<p>Parents, this question is directed to you, but others may answer, of course. My question is, should I go to a community college, then transfer to a top-tier State school (UCLA), or forego community college and immediately go to a medium state school (UCI, UC Riverside). Under “education” on your resume, wouldn’t I have to write that i went to a community school for 1/2 years ? I can’t just NOT put that, right ? <em>(Because then it will say “UCLA - 2 years”, and they’ll be asking, what about the first 2 years ? )</em> Anyway, if you apply for a position at a TOP/OR OTHERWISE VERY PRESTIGIOUS law firm, finance firm, or corporation, how will “Community College” look ? Obviously, you could be Einstein, and have gone to a CC, but I’m just wondering if I do so, will that sort of “dampen” my chances for employment at a top firm ? (Yes, I know, it doesn’t really matter what school you go to, its up to you to make the most of your education, and all that. But hey, the educational insitutions you attend certainly warrant some merit when it comes to marketing yourself, and a degree at X Uni. is more “prestigious” than one at Y uni. ).</p>
<p>very simply - you don’t need to put **** about the cc you attended. infact you don’t write “ucla - 2 years.” you write “b.a. (or b.s. or whatever) from ucla.” that means if you theoretically could go to a cc for 3.5 years then transfer to harvard for your final semester and could get your bachelors - then you’d just put “bachelors - harvard university”</p>
<p>“Parents, this question is directed to you, but others may answer, of course. My question is, should I go to a community college, then transfer to a top-tier State school (UCLA), or forego community college and immediately go to a medium state school (UCI, UC Riverside). Under “education” on your resume, wouldn’t I have to write that i went to a community school for 1/2 years ? I can’t just NOT put that, right ? <em>(Because then it will say “UCLA - 2 years”, and they’ll be asking, what about the first 2 years ? )</em> Anyway, if you apply for a position at a TOP/OR OTHERWISE VERY PRESTIGIOUS law firm, finance firm, or corporation, how will “Community College” look ? Obviously, you could be Einstein, and have gone to a CC, but I’m just wondering if I do so, will that sort of “dampen” my chances for employment at a top firm ? (Yes, I know, it doesn’t really matter what school you go to, its up to you to make the most of your education, and all that. But hey, the educational insitutions you attend certainly warrant some merit when it comes to marketing yourself, and a degree at X Uni. is more “prestigious” than one at Y uni. ).”</p>
<p>You’re over analyzing things. I say go to community college and save money. Then transfer to UCLA and you are set. Where you got your general education doesn’t really matter, what matters is the name on your diploma. And as the other poster said, you just say you obtained a BA from UCLA and so forth. </p>
<p>"very simply - you don’t need to put **** about the cc you attended. infact you don’t write “ucla - 2 years.” you write “b.a. (or b.s. or whatever) from ucla.” that means if you theoretically could go to a cc for 3.5 years then transfer to harvard for your final semester and could get your bachelors - then you’d just put “bachelors - harvard university” "</p>
<p>Correct but most universities require that you complete two years of units at there institution to earn a diploma with the university name on it.</p>
<p>i know thats why i said theoretically - :-)</p>
<p>Gooduniforme, in the hiring process most companies do background checks that consist of education verification (so you must list ALL colleges attended), as well as credit check, criminal check, driving record, and references. Some go even further and check sanction lists, denied parties lists, etc.</p>
<p>I suspect the majority of college graduates in your peer group will need list community college on their job application documents, for the simple reason that many high schools offer “dual enrollment” classes - different from AP classes. The grades for these classes appear on the college transcript to be from the community college as the correct credit granting institution. My D has this - something like 15-20 credit hours from the community college, though she has never set foot in the place - these are classes taken in high school when there was no AP class available for the subject area. This coursework appears on her college transcript as transfered credits from the community college. Therefore, in the background check process, failure to list the community college will appear as an omission/red flag. So if you attend community college regardless of length of time you’ll appear more or less indistinguishable from everyone else. </p>
<p>Having said that, in the INTERVIEW process, the majority of hiring officers and influencers are going to be far more concerned with how your background and skills align with the job, how you present yourself and communicate with others/how you will fit into their culture (are you someone they can work with, get along with, and are you likable?); and your integrity: is the resume accurate and clean with no misrepresentations, etc.</p>
<p>There certainly is a great deal of snobbish attitude toward community colleges. My experience with them is dated. Back in the 1970’s, elite colleges weren’t chasing after top students from working class backgrounds the way they are now. I graduated from h.s. with many smart kids who saved $$$ at cc and continued on for bachelors and MBAs elsewhere. Lots of them had family obligations, too…helping at home with younger siblings, widdowed parents, etc. It was much more common to go to graduate school at night & have the company foot the bill. While I have friends in senior management spots who started as cc students, I honestly don’t know if this will be as common for today’s students. I sure hope it is.</p>
<p>This is a great strategy and method to not only save money, but earn a degree from one of nation’s top colleges. However, this strategy only works if you get accepted to UCLA as a transfer, so make sure you join the honors progrm at the community college. In answer to your question, employers will also make you complete their application (Human Resources has a gazillion of forms), where you will need to show all colleges and dates attended. It will be noticed for your first or second job after graduation, but beyon that, you would just list ‘B.S., UCLA, 2012’.</p>
<p>I have never seen the question “what schools have you attended”, or “what school did you attend” on an application. The only thing I have ever seen regarding schooling is what the level of your education is. This means the type of degree you received, you also typically write where you recieved it from. Some only ask for your highest level of education so if you got an AA from community college and a BA/BS from a different school you would only list the BA/BS. In reality it is your prior work experience that matters the most. Not whether or not you were a transfer student.</p>
<p>On a resume, you will list “UCLA, BA Business Adminstration, 2011” or whatever major/year. latetoschool might be correct that a job application form might ask for all schools attended, but many jobs you seek won’t have such an application. Even if they do, you might well approach an employer with your resume first.</p>
<p>If you do fill out an application, you would put the UCLA information first and other schools you attended below that. As an employer, I would not look down on someone who attended a cc prior to university in any way. I would, rather, know that this person worked hard for his/her education, perhaps having to carefully manage the overall cost of a Bachelor’s degree and did not have it handed over on a silver platter.</p>
<p>No one will care that you started off at community college unless they assume that you did so for monetary reasons, and thus, they may conclude that you’re a very motivated, smart person who has worked his way to the top from a poor background.</p>
<p>One of my former students started at community college for monetary reasons since she was putting herself through college. She was a stellar student there, then transferred to a good in-state public university that was renowned for her major. She graduated summa, got at least 9 job offers from top firms in her field. This included firms so thrilled with her that they were offering to lease her a car if she accepted their offers. </p>
<p>She ended up going to one of the top corporations in the country in the field, excelling there and recently became the first person in her specialty to receive a one-year fellowship to Harvard. Meanwhile, her company is still so thrilled with her that they promoted her, and the company is also holding the job open for her until she returns – with a raise. </p>
<p>Clearly, starting at community college didn’t hurt her.</p>
<p>wow, thanks everyone. So I believe you all when you say that employers don’t really ask about community college, and that you simply list “UCLA - B.A.” on you resume. But what about law firms, is it the same ? Are or law employers really snobby and picky about undergrad education, etc ?</p>
<p>If they are snobby and picky, I would venture to say it is partly (mostly?) so they can pat themselves on the back and brag about where their associates come from. In that case, if your degree is from a braggable school, they won’t care where you started out. </p>
<p>I started at a no-name school, then got my BA at Wellesley. Later, Masters from UC-Berkeley and Stanford MBA. I don’t know when, if ever, I’ve listed the “no-name” school - don’t even think of it most of the time, isn’t room on most form applications for it anyway.</p>
<p>Possibly law firms may be picky about undergrad education, but where you got your BA would be what’s important, not the place where you started.</p>
<p>I know plenty of well respected professionals, including some lawyers, who started at community colleges, so it’s definitely not the kiss of death.</p>
<p>Northstarmom is absolutely CORRECT. It doesn’t matter where you start that BA -it’s where you finish it for those who look to such things.
Now, I have been in positions of hiring and nothing thrills me more than to see a young person who worked hard in Community College, transferred to a four-year and made good.<br>
Those who do this, often paying their own way, are worth their weight in gold.</p>
<p>But wouldn’t I have to write on my resume “UCLA - BA 2008-2006”
then “Community College - AA 2006 - 2004” ? I mean wouldn’t I have to put all the years i attended an educational institute ?</p>
<p>I don’t know if you’ll list your AA. You probably could choose to or not to unless they specifically ask you to list all places that you attend. Just like mature adults don’t list their high schools on their resumes, professionals with law degress probably don’t list their AA degrees.</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard about law firms, they’ll care about:
- Whether you passed the bar.
- Whether you made law review
- What law school you attended
- What your class rank was in law school
- Where you clerked</p>
<p>and they may possibly care about your undegrad school, but if, for instance, you’re number # 1 in your Harvard or Yale class, companies won’t care if you got your AA from Yahoo Community College. They’ll be beating down the doors to hire you.</p>
<p>I have a B.A. from Williams. I have worked on the east coast, in the center of the country, and on the west coast, and I have never - EVER (and this covers more than 30 years) - had an employer who had even heard of it. </p>
<p>For 96% of the jobs you are ever likely to hold, where you got your degree isn’t going to matter in the least. For the remaining 4%, 3% is gained by attending the local state university with the televised football team, and about half of the remaining from attending a religious institution of the faith of the employer.</p>
<p>thanks Northstartmom and mini. Northstarmom, just a question off the topic, i know someone who went to a medium UC (U of California) for undergrad and i believe the same UC for law school and he didn’t pass the bar once or twice, not sure which, but he’s taking it over, of course (2nd or 3rd time). Will this fact be a detriment to him when trying to find a job with a firm ?</p>
<p>I don’t know the answer to that. I do know, however, people who failed the bar at least once, who found jobs afterward. I also know a person who was never able to pass it and who then entered another field.</p>
<p>In legal job applications, you will be asked about your history - where you’ve lived, where you attended school, and many other details. As to community college, some employers will care but most won’t. Of course, there are also employers that prefer to hire Ivy League graduates or state university graduates or graduates of a specific regional college or law school. In legal hiring, most employers recruit from their regional law schools and only the largest businesses and law firms recruit nationally. Thus, if you are admitted to and graduate from a particular law school, and an employer recruits there, I doubt the employer will be concerned about where you attended college.</p>
<p>Typically, law school graduates study for the bar exam during the summer after graduation and take the bar exam in July/August. Many receive job offers after graduation and either start work right away (if their employer lets them study for the bar and work part-time) or wait until after taking the bar exam to join their new employer. Some law school graduates do not get jobs until after they have taken and passed the bar exam but graduates of the top law schools typically are already working before they get their bar exam results. (For instance, JFK Jr. was working at the NY prosecutor’s office and failed the NY bar exam - a notoriously difficult exam - not once but twice during his employment.)</p>