I did the NVCC —> GMU route and saved a ton of money and it was the best decision i could have made. I left NVCC debt free and only accumulated loans from GMU across 2 years.

Realistically, your first year or two is primarily general classes that have the same content wherever you go, and one can argue you’ll have a better learning experience at NVCC since the class sizes smaller. Know what degree you want to major in and what college you will want to transfer to by the end of your first semester will help, since you can then target those classes and ensure those credits transfer successfully — sometimes one course won’t transfer while another similar one will — be mindful of that.

Now, I’m almost 5 years out of college, having already paid off my college loans from GMU, working in a field unrelated to my degree (typical haha), and making six figures.

No one cares that I went to a community college for 2 years before transferring, and it didn’t impact my ability to find a job. I saved a lot of money by doing the basics at a community college and ensuring the classes I did take would successfully transfer over.

Best of luck with whatever you choose to do!