I’m a current senior and applying to schools right now. I am graduating with an associate’s degree in business admin (IGETC requirements completed) after this fall semester and would like to know some specifics on credits and applying. Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but I sincerely am not sure what the rule is on applying as a transfer student. My dad’s coworker dropped out of high school and applied to UCLA as a transfer out of our local CC after serving in the army for 2 years; I’m wondering if I can apply as a transfer student rather than a high school student?
I’ve talked to a few counselors at my CC about this and they somehow aren’t sure - either I’m phrasing it wrong or they have really never encountered the scenario before. After searching online for a few hours, I found an article which says if I am in high school, I have to apply as a first-year no matter what. However, the Berkeley website seems to say that I can apply as long as I have the right amount of college creds? I apologize if this is a dumb question and I’m missing something, I know there’s no free lunch and this would increase my chances by probably 60%+… probably not possible. Any help is appreciated, thanks!
https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/transfer-requirements/ says that “You’re a transfer student if you enrolled in a regular session (fall, winter or spring) at a college or university after high school. (Taking a class or two during the summer term immediately following high school graduation doesn’t make you a transfer student.)”
For most purposes, it is more desirable to enter as a frosh than as a transfer, since a frosh has the option, but not the obligation (based on credit limits or FA/scholarship duration) to graduate in two years (or other duration lower than four years). Frosh also have more flexibility in changing major than transfers who are at the junior level.
If you want to apply as a transfer student, you may want to ask UC directly if that is allowed based on college courses completed during high school (you need 60 semester units as well as various subject requirements for UC, the campus, and your intended major).
@ucbalumnus I think that’s the site I saw too. Also, I understand the benefits of entering/applying as both a freshman and a transfer student, but are you saying it is possible for me to apply as a transfer? I will definitely ask UC (maybe find someone to email) because I think for my purposes it seems much more advantageous to apply as a transfer. I know that the credits apply as long as they are UC approved, so I know I would graduate in a shorter period of time anyways.
@ucbalumnus Well, I would like to say that I am 100% set on being a business major, and the progress I’ve made on my own businesses outside of school has really attributed to that. I know it can all change in a split second, but being pretty decisive, I would much rather go in and get a business degree in two years even if I were to change my career plan, than to chance it and take four years even though I have the credits completed. To me, it seems like that would be a waste of the countless hours I put in by dual enrolling alongside everything else, so basically I’m just wondering if it’s possible for me to be put on the fast track to my degree.
As for the credits, I viewed a transfer course list with a counselor at my CC and verified that 66 (22 semester-long classes) of my college credits are transferable, which would put me on track for graduating in two years. I was already set on this plan prior to dual enrolling, and it just seems like transfer students with near-perfect GPAs have much better odds when applying than the freshman applicants (also with near-perfect stats).
Basically, I’m just wondering if it’s at all possible to increase my chances greatly by applying as a transfer. Thanks for the response!
In general, a frosh entrant with applicable transfer credit is not obligated to spend four years (but can choose to if desired).
However, business at UCB can be a special case, since the minimum appears to be three years for most frosh entrants, since students need to apply to the major after enrolling as an undeclared student (transfer entrants have direct admission).
For the other UC business majors at UCI and UCR, investigate how this works.
@ucbalumnus I see; I didn’t know about that 3-year rule at UCB. My top choice UC right now is UCLA, which is nearly if not just as difficult as UCB in terms of admission, so what I’m trying to figure out is if I can apply to UCLA as a transfer, which greatly increases my chances. UCLA doesn’t have the TAG (transfer admission guarantee) which is unfortunate, but with a high GPA, it is definitely much easier to get in as a transfer than as a freshman applicant.
Haas only accepts junior transfers and almost 100% from CA community colleges. I cannot imagine the School accepting someone straight out of high school. They look for a worldly applicant and by that I mean volunteering, working, leadership in an environment beyond high school.
@Gumbymom That seems to be the official definition, I guess I will be applying as a transfer, and if I am admitted, then my credits will be transferable and then I can aim to graduate early. Yes, I am still a high school senior and I have taken UC-transferable college courses. Thanks for the help!
@Ohm888 Interesting, I know they are very selective but I don’t think I totally understand what you’re saying. My question was asking if it was possible for me to apply directly as a transfer student from a California CC (with a perfect GPA and strong work experience to back me up). It seems though that this isn’t possible, but even with Berkeley’s ultra-selective declaring process, it would be very difficult yet still possible for me to graduate in under 4 years, as I have enough UC-transferable credits from my CC to replace some low level introductory classes at the very least.
If you are a current HS Senior, you do not have the transfer option. You are a Freshman applicant with college credit.
When filling out the UC application, you have 3 options for applicant level:
**Freshman- currently in High school
Or Graduated High school but not enrolled in a regular (non-summer) session at a college
Transfer- Graduated High school and enrolled in a Regular session at a college or University
Other- Already have a degree BA/BS or not working towards a UC degree.**
Since you are still in HS, you would select Freshman.
If you want to apply as a Transfer, then you plan to graduate Fall term and enroll at your CC for Spring term???
Every year some HS student asks about trying to enroll as a transfer student and the answer is always the same. You must be graduated from HS and attending a college full time in order to qualify as a transfer student. You’re trying to fish for an answer that no one is going to give you.
I think the issue you’re not getting is taking a bunch of college courses in high school does not make you a transfer applicant, no matter how many college units you collect. It makes you a freshman high school applicant with a lot of tougher classes that will make you stand out.
You will need to apply next year and take one year (ideally) at a CCC.
@Gumbymom I am graduating from CC officially this winter with ~66 official credits, enough for an AS-T degree in Business Administration. I am asking if I can apply right now as a transfer with the intention of enrolling next fall as a transfer student at a UC, as I have the credits, but it seems it’s not possible.
@ProfessorPlum168 I apologize, I searched for this question multiple times in the search section and couldn’t seem to find any answers, just thought I could ask and it would be easier than scouring around. I was legitimately unsure, because I have asked multiple CC counselors and my high school counselor, and none were able to answer this question.
@Ohm888 I realize that now, thanks. I will just apply as a freshman applicant to UCs; the associate degree and completed college courses will still add some depth to my academic portfolio, and if admitted, I can still complete a UC degree in a shortened period of time.