<p>sockherplayer, I don't know if you've made a final decision of sdsu or sbcc/ucsb. either way I think things will work out fine for you.</p>
<p>If you're still considering the year at sbcc and then xfer to ucsb, I had 2 other tips I wanted to pass on. These are about ways to get involved and feel part of the ucsb community.</p>
<p>1) intramural sports. These are teams of students at the school and are organized in leagues from just-for-fun to very serious athletes. A great way to burn off some energy, get exercise, and meet people. From your name I'm guessing you play soccer. Anyway, the web page at <a href="http://www.par.ucsb.edu/recsports/intramurals/sports/faqs.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.par.ucsb.edu/recsports/intramurals/sports/faqs.htm</a> says "Fees change almost every Quarter, it varys from $10 to $65 dollars. Prices are higher for non-UCSB students." which clearly implies you could sign up and start playing while at sbcc.</p>
<p>2) ucsb clubs -- joining clubs wherever you go to school is a good way to meet people with similar interests and make long-term friends. At most schools people only live in the dorms for a year or two, so joining clubs of some type (academic, social, the greek system, etc) is a good way to make friends that you'll see regularly over the years you're in college. According to the web page at <a href="http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/osl/ResourcesForms/pdf/howtoregister.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/osl/ResourcesForms/pdf/howtoregister.pdf</a> "the voting members and officers of your organization must be UCSB students, faculty and staff" which implies clubs can have non-voting members who are not officially part of ucsb. I'm not sure on this one, you'd have to call ucsb and check, but it sounds like you could join ucsb clubs even while a sbcc student.</p>
<p>anyway, if you've made a final choice or are still considering your options, post an update when you get a chance!</p>
<p>Does anyone know if it is possible to go to sdsu for one year to experience dorm life and then transfer to sbcc your second year so you can get guaranteed admission to ucsb your third year?</p>
<p>I'm 100% sure it's ok. Had a friend who did the same thing. Cal State Long Beach to JC then to UCSB. BUT there's a restrition on the number of units u can take to be eligible to apply if youhave attended a 4yr univ prior to your application... I believe it's around 85-90 semester units. If you go beyond that they can't disregard your units taken and you wont be admitted. If you go straight to JC and go beyond 85-90..it's ok... no max but they will only transfer max of 105 quarter units.</p>
<p>Thanks, wellendowed. My daughter has a great attitude about going to sdsu, but I just want her to know what all the options are in case she changes her mind. She is pretty sure she will end up staying at sdsu because she loves the city of san diego and the surrounding areas and the college is beautiful.</p>
<p>I've been to SDSU. She'll probably like it the first 3 months but after that it gets old. I'd do the SBCC route if I were her. She can apply on July 2006 for transfer to UCSB for winter 2007 if she takes summer classes. I wish her luck on her college life =)</p>
<p>Thanks wellendowed, we'll just have to wait and see. She is concerned that if she goes to a community college, she will not be academically prepared to succeed at a uc. She worked so hard in high school, taking lots of ap/ib classes in order to get into a 4 year college. We still don't know why she didn't get in to ucsb while she knows many people who had few ecs and never even took an ap class got in. It is still a big disapointment and right now she is not willing to go to a community college. I have encouraged her to keep her mind open to all options. So, like I said...we'll have to wait and see.</p>
<p>ucmom, admissions to UC schools seem to have a big element of randomness these days. I wonder if a lot of us who went to a uc could get in ourselves these days! SDSU is a fine school, too, so it isn't like she's settling for a lot less. But I think her worry about being prepared for UC level work if she goes to a CC is misplaced. There are honors classes available which will provide more challenge. </p>
<p>And to be honest, the quality of education the first year or two might be better at a CC (much as I hate to admit it!). In a CC you will be in classes of 20-40 students, while at a UC school your intro classes are going to be huge lectures with 200-400 kids crammed into a lecture hall.</p>
<p>I'm not trying to push anything, but if you're daughter is still willing to gather more information I'd suggest talking to some students who did the CC to UC route and see if they felt unprepared. For sure the pace picks up because you go from a quarter to a semester system, but I think that other than that a motivated student in a CC can be just as prepared. You could also visit the area and talk to the people at SBCC about how their students do when they xfer. Maybe try it out for an afternoon; see what its like to drive or take the bus to sbcc, walk around isla vista, and so on. </p>
<p>Also if DD has taken a bunch of AP credit it may be quite possible for her to be at ucsb after only 1 year at a CC. You need the 90 units to xfer, but with summer-school and AP credit she may get there in only 1 year.</p>
<p>Like I said, I don't want to push this approach on anyone, and sdsu is a nice alternative choice. The thing that's special about ucsb compared to the other ucs, though, is that kids who xfer via sbcc can get much of the ucsb experience from the start (even while they're at sbcc), and then in a year or two they're regular ucsb students.</p>
<p>Something else to keep in mind that an Academic Advisor told me is that there is plenty of help at UCSB as long as you ask for it. There is actually a group at UCSB specifically for helping any student by offering -free tutoring for any class-. The attention at UCSB was one thing that was very important to me because that was one reason that I never really adjusted to the public school system since Jr. High. I went from private to public school in Jr. High, and I was too shy because everyone else already knew plenty of people from elementary school. A relative of mine is actually much less shy than I was, but she had problems at the university that she attended because of the lack of attention even at a private college.</p>
<p>It is definitely possible to transfer after one year with AP credit. I started at a CCC in August 2004, applied to schools in November, and recently got accepted to Berkeley, UCSB, and NYU. I will be going to Cal and will have junior standing. I encourage your daughter to go to a CCC, my experience has been great.</p>
<p>i have decided to go to sdsu, see how i like it, and when i have enough credits, i will make the decision to transfer to ucsb or another uc, or stay at sdsu. if i choose to transfer and get rejected AGAIN, oh man i dont know how ill take it. oh well ill worry about it when the time comes..</p>
<p>If you stay in touch with the right people, you'll know your chances when you transfer. College advisors have a much better idea than high school counsellors <em>cough</em> no idea <em>cough</em>...</p>
<p>i have informally contacted a UCSB administrator, but how would i keep in touch with them? i would feel kind of random? and would they really remember me out of all the other kids?</p>
<p>You're not somebody random though. You're a student who is genuinely interested in UCSB, so there should be no reason to have any hesitations with contacting UCSB. Showing your interest will undoubtedly help your case much more than appeals alone by making sure that they remember you. What do all colleges look for besides simply paperwork? Colleges look for someone that will bring something special to their campus, and being assertive is definitely one of the prerequisites to an enjoyable college career. Try putting yourself forward and ask yourself whether you are in a better or worse situation from it =). Would you be more likely accept someone as a friend that you rejected more than once but only showed momentary interest, or would you make friends with someone that showed that they cared even if they didn't make the best first impression? Even after failing in more than one respect during the past six years, I have learned that there are always more opportunities available if they are sought after (especially in America).</p>
<p>sockherplayer, I'm happy that you were able to reach closure on what to do! I'm a ucsb partisan, you've probably guessed, but the SD area is a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy it there. The advice I'd give to you is the same I'd give to anyone -- make the MOST of what you have. So get out there at sdsu and get involved. Join clubs, play sports, attend the arts and plays and so on at sdsu, even just to see what they're like. Visit the career center, go to office hours, and so on. Explore SD too; there's just nothing like a fish taco in PB, btw. And you just HAVE to go to the restaurants in the Gaslamp district.</p>
<p>As for keeping in contact with a ucsb administrator, you can keep the contact going the same way you did before. If you called someone, it might be easier to call them in the fall and get the email address, then an occasional email (or phone call if you feel like it). If you've emailed them, the occasional email will be ok. Most people in college administrative roles (or adults in college in general) like to help students, so as long as you're asking advice and not trying to strong-arm someone into pulling strings I think you'll find whoever you've been talking to happy to give advice and suggestions, and genuinely glad to hear from you again.</p>
<p>More important than these contacts if you're thinking of applying again is a strong academic record. Have fun in SD, but don't forget that academics are the primary reason to be in college. So keep the grades up, which shouldn't be a problem since you've already been taking AP classes. In many threads I recommend the book "What Smart Students Know" by Robinson, one of the co-founders of the Princeton Review study course. Get that book and read thru it over the summer, I guarantee it will help next fall.</p>
<p>In closing, best of luck to you! I know its disappointing not to have a dream come true, but then again there's another saying that says "when one door closes, another one opens". Life is full of strange twists and turns, so enjoy the journey and who knows, maybe you'll be walking down Del Playa after all!</p>
<p>My post seems slightly contradictory, but academics do go ahead of a great attitude alone when possible :P. I would definitely agree to get involved in whatever path you follow, and not to be too disheartened by a minor setback :).</p>