Parents of HS students, why don't more kids do the 2+2 prgm to get into UVA/WM/VT (comm col first)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did this in California because I got knocked up my senior year and needed to raise my kid while trying to get a degree and job.

Community college is difficult, in my experience, because there is a lack of social support for students. You go to class, you work (I was a CNA while I was in 'cc at night), you go home and take care of the baby. Rinse and repeat. It was a difficult experience and I wouldn't describe those years as fun compared to my time at UCLA. I didn't really make any friends at the CC, didn't connect with teachers (mostly low paid adjuncts who come and go).

I was able to get my RN and then worked nights and attended UCLA where I got my BSN and NP degree.

It's a difficult experience. I saved money and made it through, but I wouldn't recommend it. My DD went to UVA and I have to say her experience is much, much more fun and better. She's doing study abroad and interning.

Good for you to see it through!

However, I think comparing college for a mom and an unencumbered single is not the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not guaranteed that they will get the GPA. In Pennsylvania there is something similar if you go to a PSU satellite campus for two years and then you can transfer to State College (main campus). But you meet a lot of people with degrees from the Altoona campus bc they didn't make the cut.

If you don't get the GPA then why would you think you were entitled to go to UVA in the first place?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did this in California because I got knocked up my senior year and needed to raise my kid while trying to get a degree and job.

Community college is difficult, in my experience, because there is a lack of social support for students. You go to class, you work (I was a CNA while I was in 'cc at night), you go home and take care of the baby. Rinse and repeat. It was a difficult experience and I wouldn't describe those years as fun compared to my time at UCLA. I didn't really make any friends at the CC, didn't connect with teachers (mostly low paid adjuncts who come and go).

I was able to get my RN and then worked nights and attended UCLA where I got my BSN and NP degree.

It's a difficult experience. I saved money and made it through, but I wouldn't recommend it. My DD went to UVA and I have to say her experience is much, much more fun and better. She's doing study abroad and interning.

Wow, you're aweseome! It sounds like it was hard but you're a CC success story. Exactly the reason those programs were created.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did this in California because I got knocked up my senior year and needed to raise my kid while trying to get a degree and job.

Community college is difficult, in my experience, because there is a lack of social support for students. You go to class, you work (I was a CNA while I was in 'cc at night), you go home and take care of the baby. Rinse and repeat. It was a difficult experience and I wouldn't describe those years as fun compared to my time at UCLA. I didn't really make any friends at the CC, didn't connect with teachers (mostly low paid adjuncts who come and go).

I was able to get my RN and then worked nights and attended UCLA where I got my BSN and NP degree.

It's a difficult experience. I saved money and made it through, but I wouldn't recommend it. My DD went to UVA and I have to say her experience is much, much more fun and better. She's doing study abroad and interning.

Wow, you're aweseome! It sounds like it was hard but you're a CC success story. Exactly the reason those programs were created.

+1 I'm proud of you, whoever you are

[Anonymous]

I'd say it's a combination of the desire to go away and the stigma about going to CC. It was recently discussed on the AEM facebook page that none of the kids at Yorktown who are going to NVCC reported their college plans for release in the school newspaper. Unfortunately, kids who go to CC are mocked by their classmates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. My DC would never, ever agree to even consider a CC. Maybe learned that from us, maybe not, but many many college-bound HS students simply won't do it.

2. Risk: what if the program changes only after a student enters CC?

3. Risk: If the goal is CC to Top-Public, the grade requirements aren't a cakewalk. The 2+2 program is not a guarantee and admission to the top-3 (UVA, W&M, VT) remains challenging.

4. Could be harmful to have CC on one's transcript, for some grad school admissions in particular.

The program for UVA is, actually, a complete guarantee for achieving a 3.5 and taking a certain number of classes in certain subjrcts. A cakewalk? Maybe not. But not too hard to pull off. Anyone who starts in this program wound be grandfathered in, in the event of a change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like it is really hard to get into UVA and Will/Mary and even Va Tech (for engineering), so why don't more kids do the 2 + 2 program to get guaranteed admission?

Is it all about the prestige and the pressure to go to a "real" college? Is it hard to meet the requirements for the guaranteed admission agreement? From what you've heard, what is the reason so few kids do this?

Parents, do you think it is better to go 4 yrs to JMU or Mary Washington or CNU and get a degree there vs. the 2 +2 program and getting a diploma from UVA/WM/VT?

I know hear in DCUM-land, parents find this hard to believe, but there are actually many kids who have JMU, CNU, GMU, or UMW (and others) as their first choice. As in, UVA/W&M/Tech aren't the default first choice schools for a lot of people - it's about fit. I have two kids who aimed for JMU, and *only* JMU when they were in high school, because they loved it so much. My third child has all of the schools I listed as his top choices.

Stop thinking about prestige, and start thinking about where your child will be happiest.

Go to the best school you can afford. Period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd say it's a combination of the desire to go away and the stigma about going to CC. It was recently discussed on the AEM facebook page that none of the kids at Yorktown who are going to NVCC reported their college plans for release in the school newspaper. Unfortunately, kids who go to CC are mocked by their classmates.

OP here --- I was afraid of that (above). I just know my child isn't going to get into UVA or WM straight out of HS. My other one might get into VT eng. right out of high schools, but both are very young for their age... they are totally homebodies and aren't very social. They don't want to go to camp or out of the house on weekends. I imagine their desire to leave home will increase over the next few years. But, I can also see that they would do well with a couple of years to mature before going away. Sigh. I guess we'll see what THEY want to do when the time comes. I just wish there wasn't such a stigma for something that could be great!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid with the 1560 SAT and 3.3 GPA insists on doing the 2 + 2, eventually ending up at UVa. I can't talk him out of it. I wish he would have that freshman experience away at a second rate college but this is what he insists on. I'm really disappointed but we'll save money I guess.

Maybe your kid knows who he is and knows why he got the 3.3. He has to change that, and cc is a good place to do it.

That's a good point.

[Anonymous]

How do schools like UVA even have room to accept community college transfers, when there are so many qualified high school students that they are turning down? (I assume)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do schools like UVA even have room to accept community college transfers, when there are so many qualified high school students that they are turning down? (I assume)

Dirty little secret - Not too may students actually make it to UVA from this program...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do schools like UVA even have room to accept community college transfers, when there are so many qualified high school students that they are turning down? (I assume)

Dirty little secret - Not too may students actually make it to UVA from this program...

About 300 a year. That's not bad!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do schools like UVA even have room to accept community college transfers, when there are so many qualified high school students that they are turning down? (I assume)

Dirty little secret - Not too may students actually make it to UVA from this program...

What is dirty about it? Some of them do--those that have the ability and the desire. It's a great program.

If you go to CC with the attitude that it is a cakewalk and don't put in the effort, then you don't deserve to get into UVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do schools like UVA even have room to accept community college transfers, when there are so many qualified high school students that they are turning down? (I assume)

That's the guaranteed admissions part.

Successful students at CC are guaranteed a spot.

Transfer students who wish to attend UVA but did not go through the GAA program have to wait to see how many spots (if any) will be available.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like it is really hard to get into UVA and Will/Mary and even Va Tech (for engineering), so why don't more kids do the 2 + 2 program to get guaranteed admission?

Is it all about the prestige and the pressure to go to a "real" college? Is it hard to meet the requirements for the guaranteed admission agreement? From what you've heard, what is the reason so few kids do this?

Parents, do you think it is better to go 4 yrs to JMU or Mary Washington or CNU and get a degree there vs. the 2 +2 program and getting a diploma from UVA/WM/VT?

I know hear in DCUM-land, parents find this hard to believe, but there are actually many kids who have JMU, CNU, GMU, or UMW (and others) as their first choice. As in, UVA/W&M/Tech aren't the default first choice schools for a lot of people - it's about fit. I have two kids who aimed for JMU, and *only* JMU when they were in high school, because they loved it so much. My third child has all of the schools I listed as his top choices.

Stop thinking about prestige, and start thinking about where your child will be happiest.

Go to the best school you can afford. Period.

Go to the best school you can afford that also feels like the right fit. Period. My high-stats kid didn't even apply to UVA, VT or JMU; she wanted something entirely different in size/scope/campus feel. She's had an amazing experience at UMW. There are high achieving kids at ALL of the VA schools.