The Foreign Service Journal, December 2009

70 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 9 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT fully and communicate frequently with his or her adviser. This planning is crucial. The adviser is most likely well-versed concerning the articula- tion agreements in effect with differ- ent universities, as well as any special requirements or mentoring programs available. If students are interested in transferring to other colleges or uni- versities, they should investigate transfer requirements via Web sites, as well as through conversations with transfer admissions counselors at both ends. They must also do well acade- mically. “As a transfer counselor at a com- munity college, it has been my expe- rience that the student’s grades at the community college are much more important than anything they did or did not do in high school,” says Ber- nice Dunn, a counselor at Schenec- tady County Community College in New York. “I tell all community col- lege students that they are starting with a clean slate and they can open a whole new world for themselves if they are determined to do so. … Some go on and transfer to such schools as Cornell or Union College or even Harvard.” For a student who does well — i.e., excels in the class- room — the sky is the limit. Academic Life at a Community College Community colleges are often known for good teaching. Some fac- ulty members prefer teaching in a set- ting free from the other responsibili- ties that come in a large research uni- versity. Others — especially those who may not yet be tenured — teach both in big research universities and community colleges. So at the local community college a student may get the same professor he would get at the more prestigious university in town. At the same time, many adjunct professors commute from campus to campus. The upshot for students is that instructors’ office hours might be limited, and they may not even have their own office space. The key to success at a community college is for the student to plan carefully and communicate frequently with his or her adviser.