 5 semesters there before I flunked out. My GPA at the end of my try was a 1.5. The smartest thing that I did was apply for CC right after I flunked out, even though I did not officially start for 3 years. I flunked out in 2009 and finally started classes in 2013. It has been an amazing experience. I went from failing classes to getting straight A's. I was a Public Policy major at GSU, when I started at the CC I became a paralegal major focusing on criminal justice and business compliance. I graduated Spring 2014 with my AAS in Paralegal Studies(Which I call Legal Studies cause I have no interest in being a paralegal). I am also a international honor society member for both Lambda Epsilon Chi and Phi Theta Kappa, and I was nominated out of 70 other paralegal students as Student of the year for my program. I am literally transferring schools next week to Clayton State University in Atlanta. They have transfer degrees here specifically for people who have AAS. I have 5 degree options I can choose from but I have narrowed it down to 2. Organizational Leadership or Aviation Administration. I think I am going to do Aviation Administration so I can do graduate school at Ga Tech and get a Masters in Regional Planning, my true passion.

I was able to get a job the day after I graduated college as a Logistic Compliance Specialist.