10 Tips for Transferring from a Community College to a University

Unless you have a full university scholarship with a dorm room waiting for you there's just a lot of good reasons why you should start out at a community college first.

For too many young people fresh out of high school though, ambition overcomes common sense as they pack up and head off to start in at a four year university fresh out of high school.

If you're serious about transferring from community college to a top university, read our page on:

The Ultimate Community College Transfer Guide: Get Into The Ivy Leagues!

So it's no wonder that they have such a high dropout rate. Just like the star high school athletes who find themselves benched on second string on university level teams, the same thing happens with academics. Students who come out of high schools with A's and B's who find themselves not making the grade at a university.

1. Check Out University Transfer Agreements

So Tip #1 one here is that if you feel the you can qualify for acceptance to a University but plan on attending a community college first, is to apply for and receive a transfer agreement. It's a contract of sorts, that allows you to nail down your acceptance to the University yet complete at least one year at a community college first.

Check out this article on how to transfer from community college to university to read about this subject more in-depth.

2. Ace Your Technical Courses at a Community College

Your next tip here is that if you plan on majoring in a technical field of study at a university, is to try to get some the more difficult courses behind you at a community college.

Chemistry courses for for example at community college are going to be easier to pass because for one thing instructors will be more approachable and flexible.

Thinking about where to go? Get more information on the top 10 best community colleges in the nation.

3. Get Your GPA Up at a Community College

Universities also grade on a curve while community colleges don't. Grading on a curve means that your score is determined by how you place in comparison to the other students in the class. So even if you're a gifted student at a university, if you're sharing a class of students who are 'more gifted' than you, you'll come away with bad grades.

For more information, read How To Become A Top Student At Community College

4. A Great Place to Delve into Broader Interests

A local college is a great place to get your academic experimenting out of the way prior to transferring. So if there's things that interest you but nonetheless have little to do with your four year degree goal, have fun with them now. Do it while you can at the community college because they can become a costly distraction once you transfer up.

5. Talk to School Academic Counselors

Visit the school counselor's office and establish a relationship with someone there as well. That's what they're there for, to help guide students on to achieving their academic goals.

This is where you'll find the voice of experience and experts with a proven track record in seeing community college students through to university level studies.

If you're thinking about getting more professional help, you can always consider getting the help from a career consultant.

6. Learn a Marketable Job Skill

Another good tip here is if you're unsure of finances when you finally reach a university, a community college is a good place to learn a job skill. Courses that you can take to learn marketable skill to make you more employable once you transfer on. Some community colleges offer real estate courses that you can take for instance to become a licensed real estate agent.

7. Avoid Serious Romantic Relationships

Then one more bit of good advice here is to stay out of serious romantic relationships if you plan on moving on from a community college to a university.

They're so easy to get into a community college too because you're around so many attractive people from a broader geographic area than you were in high school.

8. Take Field Trips for Fast Units

Community college field trips are another great way to rack up transferable units. Field trips like geology and biology excursions around your area that you can take to pick up an easy unit in just two or three days. Once again though, make sure that they are transferable units or they won't apply towards your degree once you make it on to university.

9. Make Your Social Mistakes at a Community College

A community colleges a good place to hone your social skills as it pertains to your college career goals. There's room to make mistakes in choosing friends and social groups at a community college, room that you won't have once you make it to a university. A community college is a great place for instance, to observe that most of the folks that make up the 'party crowd' eventually drop out.

10. Get Settled in on a Major Course of Studies

Then finally it would be a real wise move to come to terms with and make any changes in whatever it is that you're going major and while you're at a community college. You have two years there to change your mind and make a switch if you're going to make one. Once you make it on to a university though, it's the big leagues and the stakes are higher, so you'll want all those types of decisions behind you. If you're ready to get serious and are interested in medicine, check out the top medical schools programs available to you.