Community College or Cal State?

Transfer Students
1

<p>Bonjour fellow members, I have a quite inane question but I hope you guys can help. </p>

<p>I am currently a senior in high school. Seeing today is October 1st, I filled out my CSU Mentor and other college stuff. A little background: 3.2 GPA Student (Mainly I have this GPA because I thought I was cool and took about 4 AP Classes and got Ds all first semester then I dropped them), 3 years in basketball, currently in Golf, member of MUN for 4 years (Model United Nations), in the Fellow Christian Athletes Club for 4 years, Key Club for 4 years, and Honor Roll for 1 year, and Avid for 4 years. I'm Mexican/American decent, my parents income is probably around $25,000. Not great, I know. My resume doesn't look great right? Yeah I know. </p>

<p>Let's get to the question. Okay, ever since I was in middle school, I wanted to go to UCLA. Seeing my GPA, I don't think I will get in. But I'm still going to apply because you never know. So my main goal is to go to UCLA but I can't get in with my high school transcript. My teacher (Avid teacher), counselor, and parents are encouraging me to a Cal State instead. But I don't agree. I want to go to UCLA and eventually after graduating going to their dental school. (I plan to become a dentist and after a while start my own dental office, yes that's my dream.) So what I want to do is go to a community college, preferably Santiago Canyon College, and after two years, try to transfer to UCLA. But I don't know if I can get the grades and do everything to make me a top student to transfer. </p>

<p>So I am asking forour y opinion or perspective of what I should do? Thank you all, hope you have a wonderful month.</p>

2

<p>You can try to go to a UC, but you’ll have a lot of competition. You have pretty good EC’s so that may help you out too. I think you can honestly get into any CSU that you apply to except maybe SDSU or SLO. But apply anyway. Which CSUs are you looking at?</p>

3

<p>@smurray09, thank you for your response. Yes, I am applying to a few UC’s just for the heck of it. For CSUs, I was looking mainly into CSULB or Cal Poly Pomona.</p>

4

<p>50 to 80 percent of all CC students come in intending to transfer to 4-year schools[1]. Only a fifth of them succeed in doing so[2]. I can’t find statistics on how many make it to their first choice from high school, but I wouldn’t guess it’s high.</p>

<p>Maybe you’ll beat the odds. Maybe you’ll be the academic superstar on campus. You seem like a motivated person based on your internet presence, so that could well be. But more likely you’ll be about the same person you are now, delta a year or two of added maturity. Then, after all that effort and putting up with CC, you end up with about the same menu of CSU’s and random UC’s that you’re looking at now.</p>

<p>Or maybe something bad happens in your personal life that f***s up your grades. Might not be your fault, but they’re shot; it happens to people. Now you find yourself with no four year degree at all, whereas if you’d gone to Cal Poly you just might have ended up on academic probation.</p>

<p>Going the CC route is a high risk, low reward proposition.</p>

<p>[1] <a href=“College Board Foundation | Home”>College Board Foundation | Home;
[2] [High</a> graduation rates for community college transfers | Inside Higher Ed](<a href=“http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/11/08/high-graduation-rates-community-college-transfers]High”>High graduation rates for community college transfers)</p>

5

<p>Thank you for your splendid response @NavalTradition. I am quite motivated at times (it depends on how much sleep I get), but not always. As for myself, I’m obsessively organized. But lets say I have homework, I usually put it off till at night (for example, right now). I enjoy the night, everything is quite, it’s not too hot, and it’s peaceful. My work environment is not that great, I could hear my mom in the kitchen, my dad watching TV, my sisters arguing, etc etc. I think your work area or environment plays an essential part in your success. As for that every once in a while, I drive to Barnes and Noble and get myself coffee and do my homework, study, read, or simply browse. </p>

<p>I agree CC route is really risky. And yes, something might happen but I mean it’s only two years. But then again, a lot can happen im two years. I don’t know, I’m getting more convinced I should go to a Cal State. For example, I graduate from Cal Poly and then apply at UCLA School of Denistry, I mean that’s a good route right?</p>

<p>Thank you again for your answer and provided links. Hope you have a wonderful rest of the week.</p>

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<p>I think that if you’re confident that you can get into a UC/CSU then you should apply. But going the CC route is actually not that bad. I went the CC route and I ended up a CSUN. Which isn’t bad if you ask me. A lot of people who went the CC route have been VERY successful. The only reason why I didn’t apply straight out of high school is because my parents didn’t want me to go off back then lol.</p>

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<p>My D did her IGETC at a CC and was accepted at UCLA after 2 years. It is not impossible. She didn’t always try in high school and her GPA was just a little higher than yours. By the time she went to college she was more mature and more focused and was working towards a goal. She did well in college classes, checked with her counselor often and made sure she fulfilled all IGETC requirements before applying to UCLA. She ended up not attending UCLA but was accepted. If that is your goal you have nothing to lose by going the CC route.</p>

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<p>@smurray09, did you attend a CC for two years? What were your grades like? Was CSUN your first choice for transfer? Also, were you not looking into UCs or? Thank you for your reply.</p>

<p>@takeitallin, nice username and thank you for your feedback. My GPA is there because I slacked off and every time I checked my grades, I became more depressed and down on myself. Now that’s it’s senior year, thank God, a fresh start. I’m really motivated at times and I have high hopes and dreams. (My dream is at the end is to have my own dental office.) </p>

<p>I’ve done my research and I have a sense that it isn’t that hard. Per se, get good grades (around 3.7 or higher), be active school and community wise (especially major wise), bond with your teachers (for a couple of letter of recommendations), retake SAT (higher than a 1700, at least) and I’m pretty sure you’d get into UCLA with that right? By the way, where did she attend?</p>

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<p>My grades weren’t the best and no I was only in CC for a year. CSUN was my 3rd choice but I honestly think this was the best fit for me. I wanted SDSU but that was a no-go in the beginning and I applied anyway. I knew if I couldn’t get into a UC except maybe Merced or Riverside, but I didn’t apply since I knew that I couldn’t afford it.</p>

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<p>@smurray09, why weren’t your grades the best? Slacked off or? And that’s great to here.</p>

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<p>I can say I wasn’t ready for college straight out of high school, and I was unmotivated also. But I’m changed the past 3 semesters and I’ve been doing pretty good. </p>

<p>Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - [now</a> Free](<a href=“Tapatalk”>Tapatalk)</p>

12

<p>@smurray, that’s great to hear. Keep it up and good luck with your future endeavors. </p>

<p>Any other members care to give me your insight or perspective on my post?</p>

13

<p>Still wondering what other members think, feel free to provide your thoughts, comments, etc.</p>

14

<p>Just finished applying to my desired Cal States and I’m finishing up my personal statement to apply to UC’s for the heck of it. But I’m coming to the conclusion that I might go to a CC and transferring to my ultimate goal, UCLA.</p>

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<p>You don’t need the SATs as a transfer. Likewise you don’t need letters of recommendation from your teachers. (Only USC needs that) </p>

<p>If you want to goto UCLA, the only hard majors to get into are business econ and engineering.</p>

16

<p>If your goal for college is to go to UCLA, go to a community college for two years and then transfer. You’ll have the second chance of building an impressive GPA and transfer resume. If you qualify for financial aid, you don’t have to pay for any classes + you might get a hefty paycheck from the gov’t + pell grant. My mom made $20,000 last year so I don’t pay for my education.</p>

<p>Take easy A classes for all of your GE courses so you can make your GPA as high as it can be and give you some breathing room to do not-so-great in harder classes you might have to take for your lower-division.</p>

<p>Still apply now though, you can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy a ticket</p>

17

<p>Are you interested in UC’s other than UCLA? If you go to community college, join the honors program, maintain a 3.7 in addition to community service and still don’t get into UCLA, would you be okay with UCSD, UCI, etc? Of would you be devastated that you put in all that hard work for nothing? Think about that. Going to a CC doesn’t guarantee a spot at UCLA. </p>

<p>Also really think about it yourself, don’t let others influence you. Ask yourself, how hard am I going to work? Am I really one to study to push hard for A’s and to go above and beyond. If so, shoot for UCLA. But if you think, I am a B student who doesn’t want to take things so seriously, I want to have fun, party on the weekend and study when I can - then maybe think about a different school.
Lastly, many people choose UCLA because of the label, be sure you are choosing it for the right reasons. There is nothing wrong with going to a state school or one of the other UC’s </p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

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<p>@SoCal79, thank you for your response (probably the best one I’ve got in my entire existence). I’m interest in UC San Diego and UC Irvine apart from UCLA. I actually live really close to UCI, so that may highly possible. </p>

<p>That second paragraph response, is the one I needed the most. I like how your mind works haha. Thank you, I will make sure to work my gluteus maximus off. </p>

<p>:)</p>

19

@BernardAl yo man how’s eveything? two years later, passed, how’s the turnout? everything great? i’m a high school senior and im considering going to cc for two yrs and then transfering to cal poly pomona for engineering! my gpa is not great in the midst of a 2.6 and by the time i graduate i’ll have a 2.9… due to the fact i focused so much on wrestling (losing so much weight, focusing on running, mentally drained, not focusing on school) i got caught up so much into focusing on being a champion in wrestling i let go of school… i want to know any tips on cc or cal/uc in general? your experience in general?

20

Hey, man ( @ActiveJoe10 ). Everything is well and at ease. I am looking forward to everything. I hope everything is well with you. Here’s how it’s looking thus far:

I am staying here at Irvine Valley College for another year (my third year, meaning I will still be spending two years at UC). While I am a bit saddened about it, it was a must. I am completing my last pre-reqs this upcoming fall and spring. The reason being for spending another year here was that I was placed in a lower math course. Otherwise, currently I have a UC-transferable grade point average of exactly 3.4.

I intend on tagging to UC Irvine for Computer Science B.S. this fall. And apply to UC Berkeley for Computer Science B.A. this fall. Those are my two main schools and I do not really want to go elsewhere. By the looks of it, I will most likely end up at UC Irvine. If I do spectacular this fall and get straight A’s, then I will be exceedingly hoping for an acceptance to UC Berkeley. Also, if my personal statements are top notch and all things are constant.

In regard to UC Irvine, I live close by in Tustin. So it seems like a reasonable choice to go there. If I do get accepted there, I plan to move into their undergraduate housing. I currently live with my parents, and I think it’s my time to move out and become who I dream of being as a human (lifestyle wise, outlook wise, etc). I also plan and or hope to do undergraduate research in software engineering and hopefully be a teacher assistant in a subject I love, data structures. I also hope to join the rowing team, help out at the annual hackathon (UCI Hack), and volunteer at nonprofits (remotely). I also hope to land an internship the summer prior to entering my senior as a software engineer. By then I will think I will have some projects and a portfolio/website under my belt. Hopefully, land an internship at this startup based in Irvine called Acorns. And hopefully that can transition into a job offering and or the opportunity to intern there again after I graduate. Or work elsewhere. Above all, this what I hope to do if I attend UC Irvine.

That’s enough about me (feel free to ask questions, if you want to know more about my situation). Let’s talk about you.

It’s okay that you did poorly in high school. I did the same. I was in the basketball team for three years and while I did fairly well freshman year, sophomore and junior year, my grades plummeted. But you and I both, have a second chance with attending a community college.

Are you set on attending a community college? Which one are you attending? Are you looking into UC’s? What engineering do you plan to do?

Attending a community college gives you a second chance, breathing room, and it offers a lot of alone time for yourself to determine what you truly value. If I had to say, start early. Go to assist.org and print out the page of major requirements and such. Create a plan of what courses you plan on attending throughout your time at a community college. Meet with a counselor at the transfer center of your community college and go over it to set it in stone. It also doesn’t hurt to join clubs and organizations or a sport if you can. Just be aware that time management is critical if you want to do well in your classes. Also, take a couple summer classes if you can to alleviate taking more courses during the spring and fall semesters if you can.

I hope you submitted your FASFA, and your Cal Grant. If your estimated family contribution is near zero, you might get a Board of Governors waiver that will waive off the cost of your course. I currently get about 3,200 a semester for books, school supplies, and for any necessities: food, clothes, gas, etc. While I live with my parents, I have not asked my parents for money since I graduate high school. I know your parents might urge you to work but I find it important to stick to school (if you can). I worked at a grocery store for a year and the money was usually extra and going to my parents. I ended up quitting to focus on school and my career (learning web development, etc). I mean, if you just focus on school and get good grades, the return of investment will be high when you graduate. As opposed to if you have a job and you can’t put 110% into your schoolwork. If you don’t take summer school, then that would be a reasonable time to get a summer job. Alas.

Start early. Plan ahead. Work hard. Meet with counselors and college reps frequently. Ride your bike to school (it’s personal choice but I suggest it). Exercise frequently. Eat good food. Help your parents around the house with chores and such. Enjoy this time of your life. Enjoy even the challenges and hardships. Don’t worry much. Don’t compare your life to some imagined ideal. Simplify. Do away with those things which are mere attachment. Pare your life down to the things that matter. Cherish life and youth, it passes soon enough.

Feel free to ask me more questions. It helps me as well to write what I plan to do and such, so thank you. You can also tell me what you plan to do, etc.

Peace and love. Cheers!