[up_and_up]

I have a ~10K degree from UC Berkeley that I got in 2004.

Spent 2 years at Cabrillo College, in Aptos, CA - Tuition Cost: ~$1000

Spent 18 months at UC Berkeley, taking 16-21 credits per semester, including a summer quarter, after a small scholarship ($4000) - Tuition Cost: $10,000

So $11,000

My strategy: Go to community college for 2 years, do well, get the Berkeley Alumni Scholarship ($4000/year), take lots of classes, finish early. I have $0.0 debt. Due to tuition increases not sure you could replicate this, but I bet you could get close.

For those who get snobbish re community college, it really depends where you go! At Cabrillo, a lot of my profs had Phd's from reputable schools and the students were pretty sharp. You get great access to profs in the small classes. Once I got to Berkeley I had no problem walking right up to the profs there, was not intimidated. Plus you get a better perspective of the world in Community College sitting next to the pregnant single mom, the retiree, the recent immigrant and the lawyer turned Plummer in your Philosophy of Mind class! Interesting discussion!

[smokey_the_bear]

What did you study? My father did the same thing as you, in the 1960s, and still raves about how great the community college was - it was small enough that he could do whatever he wanted in the chem lab because the prof knew him. I've looked at the catalogues for community colleges though, and I don't see how I could have gone there without drastically changing the amount of material that was covered my degree. They just don't offer the math and engineering classes that I took in my first two years.

[forrestthewoods]

Good plan, but becoming increasingly difficult to accomplish.

It used to be extremely common in the Seattle area for locals to spend 2 years at Bellevue Community College (now just Bellevue College) and then transfer to the University of Washington. Each year UW it's harder to transfer as the school prefers 4 year students ($). Even worse they prefer out of state students ($$). Even more worse they prefer international students ($$$)!

It is in the schools financial interest to accept non-local students who will pay more for the same education. And it gets worse every year. It's a seriously messed up issue.

[InclinedPlane]

Unless you have been admitted to a highly prestigious school (MIT, Harvard, etc.) and tuition is not going to be a problem for you (through wealth or extensive scholarships) this route is definitely one of the best ways to go for most people seeking a 4-year degree.

Also, consider that at a community college you could learn a trade, it'll take more time but if you're likely to spend 5 or 6 years pursuing a 4-year degree why not spend just as much time and far less money also adding a skill and a credential that can pay the bills?

[r00fus]

That was my strategy as well. You can live on a pretty shoestring budget going to community college if you live with family or friends nearby.

What you don't get is the access to all the university culture (frats/dorms/connections), or at least that's what I've been told.

[joshAg]

You can get pretty close. I graduated in 2011 after 4 years at Cal and only had ~$26k in debt.

[gems]

There are downsides to this if you're in STEM: less preparation and rigor.

[Legion]

Plus, Aptos and Capitola are crazy beautiful. :)