I was looking through “my threads” today, and saw and read through this old thread, linked below. Wow, brings back…uh, memories. And reminds me how helpful College Confidential has been in this entire journey. I think it could be really helpful to parents in a similar situation to share an update.
The title of that previous thread says it all. I was struggling with whether or not to “invest” in my kid with an expensive four year college given his crazy ways while a senior in high school. He’s a bright kid, but a party animal and seemed to always do as little as possible to succeed. At the end of that thread/period of time he had decided to attend UC Riverside, which was “the best” school he had gotten into. That was May 1, 2017.
Fast forward three years. A LOT changed. By the end of June that year, my son changed his mind about going to UCR, and decided to stay home and attend Community College (cc). There could’ve been no better choice for him! I’ll share his current status and some of his successes, in part to reassure parents of kids like mine, but also to make the pitch for Community College (cc) which is the perfect choice for many bright kids with great potential.
My son is currently waiting on admissions decisions from several colleges and universities. He has already been offered acceptance to some great schools that are among the top in his major (according to USNWR), Chemical Engineering, including numbers 4, 10 and 12! Here are some highlights of the opportunities he got in cc and his successes:
4.0 GPA in almost 90 semester units
Completed honors program- including honors composition- writing had been a weakness
Will receive four Associate’s degrees - math, physics, chemistry and biology
Completed all lower division major coursework and general education
Participated in a paid research project in his field at a University of California one summer
Received three non-need based scholarships for this year, totaling $1750…
Works as paid tutor for math (all levels) and chemistry (all levels); tutors physics too
Embedded tutor for organic chemistry - paid position
Worked as server for catering company making great money
Hopes for/half expects a paid internship this summer in pharmaceutical industry
Top candidate for chemistry scholarship from his cc to take with him to 4-year
Selected as student of the year at his school for American Chemistry Society
Tutors a professor’s son for money (how many other students could’ve been asked?)
Tutors friends in math and chemistry
Taught “Putting the Stud in Student” on study habits for success for STEM students
Did his own laundry much of the time
Prepared all his own meals except dinner
Had a really nice girlfriend for a year and a half
Managed a breakup kindly and with resilience
Managed and completed all of his own college applications and all that goes with it
Developed stellar work habits, and enjoyed partying and time with friends when possible
Exhibits good coping skills, e.g. during this COVID stuff goes running regularly
Continues to love learning
Still crazy
Still drives mom crazy
WAY better - I haven’t killed him yet
I hope this update encourages people who may have a kid like mine. I also hope it opens some eyes on the benefit of community college. Think of the money saved while all this maturity and success happened! I should add that had he gone away to school, he may have had equal success, however, he would’ve been more tempted by the party scene, and who knows which way that would’ve gone, and he may not have had the access to professors that he’s had that opened many of these doors. Also, while all his school choices from three years ago were great, and one can be wildly successful no matter what school they go to, he will end up at a higher tier school now (which is important to him), AND he will end up at a school that is chosen because of their reputation for his major.
Best of luck to everyone in their upcoming decisions. Please include community college among your choices!