<p>I'm a freshman at community college right now and want to transfer to a UC. Mainly ucsb, ucla, or ucsc. If I don't take a prerequisite but get up to 60 transferable units from certain courses will they still accept me? Please help thanks</p>
<p>One prerequisite shouldn’t hurt you unless it’s for an “impacted major”. Just keep your grades up and get the other pre-req’s done… And maybe have some EC’s/activities while you’re at it too. </p>
<p>The chances of you transferring are much higher if you take the time to complete all your general education classes and major pre-requisite classes, while keeping good grades. If you want the best possible chance then take all of your pre-requisite classes, even missing one could hurt you for whatever major there is, impacted or not. </p>
<p>The problem is I didn’t know about prerequisites until this semester. I’m taking random classes that are still transferable</p>
<p>Well those will assist towards your 60-unit count, but to be honest you should try and pinpoint a major as soon as possible so you can start taking those pre-requisites and not lose any time</p>
<p>@ale2194 alright thanks. But why do we need to take IGETC courses if we are to complete the prerequisite courses for a major? And I didn’t even know which major I wanted until now :/. I just want to get into a UC in 2 years but I was taking random classes in the UC IGETC list.</p>
<p>IGETC is for General Ed. requirements, which usually don’t relate to your major. You take them because you have to take them.</p>
<p>Pre-requisites are for your major. It’s classes that freshmen/sophomores in the program are expected to have taken. For example, if you’re a CS major, you’re expected to take a ton of math, physics, and basic CS classes so you’ll be prepared for upper division coursework. So, pre-reqs make sure you won’t be behind after transferring. They also help show the UC that you’re serious about your major, and that you can succeed in the relevant classes.</p>
<p>So yes, you should probably be doing your pre-reqs. It’ll increase your chances of getting in, and you’ll be less behind after you transfer.</p>
<p>@failure622 okay thanks. But last semester and this semester I’ve been taking transferable classes on IGETC but not part of any major. If I start my next semester doing my chosen major prerequisites but don’t finish like ALL of them. Will UC still let me in or no?</p>
<p>Well… to be quite honest the mid-tier UC’s like UCSB, UCI, UCSD, and UCD might let some slip by (some, not a lot), but UCLA and UCB will probably not let more than 1 slip by if at all. At least, that’s what I’ve seen in my research of past applicants.</p>
<p>@ale2194 I was thinking about transferring to mainly ucsc or ucsb. I’m actually from Berkeley so ucb is totally off my list lol. What if I don’t take the courses needed for my major but get up to 60 units of random classes from the seven-course pattern requirement such like 2 English course, one math course. Etc…? Will they still accept me in at all?</p>
<p>Probably not. What major are you, if you don’t mind me asking?</p>
<p>@ale2194 
I was thinking about film and media studies or computer science. I want to transfer in 2 years so I might just stick with film.</p>
<p>Not doing pre-reqs will seriously hurt your chances.</p>
<p>Don’t forget that you need to apply as a specific major, you can’t apply as undeclared. I’d suggest you go on assist.org right now, and figure out which pre-reqs you need so you can start planning for next year.</p>
<p>@failure622 k thanks. I was confused by all the process to transfer and it really sucks knowing that you screwed up first and second semester. however for UC- requirements why do they say u need certain classes to take when some of the majors don’t require these subjects at all.</p>
<p>You mean IGETC? Every single college/university you attend (even out of high school) will require some general education classes so that you take a variety of classes. You begin to specialize during your junior year and take more classes specific to your major. Then in graduate school you are super specialized and focus only on classes that pertain to your major.</p>
<p>EDIT: To continue, in order to transfer they want you to finish your general education courses because you are transferring in as junior-level. And of course, they want you to finish your major pre courses so that you can start your upper-division courses too.</p>
<p>Jbyi, IGETC and pre-reqs are completely different things… and for a lot of majors, you should be doing both. Some majors (especially STEM majors) discourage IGETC because the GE requirements are different or because there are so many pre-reqs to complete. But for other majors (and even many technical majors) IGETC is good to follow.</p>
<p>But any major will require GE requirements, and it’ll also have major requirements. Your first year should help with most (or all) of the GE requirements, now you just need to make sure you’re getting the major pre-reqs done too and you’ll be golden. :)</p>