community college transfer
Can I Transfer to a University After Community College?
Yes! Community college is a great launching pad for earning a bachelor’s degree at a university.
Why Transfer from a Community College to a 4-Year University?
What is the benefit of a transferring and earning a bachelor’s degree?
EdVisorly
Jan 19, 2023
Benefit of an Associate’s Degree
First of all, earning an Associate Degree is a huge accomplishment. Some students choose to enter the workforce immediately after earning a 2-year degree. By earning an Associate Degree from a California Community College, you will increase your salary by $11,100 compared to entering the workforce with a high school diploma (CCCCO).
Benefit of a Bachelor’s Degree
However, many careers require a bachelor’s degree, and by having a bachelor’s degree, you open up a plethora of future career opportunities. By earning a bachelor’s degree, your lifetime earnings will increase by $800,000 compared to earning only an associate’s degree (Forbes).
Benefit of Attending a University
By transferring, you will be able to experience a 4-year university. Beyond a higher lifetime earnings and stronger job security, attending and graduating from a university unlocks the opportunity to:
Take a deep dive into your topic of study. Community college consists of a lot of general education courses, but once you transfer to a university you will primarily be only taking courses in your major at your university.
Meet like-minded peers. Because you are taking courses primarily in your major, you will have the opportunity to meet fellow students and professors who are just as interested in the same topic as you.
Network. Once you transfer, you will be exposed to a career support system. You will have the opportunity to complete an internship, and you will be exposed to job offers and opportunities. Often times your university will help you apply for and choose your first job out of college, and this job will be an important stepping stone for your career.
Even after you graduate, many universities offer lifelong career support and a network of alumni. For example, if you want to work at LinkedIn and you graduated from UC Berkeley, you will be able to message employees who work at Linkedn who attended Berkeley. Most likely, they will be excited to take a call from a recent alumn, and they will help you navigate a potential job opportunity.
Enjoy the university experience. While this looks different for everybody, at a university, you will be able to go to football games, live with roommates, collaborate on group projects, meet lifelong friends, and create a community and a sense of belonging that you can lean on throughout the rest of your life.