Foo - Anyone start out at Community College and then make it to a big university?

I'm applying to transfer to larger Universities next semester. Right now I'm at a community college and I have a good GPA, atleast I think. I have a 3.0 and I want to go to the University of Texas. I know that my chances are not that high of getting in. I was just curious if anyone else went this route. My major is government.

Lots of people go that route, it's much cheaper, and sometimes the quality of education is better, since you get real professors in community college, and TA's in the lower level classes in the universities. I'm essentially doing the same thing, I've pretty much finished all the courses I want/need to take at the community college level, and am concentrating (kinda) on the upper level (junior/senior) classes at UNT in Denton. Good luck with your education.

Thanks man. I'm pretty much done at the CC level as well, except for some language I need to do. I just need to hurry up and finish.

Yeah, I attended a community college for two years, lived at home and saved money. Then I finished the last two years at Kansas State. I would recommend this route to anyone. Just be absolutely sure of the graduation requirements and which classes will transfer.
Tom

I didn't, but my sister did, and now she has like 2 PhDs and a Masters in Inorganic Chemistry... or some dribble like that. And she was the QUEEN of transfers. I lost count of the community colleges she went to before she finally transferred to U of I (then later, Illinois State, then on to University of Iowa for her dozens of subsequent degrees, with the most current degree being a double towards her medical and next PhD). If she can do it, anyone can.

Do make sure you can transfer the maximum amount of credits. You'll want to check with the university you're interested in and see what credits they take, then see what courses that are taking now can transfer when you do.

Koffee

If by big university, you mean one with a national reputation, my wife did it... 2 years of CC, then xferred into UVa. I'm pretty sure her gpa was closer to 4.0, though. Frankly, she never would have gotten in as a freshman, due to the entrance requirements which go far beyond grades, including their student demographics of the region from which you're applying, an application thesis you have to write, etc.

She was told UVa would be considerably harder than CC. They were right.

In any case, transfer acceptance requirements often differ from freshman entrance requirements. If you aren't accepted, try to find out why. If it's GPA, see what you can do to repair lower grades (retake classes?) and keep trying. Be creative! If the college you're trying to get iinto has very strict requirements, get accepted toward another major, then change majors (yea, it'll cost ya a semester). ;)

Bonne chance!!

I dropped out of Community College once - now I am working on my Masters.
Good education is never from the waters of just one fountain.

I think a 3.0 is pretty good. I started awhile ago and made 2 C's and those are holding my GPA down. I have only made A's and B's since. I know i can make it into 2 colleges but I really want to get into UT. we'll see how it goes, I was just makin sure I'm not the only one who has gone this route.

I started out at Drexel and didn't like the classes at all so I dropped out to goto Community instead while I tried to find another school. 1.5 years later I am still in school at the Community College waiting to finish my second year. Once I get done I get to goto a college that I signed a matriculation agreement for. Everything transfers and I automatically get in if my grade is over a 3.0 GPA. A lot cheaper and I really honestly liked all my professors and thought they were far better than those during my freshman year at Drexel.
I have talked to a fair amount of people that attend big name schools and also take some credits at Community to keep costs down. Value of education (freshman, sophmore year at least in my experience) is the same in my book.

I did it. The CC i went to had a matriculation agreement with the State University. If you had a 2.5 or higher G.P.A. you were gauranteed admission. If you applied to the University as a freshman you needed a 3.2 G.P.A. or higher. watch your credits at the CC level. Only take classes that transfer. My CC let you repeat classes you got a bad grade in. Can you repeat one or two of the classes you got bad grades in over the summer? Doing CC first is one of the smartest things a person can do.

Absolutely...transferred a couple of years of credits from CC and graduated from UT without a hitch. ;)

I started out at a large community college (10,000 plus students), later continued at a smaller community college (2,000 plus students) and then went to a mega-universty with 40,000 students, including 10,000 first year students. My first econ class had over 1,000 students divided between a "live" auditorium and two "TV only" auditoriums. Multiple choice tests, scored by computer, with a grade "awarded" by the computer. A horrible experience.

Eventually, I transferred to a tiny college (600 students) that was an independent division of a small university (5,000 students). It was a good fit for me. I came to know all of the faculty members in my areas of interest at a personal level. I knew most of the students in the social science field by name. Classes often had five to fifteen students. A wonderful, and enjoyable way to learn.

The state of Texas has dozens of good colleges. UT-Austin and Texas A & M are the best known, especially for their football teams. Get a directory of colleges, and study the chapter on Texas schools. You will see the wide range of choices available.

After "reading up" on the available choices, try to spend a day or two at six or eight schools. Sit in on some classes in your field of interest. You will be able to get a "feel" of whether a particular school is a good fit for you. Then, apply to three or four schools that feel best to you. Apply for financial aid as well. If one school offers you a better aid package than the others, that can help be a "tie breaker" when you make your final choice.

If I were about age twenty, and looking at schools, I would probably look at Texas University in San Marcos. TU is large enough to offer a variety of different majors, yet most departments are small enough to form a close relationship with the faculty and other students. San Marcos is a cool smaller city, just an hour or so drive from the San Antonio Riverwalk, and to 6th Street clubs in Austin, come Saturday night.

there's no problem with that. i'm doing that. it gives ya a chance to get some scholarship money. and like they said. it's better to have people with doctorates teach ya than some pimply group of dumbasses.


also, why are you transfering now? why not wait till fall?

In this day and age I would think it unusual for Community Colleges not to have an arragement with at least one state school. Doesn't your academic advisor have information on this?

I went to community college of three years as I got my life/act together. Best thing I ever did, saved money, figured out what I wanted to do with my life etc…

I just graduated from law school, so I think things worked out ok.

I started at one of SC's infamous TEC schools, then transferred to Clemson.

Thanks for the advice guys. Yeah alanbikehouston, My girlfriend goes to TSU (texas state) in san marcos. She loves it and I'm down there every weekend and personally, I HATE the enviroment. Not my school of choice. For whatever reason I just don't like the set up or the enviroment. I want to go to UT, born and raised here in Austin and have only ever wanted to go here. Love the school, love the enviroment (even though it has 50,000 plus) Its just my hometown school.