Apply as Freshman, Sophmore, or Junior?

Colleges & Universities University of Virginia
1

<p>I’m a Virginian in 11th grade who will have taken about 30 college credits through the Virginia Community College System by the time I graduate. I really want to go to UVA. I would say I have a moderate to good chance of getting accepted into UVA as a freshman, and if I went that route, I would only need to take 12 credits per semester for all four years. Alternatively, I could try to apply as a transfer and go in as a sophomore, which would save a year of time and $10,000. My third option would be to finish my associate’s degree from the Virginia Community College System, which has a guaranteed admissions program to UVA - in that case, I’d be entering as a Junior and saving one year of time and about $17,000. What do y’all think? I can always apply this year but still decide to do the community college associate’s-degree-transfer path, but I have to decide whether to apply as a freshman or a sophomore this year. </p>

<p>So basically, three choices:</p>

<li><p>Be a normal college freshman, but have a slightly lighter course load.</p></li>
<li><p>Try to get in as a sophomore transfer.</p></li>
<li><p>Finish an associate’s at community college and be guaranteed admission as a junior.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Any thoughts? Do you think I would be missing out on a lot if I didn’t have the “college freshman experience?” $10,000 or $17,000 seems like a lot of money to be fussing over having a normal four-year experience. (I wouldn’t be saving anything on room and board because I wouldn’t be living at home with my parents regardless.) Does anyone know if it’s very hard to get in as a sophomore transfer? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance for your input!</p>

2

<p>option 2 is not an option because dual enrollment doesn’t qualify you to “transfer”
so really, you either apply as a 1st year, or you finish your associate’s (save $$) and get in under the guaranteed admission.</p>

<p>it is definitely an option, but if you’re concerned about time, you can always graduate early. if you’d be paying for community college for a year, why not go to uva and take summer classes at your local cc, and take a normal course load every semester, to allow you to graduate in 2-3 years at uva? i have a friend graduating early for money reasons, she would have graduated this year (in 3 yrs) but she wanted a double major. i think going to uva straight from hs allows you to do things like that, whereas if you went to a CC you’d have to know your major and have no time to deviate once you transfer. i think graduating early from uva would be your best option, because it would still save you some money, and you’d get your first year experience.</p>

3

<p>oh, i also know a first year who had his AA from dual enrollment during hs, crazy!</p>

4

<p>Thanks for answering! I actually talked to my dad today about just skipping my last year of (homeschool) highschool, and doing the second year of my associate’s this upcoming fall, spring, and next summer - it’s a possibility. :slight_smile: I guess my main concern is, what do you think I would be missing by skipping freshman and sophomore year at a “real” college, aka UVA?</p>

5

<p>if you’re mature enough to realize going to a cc for a few years to lessen costs is a good thing, probably nothing. :wink: basically just socializing with people, away from home without parents. if you’ve ever gone to camp, like that, but with academics thrown in and for a whole year, and being old enough to travel away from the “camp”…</p>

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<p>apply as a freshman and graduate one year early, as simple as that. A few of my friends are doing that.</p>

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<p>But doesn’t the VCCS-UVA transfer student agreement require that the student must complete 60 credits at UVA?</p>

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<p>yes, 60 credits at comm college and 60 credits at uva. each year is 30 credits.</p>

9

<p>For the love of god… go as a first year.</p>

<p>I spent three years in community college and it was time well spent. It was a path up, out, and on to University but If I could have skipped that? I would I have done it in an instant.</p>