For Parents: Supporting Your Student with Confidence

Deciding how to start college — whether immediately at a four-year university or beginning at a community college — is an important family choice. As a parent, you want your student to have opportunity, support, and a path that fits their goals and strengths.

Some families worry that starting at a community college means settling for less. Others are drawn by affordability but aren’t sure how transfer works. What matters most, regardless of the starting point, is understanding the process and making intentional decisions together.

What Matters Most to Parents

Will my child still get a respected degree?
Yes. If your student transfers successfully to a UC or CSU, their bachelor’s diploma will come from the four-year university — the same outcome as someone who began there as a freshman.

Can we save money without sacrificing quality?
Absolutely. Beginning at a community college can significantly reduce tuition and housing costs while still ensuring students take the coursework they need to transfer later.

Does this limit future options?
Not necessarily. Many students use community college to build a strong academic foundation, explore majors, and enter a four-year university with greater clarity about their academic goals. Research and student outcomes show that transfer students often arrive more focused and prepared.

Where Families Often Benefit from Guidance

Parents and students often have questions about:

What courses actually count toward transfer requirements
Whether general education (IGETC/Cal-GETC) aligns with their goals
How major preparation requirements differ by campus
Which campuses offer the majors their student is considering

These aren’t intuitive questions for most families, and having an experienced perspective can help you avoid common misunderstandings early on — before small decisions become hard to change.

Partnering with You in the Planning Process

With over 25 years of experience advising college students at four-year universities, I help families navigate these complexities thoughtfully and confidently. My goal isn’t to push one path or another — it’s to help you and your student think through the options, understand the requirements, and make informed choices that align with your goals.

I work with families at all stages:

Exploring whether community college might fit
Mapping options to specific transfer goals
Reviewing or building academic plans
Clarifying campus offerings and timeline expectations

Free Transfer Planning Check-In

Whether you already have a plan or are still gathering questions, a brief conversation can help clarify your direction and give you confidence going forward. Schedule Your Free Transfer Planning Check-In.

This is a chance to ask questions, explore possibilities, and see whether working together feels like a good fit.

Free Transfer Planning Check-In