One more thing to consider - you can't always transfer to a 4 year university from a community college. Once you've gone to any college, some universities will not accept you. It's a "come in as a freshman or don't come at all." Some other universities insist that you have a specific sequence of classes completed before you can transfer in. It would be good to look at the final destination prior to enrolling in a community college if there's a chance that a 4-year degree (or higher) is the ultimate goal. If you're just set on going to XYZ University, and XYZ University doesn't take transfer students, don't do that year of community college.
My first suggestion is to try to figure out what the major will be. That's hard to do, but if there's even a hint of which way the student will be leaning, check the final school destinations that have that major. Not all four-year schools offer all majors. Then look at their requirements. Does the school even accept transfer students? Do they have requirements that the student will have met?
If you have a decent idea where the student will ultimately end up, and if that place will accept a transfer student, a community college is a great place to explore various disciplines. It's really the major that's important, though - You want to eventually be where you can study things of interest to you. I've worked at my present institution for well into two decades. I used to do student advising and it was always so sad when a new admit (or worse yet, a sophomore) showed up in my office saying they were going to major in business (this university does not have a business department) or musical theatre (the theatre department does not do musical theatre - at all). They'd just spent a year and a half taking general ed courses and couldn't even end up with the degree they really wanted. But they didn't dare tell mom and dad.
THEN look at their placement rates. Getting a diploma from any school doesn't guarantee a job or career in that field. Some schools do a much better job at getting their graduates placed. Some offer almost no services.
Have a few different schools in mind, in case the student is not accepted at the first choice.
You might also look at the structure of the school. Some use the "house" system, some the "college" system, and some are just huge factories. A large school using the house system might serve an Aspie as well as a smaller school, given that they would be grounded in a house with other students of similar interests and have that continuity and structure as resources. Similarly, schools using the "college" system, where there are separate colleges for larger divisions in academia (fine arts, humanities, social sciences, hard sciences, etc.) cut down the massiveness of some of the bigger schools. Best to request literature and look 'em over really well as far as environment goes. There may have to be some trade-offs between size of school (comfort level for Aspie) and the desired major being offered.
When in doubt, don't be afraid to back off. Once you use your financial aid package, it's gone. You're only given a certain number of hours' aid, if you get aid, and once you use them up you don't get a "do-over". In some states, even if you're not on financial aid, you can only take a certain number of courses before they'll politely ask you to finish up, as you're taking up space another student needs. If you end up at State U and after a year decide that you want a different major, and they don't have it at State U, get out of there. Go where it's offered.
Best of luck to the future academics on the board!
PS for those not familiar with the US ed system, it's first elementary/middle/high school (or some permutation thereof, that is mandatory and free) then - post-secondary (which is not mandatory and not usually free) which can be any of:
1) trade schools (Typically a one or two year certificate in a trade - hairdressing, auto mechanic, nursing assistant, etc. and typically privately owned and run)
or
Community College/ Junior College (Usually state-funded, typically a two-year program that can be quite similar to a trade school, or that can be an academic program similar to the first two years of a 4-year university. Only lower-division basic courses will be available at a community college.) The instructors' quality can be all over the spectrum from excellent to someone who can't get a "real" position at four year school and so freelances teaching a course here and a course there.
2) University (the term "college" tends to be used interchangeably for University by a lot of people)
Widely generalized: subset 1 - teaching universities. Their primary mission is teaching students. Some research may happen, but it's not primary to the mission. Some of these schools may only offer 4 years of study leading to a bachelor degree. Some may have graduate degrees available.
subset 2 - research universities. The primary mission of a research university is, you guessed it! They also teach, but the emphasis of their teaching is really at the graduate level. Undergrads are often taught by Teaching Assistants, who are graduate students, until they are in the more advanced undergraduate courses. These schools typically offer bachelors', masters', and doctoral degrees. Some may not have the option of masters - you go straight on through for a PhD once you finish your bachelor's if you happen to stay there. The quality of the undergraduate instruction is pretty much determined by the quality of the graduate programs (in my experience).
subset 3 - graduate schools. No undergraduate degrees available. You go get your MBA (Master of Business Adminstration), or MPH (Master of Public Health), etc.
subset 4 - professional schools. Law School, Dental School, Med School, etc. Quite often you have to get through the first significant degrees (BA, MA) before you get into these places. Often there is a residency period after completing work here, sort of equivalent to an apprenticeship or journeymanship.
subset 5 (which really is a different bird so shouldn't be here) are continuing education programs. Institutions at all of the above levels may offer courses that the general public can take at a greatly reduced cost with greatly reduced prerequisites and demands. These courses almost never can be transferred into a formal academic degree program, but are for personal gratification or, perhaps, to look good on a resume.
17 Jun 2009, 11:30 am
