Jr College then University -VS- 4Yr University?

Question

what are the pros and cons of going to a junior college rather than into a 4 year university?

Answer 1

I went to a junior community college so I can for sure tell you the difference. Just note that not all schools are same so my experience might be different from yours. :)

Besides the obvious of saying a lot of money on tuition, textbook and what not, the atmosphere is so different.

In a junior college, sometimes there might not be as much publication of the help that is available on campus but there are still a lot of sources where you are able to achieve a lot of possibilities. It's sometimes smaller than an university and the professors are sometimes more willing to help the students.

In an university, there are more people and sometimes, if you are thinking of transferring into a four year, you already know people, familiar with the campus over the years rather than transferring.

Good luck.

Answer 2

While going to a junior college first is usually considered to be the less expensive route, many degrees at a university are designed to take 4 years.  Depending on your program and the university, you may end up taking longer at the university and spending more money than if you had started there.  Also, universities provide a more social and more fun college experience imho.

Answer 3

The most important thing to know is what the program requirements are at the 4 yr school, and their policy on accepting transfer credits from the 2 yr school. If there is full articulation for all grades of C or better, then check the program requirements for the 4 yr major to make sure that everything you need as prerequisites are completed at the 2 yr school. Be certain about the accreditation of the junior college prior to signing anything.

It is a general misconception that junior colleges (I presume you mean a public community college) have lesser quality teaching. In fact. community colleges, due to the nature of the audience they serve, often have better teaching because they have to be better able to document that its graduates meet certain standards. There are exceptions of course, but of the highest paying colleges (for faculty salary) community colleges are over-represented at the very highest end (especially in certain areas in NY). Higher salaries are justified because the faculty are more focused on teaching and learning rather than on research. Of all of the academic studies on student learning I have read, a large proportion comes out of the community colleges.

Now there are the for-profit junior colleges that focus more on student numbers than on student learning, however, because of pressure from various federal and state agencies in the recent past, they have re-focused their attention to student achievements.

Ok, to sum up the discussion, You will probably save money over the course of your 4 year term of study if you do the CC->senior college thing. If you do the for-profit->4YR college thing, you may not have all of your credits recognized. If you look on the TV ads, one for-profit chain clearly states that "credits are unlikely to transfer", although this in NO WAY diminishes the quality of instruction.

best of luck to you in your selection.

Answer 4

Pros - it can be cheaper than a good 4 year university

Cons - the level of teaching and study just isn't as good at a junior college

Answer 5

save money

Answer 6

MONEY MONEY MONEY, if you are not concerned with the price of college or if you get financial aid I would go to a university.  A university is going to have more options!!