Start at a Four-Year or Transfer?

By: Doug Peacock M.A.

I recently spoke to a group of high school seniors. A common theme was the uncertainty of where to start college.  Many were still “on the fence” of going directly to a four-year school or starting at community college.  Should they go directly to a four-year or stay at home, save money, and attend the local community college—and possibly lose out on the experiences a four-year school offers? 

Unfortunately, whether to start at a university or a community college often comes down to finances. We would all love to have that amazing four-year experience, but funding this experience can be a real obstacle. Beyond financing, there are other considerations that can influence a student’s decision.

Here are ten thigs I encourage students to consider when deciding whether to transfer or start at the four-year institution:

1)       Are my grades and scores strong enough to get into my schools right now? 

Transfer admissions requirements are often different than high school. If you are unable to get admitted now, learn about the admissions requirements as a transfer student. 

2)      Did you get a scholarship to that four-year school?   Or, did you get a partial scholarship that demands a large payment each year?  

Is that payment more than the community college tuition? Usually, the answer to this is, “Yes.”

3)      Can I get some type of transfer scholarship later if I do well at a community college?  

If you do not accept your high school scholarship, then that scholarship will most likely be gone when you go to transfer.  Is there something else you can get?  Transfer scholarships are usually not huge amounts of money.  

4)      Is class selection type important to me?  

I have found that four-year institutions offer a lot more course options.  For example, Wayne State University offers multiple options for Math to fulfill the Quantitative Experience requirement. Courses like Business Finance, Math for the Arts, Detroit By The Numbers are usually not offered at any of our community college partner schools.  Same with foreign language courses. Wayne State has a very large offering of foreign language courses whereas the community colleges generally have fewer options.

5)      Can I still get to my dream school as a transfer student?  Does my school have good transfer options? 

Explore these before deciding. Then, will that school accept my credits and will my total time for my bachelors be four years?  How long will it take me to graduate after transferring?

6)      Is the four-year college experience important to me? Will I make the right choices when I am there? 

Again, part of this experience is financing.  Have you and your family financially and emotionally planned for this?  I promise, accumulating a large amount of debt will impact your experience. 

7)      IMPORTANT! If I go to this four-year school right now, am I going to stay? 

Students generally transfer from four-year institutions to other four-year institutions. Credit loss often happens, and scholarship options are extremely limited.   

8)      What is the school’s advising model? 

Consider what kind of advisement experience you prefer. Community and junior colleges may not assign individual advisors to each student. As a result, you may meet with a different advisor at each appointment. At four-year schools, you are more likely to see the same advisor, or a small team of advisors, the entire time you are there. This can depend on where you go and their advising model.  

Note: This is a great question for you to ask when you are selecting your school.

9)      Ds in general education courses.

This one does not often get talked about. Commonly, if you earn a D in a general education course at a four-year institution, that school will often use it to fulfill the requirement. Meaning you will not have to repeat it.  If you earn a D at a community college and try to transfer it, most schools will not accept it. Same goes if you earn a D at your four-year school and want to transfer the course, the next school is unlikely to accept it.

10)    Finally, are you completely unsure what you want to major in?  

Both types of schools allow students to begin coursework without selecting a major or to identify as an “undeclared” major. Each school should have resources to help you choose a major.  If you are unsure of majors, check out the exploratory programs at each institution type and see where you are most comfortable. Also, consider whether the school can equip you well enough to make an informed decision in selecting a major. 

11)    Will your courses transfer and meet the requirements of the four-year institution?

Many of four-year schools advertise themselves as “transfer friendly.”  A transfer-friendly school will work well with partner community colleges to facilitate your future enrollment in their school. These schools anticipate that you will want to transfer to complete your degree, and many have created pathways for you to finish at their four-year institution. A truly transfer-friendly school will have advisors available to offer proper transfer advice.  They will also be transparent on how the classes you take at the community college will transfer. 

Community and junior colleges often offer many of the same services as the four-year schools: career services, sports, student groups, and events. Do not let starting at a two-year school stop you from having a collegiate experience. Get involved wherever you go!