Choosing a School

For the majority of students in the United States, the standard road to a higher degree is as follows: it starts in elementary school, continues on into middle school, becomes the focus of the high school, and then – finally – the bachelor’s degree is earned in college. It is a pattern with which most of us are familiar.

However, with the increased popularity of community colleges, some are walking a different path to higher education. These students are considered Reverse Transfer Students, and if you choose to become one, you may find your educational experience greatly affected in a positive way.

This video recounts a student who transferred from a four-year college to a community college.

What is a Reverse Transfer Student?

Although many people are comfortable with the traditional journey to higher education, some students need the opportunity to “back up” while on the road to a higher degree.

These reverse transfer students have graduated high school, and they have attended college for a period of time or, in some cases, have even graduated from a traditional four-year college. For a variety of reasons, though, these students decide that the traditional four-year college is just not for them, and they embrace the opportunity to enroll in and to attend a two-year community college.

Subsequently, they transfer from their four-year college and join a two-year college, and while they are

In the decision of choosing which college is right for you, the options abound. Many students find themselves choosing between a community college, a technical college, or a four-year institution. Although all these institutions can provide a solid education, be aware that not all colleges are created equal. In fact, accreditation is one of the main elements that differentiate between colleges’ level of scholarly quality.

What is accreditation?

Accreditation is an important distinction in the realm of colleges and universities. According to the US Department of Education, the purpose of accreditation is to certify that the education given by institutions meets national standards of quality. Therefore, if a college you are considering has national accreditation, then this demonstrates that the institution has met the standards of quality set forth by the US Department of Education.

This video explains accreditation.

Fundamentally, accreditation ensures that you are obtaining a quality education – and for your future employers and graduate programs to recognize your education. If the college does not have accreditation, you may want to think twice about enrolling.

Why accreditation is important

When you are choosing a college, accreditation is important for many factors – including the financial aid you can obtain and even the job you will get upon graduating. Subsequently, accreditation is an element of your college decision that cannot be taken lightly. If the institution you attend is not accredited,

Are you considering attending a community college before transferring to a four-year university? Nearly 11 million students each year attend community college. Some choose community college to save thousands of dollars on tuition for the first two years of schooling, while others opt to attend community college to determine which major interests them most. Regardless of why you choose to attend community college, with a few phases of planning, you can transfer to the university and major that is right for your higher learning.

Many students choose to begin their careers at community college before transferring to a four-year institution. Considering that the University of California Regents reported that approximately 30% of all the UC awarded bachelor’s degrees were given to students who transferred from community colleges, you are not alone.

The time that you take to plan out your community college curriculum will pay off significantly in helping you gain acceptance into the university of your choice, along with transferring valuable credits. The key to successfully transferring to a four-year institution begins with early planning. This ensures that your credits not only transfer but that the classes you take put in the best academic light possible.

This video offers some tips for transferring from community college to a 4-year college.

Step 1: Befriend your academic counselor

One of the least utilized resources in your academic counselor, whose

Many things factor in one’s selection process when choosing a community college. After briefly introducing you to these factors, we will discuss each factor in detail in turn. Here are some of the selection criteria that students consider when investigating community colleges:

• Why are you going to school?
• If you plan to continue with a four-year degree, what type of articulation agreements does the community college have with four-year colleges?
• What type of coursework do you need?
• Is cost an issue?
• Do you want or need a virtual campus?
• Do you have a four-year college in mind?
• Location, Location, Location!
• On-Campus Activities
• Student Support

Let’s look at each of these factors in detail now that we have introduced them to you.

Most people attending a four-year college go with the sole target of getting a four-year bachelor’s degree to help prepare them for their professional careers. But with community colleges, students attend for different purposes. Many students attend to get a two-year degree. There are, however, other end goals for students including transferring to a four-year college, getting a high school diploma, remedial education including “English as a Second language, personal growth, professional certification, or workplace required continuing education.” While nationwide statistics were not available, numbers are available by looking at records that BellevueCommunity College in Bellevue, Washington, collected from 2002 to 2004 on the purposes that their students reported for their enrollment intent. The following statistics are from their Fall 2004 student population (the statistics do not total 100% probably due to rounding down