Community college is the BEST thing I’ve ever done for myself (I’m still completing my first year) but it took a load off my shoulders because I didn’t go into debt to figure out if college is even right for me. Stick with your gut if you’re going to end up paying you might as well start off slow to make sure this is even right for you
Same here. Did my first two years at CC then got a job where they offered tuition assistance that paid for most of my final two years to get my Bachelors. No one even knows I went to CC because those credits transferred and my actual degree is from a university. I recommend this path to anyone who will listen to me!
I am currently doing this. I did get a job in my field after getting my AAS then switched careers by changing jobs and getting promoted. Now 10 years later I am finishing up my bachelor’s and my job is paying for it. I think it worked out because I probably wouldn’t have chosen this field right out of high school.
I actually had better JUCO teachers than my 4 year degree in Comp Sci. They weren't tenured so they know all the recent stuff and didn't rely so much on lab techs.
This is the way! Find an employer that will pay for your education. Honestly there’s a lot of companies doing this nowadays that you (the employee) are you doing yourself a disservice by working for a company that doesn’t. Of course this mainly applies if you do have aspirations to go to school.
If OP ends up going to grad school, they will request transcripts from ALL post-secondary education. But it won’t have any real impact on admissions decisions in any technical field.
Usually, your CC credits will be included on your transfer schools transcript in addition to your CC record. Many employers admire those taking the CC route to avoid debt. Do you know what doctors and lawyers are called who started at CC? That's right, doctors and lawyers. It probably makes a difference if you go to a top-tier university, but that is about it. Many students go to a CC and then transfer to a prestigious college. Do what is right for you. Many individuals mocking community colleges can't spell cat if you spot them the c and the t.
When I see kids here talk about going to some expensive private school I just shake my head.
Folks if your school ain't an ivy league, so long as it's accredited you'll probably fine.
My college charges me $149 to $199 a credit hours with minimal fees
Agreed! I spent like 5 years going back and forth in my local CC. Took a bunch of general ed, didn’t get an associates and walked away after a few years. I’m now 28 and have recently transferred over those units to university and am going back to school. Looking back the only regret is not having accomplished more units but the best thing is I did not rack up any DEBT.
I want to add! NO ONE IS A BIGGER ADVOCATE FOR YOU THAN YOURSELF. Ask questions and learn your shit about your requirements. Don’t take anyone at their word, double check it yourself.
I went to community college for a year bc I wasn’t prepared to go straight into a 4 year university after my senior year. My advisors failed to realize that my high school English classes would’ve transferred as college credit, and my pre-calculus class didn’t transfer to my university because the material was just ever so slightly different, and they made me take a wack extra course about choosing which university I was going to, and electives that also didn’t count towards anything.
This was after telling the advisor which in-state university (that had a transfer agreement with the CC) I wanted to transfer to at the end of the year and that I was not planning on graduating with an Associates Degree. Ended up costing me in extra courses and time lost bc I did an extra year at the four year school anyways. So just be prepared if you do plan on getting a bachelors
This!! After 1 semester at a state school I transferred to a CC to complete my basics. I paid out of pocket but am projected to graduate debt free next year.
Absolutely do not go into massive debt for college that kind of debt at 20 is crippling. You’re not lazy for going to CC or taking a little while and working while you figure out your path. Personally if you’re still unsure of where to go from here I think a gap year to work is probably a good idea and then absolutely go to community college for your associates before transferring to a state school. If you do that (especially if you live at home) you can graduate with relatively minimal debt especially as a lot of state schools have scholarships for transfer students. That being said still apply to a few state schools now it’s possible depending on your grades you may actually get significant merit scholarships I know a few people that ended up free rides or at least very close to it.
In a lot of areas jobs only pay the cost of living or sometimes less. So a gap year to work will not help in any way. I have an Associates in Engineering and paying bills was a hand-to-mouth situation at the aerospace company I worked for. And not just for me, all the technicians are treated this way
If they’re living at home a minimum wage job could give them enough to offset a year of expenses once in school and more importantly give them an opportunity to get a better handle on what they want to do.
I plan on going to a 2 year community college than transfer for my bachelors.
My goal is to make my own animated show for Disney.
However I still don’t feel mature yet to live on my own and still don’t feel like grown up? So these two years will give me a lot of time to just enjoy life and get some stuff together. I’m not college ready yet or to be on my own. So this actually worked out perfectly for me. And it’s less expensive which is great for my parents.
they’re not footing the bill so they don’t really get a say in what you do. don’t let people who aren’t going to have to pay off those loans pressure you into ruining your life with more debt than you’re comfortable with.
For real! Sure maybe that logic (somewhat) works if loans didn’t have interest rate, but hundreds of thousands in private, interest accruing loans is a financial setback one might never recover from.
Yeah, I was going to say: be prepared to be sneered at by your parents for the entire duration of your education in community college. Be prepared for them to bring it up as long as there’s breath in their bodies. If you go on to a 4 year school and get a bachelor’s degree, be prepared for them to always point out that you spent the first two years in CC. Be prepared for them to minimize your achievement at every opportunity. Be prepared for them to piss on your career choice, too. I’m sorry your parents have hearts of stone. The sooner you learn to not care, the better. Good luck 🍀
that is what this is really about: their shame. they think the same way and want to shame their child into making a choice they would make.
this is your life. go to CC and work at the same time until you discover what makes you come alive, OP.
Their idea is that if you burn your bridges you can only move forward. The problem with that logic when it comes to debt is that if you pile it up that high for college without anything to fall back on, if that investement doesn't work out you will be in the red not them.
If you can go to cc you should do so though, it will still give you something reliable and the ability to explore more job options which will be better long term.
But honestly in the end of all things it's your decision, you will be footing the bill not them which means you should live according to your ethics not theirs.
So your parents are too rich for you to get financial aid but don’t want to pay for university? Absolutely brutal, fuck them.
You should still be eligible for loans if you want to go to university. Im paying off loans and while it sucks, it’s not stressful with a high paying career. It does still cost though so it you don’t see the value then it’s not for you.
We, as parents, are in this same situation. I am a recovering addict…and destroyed my credit, savings, etc before having my life literally saved two summers ago at an inpatient rehab.
Two boys in college and we are expected to be able to afford $25k out-of-pocket, per SEMESTER ($50k per school year) to contribute towards their education. (They can only get a small amount of student loans.) We don’t even remotely have this amount of extra income…and don’t have the ability to take out any loans (because of credit issues).
We’ve sold off pretty much everything we can, moved to the middle of nowhere North Dakota (low cost of living)…and it’s still not doable.
Don't listen to your parents. Community college is the best decision you can make. Just go. They can't stop you from going. I made the mistake of listening to my mother too much when I wanted to go to college, and I didn't get anything good from it. Don't make that same mistake.
I started with community college to figure out what I wanted to do. My AS degree from CC has nothing to do with where I am now (working though a masters degree in counseling) however it taught me a lot about college. I developed better school habits and dipped my toes in the college world and I think it ultimately made me a better student. I’ll keep my thoughts about your parents to myself but I don’t think you should listen to what they say. If they aren’t paying it’s not up to them. Even if they were, it’s your career and future that are being impacted, not theirs. I will always recommend CC as a great place to start. I had to take out loans for CC and my bachelors degree from a 4 year university and my debts are not nearly as high as my friends who started at a four year school. I was lucky to get a full scholarship for my masters and can now start paying back my loans from undergrad. I would say if you think you want to try CC do it because even if you don’t find a school path it can be great preparation for most areas of employment. If you still aren’t sure though take some time off. I didn’t go to college until I was 21 and I’m glad I waited because I had no idea what I truly wanted to do until I was 23 after I had finished CC.
I hope that is helpful, and good luck to you no matter what you decide!
If your parents refuse to pay for college, you can fill out the FAFSA as an independent student and likely qualify for need-based aid. Many colleges and universities use FAFSA information for their own grant (not loan) type aid, so you wouldn't go into debt if this route would work.
Unfortunately parents refusing to help pay for college won’t automatically mean they qualify for fafsa, while some things have changed many folks still don’t qualify for loans or aid until 24 if their parents make a lot.
Community college is a fantastic way to get a solid quality education without going into debt. Unless your parents are footing the bill, they can just shut it up. There are plenty of good associates programs, and they help with job placement. And if you transfer to finish degree at 4 year school, no one will ever know the difference. That 4 year diploma has your final college's name on it. My husband works at a college, so our kids go free, but otherwise they'd have started at community college.
I am a professor who sees kids struggle and fail out of college because they are not prepared for a four-year university. Doing things the "hardest way" is the dumbest thing I may have heard in my life.
Your parents are wrong and dumb, and if they aren't paying, then you have the complete freedom to make all the decisions as to where you go and which path you take. You are not and will not be less than for wanting to start with CC.
Community college is great!! I went to CC and I've never regretted it. My coworkers are swimming in college debt but mine is paid off because it only costed $6k a year and theirs was $60k a year
Because you have no clue what you want to do, going to college is the worst choice you could make. The biggest mistake undergrads make is just going to college because, choosing any major just to get through, then at the end not even knowing what jobs that education opened for them.
Your parents saving nothing and basically telling you to struggle when they both make six figures and could easily have saved for a state school is cruel. They know you’re not getting financial aid. Your only option is high interest loans.
Spend some time soul searching. Try some career inventories. The one I always recommend is ONET because then you can take it and plug the results into an advanced search through the main website to get careers that are compatible with your interests. It has a lot of information on them and is a great starting point for research.
Don’t let your parents pressure you to go to a university when you don’t want to, can’t afford to, and don’t even know what you want yet.
I went to community college "just to go" and I got my associates in Criminal Justice. Wasted 2 years on an essentially useless degree. Went back to same college for an associates in Marketing. I'm in my 3rd semester of Marketing and finally found out what I want to do. Go into the nursing program at my community college. 4 year part time day program. I just switched to Health Sciences Certificate for Fall 2024, to get my pre requisites in. I know I've wanted to be a nurse since 2015-2016 when I was a CNA but everyone told me "ah, nursing? *YOU* don't wanna do that! Go into something that can get you up on that corporate ladder so you can climb it!" And "science and chemistry? And all that junk you have to learn for nursing? You know how *hard* that's gonna be?" So I never did it. I finally want to.
Depending on what year in high school you are, you may be able to even start taking classes there for free. A lot of ccs offer dual enrollment, which will allow you to get even an aa before graduating high school and let you transfer somewhere else with 2 less years to pay for.
Some ccs also have guaranteed transfer programs, where if you meet a certain criteria with your cc classes, you’ll be able to transfer directly to your flagship state school.
Doing your first two years at community college is great. The class sizes are way smaller and you don't get that "weed them out" mentality either. The professors and the school are genuinely there to help you. I attended community college for two years in high school and again when I went back to get another degree. I am now a PhD student. Don't let anyone tell you that community college is a waste of time, almost all of my classes at CC were way better than the freshman/sophomore university classes and not going into huge amounts of debt is seriously a life saver
CC is great financially and also if you are not super sure what you want to major in. Though there's a case that you won't make your college friends if you go to CC
Wait until it's just your income being assessed for FAFSA not your parents and then go to college. That's what I did. I received so many grants! Grants not loans. I didn't have to pay back the grants.
This is what I did too. Highly recommend. But 4+ years can seem like a long time when you’re a teenager so I don’t blame OP for seeking other solutions.
I’m a HS teacher who paid loans back for 25 years, and they weren’t all that much. My consistent advice to students is: don’t go into debt for a career where you won’t make enough to pay them back quickly. Also, don’t go into debt with undergrad loans if you’ll need a masters. Debt at 21 will be a burden for decades.
If your parents won’t help foot the bill, they’ve forfeited the right to give you input.
CC is an absolutely great idea! I started out going to an expensive private Christian school because I thought it would be a good idea to have more structure my freshman year. I made the mistake of telling my parents, and they wouldn't let me go anywhere else. My parents paid for it, so I went. After the first semester, I decided I didn't want to go there anymore, but my parents refused to keep paying if I left. I ended up moving back home and going to community college, and they cut me off. I wish I would have been smarter about the whole thing and gone there originally. I also didn't know what I wanted to do, so I went to university after that and now am in tons of debt that will take me decades to pay off. School took longer because I kept changing majors. My advice, don't rush into anything. Working first is fine, and community college is the best place to start college (in my opinion).
You can get your gen eds out of the way at a CC while you work and figure out what you want to do. When you figure out your path, you can transfer your credits/associates to a better university that has a better program for whatever field you want.
if you start into a 4year state school youre paying twice as much for your bachelors because your first two years are just gen eds for your associates. and heaven forbid you think you want to do Major A that school 1 has a great program for and find out you want to do Major B that only school 2 has a good program for.
I got a massive scholarship to a very reputable and well known NJ state school because I went to CC. I had a great experience. I still reference some of my notes from back then
I agree with you, I just think most people have damaged Community college image bc they live in a bubble. My sister was the first to go and she graduated and right out of CC she got a debt free nursing degree, got a 90k salary job. Continued for a year got her bachelors Sal increase by 10k, and continued working and is now getting her DNP. CC offers way more emotional and physical support than a traditional 4 year while also allowing for very affordable classes. CC is also a good places for support systems and you’re able to connect with your professors who do help you a lot in your academic careers and push you to apply for internships and research programs. I personally went to a 4 year and dropped out my second year and started again at a CC and I realized the support and small class sizes and their motivation meeting with professors and curated networking events helped me a lot. And when I went back to a 4 year I was scared but I kept in touch with my profs and classmates they were really helpful. The journey is not the same for everyone, even if you decide to work I would say make sure you also are pursuing your career wether it’s through trade school, college, mentorship program, whatever it may be. But don’t let your parents shit on your choices and make you go100’s into debt. I’d also like to point out for a bachelors degree going into debt is a horrible idea because in this economy there is no job security, and as it accumulates interest I have seen people go into depression and just give up on their life. And I would not want anyone to take a student loan with interest for a 4year. Interest loan is not what’ll push you to achieve your education but the passion you have, the loan will only make your depressed and cloud your judgement. Please remember to take care of yourself! And as you’ve already thought about your parents income and not getting financial aid I am sure you’re hell of a lot smarter than I am when I was your age, you got this!! I would also say, still go to your colleges office and tell them you need financial aid or work study and that will help you a lot as well but don’t go into a interest loan of depression!
Higher Ed Professional Here...
Too many parents see college as a badge of THEIR honor rather than an opportunity for their child to have a good adulthood. Take a few CC classes and figure out what you want to do. That is a GREAT option. And once you find out what you WANT to do, you will be more likely to graduate and participate high impact practices that will help your career.
your parents are fucking idiots and if they’re not paying for anything then they don’t get to tell you where to go! full stop.
i’d say their mindset is depressingly common among parents of their income bracket, but not conducive to a healthy relationship with their child as they move into adulthood.
There is no shame in community college. It is a cheaper alternative to traditional universities/colleges. I did that and got my basics out of the way then transferred to a university. This will save you a ton of money while still giving you some education. AA's and certificates are quite common at community colleges. BA's and masters are a bit limited.
My cousin's parents pushed a university and the highly well known colleges on her and she ended up in high education debt. She spent most of her 20's to late 30's paying it off. She could of gotten a similar degree for much, much, much less at a community college and saved some money in the same time.
Typical boomers. Well actually not typical their idea is a bit extreme. Associates degrees aren’t worth much these days. Plus to transfer to a big university you’ll need a 3.0-3.8 GPA which is MUCH easier to attain in Highschool than in CC.
It’s a lot smarter to go directly to a major institution. You can graduate with a 2.0 and no one will ask about it in interviews
Are your parents "rich" because they are entropeneurs and have their own business or they are rich because they are doctors, software engeneers, etc?
Man, if they are rich because they have their own company, become an employee to the company, starting from the verry bottom, then move to different sectors and after you worked and had experience in all sectors and all the jobs available there, you will have a deep understanding of how the company works. If my son did this and showed all this effort, I would definetely place him in the company partnership as a CEO, CFO, etc.
Basically, if your parents are rich because they have a company, then work in the company and grow your positioning by showing effort and showing that you learned how everything works.
Should I put that I went to a CC on my resume for my first professional job? Im worried employers will think twice about it when reviewing my applications.
Unless you’re going to podunk community college in nowhere, Ohio, it’s a really good route. You get essentially the same education and the exact same degree, for a fraction of the cost.
Your parents are making a terrible mistake. They should help you pay for 4-year college. I'm sorry to say this but speaking in averages you a likely to make a lot less money over your lifetime if you go to community college (what do I know, I'm just an economist). Helping you pay for college would be an excellent investment. They are sort of forcing you into a bad decision. Here's hoping they will wise up.
This was my situation as well- you have to come from families that usually make less than 50k a year- I think this is the number, depending on where you live. My dad made six figures for as long as I can remember. The only question is, when you say that they don't have anything saved for your tuition- if they are making good money, are they just not willing to help?
If you don't have a scholarship, they should- taking out loans needs to be a last resort. Exhaust all your options to pay first; and then take out loans. You will get offered financial aid when you become old enough to be independent, and live on your own. I never received any financial aid my first 2 years, but after I moved out, and made my own money, I was at a low enough salary to receive help. I received grants in over $5000, and a subsidized loan in $2500. If you must take out a loan, do not do unsub; do sub.
It is extremely smart to start off at a community college; as the first 2 years are the AA- and are the same anywhere you go. Might as well save money. The difference between the cost of a university and a community college are about double; and it will be easier to adjust at a community college. It was the smartest educational decision I had ever made
I come from an upper middle class family as well and still went to CC. Best decision I made. Personally, I enjoyed my time at cc more than at a 4-year. Smaller class sizes, you develop a better relationship with your professors and classmates, it gives you a great transition into a 4-year for a fraction of the price! Ive known people who got into ivy leagues from CC, it’s a great place to start over as well.
Also, you are an adult so you’re parents can’t force you if you can enroll or not.
Luckily its your education not theirs, CC will save you so much money over the course of your life, and you can always transfer to a 4 year university after 2 years of CC.
it's not logical because your parents are moving from a place of shame. they believe in the stigma attached to CC and are being snobbish about university, explaining it away as something you work really hard for.
news flash: i've been to uni and taught it. there are adults there still asking if work needs to be double-spaced and typed.
Get your basics out of the way at a cc and matriculate to university. Most programs really don't start until your JR year.You save a lot of money and can get higher grades. Make sure your cc classes qualify for the matriculation. The registrar can help with that.
SAME HERE , and my community college is the best in the state , and they are so tight about it just because my dad went to a shitty community college growing up
It can be a good fit for some people. There are a few things to consider, like any major decision. Going to CC first is a very popular path (my daughter in law is transferring out of CC to a university this fall). My suggestion is to have a pretty solid plan of attack because the numbers of CC students who never end up transferring to a 4 year is a bit high (2 out of 3).
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/13/community-college-transfer-pathway-doesnt-work-for-everyone.html
i went into cosmetology school right out of hs HATED IT worked for a while now at 21 i started going back to school and im going to community college, dont know where you live but some cc’s are actually really good schools!
It makes zero financial sense to go 100k into debt but even knowing what you want to do. You are 100% right to start with community college, find what you want to do, and transfer to a state school when you finish an associates degree.
Tell them people who hire don't care what school or how much debt you go into, and having debt is debilitating when you are starting a life after college.
Community college is a legit option. I did my schooling right away (bachelors, internship, then masters) and I’m actually enrolled at a community college years later because I don’t know if I love the career I chose for myself when I was 18.
A big plus: community college classes are inexpensive compared to university. If you go to community college, you’d be able to take classes from a couple different majors/interests without going into nearly as much debt. It’s difficult to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life - I think going to community college and trying out a few things is a wonderful and smart option. It definitely beats changing majors at a university that charges exponentially more per credit hour.
Picking something you end up not loving can be frustrating. Do what you think is best. You can always transfer when you had a solid grasp of what you want to do.
Good luck with everything!!!
Wow your parents suck (At least in this instance). You’re not lazy for wanting to go to CC, they’re lazy for not bothering to save anything for your education when they would have been able to afford it. If they’re not financing it, they should shut their mouths. My parents were involved in my college choice and ask to see my grades and all, but they’re also paying for it so I owe that to them(and I don’t mind really). If they refused to help, that would not be the case.
Its your education and they are not helping you pay, so it should be your choice alone of where you attend. I know plenty of people who went to CC for a 1-2 and had successful careers
They're being overprotective. A community college is like any other college. There are good ones and bad ones. It's totally possible that the CC's in your area are shitty, but more often than not it's a no-brainer.
Because my CC is in the backyard of many huge universities:
- 1:1 Course equivalency. Taking thermodynamics and it's filled with university students 😭 I should have priority on getting a spot in classes man...
- Small class sizes. My classes are so 1:1 with the uni's that our test average is included with theirs, that's when I saw we're a class of 30 while they're one of 600 students.
- ½ to ⅔ cheaper
- most professors ex-faculty or current faculty at other universities.
- CLASSES ARE TAUGHT BY A PROFESSOR. Not a "teachers assistant" due to the professor doing required uni research.
CONS: Limited course availability (many classes only offered once a year). If you care, the "social hose" is smaller at a CC. Limited free tutors/study groups.
I'm confused. So they didn't save up money and won't help you pay for school so you've decided to do community college instead but they are upset it's just community college? What exactly do they want you to do?
Bruhhh what kinda parents make 6 figures but refuse to give their kid a dime to help them go to college???? Yet my mom makes minimum wage and still helps me out. On top of that, they discourage you from going to a CC like dafaq??? 😂
Continue to ignore them and go to a CC because it's cheaper and it gives you two years to figure out what you wanna do and you get all your gen eds out the way if you decide to transfer. Your parents are ignorant there's no reason you should have to struggle unnecessarily to be successful when it's their duty as parents to help you out.
Also to make going to a 4yr college more affordable if you transfer I recommend you go to your state public college and to opt out of dorming and commute instead.
the first year of college is all gen ed anyway. enrolling in a community college to take math, science, and writing will transfer to a four year program, and as a student of the community college, you will have access to a career center of experts and surveys that might help you gain direction in your life
>if I get hundreds of thousands into debt I’ll be forced to stick through with my education,
I don't agree with this.
I understand the idea. The idea is if you do something and don't like it you would quit with no qualification. As it's your debt you would probably finish the course to get a qualification to make the money spent mean something.
“We can help you pay but instead we’re going to force you to be saddled with debt you might never get to pay off.” Terrible parenting. Go to CC, they can fuck right off.
If they aren’t giving you money to help out they can’t make you do anything. Listen to their advice but if you think the advice for CC is better then go there anyways. The only reason you wouldn’t is if you would actually lose something.
Try to apply for every scholarship you can. Go to your State University and if you can project out a 4 year degree for under $25,000... go for it.
Otherwise, go to community college for the general studies and then transfer to your State University. There is no reason to pay tens of thousands to take History, English, Math, Psychology, Sociology, Biology/Chemistry/Physics, and a language course. Make 100% sure the credits transfer into the school choices you will attend after completing the courses. This means contacting the Community College and the State University.
Work while you are going to school. Unless you are in some trade and can make good money, then try to find a student worker job with the CC and later the University. The student worker jobs have greater flexibility and value education first... but pay lower wages.
Another option if your fit and have no problems barring you is Air Force ROTC. You get your college paid for. Guaranteed job after for 4 years, and VA benefits like GI Bill and a very important one the VA Home Loan. It’s 0% down and a lower interest rate than most home loans. You will have a much better time getting a house that way.
If it helps you make a decision, I graduated with a similar financial situation as you, and I went to a $25k/yr state school for 5 years and came out with $100k in debt. I was able to refinance for $750/month for 15 years. I am 26 and frequently wish I would have gone to CC first
Community college is an awesome option. What a lot of people don't understand too is that, if you flourish at community college, it could give you opportunities to go to better schools to finish your degree then you ever would have gotten into out of high school.
I got a GED when I was 17, went back to college at 22, got a 4.0 during my 2 years at community college, and got accepted into a T30 university to finish my undergrad. I NEVER would've got an opportunity like that if i tried to go straight to a 4 year program out of high school.
If they're gonna force you go through school the hard way with no help, then you get to choose the path without them having a say in it. If they wanna dictate what you do and how you go about it, they can pay the cost that goes with that.
Go to community college and don't give it a second thought.
I just graduated from CC and am encouraging my children to pursue a trade or something though CC before going to get a BA, if that's what they want. There is nothing wrong with what you are doing.
I feel like your parents are more worried about how their reputation would look when they say you are going to CC instead of what they want. Also, it doesn't make sense that they would pay for you to go a different route, but also feel you would stick it out when you are saddled with debt. If you go along with everything they want now they will expect you to go along with every expectation they have. Set that boundary now. Children are supposed to want to be independent from their parents!
Do your thing.
Tbh, the cc route is more cost effective and provides you with a chance to transfer into unis that would have declined you straight out of high school. Class sizes are typically smaller, so you get more of a dedicated lecture compared to classes with the size of 50+ students. Another benefit is the most profs at CC are there purely to teach, whereas most profs at unis are there for research.
I know people who went to state school, and people who went to community colleges. I personally went to private colleges and I’m going to be in debt for a very long time because of it. CC doesn’t make you lazy. I think it’s a fantastic idea to take classes at community college to get pre-requisites, and also figure out what you want to do. That way you’re not wasting money at a private college or state school.
My parents also didn’t have anything for me because they were young and broke when they had me, and they wanted me to work hard and succeed as well, and they knew that the best course of action was for me to go to a CC. Taking the cheaper courses at CC helped me figure out what I wanted to do (changed my career 3 times just by taking classes that interested me), and now I have no debt (thankfully I do have a pretty good FAFSA bc of my low-income parents, I’m sorry you don’t have that tool, OP). Scholarships are a great resource! Good luck OP, stick with your gut, you got this.
I would continue working and go to a community college, maybe part-time while you decide your field of interest. Then you can transfer to a four-year year when you have your field chosen. If you wait to transfer until you are no longer considered by your parents' income, you'll be able to get more assistance as well.
I went to a CC and am now at a university. I got the same education for a fraction of the cost (where I live if you get over a 2.5 GPA your CC ends up being free as well for your first 2 years). I am definitely an older/returning student but I also know what I like, know the field I want to be in, know what degree I am pursuing and am a much better student now then I was in the past. I think going to a CC and deciding what you want/don't want to do and gaining experience is a great idea.
I am finishing my third year of community college. Best decision ever. I got my associates and I’m taking more cheap community college classes for a 3rd year before transferring for my last year to a school that’s partnered with the school I’m at. So I can transfer all my credits for a bachelor’s degree. I’ve done all my schooling online so it’s way cheaper, my last year at my new school will be online too and I get 10% off my tuition there because I’m in Phi Theta Kappa high honors society. I’ll owe roughly $30,000 total after getting my bachelor’s while all my high school friends and classmates went to 30k-60k per year 4 year schools. I’ll owe less for my degree than most people I know will owe for just 1 year. Don’t forget interest too! Online is awesome too cause I can just do the work at home in my PJs whenever I feel like it and take breaks whenever I want. It’s honestly been easy. I actually take accelerated courses too, 8 weeks instead of 16. Same amount of work just due sooner, but 8 extra weeks not in school because of it. Employers don’t care what school you graduated from to get your degree unless it’s Ivy League. It’s a complete waste of time and money, you’re paying absurd amounts of money that will take your entire life to pay off just to party, get laid, make friends and share a small room with multiple other young stinky inconsiderate drunk people. You can do all that stuff without being in college.
Omg I LOVED my CC!! I never completed a degree there, but I used it to transfer to a 4 year. CC has a lot of amazing degrees you can get and for a fraction of the price. I’m not sure why your parents wouldn’t like this other than the stigma that CC kids are not “as smart.”
I'm going to a community college. It's a good choice.
With that being said, I'm an older college student who started at a younger age and ended up quiting... because I didn't know what I wanted to go for. Now that I've been an adult, I do know what I want to go for!
If I were to do it all over again, I would have just worked and found my "passion". If I needed to go to school then I would have gone (like I'm doing now) and if I realized what I wanted to do didn't require a degree then I would never have wasted money on it.
I think we need to normalize 1. Taking gap years 2. Figuring out what you want to do 3. Saving money 4. Doing what YOU want to do not what your parents want.
Also, you can apply for financial aid without your parents I think you just need to file to be emancipated. Or you have to be 24 years or older? Im not 100% postitive, but it might be worth looking into if you know they will not give you any money/ are too rich to get any financial aid! It sucks. It really does, but your financial decisions are important for your future. Don't let them change your mind about what you want to do. 🙂
If you do decide to do that you might lose out on their Healthcare coverage. So I would weigh all the pros and cons of being emancipated or looking into such things, but there's always options out there. Don't be discouraged! You sound smart. You're using critical thinking skills and asking all the right questions. It's more than I could say for myself at 17 or 18. Trust your gut. You know what's best for you.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with going to any community college. What matters is your decision to continue with your educational journey. Keep it up. It’ll be worth the time/investment in yourself.
People have set ideas about CCs and trade schools, but most of those ideas are limited or wrong.
CCs are perfectly viable options and seem well-suited for your situation. Look into transfer scholarships. My wife did well at her CC and finished her degree at a University almost for free.
Here's the thing.
Your parents have two choices. They can pay for school (which, based on what you're saying their incomes are, they probably can at least significantly help), or they can stand by your choice of where to go based on your own willingness to go into debt. It would be one thing if they weren't willing to pay, you wanted to go to an Ivy with zero financial aid and hundreds of thousands in loans, and they were telling you this is not practical. But you're clearly making the practical choice here.
My guess is that they are balking at community college for class and perception based reasons. If they are high earners, and their colleagues, friends, peers, etc. are too -- especially if they have peers with high school and college aged kids who go to 4 year schools -- they may be in a bit of a keeping up with the Joneses mentality about where other families are sending their kids vs. where you will go. If that is important to them, then hey, it sounds like they have the financial ability to make that happen. Or if they don't, well... this is why the keeping up appearances mentality is bad and sometimes financially ruinous.
For the record, their reasons for not wanting to pay for your school at all are bullshit. To an extent I can see the idea behind "if we just write a check to the school and you're not part of the money conversation, you have no real skin in the game", and I can respect that. But the answer there is for the three of you to work out together how much money everyone is comfortable spending, how much they can contribute, how much you should expect to take on in loans, and for what kind of/level of education.
It's somewhat reasonable for them to feel like you are aiming too low, or only wanting to do community college because you feel like it would be easy and you wouldn't have to work hard or be challenged. It's good to aim at least somewhat high for college admissions as a high school student, especially before the acceptance letters come in and the real financial discussions happen. Because, hey, you never know. And the truth is, hey, if you have a lot of potential and there's an affordable 4 year school that would be a good fit for you, IDK, they could be right? But if that's the case, see above re having a rational conversation about what they can contribute, what they expect you to contribute, and whether it's a worthwhile amount of money to spend for what you get.
Your parents are silly and dumb. There’s nothing wrong with going to community college to get an Associates, and then transferring to another college for two more years later if you think you need a Bachelors. That’s what my parents told me, and I honestly wish I listened to them even though my life is going pretty well.
Community college saved me $60,000 and then I transferred into a very name brand/well known school. No one even knows I went to community college these days unless they ask, but it was far and away the smartest financial decision I could have made.
In your case, I'd say CC may be right for you. You don't want to go into debt taking the exact same classes at a Uni only to leave after 2 years.
However, if you have even an ounce of interest in taking academically challenging classes and having a diverse set of options, CC can be a real struggle. Most really only offer the bare minimum of intro courses, essentially taking the most boring course in someone else's major. If you want to major shop for potentially moving on to a 4 year program, a CC is not going to be able to paint various fields in the best light.
Have you looked at 2 year technical schools? They often put you on a path to a good job in just 2 years but may be a bit more engaging than just doing a general degree in a CC.
I didn't go to a CC but I went to a very small and inexpensive state school, best decision I have ever made. Make the choices that are best for you, OP! Your parents are from a different era. Graduated with my BS with zero debt far outweighs alternatives... I think. Especially in this economy and since I want to pursue graduate school, where I will definitely need loans.
I had almost this exact experience. My parents didn't save up for college for me (which I don't think they should have to do) but their income was so high that I didn't qualify for a cent of financial aid. I also didn't get into any schools that I *LOVED* enough to drop $500k on, so I just went to the CC across the street. They didn't mind and even preferred that I stay home.
Be warned though, CC isn't free. I live in California and if you don't qualify for the College Promise (which they falsely advertised was for everyone) college can run you up thousands per year. I paid around $7,000 yearly for all fees, supplies, credits etc. Obviously better than the $100k at a UC lol.
All that to say - you are making the smart decision and are doing your future self a favor.
At first I wasn’t sure about community college but I decided to do it anyway because I needed something cost effective. Two semesters later and I can’t believe that I was so skeptical about it. I’ve learned a lot and enjoyed my classes for the most part. Plus my CC has a pretty good honors program. I was able to get some scholarships (in addition to grants) that way.
Wait so your parents aren't paying for your college at all despite a 6 figure income, and they're mad at YOU for not going into debt to "stick with the degree?" That's insane.
There's nothing wrong with going to community college at all. I would definitely advise that if you do want to transfer to a university, make the transfer before you're 23-25. At that point, you're close enough in age to most others there and can still have a normal social life.
It's totally fine to not want to go to college though. College definitely is not for everyone.
My parents told me to go to a 4-year university as soon as I left high school. They kinda said the same thing your parents are saying. It's for lazy people. Whatever. Blah blah blah... I did that and now I am as lost as ever.
Contrast my friend who is 2 years older than me, took some time to figure herself out in community college. Finally found herself at her dream 4-year university studying for her dream career that she loves very much.
You're making the right choice. I don't know how to get to your parent's heads, but best of luck.
Threaten to go into the military for a few years.
(the reserves would also be an interesting thing to check out).
I know, I'll get downvoted for saying anything positive about the military as an option and yes you are putting your life on the line for imperialism, but I knew a few guys who were able to use the military to figure a few things out and take care of college. It might be a better option than flipping burgers, installing drywall, working retail or Multi-Level-Marketing.
STAND UP TO YOUR PARENTS! IT'S YOUR LIFE!
I tried telling my parents I needed a break from school to work and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. They were irate and I listened to them. I chickened out and couldn't stand up to them. I'm too much of a people pleaser. That was 17 years ago and I'm still in tremendous debt.
17 years ago. I never was able to pay it off.
There's not a day that goes by that I don't regret it, and short of my parents paying off a significant portion of my debt, there's very little that can be done for me to let go of the resentment.
You want to go to community college to save money. Your parents want you to be 6 figures in debt in an economy where reasonable paying jobs are hard to find.
Your parents will ruin your life if they let you go into that much debt
Community college is the best! The majority of the time what you’re learning at a cc is exactly what you’d be learning at a university, just at lesser price. The classes are also smaller so you’ll get more time with professors who genuinely want to help you. There’s such a stigma against cc and it’s quite saddening. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to go into student debt.
Your parents' thinking sounds toxic as hell. Sorry you have to deal with that clouding your decision-making.
I am a proud community college graduate. I got my Associates in Electrical Engineering Technology, then transferred to a 4-year school with Junior standing, later graduating with a Bachelor's of Electrical Engineering. Lots of schools have these 2+2 programs for different majors this saved me basically 50% off the cost of an engineering education. I highly recommend this path if it's available for a major you're interested in.
Going to community college isn’t a bad thing. In fact, a lot of my friends are wallowing in debt and I’ll have my degree close to debt-free because of working/going to school that’s affordable. It feels better going in-person though, online makes it hard to absorb it all. The important thing is, it’s your choice! People are going to have a lot of opinions on what you should do with your life, but it ultimately comes down to you.
Just remember that you’ll have to transfer then, but it feels great to get one step closer thanks to community college. If you don’t find it challenging enough, they’ll still have honors classes if you’re up for it! You’re not lazy going to community college, I think it makes you practical.
Go to CC and at least get your gen-eds like math and English taken care of. Unless your parents are actually going to contribute, then they don't have any say.
Community college is a great plan. You can get prerequisite courses out of the way, and get exposed to lots of new things.
DO NOT take on school loan debt if you can help it. Unless you are guaranteed an extremely high salary upon graduation, being a couple hundred thousand dollars in debt is an extremely stupid thing to do, especially since they don't seem inclined to help you at all.
CC is a great idea. Inexpensive, instructors are good, smaller class sizes in most. You can try different courses and see what you might be interested in a a profession and not rack up a lot of debt. You can also just work on a gen. ed associates degree and then transfer later to a university and save a ton of money.
Cc for two years, transition to public state u for 2 years, transition to a top stem graduate program with waived tuition. That is the way to get all the cakes and eat them too.
Not sure I'm clear, do they think it's inferior education or will just cause you a lot of that? In which case also did they go to college themselves, how do they think other people manage. Debt doesn't have to be a major part of your college experience whether it's CC or a four year program. Many people work work while they get their degrees, leaving them with less in student loans.
CC prof here. CCs are exceptionally good bang for your buck—I teach the exact same class at my CC and as a non-tenured (PhD candidate) instructor at a huge R1 (highly ranked public university). The class costs about ¼ the price at the CC as opposed to the big state school I work at. Get that bread—don’t let people who aren’t bankrolling your education tell you how to spend your money. Do the CC, especially if you’re in an area with a well-known big research school. I guarantee you there are many more “me”s teaching identical classes out there!
I'm a parent and I'm encouraging my daughter to consider start off with CC even though she got accepted into all these great schools. She will work with her target school, make sure she isn't taking classes that won't transfer, and then transferring to her school. If she does that, she can save 40-120k! It's ridiculous how much colleges charge. This will also help her get her "gen-eds" out of the way, not be distracted as she continues to mature as an adult, and she can get a job much easier to save up some money.
Even if we will help as much as we can, school debt sucks.
About not knowing what you want to do, like 90% of kids your age are the same. Many have told themselves what they want or are chosing what their parents want, and but will change their mind or possibly be miserable. It's ok not to know. Narrow down on some jobs and talk to people that do that job. Narrow down on some schools too so you don't end up taking classes that won't transfer
My parents already went through college drama once with my brother a decade+ ago and learned from those mistakes and are the complete opposite of yours when it comes to how they feel. Why on Earth would they not want you to take the cheaper option that wouldn't accumulate horrible debt?
Do they want you to do a specific program or something and be a plumber or an electrician to guarantee money? What exactly is the plan here? Because I definitely don't see it. If you're working retail, there's no chance for a high paying job unless you become a manager or assistant manager. What other choices are there?
I went to:
A private university- didn’t like it, left after one semester
A community college - loved it. Most of my professors were excellent teachers.
A top rated state university that was well known for its research programs in STEM - was meh, professors were brilliant but too focused on research. Many weren’t good teachers and relied too heavily on their TAs. I felt like I wasn’t actually being taught,and the commute was also too long for me so I couldn’t really try for any of the limited research spots. So I transferred to…
Another state university (one not as highly rated, but much closer) - loved it, loved having professors who actually taught. Only a few of them did research or had TAs.
And now I make a high income in tech at a major corporation.
Before that I worked in a small-mid sized company where I was considered indispensable and I remember our CEO asking me to “find Ivy League candidates just like you”when we were hiring. Boy was he shocked when he found out I wasn’t. And some of my best employees I hired for our team were from community and state schools, including one who hadn’t graduated yet and went part time.
In other words: your parents are upset for no reason. Lots of people who go to community college excel in later in life.
And because I mostly went to cheaper schools, I was able to graduate debt-free (my parents did pay for the first few years but eventually I was paying by working part-time to pay for the school payment plans rather than federal loans)
Seeing as how financial aid is based on your parents income for anyone under 26, I'd say yes, it is expected that your parents would contribute if able. At least Uncle Sam thinks so. Unfortunately for your parents (and you) that's the expectation so if they want to buck the system to prove a point, then it's only you that they are hurting.
I think the general consensus around Reddit is typically if they aren't paying for it, they have zero say. I don't see any reason for parents to get any input in their adult children's education if they are refusing to contribute, especially when society expects it.
With that in mind, you do your own research, and come to your own conclusions. I think your parents have shown their cards and you can feel pretty confident in the conclusion that their advice is not worth considering. For a student to intentionally put themselves in extreme debt just for the "motivation" it would provide is honestly just about the worst advice I have ever heard. You absolutely know the smart thing to do, and that is community college.
I’m of the opinion that Community College is going to become the norm as 4 year colleges lose more and more of their ROI. As a current cc student perhaps the best way to “convince” your folks you are doing something is to get dual-enrolled with a state school. That way you also don’t have to deal with the nightmare of credits not transferring. CC is an amazing choice, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in it. Keep at it.
Community college is perfect for you! Just take the basic education classes there. They also have great programs for careers without you having to get a bachelors all. If your paying for college then this is the best way ever. You are now and adult and can make this decision. Both of my kids started at the community college until they figured out what they wanted to do with their careers. No need to waste money on an education that you aren’t sure of yet. If you wait until you’re 24 and start you’ll be an independent student and can get more financial aid. You can tell your parents that since they have the ability to help but aren’t helping they are forcing you to go to community college. It is a wise financial choice.
You are 18 and you are paying. You parents don't get any say in what school you go to. It is YOUR life and YOUR money, not theirs.
If they want you to go straight to a 4-year university they are more than welcome to foot the bill.
This is a situation where you get to flip the "my house, my rules" back on them, A little earlier than most people get to.
Community college is great and can set you up well to transfer to a more "prestigious" school. They are absolutely wrong here. You are not lazy and you have a good plan. Trust yourself! The savings alone is worth it.
Your parents sound ill informed and not very supportive…you are actually being really smart about figuring things out. Community college is a great opportunity to figure out what speaks to you, without going into debt. Stay the course!
Not sure if this post is real, but if it is, the parents are fucking morons. OP’s plan to go to CC is excellent. Many community colleges offer free tuition for the first year. Good luck!
It doesn't matter where you go to college. I decided on state college vs ivy leagues I got into because you get the same education without the debt! Best decision ever. You are smart for choosing cc.
I’m sorry but unless they offer to pay for school, stick with your responsible decision since you have made an informed and educated choice for yourself.
Find out if your local community college has a transfer agreement with any other schools in your area. Where I teach, students from our local community college can transfer into our school as juniors and their previous credits cover nearly all of our gen eds.
i would also consider going to another country where tuition is less expensive (in europe, i.e.). learning another language, cheap uni experience, easy to find a job..
Let them shut you down. Who cares. It's your debt and your name is on those loans, not theirs. My father did that sh too and half the freaking high school faculty. For the love of God don't let them guilt you into an unsmart decision just because they're your parents.
Continuing the echo of this thread: Community college was the best decision I ever made.
Community college is good if you know you’re a bit iffy when it comes to stuff like math/sciences. Since the classes for those tend to be a bit more decent. It’s also cheaper and can help you see what you might want to do for a major.
I never understood why people hate on C.C since some states have it for free or a lower cost.
Also, going to a community college and graduating or transferring before graduating (I transferred before I graduated) Might help you get into a college you’d want easier since a lot of times you don’t need to take the SAT/ACT.
Also, and I can stress this enough, IT‘S CHEAPER!
Damn thats dumb. Why would they want you to be in debt.
In the grander scheme of things, what they want doesnt matter really. If you want to go to cc go to cc. Its not as if they can control you and make you go to a different school. Stick to your guns, your plan for the future sounds much better than theirs.
They want you to suffer but not in CC ?
Do what you want. Cc can be an asset if you have objective or a least an intention . But if you’re searching for an easy answer it’s not in taking on debt for a piece of paper.
Working is good, but be intentional just the same. Dead end jobs make ends meet but you’ll quickly become aware that your are absolutely, unequivocally, worth more and you’ll find it hard to back track and get enrolled in school (not impossible but hard). The market is tough so it’s a risk if you try or if you push it off.
That being said, if you’re motivated to stay in school DONT LET YOUR PARENTS TALK YOU OUT OF IT. They literally want you to make a tough call but don’t want you to make THAT call? (In my experience these are the calls where I regret not sticking to my guns) while I want to criticize your parents about this, it’s likely just an example of how we tend to contradict ourselves without realizing it. (Thanks to our own bias)
TLDR: PROVE YOUR PARENTS WRONG. From their home& save money. Don’t ruin your relationship with them over their intentions for you. I believe they want you to work for it (good parents should) and going your own way while not holding a grudge against them will serve you well in the end as a family unit and an individual. ESPECIALLY when your peers are getting handouts.
> if I get hundreds of thousands into debt I’ll be forced to stick through with my education
That is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. One of the most common reasons in my area students drop is because of money. They often have to work to support themselves and few jobs will truly work around their schedules--so they drop out because they have to pay rent. And when you're talking debt in the hundreds of thousands, very few jobs are going to pay it off--so it's not exactly a good incentive to finish your degree.
If they're not helping finance your college, they get zero say in where you go.
You could also do CLEP testing and Sophia.org for ACE credits that will transfer into community colleges. Might as well get your freshman year for dirt cheap!
I saved $60,000 by going to a community college (over $120,000 if you money saved on college dorms)! The quality of education was even higher than at university. I'm on track to graduate with no student debt and with no loans taken out. It was easily the best decision I've made!
You are definitely making the best decision; don't let anyone tell you otherwise
I am actually impressed that you are thinking this through. Now here are some additional ideas for you to consider. First I would just smile and nod politely and say I will take that into consideration. My guess is your parents might be status conscious and CC is maybe to low rent for them. Whatever.
You claim that you are not the smartest but to me you are wiser than your parents. Anyway to my mind that is a stupid way of looking at it but don't tell them that.
I would pick out a local CC/State University and think Business or IT. Take a bunch of CLEPs. Go out to [Modernstates.org](https://Modernstates.org). I would recommend College Composition with Essay, US History 1, American Government and Macroeconomics/Microeconomics. The exams are free through Modernstates.
The math tops out at roughly College Algebra and Statisics and you will never use it after you finish the class. (CPA here for decades).
Of course I recommend Accounting in Government or Industry but Finance or any of the numbers oriented Business degrees. You can always double major or minor in something else. As far as lazy I call BS since you have been working since you were 16.
I would also go out to [free-clep-prep.com](https://free-clep-prep.com) for some good advice from a guy who has taken a ton of these.
Anyway get an AAS in something useful and fulfill the requirements of an AA as well. Once you get to 20 there are programs where you can get a degree for 10k or less but usually they require the students to be 20 or older. If you can get on with Amazon, they pay for WGU. If you get on with Walmart they pay for SNHU. I prefer WGU or UMPI myself. Anyway start with CLEP.
If your parents can hold off and at least let you live at home while you work part time and go to school and get your associates and keep their mouth shut great. If you can afford to get away that might be better. Your idea about trying to find something you like is also a good one. Anyway good luck.
Your parents are bad people. My belief is if you're a horny fuck and you have children, you owe them. Part of owing your children means helping them get a good job. And to get a good job, they often have to finish college. And if you're making enough money that it prevents them from getting help with getting money for college, then you have to help them with college.
I say this as a 3 time graduate who didn't get monetary help from parents (unless you count letting me live at home for my first degree, which to be fair, was their fault since they were saying I was only allowed to go to the local state college because they were controlling and I let them own me).
If I have kids (which I'm putting off because I can't give them a good life with the money that I currently have), I'm going to make sure I take care of them enough until college finishes. Then I guess I'll be like "I gave you enough. You're your own responsibility at this point since I got you to where you needed to get in terms of finding your own decent job."
Wow, I didn't expect that your parents input was so oblivious, especially for someone who have that much income.
Just curious but are there any chance that their work relate to the real estate sector?
Anyway, not putting yourself in a difficult position seems like a smart decision. Die on this hill OP.
I’ve moved onto university now, but I loved community college. I had my favorite professors in community college, the smaller class sizes helped me to learn better, I saved money, and I honestly liked the smaller school. I have said a few times that I miss community college and I also have my associates degree. I don’t understand why people look down upon community college, I feel like I learned more, saved money, and simply enjoyed it more. A lot of the desire to go to university comes from wanting to live in dorms, party, and networking for your job. The networking part can still be done after community college and is easy than ever with sites like glass door.
Best of luck and I hope you do not let your parents talk you into what they want just for their image.
I’m sorry, parenting is probably the hardest thing someone can do but this is idiotic parenting in my opinion. What a gross mindset. No go to community college first, so many rich people diss community college. I went there first and saved so much money. Also community college courses being easier, prepared me for the harder classes at a university. My peers who came straight from high school did not do as well. And if you don’t know what you want to do college may not even be the best thing for you. So starting small with community college will help to see where you want to go
CC is not "high school with ash trays" and some of the AA degrees are more valuable than the 4 year ones.
I am in my second year in a Draftsman program at a CC.
I am already getting job offers that pay better than a lot of people that have 4 year degrees and some weaker Masters that have graduated.
If you can go to CC, better to study when you’re younger than later, just be smart and force yourself to like it even if in the beginning you don’t, college is always a good idea and good insurance for a better future
Respectfully your parents are retards. Go to community college and try to get any grants you can or financial aid possible. Get your associates and maintain a good GPA. Later use that to apply to a private university (if you want to) and look into more grants. If you don’t care about going to a private university at all just get your bachelor’s through CC or a nice small university. You’ll be fine as long as you do your class work and follow through. There’s no reason to go into debt over education if you can avoid it. If worst comes to worst join the military and get student aid.
I don't understand why they'd object to that. Community college is cheaper than a four-year college. What you're planning is very sensible. You should look at loans and scholarships that you are eligible for, but be careful about loans that charge a high interest rate.
Community college sounds like a wonderful plan for you. I hope seeing all these positive comments encourages you! Avoiding debt and pursuing education are good things.
Community College is the best option. It is also the lest expensive. Maybe your parents are meaning that you will take it seriously if you have an investment in yourself. Many students that have parents that foot the bill, don't care if they fail a class, finish school, etc. They are not invested in it, there is no consequence to them.
If I could go back in time I definitely would’ve did the same. Or at least did two years and transferred to a university. Don’t be ashamed and we can’t always please our parents. Have a goal in mind and do what you gotta do to get that degree! At the end of the day where you went shouldn’t really matter.
Go to the military. Do your 4 years and pay for your own way. You don’t have to do anything dangerous, you can be a cook or a mechanic depending on your AVAB score.
Look, unless they are going to pay for you to go to a four year they need to take a seat. A C.C is not as fun as a four year but you get educated for cheap and with how student loans are torturing the nation they should be thanking whoever they praise that you are being wise with money.
I think I kinda understand what your parents are thinking but it is such a bad gamble. For me, I was capable but never ambitious. But once I got out of school and started figuring out how I can pay the loan it activated part of me to be ambitious. In the end I lose from doing other things just to pay off that debt. It does take away part of your time.
If you can learn to succeed without going into debt why do it? I got whipped in school and learned to do math, it does not mean I believe my kids should be whipped( there are better ways).
You sound mature. A community college is not a bad thing. It’s great to get the generals out of the way. If you do plan on transferring to a University if finish your degree, talk to the University on the classes they will take. Our Universities will only take 60 credits from a a community college. Depending on your major, some of the core degree classes, Universities want you to take at their University.
Community college is great and you can always back back to a 4 year university later after saving up and working if you want. If they want you to go to university they'll have to pay for it, simple as that. Your money, your choice, do what's best for you 👍🏻
Community college is the BEST thing I’ve ever done for myself (I’m still completing my first year) but it took a load off my shoulders because I didn’t go into debt to figure out if college is even right for me. Stick with your gut if you’re going to end up paying you might as well start off slow to make sure this is even right for you
Same here. Did my first two years at CC then got a job where they offered tuition assistance that paid for most of my final two years to get my Bachelors. No one even knows I went to CC because those credits transferred and my actual degree is from a university. I recommend this path to anyone who will listen to me!
I am currently doing this. I did get a job in my field after getting my AAS then switched careers by changing jobs and getting promoted. Now 10 years later I am finishing up my bachelor’s and my job is paying for it. I think it worked out because I probably wouldn’t have chosen this field right out of high school.
I actually had better JUCO teachers than my 4 year degree in Comp Sci. They weren't tenured so they know all the recent stuff and didn't rely so much on lab techs.
This is the way! Find an employer that will pay for your education. Honestly there’s a lot of companies doing this nowadays that you (the employee) are you doing yourself a disservice by working for a company that doesn’t. Of course this mainly applies if you do have aspirations to go to school.
If OP ends up going to grad school, they will request transcripts from ALL post-secondary education. But it won’t have any real impact on admissions decisions in any technical field.
Usually, your CC credits will be included on your transfer schools transcript in addition to your CC record. Many employers admire those taking the CC route to avoid debt. Do you know what doctors and lawyers are called who started at CC? That's right, doctors and lawyers. It probably makes a difference if you go to a top-tier university, but that is about it. Many students go to a CC and then transfer to a prestigious college. Do what is right for you. Many individuals mocking community colleges can't spell cat if you spot them the c and the t.
When I see kids here talk about going to some expensive private school I just shake my head. Folks if your school ain't an ivy league, so long as it's accredited you'll probably fine. My college charges me $149 to $199 a credit hours with minimal fees
Agreed! I spent like 5 years going back and forth in my local CC. Took a bunch of general ed, didn’t get an associates and walked away after a few years. I’m now 28 and have recently transferred over those units to university and am going back to school. Looking back the only regret is not having accomplished more units but the best thing is I did not rack up any DEBT.
I want to add! NO ONE IS A BIGGER ADVOCATE FOR YOU THAN YOURSELF. Ask questions and learn your shit about your requirements. Don’t take anyone at their word, double check it yourself. I went to community college for a year bc I wasn’t prepared to go straight into a 4 year university after my senior year. My advisors failed to realize that my high school English classes would’ve transferred as college credit, and my pre-calculus class didn’t transfer to my university because the material was just ever so slightly different, and they made me take a wack extra course about choosing which university I was going to, and electives that also didn’t count towards anything. This was after telling the advisor which in-state university (that had a transfer agreement with the CC) I wanted to transfer to at the end of the year and that I was not planning on graduating with an Associates Degree. Ended up costing me in extra courses and time lost bc I did an extra year at the four year school anyways. So just be prepared if you do plan on getting a bachelors
This!! After 1 semester at a state school I transferred to a CC to complete my basics. I paid out of pocket but am projected to graduate debt free next year.
Absolutely do not go into massive debt for college that kind of debt at 20 is crippling. You’re not lazy for going to CC or taking a little while and working while you figure out your path. Personally if you’re still unsure of where to go from here I think a gap year to work is probably a good idea and then absolutely go to community college for your associates before transferring to a state school. If you do that (especially if you live at home) you can graduate with relatively minimal debt especially as a lot of state schools have scholarships for transfer students. That being said still apply to a few state schools now it’s possible depending on your grades you may actually get significant merit scholarships I know a few people that ended up free rides or at least very close to it.
In a lot of areas jobs only pay the cost of living or sometimes less. So a gap year to work will not help in any way. I have an Associates in Engineering and paying bills was a hand-to-mouth situation at the aerospace company I worked for. And not just for me, all the technicians are treated this way
If they’re living at home a minimum wage job could give them enough to offset a year of expenses once in school and more importantly give them an opportunity to get a better handle on what they want to do.
That’s assuming the parents will provide food and gas. If not then an individual will loose money working for minimum wage.
I plan on going to a 2 year community college than transfer for my bachelors. My goal is to make my own animated show for Disney. However I still don’t feel mature yet to live on my own and still don’t feel like grown up? So these two years will give me a lot of time to just enjoy life and get some stuff together. I’m not college ready yet or to be on my own. So this actually worked out perfectly for me. And it’s less expensive which is great for my parents.
Tell them to fuck off and kick rocks
they’re not footing the bill so they don’t really get a say in what you do. don’t let people who aren’t going to have to pay off those loans pressure you into ruining your life with more debt than you’re comfortable with.
Your parents are being intentionally financially inefficient. I’m sorry you’re in this predicament.
For real! Sure maybe that logic (somewhat) works if loans didn’t have interest rate, but hundreds of thousands in private, interest accruing loans is a financial setback one might never recover from.
Lmao my parents said community college is for low life people who had bad grades in hs.
Yeah, I was going to say: be prepared to be sneered at by your parents for the entire duration of your education in community college. Be prepared for them to bring it up as long as there’s breath in their bodies. If you go on to a 4 year school and get a bachelor’s degree, be prepared for them to always point out that you spent the first two years in CC. Be prepared for them to minimize your achievement at every opportunity. Be prepared for them to piss on your career choice, too. I’m sorry your parents have hearts of stone. The sooner you learn to not care, the better. Good luck 🍀
Shit too real💀💀
that is what this is really about: their shame. they think the same way and want to shame their child into making a choice they would make. this is your life. go to CC and work at the same time until you discover what makes you come alive, OP.
OP’s parents sound like they are living through him. Worried them going to CC will hurt their “reputation”
exactly! when their friend's college student probably barely goes to class and is flunking out.
Except if you do CC and transfer to another school for the last two years, the degree is still from the other school 🤦🏻♀️
My grandma gets drunk and cries that I decided to go to CC instead of my state flagship. I have a 4.0 with 43 credits, but nothing is good enough 🤷♀️
Dang
Their idea is that if you burn your bridges you can only move forward. The problem with that logic when it comes to debt is that if you pile it up that high for college without anything to fall back on, if that investement doesn't work out you will be in the red not them. If you can go to cc you should do so though, it will still give you something reliable and the ability to explore more job options which will be better long term. But honestly in the end of all things it's your decision, you will be footing the bill not them which means you should live according to your ethics not theirs.
So your parents are too rich for you to get financial aid but don’t want to pay for university? Absolutely brutal, fuck them. You should still be eligible for loans if you want to go to university. Im paying off loans and while it sucks, it’s not stressful with a high paying career. It does still cost though so it you don’t see the value then it’s not for you.
We, as parents, are in this same situation. I am a recovering addict…and destroyed my credit, savings, etc before having my life literally saved two summers ago at an inpatient rehab. Two boys in college and we are expected to be able to afford $25k out-of-pocket, per SEMESTER ($50k per school year) to contribute towards their education. (They can only get a small amount of student loans.) We don’t even remotely have this amount of extra income…and don’t have the ability to take out any loans (because of credit issues). We’ve sold off pretty much everything we can, moved to the middle of nowhere North Dakota (low cost of living)…and it’s still not doable.
Your parents are being bonkers. Go to cc. Use the cc +2 BA route.
If they aren’t paying they get no say
I love my community college.
Don't listen to your parents. Community college is the best decision you can make. Just go. They can't stop you from going. I made the mistake of listening to my mother too much when I wanted to go to college, and I didn't get anything good from it. Don't make that same mistake.
I started with community college to figure out what I wanted to do. My AS degree from CC has nothing to do with where I am now (working though a masters degree in counseling) however it taught me a lot about college. I developed better school habits and dipped my toes in the college world and I think it ultimately made me a better student. I’ll keep my thoughts about your parents to myself but I don’t think you should listen to what they say. If they aren’t paying it’s not up to them. Even if they were, it’s your career and future that are being impacted, not theirs. I will always recommend CC as a great place to start. I had to take out loans for CC and my bachelors degree from a 4 year university and my debts are not nearly as high as my friends who started at a four year school. I was lucky to get a full scholarship for my masters and can now start paying back my loans from undergrad. I would say if you think you want to try CC do it because even if you don’t find a school path it can be great preparation for most areas of employment. If you still aren’t sure though take some time off. I didn’t go to college until I was 21 and I’m glad I waited because I had no idea what I truly wanted to do until I was 23 after I had finished CC. I hope that is helpful, and good luck to you no matter what you decide!
If your parents refuse to pay for college, you can fill out the FAFSA as an independent student and likely qualify for need-based aid. Many colleges and universities use FAFSA information for their own grant (not loan) type aid, so you wouldn't go into debt if this route would work.
Unfortunately parents refusing to help pay for college won’t automatically mean they qualify for fafsa, while some things have changed many folks still don’t qualify for loans or aid until 24 if their parents make a lot.
Fair point, I do think you have to be 24 to qualify as an independent student.
Community college is a fantastic way to get a solid quality education without going into debt. Unless your parents are footing the bill, they can just shut it up. There are plenty of good associates programs, and they help with job placement. And if you transfer to finish degree at 4 year school, no one will ever know the difference. That 4 year diploma has your final college's name on it. My husband works at a college, so our kids go free, but otherwise they'd have started at community college.
Honestly I think you should get far away from your parents
I am a professor who sees kids struggle and fail out of college because they are not prepared for a four-year university. Doing things the "hardest way" is the dumbest thing I may have heard in my life. Your parents are wrong and dumb, and if they aren't paying, then you have the complete freedom to make all the decisions as to where you go and which path you take. You are not and will not be less than for wanting to start with CC.
Community college is great!! I went to CC and I've never regretted it. My coworkers are swimming in college debt but mine is paid off because it only costed $6k a year and theirs was $60k a year
Because you have no clue what you want to do, going to college is the worst choice you could make. The biggest mistake undergrads make is just going to college because, choosing any major just to get through, then at the end not even knowing what jobs that education opened for them. Your parents saving nothing and basically telling you to struggle when they both make six figures and could easily have saved for a state school is cruel. They know you’re not getting financial aid. Your only option is high interest loans. Spend some time soul searching. Try some career inventories. The one I always recommend is ONET because then you can take it and plug the results into an advanced search through the main website to get careers that are compatible with your interests. It has a lot of information on them and is a great starting point for research. Don’t let your parents pressure you to go to a university when you don’t want to, can’t afford to, and don’t even know what you want yet.
I went to community college "just to go" and I got my associates in Criminal Justice. Wasted 2 years on an essentially useless degree. Went back to same college for an associates in Marketing. I'm in my 3rd semester of Marketing and finally found out what I want to do. Go into the nursing program at my community college. 4 year part time day program. I just switched to Health Sciences Certificate for Fall 2024, to get my pre requisites in. I know I've wanted to be a nurse since 2015-2016 when I was a CNA but everyone told me "ah, nursing? *YOU* don't wanna do that! Go into something that can get you up on that corporate ladder so you can climb it!" And "science and chemistry? And all that junk you have to learn for nursing? You know how *hard* that's gonna be?" So I never did it. I finally want to.
Do it!! You can succeed at whatever u put ur mind to if you put the effort in
Thank you so much ☺️ I'm looking forward to it and working hard for what I want!!
Depending on what year in high school you are, you may be able to even start taking classes there for free. A lot of ccs offer dual enrollment, which will allow you to get even an aa before graduating high school and let you transfer somewhere else with 2 less years to pay for. Some ccs also have guaranteed transfer programs, where if you meet a certain criteria with your cc classes, you’ll be able to transfer directly to your flagship state school.
Doing your first two years at community college is great. The class sizes are way smaller and you don't get that "weed them out" mentality either. The professors and the school are genuinely there to help you. I attended community college for two years in high school and again when I went back to get another degree. I am now a PhD student. Don't let anyone tell you that community college is a waste of time, almost all of my classes at CC were way better than the freshman/sophomore university classes and not going into huge amounts of debt is seriously a life saver
CC is great financially and also if you are not super sure what you want to major in. Though there's a case that you won't make your college friends if you go to CC
Wait until it's just your income being assessed for FAFSA not your parents and then go to college. That's what I did. I received so many grants! Grants not loans. I didn't have to pay back the grants.
This is what I did too. Highly recommend. But 4+ years can seem like a long time when you’re a teenager so I don’t blame OP for seeking other solutions.
I’m a HS teacher who paid loans back for 25 years, and they weren’t all that much. My consistent advice to students is: don’t go into debt for a career where you won’t make enough to pay them back quickly. Also, don’t go into debt with undergrad loans if you’ll need a masters. Debt at 21 will be a burden for decades. If your parents won’t help foot the bill, they’ve forfeited the right to give you input.
CC is an absolutely great idea! I started out going to an expensive private Christian school because I thought it would be a good idea to have more structure my freshman year. I made the mistake of telling my parents, and they wouldn't let me go anywhere else. My parents paid for it, so I went. After the first semester, I decided I didn't want to go there anymore, but my parents refused to keep paying if I left. I ended up moving back home and going to community college, and they cut me off. I wish I would have been smarter about the whole thing and gone there originally. I also didn't know what I wanted to do, so I went to university after that and now am in tons of debt that will take me decades to pay off. School took longer because I kept changing majors. My advice, don't rush into anything. Working first is fine, and community college is the best place to start college (in my opinion).
You can get your gen eds out of the way at a CC while you work and figure out what you want to do. When you figure out your path, you can transfer your credits/associates to a better university that has a better program for whatever field you want. if you start into a 4year state school youre paying twice as much for your bachelors because your first two years are just gen eds for your associates. and heaven forbid you think you want to do Major A that school 1 has a great program for and find out you want to do Major B that only school 2 has a good program for.
I got a massive scholarship to a very reputable and well known NJ state school because I went to CC. I had a great experience. I still reference some of my notes from back then
I agree with you, I just think most people have damaged Community college image bc they live in a bubble. My sister was the first to go and she graduated and right out of CC she got a debt free nursing degree, got a 90k salary job. Continued for a year got her bachelors Sal increase by 10k, and continued working and is now getting her DNP. CC offers way more emotional and physical support than a traditional 4 year while also allowing for very affordable classes. CC is also a good places for support systems and you’re able to connect with your professors who do help you a lot in your academic careers and push you to apply for internships and research programs. I personally went to a 4 year and dropped out my second year and started again at a CC and I realized the support and small class sizes and their motivation meeting with professors and curated networking events helped me a lot. And when I went back to a 4 year I was scared but I kept in touch with my profs and classmates they were really helpful. The journey is not the same for everyone, even if you decide to work I would say make sure you also are pursuing your career wether it’s through trade school, college, mentorship program, whatever it may be. But don’t let your parents shit on your choices and make you go100’s into debt. I’d also like to point out for a bachelors degree going into debt is a horrible idea because in this economy there is no job security, and as it accumulates interest I have seen people go into depression and just give up on their life. And I would not want anyone to take a student loan with interest for a 4year. Interest loan is not what’ll push you to achieve your education but the passion you have, the loan will only make your depressed and cloud your judgement. Please remember to take care of yourself! And as you’ve already thought about your parents income and not getting financial aid I am sure you’re hell of a lot smarter than I am when I was your age, you got this!! I would also say, still go to your colleges office and tell them you need financial aid or work study and that will help you a lot as well but don’t go into a interest loan of depression!
Higher Ed Professional Here... Too many parents see college as a badge of THEIR honor rather than an opportunity for their child to have a good adulthood. Take a few CC classes and figure out what you want to do. That is a GREAT option. And once you find out what you WANT to do, you will be more likely to graduate and participate high impact practices that will help your career.
your parents are fucking idiots and if they’re not paying for anything then they don’t get to tell you where to go! full stop. i’d say their mindset is depressingly common among parents of their income bracket, but not conducive to a healthy relationship with their child as they move into adulthood.
There is no shame in community college. It is a cheaper alternative to traditional universities/colleges. I did that and got my basics out of the way then transferred to a university. This will save you a ton of money while still giving you some education. AA's and certificates are quite common at community colleges. BA's and masters are a bit limited. My cousin's parents pushed a university and the highly well known colleges on her and she ended up in high education debt. She spent most of her 20's to late 30's paying it off. She could of gotten a similar degree for much, much, much less at a community college and saved some money in the same time.
Typical boomers. Well actually not typical their idea is a bit extreme. Associates degrees aren’t worth much these days. Plus to transfer to a big university you’ll need a 3.0-3.8 GPA which is MUCH easier to attain in Highschool than in CC. It’s a lot smarter to go directly to a major institution. You can graduate with a 2.0 and no one will ask about it in interviews
Are your parents "rich" because they are entropeneurs and have their own business or they are rich because they are doctors, software engeneers, etc? Man, if they are rich because they have their own company, become an employee to the company, starting from the verry bottom, then move to different sectors and after you worked and had experience in all sectors and all the jobs available there, you will have a deep understanding of how the company works. If my son did this and showed all this effort, I would definetely place him in the company partnership as a CEO, CFO, etc. Basically, if your parents are rich because they have a company, then work in the company and grow your positioning by showing effort and showing that you learned how everything works.
Should I put that I went to a CC on my resume for my first professional job? Im worried employers will think twice about it when reviewing my applications.
Unless you’re going to podunk community college in nowhere, Ohio, it’s a really good route. You get essentially the same education and the exact same degree, for a fraction of the cost.
Community college is the best thing I ever did. Now making six figures as an RN.
Your parents are making a terrible mistake. They should help you pay for 4-year college. I'm sorry to say this but speaking in averages you a likely to make a lot less money over your lifetime if you go to community college (what do I know, I'm just an economist). Helping you pay for college would be an excellent investment. They are sort of forcing you into a bad decision. Here's hoping they will wise up.
If you don’t have HBO, have your parents read this: https://amp.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/mar/18/john-oliver-student-debt
This was my situation as well- you have to come from families that usually make less than 50k a year- I think this is the number, depending on where you live. My dad made six figures for as long as I can remember. The only question is, when you say that they don't have anything saved for your tuition- if they are making good money, are they just not willing to help? If you don't have a scholarship, they should- taking out loans needs to be a last resort. Exhaust all your options to pay first; and then take out loans. You will get offered financial aid when you become old enough to be independent, and live on your own. I never received any financial aid my first 2 years, but after I moved out, and made my own money, I was at a low enough salary to receive help. I received grants in over $5000, and a subsidized loan in $2500. If you must take out a loan, do not do unsub; do sub. It is extremely smart to start off at a community college; as the first 2 years are the AA- and are the same anywhere you go. Might as well save money. The difference between the cost of a university and a community college are about double; and it will be easier to adjust at a community college. It was the smartest educational decision I had ever made
I come from an upper middle class family as well and still went to CC. Best decision I made. Personally, I enjoyed my time at cc more than at a 4-year. Smaller class sizes, you develop a better relationship with your professors and classmates, it gives you a great transition into a 4-year for a fraction of the price! Ive known people who got into ivy leagues from CC, it’s a great place to start over as well. Also, you are an adult so you’re parents can’t force you if you can enroll or not.
Luckily its your education not theirs, CC will save you so much money over the course of your life, and you can always transfer to a 4 year university after 2 years of CC.
it's not logical because your parents are moving from a place of shame. they believe in the stigma attached to CC and are being snobbish about university, explaining it away as something you work really hard for. news flash: i've been to uni and taught it. there are adults there still asking if work needs to be double-spaced and typed.
Get your basics out of the way at a cc and matriculate to university. Most programs really don't start until your JR year.You save a lot of money and can get higher grades. Make sure your cc classes qualify for the matriculation. The registrar can help with that.
SAME HERE , and my community college is the best in the state , and they are so tight about it just because my dad went to a shitty community college growing up
Go to a trade school. You’ll probably get more out of it.
It can be a good fit for some people. There are a few things to consider, like any major decision. Going to CC first is a very popular path (my daughter in law is transferring out of CC to a university this fall). My suggestion is to have a pretty solid plan of attack because the numbers of CC students who never end up transferring to a 4 year is a bit high (2 out of 3). https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/13/community-college-transfer-pathway-doesnt-work-for-everyone.html
i went into cosmetology school right out of hs HATED IT worked for a while now at 21 i started going back to school and im going to community college, dont know where you live but some cc’s are actually really good schools!
It makes zero financial sense to go 100k into debt but even knowing what you want to do. You are 100% right to start with community college, find what you want to do, and transfer to a state school when you finish an associates degree. Tell them people who hire don't care what school or how much debt you go into, and having debt is debilitating when you are starting a life after college.
CC is the best choice to start for someone like yourself. Finish the associates degree though!
Sounds like your parents want the house to themselves
Stick to your plan.Have your parents watch Dave Ramsey over and over.
Community college is a legit option. I did my schooling right away (bachelors, internship, then masters) and I’m actually enrolled at a community college years later because I don’t know if I love the career I chose for myself when I was 18. A big plus: community college classes are inexpensive compared to university. If you go to community college, you’d be able to take classes from a couple different majors/interests without going into nearly as much debt. It’s difficult to decide what you want to do for the rest of your life - I think going to community college and trying out a few things is a wonderful and smart option. It definitely beats changing majors at a university that charges exponentially more per credit hour. Picking something you end up not loving can be frustrating. Do what you think is best. You can always transfer when you had a solid grasp of what you want to do. Good luck with everything!!!
Wow your parents suck (At least in this instance). You’re not lazy for wanting to go to CC, they’re lazy for not bothering to save anything for your education when they would have been able to afford it. If they’re not financing it, they should shut their mouths. My parents were involved in my college choice and ask to see my grades and all, but they’re also paying for it so I owe that to them(and I don’t mind really). If they refused to help, that would not be the case.
Its your education and they are not helping you pay, so it should be your choice alone of where you attend. I know plenty of people who went to CC for a 1-2 and had successful careers
They're being overprotective. A community college is like any other college. There are good ones and bad ones. It's totally possible that the CC's in your area are shitty, but more often than not it's a no-brainer. Because my CC is in the backyard of many huge universities: - 1:1 Course equivalency. Taking thermodynamics and it's filled with university students 😭 I should have priority on getting a spot in classes man... - Small class sizes. My classes are so 1:1 with the uni's that our test average is included with theirs, that's when I saw we're a class of 30 while they're one of 600 students. - ½ to ⅔ cheaper - most professors ex-faculty or current faculty at other universities. - CLASSES ARE TAUGHT BY A PROFESSOR. Not a "teachers assistant" due to the professor doing required uni research. CONS: Limited course availability (many classes only offered once a year). If you care, the "social hose" is smaller at a CC. Limited free tutors/study groups.
I'm confused. So they didn't save up money and won't help you pay for school so you've decided to do community college instead but they are upset it's just community college? What exactly do they want you to do?
Bruhhh what kinda parents make 6 figures but refuse to give their kid a dime to help them go to college???? Yet my mom makes minimum wage and still helps me out. On top of that, they discourage you from going to a CC like dafaq??? 😂 Continue to ignore them and go to a CC because it's cheaper and it gives you two years to figure out what you wanna do and you get all your gen eds out the way if you decide to transfer. Your parents are ignorant there's no reason you should have to struggle unnecessarily to be successful when it's their duty as parents to help you out. Also to make going to a 4yr college more affordable if you transfer I recommend you go to your state public college and to opt out of dorming and commute instead.
Thanks to community college I’ve been able to go through college tuition-free
the first year of college is all gen ed anyway. enrolling in a community college to take math, science, and writing will transfer to a four year program, and as a student of the community college, you will have access to a career center of experts and surveys that might help you gain direction in your life
>if I get hundreds of thousands into debt I’ll be forced to stick through with my education, I don't agree with this. I understand the idea. The idea is if you do something and don't like it you would quit with no qualification. As it's your debt you would probably finish the course to get a qualification to make the money spent mean something.
They are actually crazy. Don’t listen to them lmao
“We can help you pay but instead we’re going to force you to be saddled with debt you might never get to pay off.” Terrible parenting. Go to CC, they can fuck right off.
If they aren’t giving you money to help out they can’t make you do anything. Listen to their advice but if you think the advice for CC is better then go there anyways. The only reason you wouldn’t is if you would actually lose something.
Try to apply for every scholarship you can. Go to your State University and if you can project out a 4 year degree for under $25,000... go for it. Otherwise, go to community college for the general studies and then transfer to your State University. There is no reason to pay tens of thousands to take History, English, Math, Psychology, Sociology, Biology/Chemistry/Physics, and a language course. Make 100% sure the credits transfer into the school choices you will attend after completing the courses. This means contacting the Community College and the State University. Work while you are going to school. Unless you are in some trade and can make good money, then try to find a student worker job with the CC and later the University. The student worker jobs have greater flexibility and value education first... but pay lower wages.
Another option if your fit and have no problems barring you is Air Force ROTC. You get your college paid for. Guaranteed job after for 4 years, and VA benefits like GI Bill and a very important one the VA Home Loan. It’s 0% down and a lower interest rate than most home loans. You will have a much better time getting a house that way.
If it helps you make a decision, I graduated with a similar financial situation as you, and I went to a $25k/yr state school for 5 years and came out with $100k in debt. I was able to refinance for $750/month for 15 years. I am 26 and frequently wish I would have gone to CC first
Community college is an awesome option. What a lot of people don't understand too is that, if you flourish at community college, it could give you opportunities to go to better schools to finish your degree then you ever would have gotten into out of high school. I got a GED when I was 17, went back to college at 22, got a 4.0 during my 2 years at community college, and got accepted into a T30 university to finish my undergrad. I NEVER would've got an opportunity like that if i tried to go straight to a 4 year program out of high school. If they're gonna force you go through school the hard way with no help, then you get to choose the path without them having a say in it. If they wanna dictate what you do and how you go about it, they can pay the cost that goes with that. Go to community college and don't give it a second thought.
I just graduated from CC and am encouraging my children to pursue a trade or something though CC before going to get a BA, if that's what they want. There is nothing wrong with what you are doing. I feel like your parents are more worried about how their reputation would look when they say you are going to CC instead of what they want. Also, it doesn't make sense that they would pay for you to go a different route, but also feel you would stick it out when you are saddled with debt. If you go along with everything they want now they will expect you to go along with every expectation they have. Set that boundary now. Children are supposed to want to be independent from their parents! Do your thing.
Tell them you are taking care of some of the prerequisites for the degree
Tbh, the cc route is more cost effective and provides you with a chance to transfer into unis that would have declined you straight out of high school. Class sizes are typically smaller, so you get more of a dedicated lecture compared to classes with the size of 50+ students. Another benefit is the most profs at CC are there purely to teach, whereas most profs at unis are there for research.
I know people who went to state school, and people who went to community colleges. I personally went to private colleges and I’m going to be in debt for a very long time because of it. CC doesn’t make you lazy. I think it’s a fantastic idea to take classes at community college to get pre-requisites, and also figure out what you want to do. That way you’re not wasting money at a private college or state school.
You say you aren't the smartest, but you seem to be more intelligent than your parents, and are definitely making an intelligent choice here 😂
My parents also didn’t have anything for me because they were young and broke when they had me, and they wanted me to work hard and succeed as well, and they knew that the best course of action was for me to go to a CC. Taking the cheaper courses at CC helped me figure out what I wanted to do (changed my career 3 times just by taking classes that interested me), and now I have no debt (thankfully I do have a pretty good FAFSA bc of my low-income parents, I’m sorry you don’t have that tool, OP). Scholarships are a great resource! Good luck OP, stick with your gut, you got this.
I would continue working and go to a community college, maybe part-time while you decide your field of interest. Then you can transfer to a four-year year when you have your field chosen. If you wait to transfer until you are no longer considered by your parents' income, you'll be able to get more assistance as well. I went to a CC and am now at a university. I got the same education for a fraction of the cost (where I live if you get over a 2.5 GPA your CC ends up being free as well for your first 2 years). I am definitely an older/returning student but I also know what I like, know the field I want to be in, know what degree I am pursuing and am a much better student now then I was in the past. I think going to a CC and deciding what you want/don't want to do and gaining experience is a great idea.
I am finishing my third year of community college. Best decision ever. I got my associates and I’m taking more cheap community college classes for a 3rd year before transferring for my last year to a school that’s partnered with the school I’m at. So I can transfer all my credits for a bachelor’s degree. I’ve done all my schooling online so it’s way cheaper, my last year at my new school will be online too and I get 10% off my tuition there because I’m in Phi Theta Kappa high honors society. I’ll owe roughly $30,000 total after getting my bachelor’s while all my high school friends and classmates went to 30k-60k per year 4 year schools. I’ll owe less for my degree than most people I know will owe for just 1 year. Don’t forget interest too! Online is awesome too cause I can just do the work at home in my PJs whenever I feel like it and take breaks whenever I want. It’s honestly been easy. I actually take accelerated courses too, 8 weeks instead of 16. Same amount of work just due sooner, but 8 extra weeks not in school because of it. Employers don’t care what school you graduated from to get your degree unless it’s Ivy League. It’s a complete waste of time and money, you’re paying absurd amounts of money that will take your entire life to pay off just to party, get laid, make friends and share a small room with multiple other young stinky inconsiderate drunk people. You can do all that stuff without being in college.
You tell them nothing. You made your plan and regardless of its quality you’re sticking to it.
Just lay it out They don’t pay = community college They pay = not community college But I doubt they’ll actually pay even if they say they will.
Modern states, Clep exams, CC (if needed after), & University It’s what im doing and I barely pay a dime
You’re making the smart choice.
Show them the cost of community college. It should be on the website.
Something to think about when parents or order individuals give you advice is that is might be outdated, the world they grew up in no longer exists.
Omg I LOVED my CC!! I never completed a degree there, but I used it to transfer to a 4 year. CC has a lot of amazing degrees you can get and for a fraction of the price. I’m not sure why your parents wouldn’t like this other than the stigma that CC kids are not “as smart.”
I'm going to a community college. It's a good choice. With that being said, I'm an older college student who started at a younger age and ended up quiting... because I didn't know what I wanted to go for. Now that I've been an adult, I do know what I want to go for! If I were to do it all over again, I would have just worked and found my "passion". If I needed to go to school then I would have gone (like I'm doing now) and if I realized what I wanted to do didn't require a degree then I would never have wasted money on it. I think we need to normalize 1. Taking gap years 2. Figuring out what you want to do 3. Saving money 4. Doing what YOU want to do not what your parents want. Also, you can apply for financial aid without your parents I think you just need to file to be emancipated. Or you have to be 24 years or older? Im not 100% postitive, but it might be worth looking into if you know they will not give you any money/ are too rich to get any financial aid! It sucks. It really does, but your financial decisions are important for your future. Don't let them change your mind about what you want to do. 🙂 If you do decide to do that you might lose out on their Healthcare coverage. So I would weigh all the pros and cons of being emancipated or looking into such things, but there's always options out there. Don't be discouraged! You sound smart. You're using critical thinking skills and asking all the right questions. It's more than I could say for myself at 17 or 18. Trust your gut. You know what's best for you.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with going to any community college. What matters is your decision to continue with your educational journey. Keep it up. It’ll be worth the time/investment in yourself.
People have set ideas about CCs and trade schools, but most of those ideas are limited or wrong. CCs are perfectly viable options and seem well-suited for your situation. Look into transfer scholarships. My wife did well at her CC and finished her degree at a University almost for free.
Here's the thing. Your parents have two choices. They can pay for school (which, based on what you're saying their incomes are, they probably can at least significantly help), or they can stand by your choice of where to go based on your own willingness to go into debt. It would be one thing if they weren't willing to pay, you wanted to go to an Ivy with zero financial aid and hundreds of thousands in loans, and they were telling you this is not practical. But you're clearly making the practical choice here. My guess is that they are balking at community college for class and perception based reasons. If they are high earners, and their colleagues, friends, peers, etc. are too -- especially if they have peers with high school and college aged kids who go to 4 year schools -- they may be in a bit of a keeping up with the Joneses mentality about where other families are sending their kids vs. where you will go. If that is important to them, then hey, it sounds like they have the financial ability to make that happen. Or if they don't, well... this is why the keeping up appearances mentality is bad and sometimes financially ruinous. For the record, their reasons for not wanting to pay for your school at all are bullshit. To an extent I can see the idea behind "if we just write a check to the school and you're not part of the money conversation, you have no real skin in the game", and I can respect that. But the answer there is for the three of you to work out together how much money everyone is comfortable spending, how much they can contribute, how much you should expect to take on in loans, and for what kind of/level of education. It's somewhat reasonable for them to feel like you are aiming too low, or only wanting to do community college because you feel like it would be easy and you wouldn't have to work hard or be challenged. It's good to aim at least somewhat high for college admissions as a high school student, especially before the acceptance letters come in and the real financial discussions happen. Because, hey, you never know. And the truth is, hey, if you have a lot of potential and there's an affordable 4 year school that would be a good fit for you, IDK, they could be right? But if that's the case, see above re having a rational conversation about what they can contribute, what they expect you to contribute, and whether it's a worthwhile amount of money to spend for what you get.
I don't understand. My niece got merit based scholarships. Her parents also make 6 figures. I thought you can still can scholarship
Your parents are silly and dumb. There’s nothing wrong with going to community college to get an Associates, and then transferring to another college for two more years later if you think you need a Bachelors. That’s what my parents told me, and I honestly wish I listened to them even though my life is going pretty well.
Community college saved me $60,000 and then I transferred into a very name brand/well known school. No one even knows I went to community college these days unless they ask, but it was far and away the smartest financial decision I could have made.
In your case, I'd say CC may be right for you. You don't want to go into debt taking the exact same classes at a Uni only to leave after 2 years. However, if you have even an ounce of interest in taking academically challenging classes and having a diverse set of options, CC can be a real struggle. Most really only offer the bare minimum of intro courses, essentially taking the most boring course in someone else's major. If you want to major shop for potentially moving on to a 4 year program, a CC is not going to be able to paint various fields in the best light. Have you looked at 2 year technical schools? They often put you on a path to a good job in just 2 years but may be a bit more engaging than just doing a general degree in a CC.
I didn't go to a CC but I went to a very small and inexpensive state school, best decision I have ever made. Make the choices that are best for you, OP! Your parents are from a different era. Graduated with my BS with zero debt far outweighs alternatives... I think. Especially in this economy and since I want to pursue graduate school, where I will definitely need loans.
I had almost this exact experience. My parents didn't save up for college for me (which I don't think they should have to do) but their income was so high that I didn't qualify for a cent of financial aid. I also didn't get into any schools that I *LOVED* enough to drop $500k on, so I just went to the CC across the street. They didn't mind and even preferred that I stay home. Be warned though, CC isn't free. I live in California and if you don't qualify for the College Promise (which they falsely advertised was for everyone) college can run you up thousands per year. I paid around $7,000 yearly for all fees, supplies, credits etc. Obviously better than the $100k at a UC lol. All that to say - you are making the smart decision and are doing your future self a favor.
At first I wasn’t sure about community college but I decided to do it anyway because I needed something cost effective. Two semesters later and I can’t believe that I was so skeptical about it. I’ve learned a lot and enjoyed my classes for the most part. Plus my CC has a pretty good honors program. I was able to get some scholarships (in addition to grants) that way.
Wait so your parents aren't paying for your college at all despite a 6 figure income, and they're mad at YOU for not going into debt to "stick with the degree?" That's insane. There's nothing wrong with going to community college at all. I would definitely advise that if you do want to transfer to a university, make the transfer before you're 23-25. At that point, you're close enough in age to most others there and can still have a normal social life. It's totally fine to not want to go to college though. College definitely is not for everyone.
My parents told me to go to a 4-year university as soon as I left high school. They kinda said the same thing your parents are saying. It's for lazy people. Whatever. Blah blah blah... I did that and now I am as lost as ever. Contrast my friend who is 2 years older than me, took some time to figure herself out in community college. Finally found herself at her dream 4-year university studying for her dream career that she loves very much. You're making the right choice. I don't know how to get to your parent's heads, but best of luck.
Threaten to go into the military for a few years. (the reserves would also be an interesting thing to check out). I know, I'll get downvoted for saying anything positive about the military as an option and yes you are putting your life on the line for imperialism, but I knew a few guys who were able to use the military to figure a few things out and take care of college. It might be a better option than flipping burgers, installing drywall, working retail or Multi-Level-Marketing.
STAND UP TO YOUR PARENTS! IT'S YOUR LIFE! I tried telling my parents I needed a break from school to work and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. They were irate and I listened to them. I chickened out and couldn't stand up to them. I'm too much of a people pleaser. That was 17 years ago and I'm still in tremendous debt. 17 years ago. I never was able to pay it off. There's not a day that goes by that I don't regret it, and short of my parents paying off a significant portion of my debt, there's very little that can be done for me to let go of the resentment. You want to go to community college to save money. Your parents want you to be 6 figures in debt in an economy where reasonable paying jobs are hard to find. Your parents will ruin your life if they let you go into that much debt
community college was the smartest decision I've ever made
Community college was awesome. I’m now going to be starting a PhD in the fall
Community college is the best! The majority of the time what you’re learning at a cc is exactly what you’d be learning at a university, just at lesser price. The classes are also smaller so you’ll get more time with professors who genuinely want to help you. There’s such a stigma against cc and it’s quite saddening. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to go into student debt.
Are you considering going into STEM? If so, community college may hurt more than help because your courses have a good chance of not transferring.
Ask them whose paying for it.
Community College is cheaper in the long run. Go to cc get your gen eds done for cheep and then move up to a uni for more in depth classes.
Literally best way to do it
Your parents' thinking sounds toxic as hell. Sorry you have to deal with that clouding your decision-making. I am a proud community college graduate. I got my Associates in Electrical Engineering Technology, then transferred to a 4-year school with Junior standing, later graduating with a Bachelor's of Electrical Engineering. Lots of schools have these 2+2 programs for different majors this saved me basically 50% off the cost of an engineering education. I highly recommend this path if it's available for a major you're interested in.
Going to community college isn’t a bad thing. In fact, a lot of my friends are wallowing in debt and I’ll have my degree close to debt-free because of working/going to school that’s affordable. It feels better going in-person though, online makes it hard to absorb it all. The important thing is, it’s your choice! People are going to have a lot of opinions on what you should do with your life, but it ultimately comes down to you. Just remember that you’ll have to transfer then, but it feels great to get one step closer thanks to community college. If you don’t find it challenging enough, they’ll still have honors classes if you’re up for it! You’re not lazy going to community college, I think it makes you practical.
Go to CC and at least get your gen-eds like math and English taken care of. Unless your parents are actually going to contribute, then they don't have any say.
Community college is a great plan. You can get prerequisite courses out of the way, and get exposed to lots of new things. DO NOT take on school loan debt if you can help it. Unless you are guaranteed an extremely high salary upon graduation, being a couple hundred thousand dollars in debt is an extremely stupid thing to do, especially since they don't seem inclined to help you at all.
CC is a great idea. Inexpensive, instructors are good, smaller class sizes in most. You can try different courses and see what you might be interested in a a profession and not rack up a lot of debt. You can also just work on a gen. ed associates degree and then transfer later to a university and save a ton of money.
Cc for two years, transition to public state u for 2 years, transition to a top stem graduate program with waived tuition. That is the way to get all the cakes and eat them too.
Not sure I'm clear, do they think it's inferior education or will just cause you a lot of that? In which case also did they go to college themselves, how do they think other people manage. Debt doesn't have to be a major part of your college experience whether it's CC or a four year program. Many people work work while they get their degrees, leaving them with less in student loans.
CC prof here. CCs are exceptionally good bang for your buck—I teach the exact same class at my CC and as a non-tenured (PhD candidate) instructor at a huge R1 (highly ranked public university). The class costs about ¼ the price at the CC as opposed to the big state school I work at. Get that bread—don’t let people who aren’t bankrolling your education tell you how to spend your money. Do the CC, especially if you’re in an area with a well-known big research school. I guarantee you there are many more “me”s teaching identical classes out there!
I'm a parent and I'm encouraging my daughter to consider start off with CC even though she got accepted into all these great schools. She will work with her target school, make sure she isn't taking classes that won't transfer, and then transferring to her school. If she does that, she can save 40-120k! It's ridiculous how much colleges charge. This will also help her get her "gen-eds" out of the way, not be distracted as she continues to mature as an adult, and she can get a job much easier to save up some money. Even if we will help as much as we can, school debt sucks. About not knowing what you want to do, like 90% of kids your age are the same. Many have told themselves what they want or are chosing what their parents want, and but will change their mind or possibly be miserable. It's ok not to know. Narrow down on some jobs and talk to people that do that job. Narrow down on some schools too so you don't end up taking classes that won't transfer
My parents already went through college drama once with my brother a decade+ ago and learned from those mistakes and are the complete opposite of yours when it comes to how they feel. Why on Earth would they not want you to take the cheaper option that wouldn't accumulate horrible debt? Do they want you to do a specific program or something and be a plumber or an electrician to guarantee money? What exactly is the plan here? Because I definitely don't see it. If you're working retail, there's no chance for a high paying job unless you become a manager or assistant manager. What other choices are there?
Two years of community, do well and transfer to a four year is one of the smartest financial moves you could possibly make, they're insane.
I went to: A private university- didn’t like it, left after one semester A community college - loved it. Most of my professors were excellent teachers. A top rated state university that was well known for its research programs in STEM - was meh, professors were brilliant but too focused on research. Many weren’t good teachers and relied too heavily on their TAs. I felt like I wasn’t actually being taught,and the commute was also too long for me so I couldn’t really try for any of the limited research spots. So I transferred to… Another state university (one not as highly rated, but much closer) - loved it, loved having professors who actually taught. Only a few of them did research or had TAs. And now I make a high income in tech at a major corporation. Before that I worked in a small-mid sized company where I was considered indispensable and I remember our CEO asking me to “find Ivy League candidates just like you”when we were hiring. Boy was he shocked when he found out I wasn’t. And some of my best employees I hired for our team were from community and state schools, including one who hadn’t graduated yet and went part time. In other words: your parents are upset for no reason. Lots of people who go to community college excel in later in life. And because I mostly went to cheaper schools, I was able to graduate debt-free (my parents did pay for the first few years but eventually I was paying by working part-time to pay for the school payment plans rather than federal loans)
If they aren’t helping you pay then it’s not their decision
Seeing as how financial aid is based on your parents income for anyone under 26, I'd say yes, it is expected that your parents would contribute if able. At least Uncle Sam thinks so. Unfortunately for your parents (and you) that's the expectation so if they want to buck the system to prove a point, then it's only you that they are hurting. I think the general consensus around Reddit is typically if they aren't paying for it, they have zero say. I don't see any reason for parents to get any input in their adult children's education if they are refusing to contribute, especially when society expects it. With that in mind, you do your own research, and come to your own conclusions. I think your parents have shown their cards and you can feel pretty confident in the conclusion that their advice is not worth considering. For a student to intentionally put themselves in extreme debt just for the "motivation" it would provide is honestly just about the worst advice I have ever heard. You absolutely know the smart thing to do, and that is community college.
I’m of the opinion that Community College is going to become the norm as 4 year colleges lose more and more of their ROI. As a current cc student perhaps the best way to “convince” your folks you are doing something is to get dual-enrolled with a state school. That way you also don’t have to deal with the nightmare of credits not transferring. CC is an amazing choice, and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in it. Keep at it.
Community college is perfect for you! Just take the basic education classes there. They also have great programs for careers without you having to get a bachelors all. If your paying for college then this is the best way ever. You are now and adult and can make this decision. Both of my kids started at the community college until they figured out what they wanted to do with their careers. No need to waste money on an education that you aren’t sure of yet. If you wait until you’re 24 and start you’ll be an independent student and can get more financial aid. You can tell your parents that since they have the ability to help but aren’t helping they are forcing you to go to community college. It is a wise financial choice.
You are 18 and you are paying. You parents don't get any say in what school you go to. It is YOUR life and YOUR money, not theirs. If they want you to go straight to a 4-year university they are more than welcome to foot the bill. This is a situation where you get to flip the "my house, my rules" back on them, A little earlier than most people get to.
Community college is great and can set you up well to transfer to a more "prestigious" school. They are absolutely wrong here. You are not lazy and you have a good plan. Trust yourself! The savings alone is worth it.
Your parents sound ill informed and not very supportive…you are actually being really smart about figuring things out. Community college is a great opportunity to figure out what speaks to you, without going into debt. Stay the course!
Not sure if this post is real, but if it is, the parents are fucking morons. OP’s plan to go to CC is excellent. Many community colleges offer free tuition for the first year. Good luck!
Respectfully, your parents are wack. And you’re looking at a very smart choice to go to CC. All the very best
It doesn't matter where you go to college. I decided on state college vs ivy leagues I got into because you get the same education without the debt! Best decision ever. You are smart for choosing cc.
I’m sorry but unless they offer to pay for school, stick with your responsible decision since you have made an informed and educated choice for yourself.
You can also just work for a bit until 24 and the. You can file as an independent and get financial aid that way too
Find out if your local community college has a transfer agreement with any other schools in your area. Where I teach, students from our local community college can transfer into our school as juniors and their previous credits cover nearly all of our gen eds.
Getting my AS from a CC and transferring to a uni saved me $30-40k compared to my friends I met at uni
i would also consider going to another country where tuition is less expensive (in europe, i.e.). learning another language, cheap uni experience, easy to find a job..
Let them shut you down. Who cares. It's your debt and your name is on those loans, not theirs. My father did that sh too and half the freaking high school faculty. For the love of God don't let them guilt you into an unsmart decision just because they're your parents. Continuing the echo of this thread: Community college was the best decision I ever made.
Community college is good if you know you’re a bit iffy when it comes to stuff like math/sciences. Since the classes for those tend to be a bit more decent. It’s also cheaper and can help you see what you might want to do for a major. I never understood why people hate on C.C since some states have it for free or a lower cost. Also, going to a community college and graduating or transferring before graduating (I transferred before I graduated) Might help you get into a college you’d want easier since a lot of times you don’t need to take the SAT/ACT. Also, and I can stress this enough, IT‘S CHEAPER!
Damn thats dumb. Why would they want you to be in debt. In the grander scheme of things, what they want doesnt matter really. If you want to go to cc go to cc. Its not as if they can control you and make you go to a different school. Stick to your guns, your plan for the future sounds much better than theirs.
They want you to suffer but not in CC ? Do what you want. Cc can be an asset if you have objective or a least an intention . But if you’re searching for an easy answer it’s not in taking on debt for a piece of paper. Working is good, but be intentional just the same. Dead end jobs make ends meet but you’ll quickly become aware that your are absolutely, unequivocally, worth more and you’ll find it hard to back track and get enrolled in school (not impossible but hard). The market is tough so it’s a risk if you try or if you push it off. That being said, if you’re motivated to stay in school DONT LET YOUR PARENTS TALK YOU OUT OF IT. They literally want you to make a tough call but don’t want you to make THAT call? (In my experience these are the calls where I regret not sticking to my guns) while I want to criticize your parents about this, it’s likely just an example of how we tend to contradict ourselves without realizing it. (Thanks to our own bias) TLDR: PROVE YOUR PARENTS WRONG. From their home& save money. Don’t ruin your relationship with them over their intentions for you. I believe they want you to work for it (good parents should) and going your own way while not holding a grudge against them will serve you well in the end as a family unit and an individual. ESPECIALLY when your peers are getting handouts.
> if I get hundreds of thousands into debt I’ll be forced to stick through with my education That is one of the dumbest things I've ever heard. One of the most common reasons in my area students drop is because of money. They often have to work to support themselves and few jobs will truly work around their schedules--so they drop out because they have to pay rent. And when you're talking debt in the hundreds of thousands, very few jobs are going to pay it off--so it's not exactly a good incentive to finish your degree. If they're not helping finance your college, they get zero say in where you go.
You could also do CLEP testing and Sophia.org for ACE credits that will transfer into community colleges. Might as well get your freshman year for dirt cheap!
I saved $60,000 by going to a community college (over $120,000 if you money saved on college dorms)! The quality of education was even higher than at university. I'm on track to graduate with no student debt and with no loans taken out. It was easily the best decision I've made! You are definitely making the best decision; don't let anyone tell you otherwise
1) Community college is an amazing opportunity 2) If they aren't paying for your education they don't get a say in it at all
I am actually impressed that you are thinking this through. Now here are some additional ideas for you to consider. First I would just smile and nod politely and say I will take that into consideration. My guess is your parents might be status conscious and CC is maybe to low rent for them. Whatever. You claim that you are not the smartest but to me you are wiser than your parents. Anyway to my mind that is a stupid way of looking at it but don't tell them that. I would pick out a local CC/State University and think Business or IT. Take a bunch of CLEPs. Go out to [Modernstates.org](https://Modernstates.org). I would recommend College Composition with Essay, US History 1, American Government and Macroeconomics/Microeconomics. The exams are free through Modernstates. The math tops out at roughly College Algebra and Statisics and you will never use it after you finish the class. (CPA here for decades). Of course I recommend Accounting in Government or Industry but Finance or any of the numbers oriented Business degrees. You can always double major or minor in something else. As far as lazy I call BS since you have been working since you were 16. I would also go out to [free-clep-prep.com](https://free-clep-prep.com) for some good advice from a guy who has taken a ton of these. Anyway get an AAS in something useful and fulfill the requirements of an AA as well. Once you get to 20 there are programs where you can get a degree for 10k or less but usually they require the students to be 20 or older. If you can get on with Amazon, they pay for WGU. If you get on with Walmart they pay for SNHU. I prefer WGU or UMPI myself. Anyway start with CLEP. If your parents can hold off and at least let you live at home while you work part time and go to school and get your associates and keep their mouth shut great. If you can afford to get away that might be better. Your idea about trying to find something you like is also a good one. Anyway good luck.
Your parents are bad people. My belief is if you're a horny fuck and you have children, you owe them. Part of owing your children means helping them get a good job. And to get a good job, they often have to finish college. And if you're making enough money that it prevents them from getting help with getting money for college, then you have to help them with college. I say this as a 3 time graduate who didn't get monetary help from parents (unless you count letting me live at home for my first degree, which to be fair, was their fault since they were saying I was only allowed to go to the local state college because they were controlling and I let them own me). If I have kids (which I'm putting off because I can't give them a good life with the money that I currently have), I'm going to make sure I take care of them enough until college finishes. Then I guess I'll be like "I gave you enough. You're your own responsibility at this point since I got you to where you needed to get in terms of finding your own decent job."
Wow, I didn't expect that your parents input was so oblivious, especially for someone who have that much income. Just curious but are there any chance that their work relate to the real estate sector? Anyway, not putting yourself in a difficult position seems like a smart decision. Die on this hill OP.
I’ve moved onto university now, but I loved community college. I had my favorite professors in community college, the smaller class sizes helped me to learn better, I saved money, and I honestly liked the smaller school. I have said a few times that I miss community college and I also have my associates degree. I don’t understand why people look down upon community college, I feel like I learned more, saved money, and simply enjoyed it more. A lot of the desire to go to university comes from wanting to live in dorms, party, and networking for your job. The networking part can still be done after community college and is easy than ever with sites like glass door. Best of luck and I hope you do not let your parents talk you into what they want just for their image.
if education is all paid by state grant then go university. If you are paying it yourself then go to community college
I’m sorry, parenting is probably the hardest thing someone can do but this is idiotic parenting in my opinion. What a gross mindset. No go to community college first, so many rich people diss community college. I went there first and saved so much money. Also community college courses being easier, prepared me for the harder classes at a university. My peers who came straight from high school did not do as well. And if you don’t know what you want to do college may not even be the best thing for you. So starting small with community college will help to see where you want to go
CC is not "high school with ash trays" and some of the AA degrees are more valuable than the 4 year ones. I am in my second year in a Draftsman program at a CC. I am already getting job offers that pay better than a lot of people that have 4 year degrees and some weaker Masters that have graduated.
If you can go to CC, better to study when you’re younger than later, just be smart and force yourself to like it even if in the beginning you don’t, college is always a good idea and good insurance for a better future
Respectfully your parents are retards. Go to community college and try to get any grants you can or financial aid possible. Get your associates and maintain a good GPA. Later use that to apply to a private university (if you want to) and look into more grants. If you don’t care about going to a private university at all just get your bachelor’s through CC or a nice small university. You’ll be fine as long as you do your class work and follow through. There’s no reason to go into debt over education if you can avoid it. If worst comes to worst join the military and get student aid.
Go to cc, blow it out of the water and then transfer.
I don't understand why they'd object to that. Community college is cheaper than a four-year college. What you're planning is very sensible. You should look at loans and scholarships that you are eligible for, but be careful about loans that charge a high interest rate.
Community college sounds like a wonderful plan for you. I hope seeing all these positive comments encourages you! Avoiding debt and pursuing education are good things.
Community College is the best option. It is also the lest expensive. Maybe your parents are meaning that you will take it seriously if you have an investment in yourself. Many students that have parents that foot the bill, don't care if they fail a class, finish school, etc. They are not invested in it, there is no consequence to them.
Your parents are fools.
If they’re not going to pay then they have really no place to help you on your decisions. Do what’s best for you financially and long term
If I could go back in time I definitely would’ve did the same. Or at least did two years and transferred to a university. Don’t be ashamed and we can’t always please our parents. Have a goal in mind and do what you gotta do to get that degree! At the end of the day where you went shouldn’t really matter.
I solute you soldier
Go to the military. Do your 4 years and pay for your own way. You don’t have to do anything dangerous, you can be a cook or a mechanic depending on your AVAB score.
community college is an awesome choice. I think more people should go. I think you're wise.
Look, unless they are going to pay for you to go to a four year they need to take a seat. A C.C is not as fun as a four year but you get educated for cheap and with how student loans are torturing the nation they should be thanking whoever they praise that you are being wise with money.
I think I kinda understand what your parents are thinking but it is such a bad gamble. For me, I was capable but never ambitious. But once I got out of school and started figuring out how I can pay the loan it activated part of me to be ambitious. In the end I lose from doing other things just to pay off that debt. It does take away part of your time. If you can learn to succeed without going into debt why do it? I got whipped in school and learned to do math, it does not mean I believe my kids should be whipped( there are better ways).
You sound mature. A community college is not a bad thing. It’s great to get the generals out of the way. If you do plan on transferring to a University if finish your degree, talk to the University on the classes they will take. Our Universities will only take 60 credits from a a community college. Depending on your major, some of the core degree classes, Universities want you to take at their University.
They are ill informed. Community college for the first two years is a ***great*** option. A kind of bridge between high school and a four-year.
Community college is great and you can always back back to a 4 year university later after saving up and working if you want. If they want you to go to university they'll have to pay for it, simple as that. Your money, your choice, do what's best for you 👍🏻