My college route may be deemed ‘untraditional’ by some. In a year and a half I went to 3 different colleges – a community college, commuter school and then quickly found my way to UIUC. Although I can’t say I regret my journey I do believe I’ve learned a lot since my senior year of high school.
Community College
For the year I attended, I loved community college. The small class sizes made it easy to integrate myself into the new ‘college’ life and it was fairly easy to get involved in leadership positions. Of course, one of the biggest reasons to go to a community college is cost. I was able to get the vast majority of my gen-eds out of the way for a low price.
If someone is considering CC, I would advise them to seek opportunities outside of what the college offers. Places such as UIUC often have career fairs or chances to meet with those in your aspired field, while many community colleges don’t. Because of this it is important to seek those opportunities yourself, to get a greater sense of the desired field you want to go into before transferring.
Transfering
Transferring was a big part of my early college journey, and I do believe touring is one of the greatest ways to imagine yourself as a future student. Social media or word of mouth isn’t always going to give you a sense of the university life. You need to be able to view it with your own unique perspective.
That being said, my original decision post-community college wasn’t the right decision for me. One of the best pieces of advice I can give to someone in that same situation is to listen to your gut. I quickly learned that a commuter school in the city wasn’t what I needed out of college. From there, it became a quick process of applications, finding a sublease and frantic calls with academic advisors. A process that was very much worth it in the end.
Belonging in a New Space
Transferring in general can be daunting, as transfer students have to deal with feelings of being behind combined with the unknown. Transferring in the spring also comes with its own set of hurdles, as everyone has adjusted for the school year and wants to be bundled up inside from the cold.
As someone who went through this transition last spring, my best piece of advice is getting involved with transfer associations. Meeting people who are similarly new to campus will increase your chance of finding a community.
If I could go back in time to change my college route, I don’t think I would. OK, maybe I would stop myself from transferring to a commuter school after community college, but that decision ultimately got me to UIUC. The biggest advice I could give myself, and anyone grappling with college decisions, is to do what you can to be part of the community. I loved Community College because of the involvement opportunities and I similarly love UIUC for the same reason. Don’t overthink the wrong or right choice, trust that you know yourself and therefore know the best path for your life as well!