Would it be better to attend a community college before a university?

Don't take your premed classes at community college (medical school frown upon those credits). But feel free to take the rest of your classes there, it could possibly help you graduate faster. You do not have to get a degree from community college to transfer, you can just go straight to a university or college.

You can transfer to a university from a community college, yeah. I'd recommend doing it, too, because you'll save a lot of money getting your basic classes out of the way, and transferring the credits over. Go to the community college, and talk to a guidance councillor, they will have the answers to all of these questions.

First question, DEFINITELY be 100% thorough that the classes you take at your CC will xfer to the University you want to transfer to. Also be 100% sure that the classes cover what you need to take specific to your degree. For example as a premed major you will have to take harder bio and chem classes where as non bio majors probably take an easier class, but one that doesn't count if you are a bio major. To be positive that you are taking the right classes, I would contact the University that you want to attend and see if they will help you choose the right classes. Many CC's have agreements with colleges on classes that transfer, you just have to ask. I've known several people who have taken classes at CC then transferred to a bigger University only to find their courses did not transfer. Also, you do not have to graduate from CC. I attended CC for 1 year, then transferred to a University, but as previously stated I made sure that my classes would transfer. Second question, it depends on the University. I believe my University (Ball State) requires somethiing like 43 credit hours of core classes and you need (give or take 10 credit hours depending on major) around 140 credit hours to graduate. I would definitely do the dual credit option if possible because it'll save you a ton of time and money.