Community college vs. Ivy league?

Question

My dad works at a Community College and is able to get me in for free. However I would love to go to an Ivy League school instead, particularly Harvard. Would it be beneficial to go to a community college first?

Answer 1

Community Colleges are a waste of time unless you did poorly in high school, weren't accepted to a real university and need to use the community college as a spring board into college.

Community colleges can be good if you just need an associates degree, but if you want a bachelors or more, just go straight to a University.  

Answer 2

Do you have the grades and resources to get into and attend Harvard? If so then, why not?

Answer 3

No, it wouldn't.  Transfer admissions to Ivy League schools are even more competitive than the regular process, because you're competing against a bunch of kids who've already shown they can excel at top colleges for a tiny handful of slots.  In fact, some of them  - and I believe Harvard might be one of those schools - have temporarily stopped accepting transfers, period, because they just don't have the space.  Plus, Harvard can be much more generous with its financial aid than a lot of other places.  If you've got a reasonable shot at being accepted (reasonable as Ivies go, at least), just go for it.

Answer 4

wait wait wait

i have the exact same problem

i was going on an on about how i'd rather die (shot, water boarding [...which is torture, but i could drown...] hang myself, etc) than go to community college...and my dad told me that he was disappointed in me and that i should respect community college :P ... yeah right

Answer 5

go to the CC and then Transfer.  My sister went to a CC, then Transferred to Columbia..  Yes there competitive, but it's competitive anyway! Its totally worth 2 years of free tuition.

Answer 6

It will be much harder to get into an Ivy League as a transfer student rather than as a first year student. The year I got accepted to Brown, they accepted 14% of applicants, so imagine how hard it would be for a transfer student! So if you want to go to an Ivy League, and this really is your dream, then go to the Ivy over the community college, provided that you're admitted. Community colleges are really great to prepare you for college if, say, you went to a high school that didn't have a great curriculum, or you didn't do well in high school, or you just don't feel prepared for the competitive environment of an Ivy League university. I had to make the decision between Brown and a state school to which I had free tuition and a scholarship to cover all my other expenses - pretty much the same situation you were in. I chose Brown because I was ready to go to a great school and even though it would be expensive, I knew it would be worth it to go to a place like Brown. Attending an Ivy League is an experience you can't duplicate anywhere else - I love it.  

Answer 7

Well, if you have the criteria for getting into an Ivy and you are accepted, then I say go there. Even if you don;t get into one you could still apply at regular colleges, like Xavier or OSU or whatever your state has. Community colleges really aren't comparable to other colleges, and even though its free (which is amazing!), your credits will most likely not transfer to another school. Your dad could always apply for a job at antoher college. My dad, who works with lawyers and college loans at a company in the area, plans to do consulting for the school I want to attend because its expensive and that way my tuition would be free.