Community College transfers - any success stories?

[Anonymous]

OP, it matters if they applied and didn't get in to a 4 year college or if parents just didn't let them apply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, it matters if they applied and didn't get in to a 4 year college or if parents just didn't let them apply.

Why

[Anonymous]

OP, if your student has sufficient grades / SATs and they’re mostly concerned about competition with other students to get in to W&M, I would strongly recommend ED1-ing there. Demonstrated interest goes a long way, and a binding commitment is as strong a signal as you can send!

I think the CC route can work when needed, but I think the four-year experience at a place like W&M is really profound, and it would be great (if possible) for them to be there the whole time.

[Anonymous]

go to nova...get your credits and transfer anywhere you want with a good GPA. Thank me later.

[Anonymous]

I went to community college in California and transferred to a Cal State. I was first gen, and feel lucky to have had the opportunity to get a college degree. On the other hand, I really did miss out on making connections with faculty and lasting friendships. As a professional, I didn’t have similar college experiences as my colleagues, and often felt out of the loop. I really don’t any emotional ties to my school either.

If community college is your only option, it is a great solution. Now, if you have the chance of going to away to a four year college, take it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know DCUM might bury this, because all of our kids are exceptional, but I would love to hear any success stories or experiences with Nova CC transfers to four year universities in VA. Anyone?

What kind of success? that they transferred to a 4 year college and obtain a Bachelor degree? LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the Nova transfer option is a good choice if needed financially but is not ideal. My concern about what you miss out on is not the living-on-campus part but missing out on two years to build relationships with professors that then give you opportunities to work on research or other projects, and to get involved in campus organizations and advance to leadership roles.

One of my kids has been doing research junior-senior year and got that gig because she was in a class with the professor sophomore year. The other started working on data projects on campus in 2nd semester of freshman year into junior year, and started TA'ing for a math professor in 2nd semester of sophomore year. If they'd just started at their colleges in junior year, they would not have these opportunities. Maybe some could come senior year but they wouldn't have under their belts by they time they were applying for rising-senior summer internships.

With the current dismal hiring market for new grads, you need to build as much experience and connections as you possibly can during undergrad.

Wait a second - are you saying this from experience? In my family, this has been the experience.

Sister went to CC in Dental Hygiene then got her BS in community health at George Mason and then her MS in public health at BU
Son went to NoVa and transferred to W&M and then on to medical school at VCU
Nephew went to CC, transferred to Wentworth Institute of Technology, got his engineering degree and then got a job at Lincoln Laboratories

All these family members saved tons of money on tuition and ended up in great jobs and/or higher education

[Anonymous]

No one's saying you can't save money. No one's saying you can't eventually get a good job.

Is CC what graduating HS students want to do? No. They've earned the opportunity to attend a 4 year college, immediately. It's parents that are taking that opportunity away. And parents can. Unless the student finds a work-around to finance it, parents can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one's saying you can't save money. No one's saying you can't eventually get a good job.

Is CC what graduating HS students want to do? No. They've earned the opportunity to attend a 4 year college, immediately. It's parents that are taking that opportunity away. And parents can. Unless the student finds a work-around to finance it, parents can.

Are you a teen or college-aged student? It sounds like it. Noone is suggesting parents take away anything from a kid. Sometimes this is all a family can afford. Sometimes a kid isn't ready to go away from home. Sometimes a kid has their heart set on a particular state school but has the unlucky fate of competing within NoVa demographics when the schools allot quotas per region. Unfair? Yes. IMO These schools should offer in state as a priority and OOS as last with a low percentage cap. Until then this might be the only way. My kid will apply to four year schools. Public and private, in VA and outside. DC can then decide where to attend. The idea of finishing an associates in a year, with AP and DE credits, is attractive, allowing a kid to get the BS done faster and on to graduate school. Saving 90k upwards is *completely* worth it to help lower debt burden as a young adult. Even my kid was amazed when they learned this.

[Anonymous]

Jonathan “Jack” Ham gave the NOVA commencement speech this year. He started at NOVA, transferred to GMU where he received his degree in Biology. From there, he went to med school at UVA, where he just received his MD. I’d say this is a success story.

https://www.ffxnow.com/2026/05/19/novas-class-of-2026-urged-to-be-proud-of-their-past-embrace-the-future/

[Anonymous]

Both my kids did this, one to uva and one to vt after one year. The only caution I have for you is that the sooner you know where you want to transfer and your major, the better you are able to make sure all your classes count and make the transfer really seamless.

[Anonymous]

I did this so did DH. Why pay all that money? Our degrees show 4 years at the school we finished at. It saves money. All the classes transferred nicely in fact a lot of VA schools guarantee full transfers. There is no reason not to go this route especially right now!