Starting at a community college

Community colleges offer associate degrees, certificates and the first two years of many bachelor’s degrees, usually at lower tuition. Planning the transfer from day one keeps those credits working.

Aid works here too

The FAFSA covers community colleges, and many students there receive grants. Some states also run their own programs for community college tuition. Ask the college’s aid office which apply to you.

What to do

• File the FAFSA for community college too
• Find the transfer agreement for your intended major
• Get transfer advice in writing

Plan the transfer early

Many states have transfer agreements between community colleges and public universities, sometimes set up so that a finished associate degree counts as the first two years. Others work course by course. Choose your intended four-year school and major early, and pick classes from its transfer guide.

A credit only saves money if the next school accepts it, so check before you take the class.

Talk to both sides

Meet the transfer advisor at the community college and, when you can, an admissions counselor at the four-year school. Ask for anything they agree on in writing.