From Community College to a 4-year University: the Pros and Cons of the Transfer Student Path

On a swelting late August day in 2021, I attended a freshman welcome event at my local community college. I'll admit that community college wasn't my first choice - far from it, really. I held out hope for the University of Michigan my senior year of high school but with no luck. When the school year approached, I decided to stay local and stay out of debt.

So, CC it was. Still, I was excited to start this new chapter in my life. People told me good things about my CC, and, honestly, this was the most financially-wise decision with tuition being only a fraction of what the usual college student would pay at a 4-year.

But sometimes I feel that I've missed out on the experience of being a university freshman. Only sometimes, though, and this matters more to some than others.

So is CC a good idea? Is the transfer student path, regardless of the prior institution, worth it? Here are a few reasons, in my personal experience, why CC and/or the transfer path may or may not be a good choice:

PRO: Community College is Often Cheaper in Tuition

In my experience, attending community college posed somewhat of a financial strain because I was not considered a "resident" (curse living one mile from the county boarder!). However, I made it through without going into debt. But don't let my experience fool you; financial aid options (which I was horrible at applying for) were plentiful for many students I came to known at school. There is even a program that provides free tuition for incoming local students at my CC.

In the long run, paying close to $2,000 - $4,000 for class credits at a CC will always be better than more than tens of thousands of dollars at a university for the same credits (especially if they're general education reqs!).

PRO: Community College or a Local University is Often Closer to Family

Spending time at a community college or perhaps a local university allows you to live with family or better maintain any prior jobs you may have had in high school. Without the burden to pay campus room and board, now is the time to save, save, save.

PRO: Transfer Students Rule!

Being a transfer student is more common than you think, and many universities have special programs, representatives, scholarships, and extra help specifically tailored to transfer students.

Transferring will also allow you to prepare for university and give you a taste of what the college workload may entail. I for sure wasn't ready for a university straight out of high school, but CC (and a little bit more maturing to do) helped shape my leadership, social, and academic skills. Experience with room for growth is what a university will want to see in its prospective students.

I've often found that transfer students work just as hard, and maybe even harder, than traditional students. Some balance school, work, and raising kids/maintaining marriages. Others are international students who are immersed in a wildly different culture and still thrive in school. Whoever they are and whatever background they've come from, these students strive to prove themselves despite everything in their lives that may hold them back or consume their time.

CON: Some Credits May Not Transfer

One of the issues many transfer students face is whether or not the class credit they worked hard for transfers to their school of choice. For example, I have a math class I took at CC that will not transfer to my four-year.

However, if there is a university or two you have in mind, your best bet is to research their respective transfer requirements or contact an admissions representative about credits. Then, you can tailor your time at your current school so that it better fits with what the university would like or want to see from applicants.

CON: "Missing Out"/Transfer Shock

Every once in a while, I wonder what life would have been like if I had simply gone to a four-year straight out of high school. I would have known the mandated dorm life and freshman struggles in a living-learning community, and I could tell my future kids about my crazy days as a freshman at a big university.

But let's face the facts: life isn't a movie, and dorm life honestly kinda sucks. I will say that meeting best friends and going through shared experiences is an upside of this common college experience, but, really, dorm life is small, cramped, stressful, and straight-up annoying if you're unfortunate enough to be saddled with noisy neighbors.

In my experience, attending CC has brought me new friends, memorable educational accomplishments, a hard-working boyfriend (with whom I've to Ann Arbor!), and strengthened higher education skills/knowledge.

But now I will face a different challenge: transfer shock. Rather than biting the bullet and making the monumental transition from high school to an intensive 4-year, going to a CC or a more affordable and maybe not as intense 4-year for gen eds will delay this transition and perhaps lessen it. However, a false sense of security might overcome you, and once you transfer to your 4-year, that feeling of confidence in your work may tank, and your new surroundings, on top of it all, may overwhelm you completely.

BUT! I want to make this clear, from one overachiever to another: this is not the end of the world. Like any challenge we face in life, it takes time, dedication, and the ability to reach out for help to overcome it. We've got this!

CON: More Change

Finally, we come to our last topic: more change. Though I briefly touched on this in the previous bullet, I want to reiterate this reality for prospective transfer students. At your prior institution, you might create meaningful relationships with fellow student or even professors, so leaving them to attend a different school in an entirely unfamiliar environment can be scary and sad. And though you've already done this before when you graduated high school, it can still be difficult.

In my experience, the transfer process has weighed less on my friendships and professional connections and more on my family. They've gotten used to having me around while in college, but the transfer process and my acceptance to a four-year has left their heads spinning. My little brother is perhaps the saddest, surprisingly, because once I leave, he will be the last sibling in the house.

It is important to remember that change is a normal part of life, and it is okay to feel overwhelmed and nervous about it. In fact, these experiences will make you stronger and a more rounded person. But if too much change isn't your vibe, perhaps the transfer pathway isn't for you right now.

Everyone's higher education pathway is different and unique, but whether you are entering your final year of high school or continuing your education after some time, it may be a good idea, especially for your wallet, to consider the transfer pathway/attending a community college.

If you are a transfer student or were one in the past, let me know! I think it would be beneficial to share advice on how to handle the ups and downs of the transfer pathway. Thanks for giving this post a read, and I hope to create some more posts before my fall semester starts!