Engineering Transfer

major: mechanical engineering (maybe chemical engineering, not sure yet)
In-state: Yes [so transferring from a CA CC]
IGETC: no
major prep: calculus 1-3, linear algebra, diff eq, all physics series, all general chemistry (1 and 2), matlab programming
EC: various clubs (math, chemistry, stem, beach volleyball, 2020 a year without war)
…volunteer: in some of the clubs above, math tutor when in high school, built houses in 3rd world country
GPA: 3.41 or 3.51 if it all goes well Fall '15 semester
My essay should be good

Planning on applying to UCSD, UCSB, UCI, SDSU, CSULB, SJSU

Do you guys think I have a chance? would my chances be higher for ME or CHE and why?

That seems like a competitive GPA for UCSD and UCSB, although, admittedly, I don’t know what the GPA range for admitted engineering majors is at those schools. I doubt it’s 3.5+ though. You’re definitely competitive for UCI and the cal state schools. ECs are good, too.

I doubt there’s much difference in admissions between chem E and mech E. Good luck.

Use TAG to guarantee your admission at UCI it looks like their threshold is 3.4 so, you should be all set. Be sure to follow the process and course list EXACTLY.

I note UCSB no longer takes TAG applicants into their college of engineering.
https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/docs/default-source/PDFs/ucsb-tag-fall-2016.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Unless you are local I don’t think SDSU is in the cards. UCSD and UCSB also look pretty unlikely.

SJSU publishes last year’s threshold by major here:
http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/admission/rec-10079.11704.html
You should be set there.

I think you’ll get into CSULB and encourage you to take a look at CalPoly Pomona.

Good luck.

I agree UCSD and UCSB will be unlikely. ME is generally more competitive while ChE will require O.Chem., a year-long course.

@Cayton actually 3.6 is a competitive GPA for UCSB (stated by Assist), so UCSD should be around there too

@NCalRent I can’t do tag because I currently don’t have a 3.4, but I expect to have it after this semester. And why do you think that SDSU is not in the cards?

@anikom15 Yeah I think ME just has more applicants per year, but those schools don’t require O.Chem for transfer, UCSB just recommends it but a counselor told me that having it wouldn’t make your application like not having it would not break your application.

Unlike the LA and SF regions which have multiple CSUs, San Diego County only has SDSU for engineering (CSU San Marcos is not ABET accredited and can’t offer engineering degrees) which makes it an extremely impacted campus for engineering (especially MechE and ElectE). With their enrollment requirements to the state, combined with the very large designated local area, SDSU engineering is a very unlikely admit unless you are from the designated feeders (Cuyamaca, Grossmont, Southwestern, Miramar, SD City, SD Mesa) or have a near 4.0 GPA.

If your considering SDSU, you should really consider CPP (Like @NCalRent suggested). They always seem to do well in the student competitions like Design/Build/Fly, Formula SAE, EERI: Seismic, ASCE Steel Bridge, etc.

SDSU transfer admission rate is less than 20% - akin to UCLA. Unlike UCLA, their mission requires them to make room for ‘local’ applicants. That, simply doesn’t leave many seats for out of area students like you A sub 3.4 will make you noncompetitive, especially for Engineering majors.

It looks like Davis has a lower TAG threshold - assuming you meet their 3.3 bogey, you should definitely apply via TAG.
http://admissions.ucdavis.edu/admission/transfers/trfr_stmr_ce.cfm

@NCalRent Yeah the thing is I want to transfer from a CC in 2 years (which would be next fall), and for me to TAG UCD, it would mean staying another year, which I hadn’t planned for. I do meet their 3.3 bogey though.

I guess I have a lot of thinking to do about what I’m gonna do next year. But thank you very much for your responses, I really appreciate them and are helping me make a more thought through decision.

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfer-admissions-summary indicates that transfer applicants with 3.20-3.59 GPA had these admit rates to various UC campuses for fall 2014:

36% UCSD
61% UCSB
59% UCI

However, engineering majors may be more difficult to gain admission to than the campus averages.

http://info.sjsu.edu/static/admission/impaction.html that fall 2015 transfer applicants to SJSU needed 2.00 GPA for chemical engineering and 3.00 GPA for mechanical engineering. Of course, thresholds may change in future years.

You have a shot at UCSB, if you actually pull off the 3.51. If you don’t, Davis is a better bet because you are in their range. Your scores are probably too low for UCSD.

Hi I am transferring in fall 2016 too. Same as you my major is mechanical engineering. I am an international student studying in a CC in California. My current GPA is about 3.77. Hopefully I can get into Berkeley or UCLA. I know my GPA is not very competitive( based on UCLA transfer profile) but I hope my summer research experience at UCLA Mae department and my poster awards in various stem conferences can add to my admission.