Admissions

One question that our admissions team hears from time to time, from both students and their parents, is whether or not they should start off at community college before transferring to Siena.

It’s a valid question—especially right now, as families across the country are grappling with major decisions in light of the Coronavirus.

So what do we think? 

While we have created clear pathways to help community college students in the Capital Region and beyond ultimately transfer to Siena (they’re called articulation agreements), we really do feel strongly about the many benefits of starting off at Siena from the get-go—if you can make it work.  

Here are a few reasons to consider as you sort out your plans.

The connections you make earlier are not something you want to miss out on. 

From orientation to those first few months of settling in, we provide Saints with a lot of opportunities to get to know each other, begin new friendships and acclimate to life on a college campus.

If you haven’t yet chosen a major, Siena is such a great place to explore.

We don’t require you to declare a major until the end of your sophomore year. In the meantime, we help our “explorers”—our undecided students—sample all kinds of majors and uncover their true passion through events, faculty chats and more. Community colleges, on the other hand, typically have more limited curricula. 

And if you do know your major, you can dive deep right away at Siena.

Saints can start research projects as soon as freshman year. They can meet with career advisors whenever they’re ready to discuss their aspirations and goals, and they can begin interning ASAP too. All of this will not only get you deeper into your interests sooner, but it’ll also give you enough time to change your mind—if you end up doing so—and still graduate in four years. 

Our financial aid team works closely with every family.

If finances are what’s holding you back, give our team a chance to chat with you. Every admitted student at Siena who fills out their FAFSA receives at least $52,000 in scholarships across four years, and we can talk about a lot of ways to help cover the rest. 

Still have questions? Reach out to us anytime. This is our job! And we’d be happy to help.

And while you’re here, download our infographic for more relevant information: