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Raritan Valley Community College has a remarkable track record of producing graduates who go on to transfer to top four-year colleges.

One of those students is 2021 RVCC graduate Alyssa Freda, who earned an associate degree in general business at RVCC’s Honors College before transferring to Cornell University to complete her Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Economics and Management at the the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management.

After considering different business career paths, Alyssa discovered a passion for entrepreneurship and analytics, which led her to her current position in management consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), one of the Big 4 global accounting and consulting firms.

Alyssa credits the support and mentorship she received at RVCC as one of the driving forces behind her successful leap to Cornell and PwC.

 “I had a lot of guidance while I was at RVCC, which I think is really special,” says Alyssa. “Alicia Hermo-Weaver, in particular, was amazing. She helped me find an internship to gain work experience and build up my resume. She also led the the Sanofi Corporate Mentor Program I was a part of, which allowed me to interact with incredible business mentors and learn valuable skills that helped me get into Cornell.”

Like Alyssa, many students find that RVCC’s Transfer Services are an instrumental part of transferring from community college to a four-year school. At RVCC, students have access to a wide range of resources, including one-on-one advising, college transfer tips, transfer fairs, and more.

In addition, RVCC has transfer agreements with a number of top four-year colleges, making the process of transferring credits more seamless. Some of these colleges include Rutgers University, Seton Hall University, Kean University, and more.

Thanks to Alyssa’s positive transfer experience at RVCC—along with her own diligent research and learnings—she is now ready to help like-minded students who are interested in transferring to a four-year school after earning an associate degree.

Her coaching business, CCToCU, offers self-paced online courses designed to help students learn how to successfully transfer to a top university, excel in prestigious academic environments, and level the playing field between transfer and traditional students during job recruitment.

Alyssa also offers one-on-one mentoring for students at different stages of the college journey—starting with high school seniors who are curious about where community college can lead them.

“When coming right out of high school, most people don’t know what they want to do. Community college is the perfect two-year transition phase to learn about yourself and lock down your goals,” she says. “I think community college really sets you up for success. You just need to know where to look and be pointed in the right direction.”

To discover how Alyssa can help you achieve your college transfer goals, visit CCToCU.

Become the Next RVCC Success Story! Attend an Upcoming Information Session at RVCC

In the coming weeks, Raritan Valley Community College is hosting several Information Sessions to help prospective students learn about The College’s academic and career programs, tour the campus, discover how to apply for financial aid, learn how to transfer colleges, and more. We’re always looking for our next RVCC student success story!

The RVCC Difference

Raritan Valley Community College is ranked #1 among the best community colleges in New Jersey by WalletHub.com and Intelligent.com.

The College offers more than 90 degree and certificate programs, from academics to professional certifications in a variety of fields. RVCC is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. 

For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.