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Would having transferrable credits from a community college be useful if I'm on the fence about going to a 4 year college?

I heard about college credits from community colleges that people can transfer over to a 4 year college to save money in the long run. I'm not really sure if I want to attend a 4 year college but would it be good to have transferrable credits just in case I make the decision to attend a 4 year college?

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Alex’s Answer

Hi Jesus,

Transferable credits are definitely something useful to have for student considering a 4 year college. I'm sure Texas has this set-up but you can either leverage a counselor at your CC or at a 4-year university in Texas to understand any details. Not all classes will be transferable and not all classes may be useful for the program you are hoping to get into at the 4-year university. It still helps to be somewhat intentional on these classes you are currently taking.

For example, in California, one of my best friends went to CC for 2 years to save money and was able to graduate from UC Berkeley in only 2 years with those transferable credits helping a lot!

You got this!
Thank you comment icon Thank you for taking the time to help. Jesus
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Mandi’s Answer

Absolutely! Having transferable credits is never a bad thing. You are correct, it can save you time and money in the long run if you decide to go to a 4yr school. When I first went to school I went to a different college than the one I am at now, almost all of my credits transferred over to this school. It has helped me tremendously, there are classes I don't have to retake because I had already taken them at the other school and the ones that don't apply to the degree I am looking to have set me up to be able to have a degree in General Studies if I wish, so I can graduate with two degrees instead of one. But like Martha said, be aware of what it all means between the 2 schools. You don't want to take a class thinking you can transfer just to find out that it doesn't apply to the 4yr school you may attend later and you have to take a different course altogether. Definitely research it.
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Martha’s Answer

Great question, Jesus! Yes, having transferrable credits would be useful. I have heard of many people doing what you described so it would be good to give yourself that option. Even if you don't want to do so immediately, you may after a few years in the workforce. In the "worst" case, you are earning credits for your two-year degree.

Be aware that the definition of what is tranferrable may vary between four-year colleges so please check.

Good luck!
Thank you comment icon Thanks for the advice! I didn't even consider that it would give me the option of being able to return after a few years in the workforce to complete a 4 year degree if I wanted to. Thanks for giving me another perspective on my question! Jesus
Thank you comment icon You're welcome, and thanks for your note. Here is a College Board article about that process - https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/plan-for-college/college-basics/types-of-colleges/tips-on-transferring-from-a-2-year-to-a-4-year-college. Martha Kramer
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Patricia’s Answer

Hi Jesus, it's great to see you exploring various ways to make your education both affordable and accessible. There are several routes to earn college credits. You can consider AP courses in high school, concurrent enrollment typically offered at community colleges, or CLEP exams for general education subjects. Your high school's website and your school counselor can serve as reliable sources of information. Remember to confirm with any four-year institution about the acceptability of these courses and credits for your chosen degree. If you're a driven student with plans for advanced study or a double major, earning credits for basic general education courses can help you dive into your specific area of interest earlier and potentially reduce costs. While earning a degree and college credits is crucial, the learning process and establishing a solid study routine are equally important.

Patricia recommends the following next steps:

Look up CLEP course requirements
Investigate what courses and credits are accepted at the colleges you are interested in
consider concurrent enrollment classes that give you high school and college credit
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L’s Answer

College is truly the best time of your life. It really is. The amount of people you will meet, the experiences that you will have, the different things you will be able to see and do are unlike no other time in your entire life. If you are open to going to community college, you should strongly consider going to a 4 year university that will leave you with the best experience of your life. Why waste time at a community college to earn credits when you could be having the best and most rewarding experience of your life in a 4 year university?
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