Best path at a Ca Community College?

College Search & Selection Community Colleges
1

Hey everyone!

I’m a California high school senior starting off at a local community college this fall! I’m attending for financial reasons!

Here are my AP scores, and I hope to transfer to UC Berkeley, UCLA, or UC San Diego (I’m approximating my AP scores for exams I’m taking this year through mode practice test scores. I’ve noted this year’s AP tests with a *).

3 -Physics 1*
3 -Environmental Science
4 -Statistics*

3 -European History*
4 -United States History
4 -United States Government*
4 -Macroeconomics*

3 -English Language
4 -Psychology*

I’m 90% confident these are the scores I’ll get in this year’s exams.

This should amount to 34.7 units when I start this fall.

So my questions are the following: I’m going to major in Political Science, and I’ve satisfied the majority of my IGETCs already. Would it be better to:

  1. take 6/7 units a semester for four semesters (giving me more time for internships),

  2. take ~15 units a semester for four semesters (which would fluff up my GPA and keep me competitive for grad school),

  3. take 30 units this upcoming school year and apply as a transfer to the UCs (I have a good amount of ECs already).

ALSO, would I get double credits for retaking courses like statistics and US government this fall? As in, could I convert my AP credits to “raw credits” and gain credits again from the actual college course? I’m required to take statistics and US government, so that’s why I’m wondering. I called Berkeley, and the representative (who sounded much like a student) said that I would get double credits…but online, I’m fairly certain Berkeley said that it does NOT give double credits. What’s the real story here?

THANKS EVERYONE! :slight_smile:

2

You are obviously bright, I’d guide you to option 3 and see where that gets you. With a 3.5+, you’ll probably be able to TAG into UCD or UCI after just one year. If you don’t get into one of your target UCs, apply again the following year.

You won’t get double credit but, the grade you receive will be included in your College GPA.

3

As what NCalRent said, you’re obviously smart. I’d go with option 3. Knock out those classes and transfer to a UC asap.

4

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/uc-transfers/