<p>I am a current student at a California Community College, and would like to someday transfer to a four year university and graduate. I have spent many years ditching classes and goofing around and have about 100 units and around a 2.0 GPA. These units have been from three four year schools and two JCs. I have declared had a major in Political Sci, History, and other humanities type classes. I want to major in Chemical Engineering. </p>
<p>So if I jump on that path starting this summer and carry it out for two plus years receiving great grades while doing it, what are my options? I assume most of the UCs are out, even if my recent and major GPA are through the roof based on total GPA and crushing the maximum allowed transferable units. Do the CSU schools also have similar caps on units students can accumulate before transfer? Am I shoot outta luck even if I get perfect marks from this point forward over about seventy units of chem-en prereqs? Is this or is this not a pipe dream?</p>
<p>No, CSUs don’t care about units accumulated. Many will only “take” about 70 - 90 when you enter the campus so that you will be at a Junior or maybe Senior standing. (You are right, I am not aware of a UC that will accept someone with 100+ credits from a 4year and other colleges.)</p>
<p>Your biggest challenge is to get in to a CSU with a 2.0 GPA. </p>
<p>A few strategies. See if your CCC will do some sort of grade forgiveness for your earlier grades. They don’t disappear off a transcript, but for calculating a GPA, it can help a LOT.</p>
<p>A few other issues – do you have more 4 year units than CCC units? In order to be considered a “local area” candidate you need to have more CCC than other kinds of units. Note also that for those students with poor GPAs, almost their only hope for transfer is to their local area CSU. Considering you have a 2.0 - you NEED to have the local area transfer status to get into a CSU.</p>
<p>If you can get up to a 3.0 GPA (especially with grade forgiveness) there may be a few other options for less popular campuses… but as a non-local transfer (if you have more 4year credits than CCC credits) it will still be tough!</p>
<p>So for CSUs don’t worry (at least at the time of this writing) about max units – worry about what your status is as a local vs. non-local transfer student for any particular CSU you are looking at. And try for grade forgiveness at your current CCC.</p>