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.

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.

This. Ours had zero desire to go to UVA/Tech, etc. or big schools in general. They also had no desire to stay at home for two years and transfer as juniors to a school they didn't want to go to in the first place. They went away to four year schools that were the right fit for them and it has been the best experience of their lives.

It's hard socially on students. My friend from HS did 2 years at a branch campus of our state flagship (think what a PP mentioned about Penn State Altoona, but in another state) and then was able to complete her degree at the main campus. This was done purely for financial reasons - our state flagship was not nearly as selective as UVA and she could have definitely got in. She was in the middle of a large family and her parents had no money set aside for college. She came to campus as a junior not knowing anyone except people from high school who went there. Too late to join a sorority, no experience meeting people in the dorms as a freshman or eating in the dining halls and stuff. It's definitely not the college experience a lot of kids are looking for.

It is popular among military families who have 4 years worth of G I bill tuition money and need to split it between two kids. Family pays first 2 yrs of cc for both kind ds and uses G I bill for full tuition at a residential state u for both kid's junior and senior year. A smart plan!

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.

I'm on the MD side, but I think the question of why kids don't to a 2+2 program at UMDCP is similar.

1) People talk about guaranteed transfer, but seem to forget that it's guaranteed transfer to a very small number of majors. My kid is having trouble deciding between 2 majors, and there are no guaranteed transfer agreements for either. There are schools he could apply to, but those schools don't guarantee.

2) People here have mentioned "Late bloomers", but often times it's not really about "blooming" as much as it is about a kid whose time table for development is a little slower. So, my kid really struggled freshman year, which is one of the things pulling down his G.P.A.. By senior year, he seems to have caught up with high school expectations, but when I compare where he is with many of his classmates, I'm guessing he's going to have similar issues with maturity freshman year in college. With a 2+2 program, where the required GPA is high, even a few low grades in the first year can cause a kid to lose their guaranteed transfer status.

3) Some people want things like dorms, or sports, or more LD support, etc . . .

The way I see it, if you've got a kid who could get into UMDCP now, except for money, then 2 + 2 makes sense. If you've got a kid who struggled for a known cause that's now addressed (e.g. kid had a lousy freshman year because Dad died, and it's pullling down their grades, or kid was still learning English the first few years but is now fluent and getting A's) then it can be a great option.

But if your kid has needed extra support in high school, or is simply a B or C student, it's unrealistic to expect that when they get to a Community College with far less support, then their grades will suddenly improve, or even stay stable, and they'll get the high marks they need for a 2+2 program.

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.

Anonymous wrote:Because people aren't rational and see the stigma of community college as so great that they make tons of excuses about why in this one case, it's better not to get a UVA degree.

I know 2 people who did the cc - flagship route (to Berkeley, so similar dynamic) and it was great for them. One is now a doctor; she was a first gen student and did not want to go into debt. She went straight through and finished college at the normal time. The other just needed some time to mature and figure out priorities after HS. When he finally committed to start in his late 20s he had his degree in 4-5 years. Worked great for them!

+1

DD would not consider it. She has a 4.25 GPA and 1450 SATs. She really wants to move away from home.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Your #4 is ridiculous. Grad programs would not be prejudiced against the CC. It would be a sign of a smart, motivated student.

+1000--PP sounds like she disagrees with this program. I knew a parent who was angry with a neighborhood kid who did this. She resented it --I guess she resented it for her DS who had gone all four years at UvA. Snob?

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.

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.

Your #4 is ridiculous. Grad programs would not be prejudiced against the CC. It would be a sign of a smart, motivated student.

Because people aren't rational and see the stigma of community college as so great that they make tons of excuses about why in this one case, it's better not to get a UVA degree.

I know 2 people who did the cc - flagship route (to Berkeley, so similar dynamic) and it was great for them. One is now a doctor; she was a first gen student and did not want to go into debt. She went straight through and finished college at the normal time. The other just needed some time to mature and figure out priorities after HS. When he finally committed to start in his late 20s he had his degree in 4-5 years. Worked great for them!

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.

Anonymous wrote:
Yeah, my kid likely would not have graduated college in 4 years had he done CC. He needed to be immersed in the college experience. He did graduate in 4 years with a less than stellar GPA. Is that better than going to CC and then never finishing? I think a student has to be very disciplined to do the 2 plus 2 route with community college (and not care as much about social life).

I think we are talking about kids who do have the discipline. Perhaps, they were "late bloomers" who are quite bright, but skated on the grades.

My DS absolutely would not have agreed to CC. We could afford in-state tuition and he also graduated in four years--with less than stellar gpa from a second tier Virginia school. However, he loved it and benefited from the experience. He has been employed since graduation and does just fine.