Community college?

MissPickwickian · 10-22-2009, 04:43 PM

I am facing a conundrum. As many of you who frequent College Confidential know, I have a disorder called Asperger's syndrome, which is a mild form of autism. I have been making great progress, but as college application deadlines approach, the list of things that I cannot yet do appears dauntingly long: I can't drive yet, I can't manage money yet, I don't have workplace social skills yet, I can't remember to take my medicine every day yet...the list goes on. I think that I could get into some of the schools that I'm applying to, but I'm worried that they would eat me alive

My therapist and my special ed teacher have proposed that I take a year at community college so that I can get the independent living skills that I need before transferring to an LAC. I could accumulate college credits, go through a vocational rehabilitation program*, get a job, learn to drive, and maybe even live on my own for a month or two. In theory, I could also start fresh with my GPA, get some work experience, beef up my transcripts, and do all the volunteer work that I wasn't able to do in high school. Sounds like a good idea, right?

I'm not so sure. I want to go to a small liberal arts school, and I'm not sure that small liberal arts schools are very nice to community college transfers. Is a 4.0 GPA at Pelissippi State ("Your Success Connection!") better or worse than a 3.3 UW HS GPA? I don't know. Should I go ahead and risk a four-year college so that I can avoid the maze of transfer admissions? Again, I don't know. SHOULD I GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE? Don't know.

Not that I could be "chanced" yet, but I am hoping to apply to certain schools as a transfer.
Wild and Crazy Dreams: Bryn Mawr, Smith, Bates, Connecticut College, Grinnell
Practical Interests: Guilford, College of Wooster, Kalamazoo, Beloit, UNC Asheville, Hollins, Hendrix

*Voc rehab is a state program that teaches independent living skills to people with disabilities. I qualify.

MissPickwickian · 10-22-2009, 06:05 PM

26 views and no comments?

AMorrison · 10-22-2009, 06:43 PM

I think it is tough to "chance you" because your situation is a very personal one. If it were me, I would listen to the advice of those around me that know me the most, and also what I feel in my gut is the most practical decision for me. I think any concerns you have about a school not being nice to you if you're a transfer shouldn't make the decision for you, and is a pretty general assumption to make. Speaking as someone who never applied to a four year school in high school, the transfer admission process isn't that bad and I imagine is pretty comparable to the "regular" way

.

college_ruled · 10-22-2009, 06:51 PM

I think you would be worse off if you flunked out of a LAC than if you got a strong start at your CC. Set yourself up for success!

It is true that the acceptance rate for transfers is generally lower than it is for freshmen. The college board website lists the number of transfer students who applied and the number of transfer students who were admitted last year for each school.

If it is living skills (not academics) that you are worried about, have you considered taking a gap year without the community college part? This way, you could be in the freshmen, not transfer applicant pool.

If you are planning to transfer after a year of CC, most schools will only see one completed semester of college work. This isn't a lot of time to show colleges what you are capable of.

MissPickwickian · 10-22-2009, 07:10 PM

Would a gap year mean applying now or applying a year from now?

college_ruled · 10-22-2009, 08:39 PM

I think it can go either way. You can ask to defer your space for one year, or you can apply a year from now. Each college has its own policy for deferring enrollment.

MissPickwickian · 10-22-2009, 08:40 PM

How do you get good recs if you've been away from school?

AMorrison · 10-22-2009, 08:43 PM

Anybody you would maintain a relationship with? Your teacher you mentioned in your original posting, perhaps?

MissPickwickian · 10-22-2009, 08:44 PM

That, my friend, is a good idea.

SimpleRules · 10-22-2009, 09:39 PM

MissPickwickian - It sounds like you have been given sound advice. Starting college can be very stressful. A year at the community college would be a great option for preparing. You have a number of different ways to approach this situation and you will need to do some research and planning on how to transition from community college and when. Research is key, especially with private colleges.

It is possible to start college as a freshman and be an academic sophomore or higher. My S, at a state school, did this. He does not intend to graduate early but possibly double major or just take more classes. Your wild and crazy dream schools may not accept transfer credits but your practical choices may. Top LACs don't often accept too many outside credits but some schools are surprisingly generous. I know Beloit has a generous policy, though I can't remember exactly what it is.You would need to check out the policy of each school. That way you can apply to schools and defer a year and go to the community college or just take that year, see what happens, keep your contacts at the high school and apply the following year. Best of luck!

college_ruled · 10-22-2009, 10:10 PM

You could ask your teachers now to write you a letter of recommendation, and have them keep it on file. Perhaps a copy can be left with your guidance counselor?