Should I go to community college first?
So I'm a junior that has always been in high academic classes and can't stand my peers who don't care about learning or distrupt the classroom. I've always wanted to go to college right away and my mom didn't bring up community college until my sophmore year. The reason for this is because I have some diagnoses that hinder my ability to understand my peers and to do things on my own. I also have anxiety which does not help when I'm taking 3 hard classes and still have a bad habit that got started during covid. But I'm nervous that I'm going feel left out if I transfer after two years and that I'm going to hate that change. I don't like change that much and it takes me awhile to get acclimated to a new environment. I'm also worried that if I don't go to a four year right after college I'm not going to grow up because my mom is at home with me so I'm just going to lean on her like I already do. I also did a precollege experience last summer and going to do one again which I did fine the first time.
Hi @Jaleigh! I am a current student at a community college, taking dual enrollment classes online. Online classes are a great option especially for getting used to working with peers and classmates! I am taking 2 classes since this is my first time but it is recommended to begin with 1 (I am homeschooled and have more schedule/class flexibility). But next year I plan to take 5 classes each semester to knock out some general education credits. This means the particular bachelor's degree I am headed for will take 3 years instead of 4.
Community college can be a good stepping stone into the college experience. If you talk with your high school counselor, you may be able to work it out so that you can take an online community college class next year (or this summer) to test and see if it fits you. If you do not like it and find you prefer the university experience, then I recommend following your dream of going to college. I don't recommend an Ivy as that may be stressful mentally even if you are a good student gradewise. Because of your diagnoses, I would carefully choose a college that will have a friendly atmosphere and good student support (eg, mental health, counseling services, etc). Sometimes Christian colleges have great student support systems. When you do find colleges that interest you, I recommend visitng and getting a feel for the campus environment. Do you feel safe/happy/contented there? Did you meet friendly students?
In short, the answer is choose what seems best for you personally--not what everyone else is choosing to do. Weigh the pros and cons of both community college and 4-year university experiences. If you need any more advice, let me know! (If you make future posts with more questions along the way, feel free to tag my name (@Jael_S238) and I will do my best to assist!
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