1.5 vs. 2.5 years CCC - Top schools worth it?

Transfer Students
1

<p>Hey!</p>

<p>I started attending a CCC this spring, I'm not from the US and didn't go to a US High school, so I don't have any AP credit and I'm basically starting from scratch. My Major is Electrical Engineering/Computer Science and my goal (of course) is to transfer to a top school like Berkeley, Caltech, CMU, Harvey Mudd or Stanford. I know that acceptance rates for the above mentioned private schools are, especially for CC Students, mostly in the one-digit range and that I will probably need a 4.0 and outstanding ECs/recommendations/essays/research experience to get into one of them.</p>

<p>Now I really have a hard time deciding if I should try to transfer next year or in 2 years. I would probably be able to finish the requirements and prerequisites for UCLA and maybe Berkeley and the other UCs until next year, but my schedule would be really tight (~18 units each semester, mostly science classes with labs + winter and summer classes) and I would have almost no time for ECs. That would leave me basically no chances for the private schools.</p>

<p>My other option is to stay for 5 Semesters at my CCC and finish all necessary prerequisites and also finish equivalent courses for the first/second years at private schools like Caltech/Harvey Mudd. I would still take more than 14/15 Units each semester, but my schedule would be less tight and I would have extra time that I could dedicate to ECs and other things. I would have about 90 units after 5 semesters and I would have taken all relevant science classes and therefore (maybe) have a shot at the previously mentioned private schools.</p>

<p>So, do you think that going to a private (research) university is worth 1-2 more years of study? 2 years because I probably won't be able to transfer as a junior (even with that many classes), but as a sophomore. However, it still is not guaranteed that I will get into one of them at all and maybe I will end up at a UC anyway.</p>

<p>Or do you think I should transfer to a UC as soon as possible to get my degree faster? I would definitely prefer one of the smaller, specialized universities, but Berkeley is, especially for EECS, a top-school too and is even ranked higher than some of the above mentioned privates.</p>

<p>I know this is a very personal decision and that I will end up making it on my own anyway. I am just wondering what you would do in my position and what's your reasoning behind it. Thank you!</p>

2

<p>90 credits is far too many. from a 2 year college, other colleges and universities on average will accept around 62 credits or so. you would me forced to lose around 25-30 credits that you payed for.</p>

3

<p>It's going to depend on your personal resources of time and money. I spent 3? years at my CCC, because I worked full-time for a while, plus, with financial aid, it was essentially free. I ended taking quite a few extra classes outside my major that won't transfer, but for some people like me, education of any kind is advantageous and is what I enjoy, not the goal of some fancy name brand prestigious school or job. I'm weird like that.</p>

<p>Plus, my main goal was Berkeley, and as I understand it, you really can't transfer there from a CCC before sophomore equivalency.</p>

4

<p>
[QUOTE]
90 credits is far too many. from a 2 year college, other colleges and universities on average will accept around 62 credits or so. you would me forced to lose around 25-30 credits that you payed for.

[/QUOTE]

I don't care how many "credits" schools accept. Credits only matter when you are transferring to public/state schools, but not for the private schools I mentioned.</p>

<p>The system and curriculum at private schools like Caltech or Harvey Mudd is completely different. When I see the first-year curriculum at Caltech, the classes correspond to almost 70 Units at my CC, but at Caltech it's fewer units. All classes I would be taking would be equivalent to the classes at privates, but I would get fewer credit for them. Even with 90 Units I would probably transfer as a sophomore because these units correspond to mostly freshman classes, it really is not about units. </p>

<p>
[QUOTE]
Plus, my main goal was Berkeley, and as I understand it, you really can't transfer there from a CCC before sophomore equivalency.

[/QUOTE]

? I never wanted to do that, did I say that somewhere? I was talking about schools like Caltech/Harvey Mudd when I mentioned transferring as a sophomore. Some classes taken in sophomore year at these schools are already so advanced that a CC doesn't offer them.</p>

5

<p>EDIT: nvm..i was high when I typed this...</p>