7 - I need to remember to read carefully. :-)
Wherever you go first, it behooves you to achieve a high GPA. The benefit of Berkeley would be a better education for those 1-2 semesters (vs. CC); but if your goal is to be at USC, and SC does not give greater weight to a Berkeley 3.7 than a CC 3.7, then the CC route will likely be easier.
Just try to provide options for yourself if your transfer attempt doesn’t work out. And obviously, do everything legally and ethically possible to help make sure that it is successful.