3 answers
marie
Student
Lake Charles
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IT Major with Plans to Transfer After a Year—Need Advice
Hi everyone,
I briefly mentioned this topic in one of my old posts, but I’d like to get more detailed advice. I’m planning to attend community college with an IT major for a year, and I’m considering transferring to a four-year institution afterward.
I’m unsure whether it’s better to continue with the IT major during my community college time or switch to general studies. I’m worried about whether sticking with IT might limit my options for choosing a different major when I transfer.
If anyone has experience with this situation or can offer guidance on how staying in IT might impact my transfer and major selection, I’d really appreciate your insights!
Thanks in advance for your help!
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3 answers
Peter Dachille, MS Ed
Academic Advising
9
Answers
Westfield, New Jersey
Updated
Peter’s Answer
Start your research into multiple 4 year colleges now - look into the coursework for their major programs, as the requirements and electives tell the tale. Course outcomes are the key to ANY major program; you will eventually have to talk about those on your resume, listing your skill sets (what languages you know, projects that you have worked on, etc).
When faced with general tracks in a major vs specialized, I go with GENERAL. Why? A degree program that has tracks in a major will consist of a set of courses (up to 40-50% of the major courses in my experiences) that are the same across the tracks, with the major electives being VERY limited within specializations, but the general track contains major electives/course options across ALL of the tracks, which diversifies your exposure to skills and course topics (and gives more wiggle room in progress).
When faced with general tracks in a major vs specialized, I go with GENERAL. Why? A degree program that has tracks in a major will consist of a set of courses (up to 40-50% of the major courses in my experiences) that are the same across the tracks, with the major electives being VERY limited within specializations, but the general track contains major electives/course options across ALL of the tracks, which diversifies your exposure to skills and course topics (and gives more wiggle room in progress).
Thank you so much, Peter!
marie
Michelle M.
Entertainment Industry
1746
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Marie !
Although it is always best to check with the transfer school as well as the community college, in general, I do not see anything standing in the way of your plans.
The IT major is a very good one and will be very useful to you regardless of what you change your major to. All colleges are different, but it is my understanding that when you transfer as an IT major from the community college, it is perfectly fine to start a new major at the transfer school. You'll have to find out which courses are transferrable, which ones the four year college will accept as credited. I highly advise not doing a general studies or liberal arts major at either college. It is not a degree that will help you when you graduate because employers never ask for applicants to have a degree in general studies or liberal arts.
You can consider taking your general education required courses for that year at the community college and not declare a major since you're going to transfer to a four year college anyway. If you don't intend to graduate from the community college, why even declare a major there ? Just take your general ed required courses there like English, History, the Sciences, Humanities, whatever the particular general ed courses would be for the four year college. Take maybe a couple of IT courses, too, if that's what you like. It's okay to be undecided but you should be sure of a major by the end of your sophomore year so you can go forward with major courses. Naturally you should visit the colleges, both, and see what their current guidelines are about this, but something tells me that you shouldn't have any difficulty as long as you verify it with the schools involved. If you're going to spend time at the community college, my opinion is to get your required general ed classes done so that you can focus more on a major and the few general ed that may be required at the four year college for your Bachelors Degree.
I'm not sure how similar academia is today from when I attended college a very long time ago, but there were many people that college-hopped, took a class at one college and then three courses at another. etc. I also knew people who used college physical ed department for their personal fitness routine with no intention of obtaining a degree. I had a friend who just kept going to college and accrued so many credits/units, finally declared a major at the end of this long stay in college. I also knew someone who went to college for many years but with no intention of obtaining a degree. So I would imagine that colleges today would be able to accommodate what you want to do, but keep in mind not to declare a major at the community college if you plan to just transfer after a year. Everyone has different plans and preferences, so double check this and all the requirements mostly for the four year college that you intend to transfer to.
I hope that this is a bit of help and wish you all the best !
Although it is always best to check with the transfer school as well as the community college, in general, I do not see anything standing in the way of your plans.
The IT major is a very good one and will be very useful to you regardless of what you change your major to. All colleges are different, but it is my understanding that when you transfer as an IT major from the community college, it is perfectly fine to start a new major at the transfer school. You'll have to find out which courses are transferrable, which ones the four year college will accept as credited. I highly advise not doing a general studies or liberal arts major at either college. It is not a degree that will help you when you graduate because employers never ask for applicants to have a degree in general studies or liberal arts.
You can consider taking your general education required courses for that year at the community college and not declare a major since you're going to transfer to a four year college anyway. If you don't intend to graduate from the community college, why even declare a major there ? Just take your general ed required courses there like English, History, the Sciences, Humanities, whatever the particular general ed courses would be for the four year college. Take maybe a couple of IT courses, too, if that's what you like. It's okay to be undecided but you should be sure of a major by the end of your sophomore year so you can go forward with major courses. Naturally you should visit the colleges, both, and see what their current guidelines are about this, but something tells me that you shouldn't have any difficulty as long as you verify it with the schools involved. If you're going to spend time at the community college, my opinion is to get your required general ed classes done so that you can focus more on a major and the few general ed that may be required at the four year college for your Bachelors Degree.
I'm not sure how similar academia is today from when I attended college a very long time ago, but there were many people that college-hopped, took a class at one college and then three courses at another. etc. I also knew people who used college physical ed department for their personal fitness routine with no intention of obtaining a degree. I had a friend who just kept going to college and accrued so many credits/units, finally declared a major at the end of this long stay in college. I also knew someone who went to college for many years but with no intention of obtaining a degree. So I would imagine that colleges today would be able to accommodate what you want to do, but keep in mind not to declare a major at the community college if you plan to just transfer after a year. Everyone has different plans and preferences, so double check this and all the requirements mostly for the four year college that you intend to transfer to.
I hope that this is a bit of help and wish you all the best !
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
marie
You are welcome, Marie !
Michelle M.
Steve Sterner
IT Management
28
Answers
Easton, Pennsylvania
Updated
Steve’s Answer
As both an IT Professional/Leader over the last 35 years and a father of 3 kids all who went through college I would suggest that you first check with schools that you are looking to transfer to and get their perspective. They have a better understanding of their transfer program, their program requirements and what may help you or hurt you going from one to the other. As a rule of thumb, I would say your best bet is likely to do your Gen Eds at the Community College. Computer Science, Information Management, Information Technology, etc. in a larger 4-year university are going to normally have more resources from a faculty and facility perspective. you will likely have a lot more opportunities to branch out and play with a lot more technology at a 4-year school then at your local community college. While you can find very good teachers in Community Colleges you usually have a smaller number of instructors and support staff and if you run into a bad instructor or subject line it is harder to avoid that instructor or pivot to a different concentration.
College is a journey that should teach you how to learn and how to explore your passions and creativity and build that ability to create and iterate and while you will learn the mechanics of many things in Community College the breadth of instructors, classes, clubs, other students and experiences in the 4 year college can help you develop into a fuller technologist, creator and overall person.
Good Luck, The fact that you have the insight to ask these questions tells me that you will be successful however you approach it.
College is a journey that should teach you how to learn and how to explore your passions and creativity and build that ability to create and iterate and while you will learn the mechanics of many things in Community College the breadth of instructors, classes, clubs, other students and experiences in the 4 year college can help you develop into a fuller technologist, creator and overall person.
Good Luck, The fact that you have the insight to ask these questions tells me that you will be successful however you approach it.