Is it smart to take my core classes in a community college?

Between Cal Grant A and B, Pell Grant(Pell Grants are not available to AB 540 Students) and University Grants offered under Blue and Gold, UC's are essentially free to any student from a California resident family, documented or undocumented, that makes less than approximately $80,000 per year, if graduated from a California high school(AB 540.)

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/paying...

Cal Grant A pays full UC tuition for California resident students, from families, documented or undocumented, making up to between 74-96 k per year depending on family size, if graduated from a California high school(AB 540.)

http://www.csac.ca.gov/facts/2013-14_income_ceilin...

http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=904

http://ab540.com/

For California resident students who academically qualify to attend a UC as a freshman, it only makes sense to attend a community college first if the student is from a family making over the income eligible for Cal Grant or Blue and Gold, and less than an amount by which the family can afford UC tuition and living expenses. This is why the largest segment of UC eligible freshmen California resident students are from families making between 80-120k but very few students from such families attend a UC as a freshman.

http://oi47.tinypic.com/qxp5lh.jpg

[Graph above is from 2008-2009, before the recent series of significant tuition increases that have made UC even more unaffordable for middle income students.]

Berkeley has just started offering grant type financial aid to students from families making between 80-140k under the Middle Income Access Plan:

http://students.berkeley.edu/finaid/undergraduates...

As far as transfer admissions, UC's generally only admit transfers at the junior level. Transfer admissions are based on college grades with California Community College applicants receiving massive preference in admissions. HS grades and Sat/Act scores are not considered. All UC's except Berkeley, UCLA and UCSD offer guaranteed transfers to those meeting TAG criteria for that campus. UCLA has the Transfer Alliance. Berkeley also has a Transfer Alliance but unlike UCLA's, it is by invitation only, primarily for low income/diversity applicants.

http://www.admissions.uci.edu/admissions/tag.html

http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_tr/adm...

http://students.berkeley.edu/files/admissions/1262...

http://cep.berkeley.edu/TAP

UC admissions are essentially based on GPA and Test scores with a sliding scale depending on the API of the high school. The rest of the application- personal statement, extracurriculars etc- gives the two readers information of the proper context to consider the Gpa and test scores of applicants from non homogeneous high schools when scoring the application 1-5, or really 1-4 since 5 means the applicant did not meet minimum stated UC admission standards. 1 is the best score. As long as the two readers scores do not differ by more than +1, the scores are averaged. If there is more than a +1 difference, a senior reader who is a full time employee scores the application. There are no set standards for scoring an application 1-4. It is totally subjective. Relatively uncompetitive low API High Schools, with API ranks of 1-4, require a lower Gpa and much lower Sat/Act scores for the application to receive a 1 or 2, which usually means admission, than applications from students at more competitive, higher API Schools. After the applications are scored, admission is by tiers and the tiers are either college wide regardless of major as for L&S or by major for other colleges like Engineering. In other words, if L&S has 10,000 slots and 1,000 applicants are scored a 1, all 1's are admitted, regardless of major. So are all 2,000 1.5's and 3,000 2's. There are not enough slots for the 6,000 2.5's so there is further scoring of the 2.5's and the L&S class is filled. All 3's, 3.5's and 4's are rejected. For Engineering and other colleges, the same takes place for each major.

University academics don't need to have a PHD. The high stage graduate institution teachers frequently do... However in case you are getting your undergraduate/ bachelors you can expect to have academics who handiest have BAs, and are still engaged on their masters. I went to CC then a state uni. At a CC you earn your associate's measure which is a 2 12 months degree. At a tuition that you would be able to earn your Undergraduate/Bachelor's which is a 4 year, and can go on to your graduate/grasp's measure which is an extra 2 years. 4 years of learning is undoubtedly better then two. The general classes are all frequently exactly the identical. The important factor about CC is that course reviews are restricted and not very intensive. Universities are way more competitive, and senior stage guides can be very demanding. If you already know what you need to do, and can accomplish it with just a 2 12 months, then through all manner, try this! :) which you can at all times transfer credits and get extra education later. I had no situation transferring any credits.

IF you are an A student all the way through HS, do not go to a CC. It would be a waste.

Apply to several colleges- apply to at least one private college- see where you get in and what financial aid package you get. Private colleges tend to give out more financial aid. And check into scholarships.

Almost all scholarships are for incoming freshman only. Not transfer students.

second semester sophomore year, you and your parents should start going on college visits. Go to at least one state school, one private school and one CC. End of junior year you should visit ALL colleges you are going to apply to. I believe you will see the difference in a CC and four year college for yourself.

Make sure to meet with admissions, take a tour of the campus, eat in the dining hall. And if you know your major-meet with the head of the department or a professor from the department

Only if you have serious financial problems preventing you from attending college.

True "education" comes from spending four years in a challenging, intellectually stimulating environment. Walk on any community college campus and you will see many students whose eyes don't quite line up. Even when courses have the same title and content on paper, there are huge differences in quality between community college and university.