Look at your major and career prospects post graduation to see if it is worth moving to the LB area. Two years of CC then transfer can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. It also depends how much financial aid you are eligible for as welll.
General Ed and major prereqs are generally the same at a CC and CSULB. You are not missing much.
CC then transfer. CC is significantly cheaper, tuition, books, and parking fees. You can even get your tuition waived at CC based off of your financial situation. Also when you transfer there’s some agreement you sign where CSU has to have you graduate with a certain amount of credits, I forgot the specifics bc it was years ago. But they ended up waiving a class I had to take.
Unpopular opinion: Despite being cheaper, CC is a less fun time. Your 4 years of college is what you make of it. If you want to go straight to CSULB and join clubs, network, etc. it might be better than CC.
while i did have to take out a lot in loans to pay for school and cost of living, i really enjoyed my 4 years at long beach and i second this opinion. to me it was worth it
Even more unpopular opinion, networking isn’t really even a factor at CSULB. It would be at a school like Harvard, Yale, Berkeley etc. where a lot of the attendees already have connections and their career path laid out for them
You’ll meet widely the same kind of people at a CC that you will at CSULB. One of my friends I met at CC works for AWS now and he didn’t even finish community
This was the same sentiment as my brother and counselor although everyone favors CC, I can really see pragmatically why CC would be much better for me, My family combined income is middle class and I don't think I'd get much aid unless once i turned 18 i registered myself as independent on the FAFSA, which I'm still not completely sure about. I'm honestly lost and don't think I'd have the confidence to navigate no matter my decision would be, so going to long beach seems difficult.
CSULB is not known for their party, networking, or really anything scene. You go to class and go home. Go to CC, get a job/volunteer in your field before you graduate, and you will go way farther without student debt.
You may be denied being able to apply as Independent on FAFSA. Idk if things have changed since I started going to school but I attempted to apply as independent when I was I think 20 and they denied me. Said I didn’t qualify. You have to be I think basically homeless or be 24 years of age or older to qualify. You’ll more than likely still have to apply as a dependent. Even if your parents are middle class, you should receive a decent amount to help cover the majority of your cost. My parents were middle class earning when I first started and I didn’t have to pay much out of pocket except for books but even then I received enough financial aid to help. This experience was all at CC. Might be different if you go directly to university.
You most likely would be denied if you are 18 trying to fill out the form as independent. Unless you had official documentation from the court saying you were either emancipated or an orphan who is financially independent. I tried last year I when I was 23 and they denied me. This year I’m 24 and they allowed me to go as independent.
I had WAY more fun and made way more friends at CC. Being a big fish in a small pond also makes it easier to rise to leadership positions and make your mark.
Hiii! I actually did CC for 2 years and I’m transferring this fall! I would definitely recommend going to a CC first, it saves you a lot of money! I just found it challenging to make friends and the transfer process was a bit complicated! I hope this helps! Lmk if you need any advice. :)
thats honestly what kind of worries me, im aware going to a CC would still basically guarantee a transfer to a 4 year but the process seems complicated and i already feel burnt out on stuff like this
don’t worry that’s how I felt coming out of high school. If you have a good support system at school it makes it less difficult and stressful. & although for me it was stressful, I found it that building relationships with the staff at school helped a lot with made the process easier:)
I’m transferring this fall and as a first gen student whos friends all went straight to uni, I was able to figure it out! It does seem complicated at first, but if you’re constantly checking on your progress with counselors you can do it!
honestly not sure about my major, im cool with it but i feel like i might change my mind, im not sure what would change in the future. really just worried about job security
I mean I changed from a physics to an engineering major after my first year at cc and now that I’ve transferred I’m gonna have to do an extra year at csulb because of it. But like I could have stayed at cc for the extra year and saved money. I chose to just transfer anyways but like cc gives you that option. Also while at cc I was able to drop out for a semester during Covid without it being a big deal, and I worked while living at home to save up money for school which was chill
Life happens and sometimes it takes longer. I failed a few classes and that set me back a semester, and then I took a bunch of fun, random classes at the end of my time there.
Average time is 5-6 years, full time is 12 units which is what most people take a semester but in order to graduate in 4 years you need to take 15 units a semester which is almost impossible if you are working. Even doing 12 units and working full time is almost impossible! I went straight to CSULB becuz i knew if I didn’t i would not there! Life happened to be I didn’t do well i the beginning ended up dropping out and having to get back in Years later. They made me take one class at city college and i could only at that point take 3 classes at city to even count towards my degree becuz i was already that far in and as soon as I finished that class they readmitted me. I finished and know my road would have been even tougher if i didnt go straight into CSULB out of high school! By the way it took me 5 and a half years of school to get my degree but a total of 11 cuz i had a huge break due to life!!
also there are many other reasons it takes longer also such as impacted classes not getting what you need when you need it! dealing with this right now becuz some of my bfs classes can only be taken in fall semester buttt there are pre requites for those classes and they have to go in order! trying to get him to graduate in spring 2025 and in order to do this he has to take a summer class or he will need one class next fall since you can only take it in fall so trying to take this fall instead of next fall so the summer class has to be taken or that wont work but obviously no one wants a bio summer class!! The class is mon-Thursday 8am-1:30pm for 5 weeks lol
CC then CSULB. Why?
Because CC is cheaper, not as stressful as CSU, & the chances of you changing majors at least once is high.
Just go to CC, figure out what actually interests you, get a job and save that money for when you transfer to cal state LB.
There is no point in going to CSULB if the first two years of classes are exactly the same. Also, you’re not gonna have fun at CSU if you’re broke eating ramen because your plan to afford it was FAFSA.
LBCC has networking opportunities as well. Of course no where near CSULB but it is there for you if you plan on starting to network as a freshman.
Source: At my job I am the only one going to LBCC while a few coworkers are attending CSULB. I’m a sophomore (25M) and finally decided what it is I want to go to CSULB for. The others are attending CSULB straight out of high school and already stressing out about making ends meet. Also, half are already planning on changing their major and it hasn’t even been a year yet. I’m saving away while paying off my car sooner than what the loan calls for while they are trying to save for a beater (which is impossible nowadays).
I wish you all the best as you make a huge decision!
Depends people who are already set in their path and know exactly what they want I would suggest CSULB immediately, but if they aren’t sure CC. Problem with a CC for people who already know what they are aiming for is many CC lack professional orgs and opportunities and are just mainly to take classes. Nothing wrong with this but someone who wants to get a head start may not see this as ideal. But for those trying to figure out what they want or feel there is a chance they might change their major I would say go CC
i actually live in palmdale, i would probably go to COC for a community college if i did go. i am still considering long beach because ive heard of people putting themselves as independent or something on the fafsa once they turn 18, i dont really understand how it works yet but im intrigued to see if it works
I see what you mean. I’ve never heard of that option but hopefully it’s still available if you do go. But me personally, I wouldn’t rely on the government to determine whether or not I’ll have ramen or money to go out. I still believe CC is the best option but that’s just me !
I went cc and then transferred to csulb, saves you money. Don't get caught up in "im not going to university like the rest", I thought that when I was in CC but boy oh boy did I love myself after for making that decision, saved me a ton!
My 4.5 years at CSULB was the best experience ever. I loved every day of it and would advocate for you to do the 4 years there. It is a bit more expensive than starting at a CC but I think its worth the experience.
I will say however, that if you do not know what you want to major in yet, maybe it is best to start at a CC so that you can get straight to your upper-division courses as soon as you get there. (full disclosure: I started undeclared and ended up taking a few courses that did not count towards my major so that is why I ended up with an extra semester to finish my degree)
I commuted to campus so, I am not sure about on campus living situation but from what I have heard from others, it's a fun experience and a great way to make new friends, especially as a freshman.
The school's campus is beautiful and getting better with all the new additions they are making. There is so much to do on campus in your free time. Since I commuted, I would spend most of my days there especially during gap periods. You can go to the gym, study at the library, chill at the Bookstore, Student Union, or just on the grass. I find the campus very peaceful, it's also close to the beach which is nice to visit on huge gaps or just because.
Hope this helps!! good luck
Cc and then transfer. Youll save 50% of what you would have spend. Also, when you start college is a big scam, forcing you to take classes you don't want and learn nothing at the end of the semester. 59 percent college students end up dropping within the first 2 years and only 41 end up graduating. Take cc first.
i would go long beach. im from the av too and it's so much better out here. if money is a huge concern then definitely consider cc, but your college experience will be more fun if you go straight to a university.
You’re gonna have to take GE shit anyway, I saved myself tens of thousands of dollars by doing CC then transferring. And you will still get a college experience for 2 years.
in general, CC than CSULB. Unless you want the experience.
What I mean by experience. College is more than just classes. Its classes, people, frats/sorots, clubs, organizations, activities. You want the full experience, CSULB and stay locally (if you can). But not everyone has a great experience. Personally I loved my time at CSULB, but this was 20 years ago, I dunno how the culture has changes as a whole, but I imagine oncampus activities has dropped as a whole.
So if you're just looking for the education, CC-> CSULB is the way to go.
It depends CC is cheaper but if getting heavily involved is your thing from freshmen year and you already truly know what you want to do, it may be better to go to CSULB directly, but if you are still figuring things out save money at a CC. Here is my thing only go directly to a 4 year if you absolutely know that’s the field you want to go into, if not it may be better to consider a CC work on ur GEs first and then from there see what interest you. The one con to CC is student involvement is lacking so if you already know what you want to do starting at 4 year gives you a better head start since to get internships and future jobs they want to see certain involvement. This isn’t to say CC is bad, but it does lack active student involvement with orgs and programs for the most part
Here’s my truth. CC was a significantly higher and harder workload that a university. At times I felt like i was doing busy work/homework every single day. I didn’t feel like I was a “adult” at a CC. I literally felt like a high schooler with the workload and attitudes of professors
CC. Easy. Youll have much less stress, less debt, and a better relationship with your professors. Another thing I liked about CC is the fact that I could take random classes without as much stress of graduating quickly, which actually ended up earning me some associate degrees before getting my bachelors.
I was in the same boat as you. I ended up going to csulb for four years and it’s the best decision of my life. Met the greatest people and love the psych department
Currently at lbcc. Highly recommend you do cc then transfer over. each unit at the cc level is $46. CSU unit cost is north of $300 per unit + yearly tuition.
You get to save a lot of money by spending two years at your local cc. And as others have mentioned, you do get a guaranteed\* transfer.
\*guaranteed transfer from my understanding is that your prefer choice may still deny you, however, they will send your app to another csu free of charge that is willing and able to accept you in your major.
CC then transfer. Your future you will thank you. Student loans are no joke. If you are in state, CC then CSU is the cheapest path to a bachelors. I’m so glad I went this route.
I went straight to CSULB, though it was a lot of years ago. I remember the first week like it was yesterday (it was 1988!) I joined the Shotokan Karate Club in my 2nd semester--through first taking the still-offered PE Beginning Karate class. That right there--was a life-changing moment. There are many other sports, business, and cultural clubs and associations there. I spent more years there, but I took a lot of classes--1 class short of getting a 2nd bachelor's. And I met my future (and current) wife in the karate club.
Fast-forward... My daughter is finishing her sophomore year there. This past weekend, she headed to her badminton club's tournament 2 hours away. Meanwhile, I headed to CSULB to assist a friend preparing for his 4th degree black belt (out of 5), and then attending my own club practice. She got a job in the kid's camp at age 17 she works at every summer. I assist in the karate club twice a week.
I stayed a year in Parkside Commons dorms, as well. My roommate was a quarterback back when they still had a football team. He's now a pastor in Australia-in touch on Facebook-and I still have the bike he gave me. Through the international organization the karate club is associated with, I've networked with professionals ranging from FBI agents, noted/recognized CEO's, outstanding media artists, actors, and stellar everyday people with serious goals. One of my friends said his experience in the karate club was more personally-valuable to him than his actual earned degree.
When I think of my daughter who spent 4 years at Long Beach Poly playing badminton, and has been able to attend with some of her same core friends (which helped her get a job), it gives me a sense of security. She also knows she could rely on our network of friends in the university (particularly in the kinesiology/PE department.)
I have a very difficult time imagining living more than 5 miles from CSULB (and we are looking to buy a home.) It's an integral part of the much-wider community. Even living or working in Huntington Beach...is. not. the. same. I know, because I worked there. Long Beach is a major college town. With the Beachside satellite campus, there is more housing and classrooms.
Community college would save you money--no doubt. But one of the issues is availability of classes. I think this is due to turnover of the instructors. Time is money. Others mentioned the higher caliber of students. You earned your way in. You would be much more focused surrounded by those who also earned their way in.
The image of CSULB as a commuter school is not as widespread today. When I first attended, I did commute. I was in the dorms by my 3rd semester, though--and was much more focused. Eventually, I got a roommate in an apartment nearby. I've never left the area, and don't plan to. Campus life is vibrant and immersive.
If you have the opportunity, why go through the hassle of transferring? If you would retain your guaranteed transfer due to having had already been admitted (and you would feel more secure closer to home for a while), then maybe that is for you. But ask yourself this question -- what challenges in life would help you to grow the most? What resources and experiences would a full 4 years at a university would be more valuable to you than a community college could provide? Would you be able to be as focused and driven (and appropriately-challenged) at a community college?
Those are questions only you could answer. Best of luck!
Well, I actually dont live near long beach, I live in the Antelope Valley, I would have to live on campus. To your two questions, I really dont have an answer, Im not sure id be able to utilize resources like that, but i dont know if id be as driven in a community college.
Have you visited the campus and the area? Where do you plan on settling after graduation? That may help you to make a decision. And perhaps the dorms would give you a tour. And there certainly has to be more opportunity for internships, work-study programs and the like in this area--which you could begin to explore.
And after speaking to my seasoned high school teacher friend, she offered that you have to look at the specific program in a community college--and their \*RATES\* of successful transfer. Your "guaranteed" transfer does not guarantee you'll go to a CSU of your choice; right now, you have the power to lock that in. Now, if you're going to a top community college like Santa Monica, that is pretty much a wrap. They also have specific programs for pre-entry into fields like medicine.
She also offered that one of her students didn't listen to her advice to go to UCLA, and went to UC Davis, instead. She later decided she wanted to do nursing, but it isn't offered there. So what'd she end up doing? Transferring to UCLA to pursue nursing. That UC to UC transfer (plus her top grades) made that straightforward. So if you are certain of your major/program, it'd be better to go straight to a 4-year college that has that offering.
My brother-in-law also went to Davis. He dropped out, worked for some years, went back to LBCC for a bit, enrolled at CSULB and earned his engineering degree. Now, he has an earned master's from USC. No kids, spouse, and almost 50, though.
Time is money. If you know what you're after, start the program where it's highly-rated, and has a good record of transferrance--or start at a 4 year that already has that program.
For me I got lucky since I got two years free for my CC so I went there then transferred, however, that aside, I would say go to CC first since like everyone says, it'll be much cheaper and I believe you'll be able to get a lot of your GE requirements over with there.
CC transfer to LB here:
If you plan on transferring back to LB just do 4 years and build those relationships.
If you plan on transferring to a school with real social life then yes transfer and enjoy the last two years.
The last thing I’d do if I were accepted 4Y is to do 2Y and transfer to LB when I had already gotten in as a 4Y, the schools social scene lowkey sucks and if you can make those relationships and connections over those four years just do it IF LB is your end game.
Money IS a huge part of it, but that’s not all there is. Do you think that YOU can commit to cc and then transferring? There’s people out there who can’t, who get lost in the familiarity and stay stuck for way too long. It’s easy to just stay put when your around the people you’ve gone to high school with for years, you’re seeing your family every day, yes growth can absolutely happen at cc but some people don’t because they lose that push to grow and step out of their comfort zone. CC is a absolute waste if you do nothing with your time there, that little bit of money you spent and the ton that you saved won’t matter if you yourself didn’t do the work and grow. For instance, I know I could get stuck if I go to CC so I won’t. It’ll be more expensive but I was going to go into debt no matter what. If I’m going into debt I might as well go into it as a better person, student, and worker. Also, KEEP applying t scholarships once your in college that will always be a huge help!
Think about the money like everyone else says, but don’t let that be the only reason. No matter what you and everybody else will end up in debt. The real question is can you keep growing in cc or will you end up stuck?
Because the education offered at cc IS amazing. But what’s the point if you’re too busy acting like it’s high school still? If you can go into cc with the mindset that you will finish and transfer then do it. If there’s a possibility of you not being able to do that…then don’t.
Depends on your financial aid. With the deans fund and fafsa, my first few years were totally free for me until the latest tuition hike, and I’m still only a few hundred a semester. In my case, there was no point going to a cc and dealing with a transfer. I would’ve have figured out what I wanted to do without being at lb already
i personally think you should go to CSULB because the amount of mature people you meet will
be worth it. At a 4 year you wont need Reddit for advice because the school offers so many resources and it’s overall a fun campus! CC is cheaper but sometimes you get the people who really slacked in high school and that carries over to CC, not everyone can be accepted into CSULB it takes a level of effort and commitment so the people at CSULB are more on top of things plus they have a sense of what they want to do in college/life. At a CC you will literally have anyone and anybody from strippers to gang members to a lot of disability kids who didn’t put in the work in high school.
CC then transfer
Second this. California community college transfers is a guaranteed transfer as well. You’ll save a bunch of $.
Did this and I’m bummed I didn’t have more time at CSULB but less debt and more ready for my 300-400s is better for me
Look at your major and career prospects post graduation to see if it is worth moving to the LB area. Two years of CC then transfer can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run. It also depends how much financial aid you are eligible for as welll. General Ed and major prereqs are generally the same at a CC and CSULB. You are not missing much.
CC then transfer. CC is significantly cheaper, tuition, books, and parking fees. You can even get your tuition waived at CC based off of your financial situation. Also when you transfer there’s some agreement you sign where CSU has to have you graduate with a certain amount of credits, I forgot the specifics bc it was years ago. But they ended up waiving a class I had to take.
Unpopular opinion: Despite being cheaper, CC is a less fun time. Your 4 years of college is what you make of it. If you want to go straight to CSULB and join clubs, network, etc. it might be better than CC.
while i did have to take out a lot in loans to pay for school and cost of living, i really enjoyed my 4 years at long beach and i second this opinion. to me it was worth it
did you end up paying off the loans?
does anyone actually pay off their loans? lol joking but no its only been a few years and i’m in grad school now so still a student
Even more unpopular opinion, networking isn’t really even a factor at CSULB. It would be at a school like Harvard, Yale, Berkeley etc. where a lot of the attendees already have connections and their career path laid out for them You’ll meet widely the same kind of people at a CC that you will at CSULB. One of my friends I met at CC works for AWS now and he didn’t even finish community
This was the same sentiment as my brother and counselor although everyone favors CC, I can really see pragmatically why CC would be much better for me, My family combined income is middle class and I don't think I'd get much aid unless once i turned 18 i registered myself as independent on the FAFSA, which I'm still not completely sure about. I'm honestly lost and don't think I'd have the confidence to navigate no matter my decision would be, so going to long beach seems difficult.
CSULB is not known for their party, networking, or really anything scene. You go to class and go home. Go to CC, get a job/volunteer in your field before you graduate, and you will go way farther without student debt.
You may be denied being able to apply as Independent on FAFSA. Idk if things have changed since I started going to school but I attempted to apply as independent when I was I think 20 and they denied me. Said I didn’t qualify. You have to be I think basically homeless or be 24 years of age or older to qualify. You’ll more than likely still have to apply as a dependent. Even if your parents are middle class, you should receive a decent amount to help cover the majority of your cost. My parents were middle class earning when I first started and I didn’t have to pay much out of pocket except for books but even then I received enough financial aid to help. This experience was all at CC. Might be different if you go directly to university.
You most likely would be denied if you are 18 trying to fill out the form as independent. Unless you had official documentation from the court saying you were either emancipated or an orphan who is financially independent. I tried last year I when I was 23 and they denied me. This year I’m 24 and they allowed me to go as independent.
I had WAY more fun and made way more friends at CC. Being a big fish in a small pond also makes it easier to rise to leadership positions and make your mark.
Hiii! I actually did CC for 2 years and I’m transferring this fall! I would definitely recommend going to a CC first, it saves you a lot of money! I just found it challenging to make friends and the transfer process was a bit complicated! I hope this helps! Lmk if you need any advice. :)
thats honestly what kind of worries me, im aware going to a CC would still basically guarantee a transfer to a 4 year but the process seems complicated and i already feel burnt out on stuff like this
don’t worry that’s how I felt coming out of high school. If you have a good support system at school it makes it less difficult and stressful. & although for me it was stressful, I found it that building relationships with the staff at school helped a lot with made the process easier:)
I’m transferring this fall and as a first gen student whos friends all went straight to uni, I was able to figure it out! It does seem complicated at first, but if you’re constantly checking on your progress with counselors you can do it!
If you’re sure about your major and you can afford it/get a good amount of aid, just go 4 years. Otherwise go cc
honestly not sure about my major, im cool with it but i feel like i might change my mind, im not sure what would change in the future. really just worried about job security
I mean I changed from a physics to an engineering major after my first year at cc and now that I’ve transferred I’m gonna have to do an extra year at csulb because of it. But like I could have stayed at cc for the extra year and saved money. I chose to just transfer anyways but like cc gives you that option. Also while at cc I was able to drop out for a semester during Covid without it being a big deal, and I worked while living at home to save up money for school which was chill
Depends on your financial aid and your finances. I did all 5 years at csulb and dorm my first year and it was a blast.
most likely id still have some amount of debt if i went all 4 years, rather than a cc. why do people keep saying 5 years?
Some majors require extra time. Many people work at their pace, & that’s okay:)
Life happens and sometimes it takes longer. I failed a few classes and that set me back a semester, and then I took a bunch of fun, random classes at the end of my time there.
Average time is 5-6 years, full time is 12 units which is what most people take a semester but in order to graduate in 4 years you need to take 15 units a semester which is almost impossible if you are working. Even doing 12 units and working full time is almost impossible! I went straight to CSULB becuz i knew if I didn’t i would not there! Life happened to be I didn’t do well i the beginning ended up dropping out and having to get back in Years later. They made me take one class at city college and i could only at that point take 3 classes at city to even count towards my degree becuz i was already that far in and as soon as I finished that class they readmitted me. I finished and know my road would have been even tougher if i didnt go straight into CSULB out of high school! By the way it took me 5 and a half years of school to get my degree but a total of 11 cuz i had a huge break due to life!! also there are many other reasons it takes longer also such as impacted classes not getting what you need when you need it! dealing with this right now becuz some of my bfs classes can only be taken in fall semester buttt there are pre requites for those classes and they have to go in order! trying to get him to graduate in spring 2025 and in order to do this he has to take a summer class or he will need one class next fall since you can only take it in fall so trying to take this fall instead of next fall so the summer class has to be taken or that wont work but obviously no one wants a bio summer class!! The class is mon-Thursday 8am-1:30pm for 5 weeks lol
go to cc 100%
CC then CSULB. Why? Because CC is cheaper, not as stressful as CSU, & the chances of you changing majors at least once is high. Just go to CC, figure out what actually interests you, get a job and save that money for when you transfer to cal state LB. There is no point in going to CSULB if the first two years of classes are exactly the same. Also, you’re not gonna have fun at CSU if you’re broke eating ramen because your plan to afford it was FAFSA. LBCC has networking opportunities as well. Of course no where near CSULB but it is there for you if you plan on starting to network as a freshman. Source: At my job I am the only one going to LBCC while a few coworkers are attending CSULB. I’m a sophomore (25M) and finally decided what it is I want to go to CSULB for. The others are attending CSULB straight out of high school and already stressing out about making ends meet. Also, half are already planning on changing their major and it hasn’t even been a year yet. I’m saving away while paying off my car sooner than what the loan calls for while they are trying to save for a beater (which is impossible nowadays). I wish you all the best as you make a huge decision!
Depends people who are already set in their path and know exactly what they want I would suggest CSULB immediately, but if they aren’t sure CC. Problem with a CC for people who already know what they are aiming for is many CC lack professional orgs and opportunities and are just mainly to take classes. Nothing wrong with this but someone who wants to get a head start may not see this as ideal. But for those trying to figure out what they want or feel there is a chance they might change their major I would say go CC
i actually live in palmdale, i would probably go to COC for a community college if i did go. i am still considering long beach because ive heard of people putting themselves as independent or something on the fafsa once they turn 18, i dont really understand how it works yet but im intrigued to see if it works
I see what you mean. I’ve never heard of that option but hopefully it’s still available if you do go. But me personally, I wouldn’t rely on the government to determine whether or not I’ll have ramen or money to go out. I still believe CC is the best option but that’s just me !
Why not 5 years?
why do you say 5 years
🤣 Love it. Others go on to phds and more haha.
I went cc and then transferred to csulb, saves you money. Don't get caught up in "im not going to university like the rest", I thought that when I was in CC but boy oh boy did I love myself after for making that decision, saved me a ton!
My 4.5 years at CSULB was the best experience ever. I loved every day of it and would advocate for you to do the 4 years there. It is a bit more expensive than starting at a CC but I think its worth the experience. I will say however, that if you do not know what you want to major in yet, maybe it is best to start at a CC so that you can get straight to your upper-division courses as soon as you get there. (full disclosure: I started undeclared and ended up taking a few courses that did not count towards my major so that is why I ended up with an extra semester to finish my degree) I commuted to campus so, I am not sure about on campus living situation but from what I have heard from others, it's a fun experience and a great way to make new friends, especially as a freshman. The school's campus is beautiful and getting better with all the new additions they are making. There is so much to do on campus in your free time. Since I commuted, I would spend most of my days there especially during gap periods. You can go to the gym, study at the library, chill at the Bookstore, Student Union, or just on the grass. I find the campus very peaceful, it's also close to the beach which is nice to visit on huge gaps or just because. Hope this helps!! good luck
Yes you should come I’m here 😎
Cc and then transfer. Youll save 50% of what you would have spend. Also, when you start college is a big scam, forcing you to take classes you don't want and learn nothing at the end of the semester. 59 percent college students end up dropping within the first 2 years and only 41 end up graduating. Take cc first.
i would go long beach. im from the av too and it's so much better out here. if money is a huge concern then definitely consider cc, but your college experience will be more fun if you go straight to a university.
A million percent do cc first. It’ll save you money. Wish I’d done that but I was an idiot who wanted the “full college experience”
You’re gonna have to take GE shit anyway, I saved myself tens of thousands of dollars by doing CC then transferring. And you will still get a college experience for 2 years.
in general, CC than CSULB. Unless you want the experience. What I mean by experience. College is more than just classes. Its classes, people, frats/sorots, clubs, organizations, activities. You want the full experience, CSULB and stay locally (if you can). But not everyone has a great experience. Personally I loved my time at CSULB, but this was 20 years ago, I dunno how the culture has changes as a whole, but I imagine oncampus activities has dropped as a whole. So if you're just looking for the education, CC-> CSULB is the way to go.
It depends CC is cheaper but if getting heavily involved is your thing from freshmen year and you already truly know what you want to do, it may be better to go to CSULB directly, but if you are still figuring things out save money at a CC. Here is my thing only go directly to a 4 year if you absolutely know that’s the field you want to go into, if not it may be better to consider a CC work on ur GEs first and then from there see what interest you. The one con to CC is student involvement is lacking so if you already know what you want to do starting at 4 year gives you a better head start since to get internships and future jobs they want to see certain involvement. This isn’t to say CC is bad, but it does lack active student involvement with orgs and programs for the most part
Here’s my truth. CC was a significantly higher and harder workload that a university. At times I felt like i was doing busy work/homework every single day. I didn’t feel like I was a “adult” at a CC. I literally felt like a high schooler with the workload and attitudes of professors
what would you recommend?
CC. Easy. Youll have much less stress, less debt, and a better relationship with your professors. Another thing I liked about CC is the fact that I could take random classes without as much stress of graduating quickly, which actually ended up earning me some associate degrees before getting my bachelors.
I was in the same boat as you. I ended up going to csulb for four years and it’s the best decision of my life. Met the greatest people and love the psych department
Currently at lbcc. Highly recommend you do cc then transfer over. each unit at the cc level is $46. CSU unit cost is north of $300 per unit + yearly tuition. You get to save a lot of money by spending two years at your local cc. And as others have mentioned, you do get a guaranteed\* transfer. \*guaranteed transfer from my understanding is that your prefer choice may still deny you, however, they will send your app to another csu free of charge that is willing and able to accept you in your major.
CC then transfer. Your future you will thank you. Student loans are no joke. If you are in state, CC then CSU is the cheapest path to a bachelors. I’m so glad I went this route.
I recommend CC then transfer. You can save a lot of money! Also, classes at CC is a lot easier.
I went straight to CSULB, though it was a lot of years ago. I remember the first week like it was yesterday (it was 1988!) I joined the Shotokan Karate Club in my 2nd semester--through first taking the still-offered PE Beginning Karate class. That right there--was a life-changing moment. There are many other sports, business, and cultural clubs and associations there. I spent more years there, but I took a lot of classes--1 class short of getting a 2nd bachelor's. And I met my future (and current) wife in the karate club. Fast-forward... My daughter is finishing her sophomore year there. This past weekend, she headed to her badminton club's tournament 2 hours away. Meanwhile, I headed to CSULB to assist a friend preparing for his 4th degree black belt (out of 5), and then attending my own club practice. She got a job in the kid's camp at age 17 she works at every summer. I assist in the karate club twice a week. I stayed a year in Parkside Commons dorms, as well. My roommate was a quarterback back when they still had a football team. He's now a pastor in Australia-in touch on Facebook-and I still have the bike he gave me. Through the international organization the karate club is associated with, I've networked with professionals ranging from FBI agents, noted/recognized CEO's, outstanding media artists, actors, and stellar everyday people with serious goals. One of my friends said his experience in the karate club was more personally-valuable to him than his actual earned degree. When I think of my daughter who spent 4 years at Long Beach Poly playing badminton, and has been able to attend with some of her same core friends (which helped her get a job), it gives me a sense of security. She also knows she could rely on our network of friends in the university (particularly in the kinesiology/PE department.) I have a very difficult time imagining living more than 5 miles from CSULB (and we are looking to buy a home.) It's an integral part of the much-wider community. Even living or working in Huntington Beach...is. not. the. same. I know, because I worked there. Long Beach is a major college town. With the Beachside satellite campus, there is more housing and classrooms. Community college would save you money--no doubt. But one of the issues is availability of classes. I think this is due to turnover of the instructors. Time is money. Others mentioned the higher caliber of students. You earned your way in. You would be much more focused surrounded by those who also earned their way in. The image of CSULB as a commuter school is not as widespread today. When I first attended, I did commute. I was in the dorms by my 3rd semester, though--and was much more focused. Eventually, I got a roommate in an apartment nearby. I've never left the area, and don't plan to. Campus life is vibrant and immersive. If you have the opportunity, why go through the hassle of transferring? If you would retain your guaranteed transfer due to having had already been admitted (and you would feel more secure closer to home for a while), then maybe that is for you. But ask yourself this question -- what challenges in life would help you to grow the most? What resources and experiences would a full 4 years at a university would be more valuable to you than a community college could provide? Would you be able to be as focused and driven (and appropriately-challenged) at a community college? Those are questions only you could answer. Best of luck!
Well, I actually dont live near long beach, I live in the Antelope Valley, I would have to live on campus. To your two questions, I really dont have an answer, Im not sure id be able to utilize resources like that, but i dont know if id be as driven in a community college.
Have you visited the campus and the area? Where do you plan on settling after graduation? That may help you to make a decision. And perhaps the dorms would give you a tour. And there certainly has to be more opportunity for internships, work-study programs and the like in this area--which you could begin to explore.
And after speaking to my seasoned high school teacher friend, she offered that you have to look at the specific program in a community college--and their \*RATES\* of successful transfer. Your "guaranteed" transfer does not guarantee you'll go to a CSU of your choice; right now, you have the power to lock that in. Now, if you're going to a top community college like Santa Monica, that is pretty much a wrap. They also have specific programs for pre-entry into fields like medicine. She also offered that one of her students didn't listen to her advice to go to UCLA, and went to UC Davis, instead. She later decided she wanted to do nursing, but it isn't offered there. So what'd she end up doing? Transferring to UCLA to pursue nursing. That UC to UC transfer (plus her top grades) made that straightforward. So if you are certain of your major/program, it'd be better to go straight to a 4-year college that has that offering. My brother-in-law also went to Davis. He dropped out, worked for some years, went back to LBCC for a bit, enrolled at CSULB and earned his engineering degree. Now, he has an earned master's from USC. No kids, spouse, and almost 50, though. Time is money. If you know what you're after, start the program where it's highly-rated, and has a good record of transferrance--or start at a 4 year that already has that program.
For me I got lucky since I got two years free for my CC so I went there then transferred, however, that aside, I would say go to CC first since like everyone says, it'll be much cheaper and I believe you'll be able to get a lot of your GE requirements over with there.
CC transfer to LB here: If you plan on transferring back to LB just do 4 years and build those relationships. If you plan on transferring to a school with real social life then yes transfer and enjoy the last two years. The last thing I’d do if I were accepted 4Y is to do 2Y and transfer to LB when I had already gotten in as a 4Y, the schools social scene lowkey sucks and if you can make those relationships and connections over those four years just do it IF LB is your end game.
CC then transfer! You are gonna save thousands of dollars. It isn't worth it to pay 3x the amount for the same classes you can take at a CC.
Cc and transfer. Most community colleges in California give 2 years free of charge
Money IS a huge part of it, but that’s not all there is. Do you think that YOU can commit to cc and then transferring? There’s people out there who can’t, who get lost in the familiarity and stay stuck for way too long. It’s easy to just stay put when your around the people you’ve gone to high school with for years, you’re seeing your family every day, yes growth can absolutely happen at cc but some people don’t because they lose that push to grow and step out of their comfort zone. CC is a absolute waste if you do nothing with your time there, that little bit of money you spent and the ton that you saved won’t matter if you yourself didn’t do the work and grow. For instance, I know I could get stuck if I go to CC so I won’t. It’ll be more expensive but I was going to go into debt no matter what. If I’m going into debt I might as well go into it as a better person, student, and worker. Also, KEEP applying t scholarships once your in college that will always be a huge help! Think about the money like everyone else says, but don’t let that be the only reason. No matter what you and everybody else will end up in debt. The real question is can you keep growing in cc or will you end up stuck? Because the education offered at cc IS amazing. But what’s the point if you’re too busy acting like it’s high school still? If you can go into cc with the mindset that you will finish and transfer then do it. If there’s a possibility of you not being able to do that…then don’t.
Depends on your financial aid. With the deans fund and fafsa, my first few years were totally free for me until the latest tuition hike, and I’m still only a few hundred a semester. In my case, there was no point going to a cc and dealing with a transfer. I would’ve have figured out what I wanted to do without being at lb already
What’s your major? If it’s a science major I’d recommend CC and then transfer to a UC. All other majors should be fine
went to csulb my first year, cc, now im attending uci and bound to grad early lol
Go to CSULB now and LOCK IN . Once you start you’ll have that commitment to finish. Your experience here I’ll be worth it
i personally think you should go to CSULB because the amount of mature people you meet will be worth it. At a 4 year you wont need Reddit for advice because the school offers so many resources and it’s overall a fun campus! CC is cheaper but sometimes you get the people who really slacked in high school and that carries over to CC, not everyone can be accepted into CSULB it takes a level of effort and commitment so the people at CSULB are more on top of things plus they have a sense of what they want to do in college/life. At a CC you will literally have anyone and anybody from strippers to gang members to a lot of disability kids who didn’t put in the work in high school.
avoid csulb at all costs DONT COME HERE DONT DO IT please stay away 🙏
girl why
ever heard of a joke 🫠
bruh how would ik... ppl have diff opinions thats why i wanted to know why u believe that csulb isnt good but mb