Should I get an Associate's degree if I plan of getting a Bachelor's degree in the end anyway?

Question

I'm 14 and in the 8th grade and your probably wandering why I'm asking this question now. Well I go to school in Pasadena TX and the high school ill be going to next year is offering a free program to 40-50 out of 600 possible students that apply. The program is called Pasadena Early College High School (PECHS) this is the link: http://pasadena.tx.schoolwebpages.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=80069& this program will allow me to go to college while in high school and when I graduate I can walk out with not only my diploma but also an Associate's degree. Well that's the thing, I don't just want my Associate's I plan to work even further to a Bachelor's and maybe even a Master's. I was told that I don't have to get an Associate's if I want a Bachelor's and that it wasn't necessary. So I was wandering is going to school and college at a community college just for a Associate's, which doesn't look as good as a Bachelor's degree from a 4 year college, even worth my time? If it is please explain and can I continue or transfer after getting my Associate's to a 4 year college to get my Bachelor's? Please help I'm totally confused! Thnx in advance!

Macancheeze

Answer 1

Getting an associates won't hurt you (unless you want to go to a school that accepts significantly fewer transfer students than freshman, since you'll be a transfer) and could save you a couple years of college. You don't have to get an associates, you can just transfer whatever college credits you took to a bachelors program, but having one is good too.

Answer 2

Somehow it has become common for many schools to recommend that high school graduates go to a community college then transfer to a 4 year school for the rest of their bachelor’s degree. Even to get an associates degree first.



Do note that in Canada a community college is often just called a “college” and all 4 year schools are “universities”



In reality, this path only makes sense in a few cases. It is not for the majority. Because from most community colleges, seldom more that 5% of their students will ever make the transfer. And some CCs do far better a job than others in making the transfer.



The normal way is to go to a 4 year school right from the start.



Going to a community college first is for when:



• You cannot afford all 4 years at the 4 year school and you really need to save money.



• Your grades are too low to get into the 4 year school right away



• You are immature and not ready to go away to college. That is, you have never been away from home and you are going to be homesick if you go too far away from home.



Otherwise you should only go to a CC if you are planning on only getting that much education.



As for getting an associates and transferring be aware that the courses needed to get as associates are rarely what you need to transfer. Then you end up taking an extra year at the 4 year school anyway.



The biggest issue is that universities do NOT coordinate their course requirement with what community colleges teach and it is likely in a lot of cases that upwards of half of your CC courses will not be accepted by the university. When a university updates a course, the CCs may not find out for years. Going to a 4 year school from the start is the best way to go unless you simply do not qualify.



If you get your general education requirements at a cc first, and you have the slightest hiccup in getting your courses for your major in the other 2 years, you will be doing an extra semester or two.



For my daughter who had a great high school GPA we never considered in a moment going the community college and transfer route. We have no regrets from her going direct to the four year university from the get go.

Answer 3

Don't do man , I did and I'm paying for it now as problems rise when you transfer! I thought hey it will be cool go to a community college get a Associates degree and a Bachelors..heck why not have 2!!!!



But what you realize is an Associates doesn't mean crud it's worthless, you need just Bachelors. If you go to a community college and plan to transfer you take gen ed courses until you reach about 30credits and you plan to transfer after that. I stayed until I got my degree and then transferred that summer.....I went from having 65 credits there to my transfer school only taking about 30, and about 1 year in and I will not even yet be back up to 65....an you need 120 credits for a Bachelors...so I spent 3yrs @ community college...finally graduated there, and come here it's like starting all over again 30 credits is like 1 yr ...2 down the drain and I have like what 3-4 more years to go til i finish!>>!