Fellow Community College Students Aspiring to Transfer- How Many Years Have You Been at CC?

As the year closes and applications have been sent out, I am fearful that I may have to stay at my CC another year since I am not passing one of my calc classes therefore affecting my TAG. I feel like I have been in CC forever… It has been four years so far, and I’m looking to transfer to UCSD or UCD for an Ecology/Evolutionary Bio/ Animal behavior major. I have an average GPA (3.2), and I am missing my Physics and Calc prereqs- you can see where my self doubt arises from.

So I am curious, are there other people on the same boat? Finishing sooner, or later?

I am a fourth year CC student and I submitted my UC app last month. It’s been a long journey, so I definitely know the feeling. Think about it this way, you’re investing time into your education and saving money. I think it’s better to take it slow and do it right rather than rushing through everything and just “settling” for whatever grade. This process is even longer when you’re a STEM major with lots of prereqs ;( but the experiences make the process worthwhile!

I’m down to just my ochem and physics reqs, which I will complete at the end of spring, so I’m hopeful that I’ll get to attend UC next fall as a bio major! My goal is either UCSD or UCLA. I also applied to UCR and tagged UCI. I haven’t decided which of the two that I want to go to more… it’ll probably come down to which school accepts me hahaha.

I am the “typical” two year transfer (or at least I hope since I’ve sent in my UC app). Many of the people I know, however, will be spending more than two years in CC. A lot of this is because their majors have more required classes for transfer than political science, which is my major. Others have to work and, therefore, can’t take classes full time. There’s nothing wrong with spending more time at a CC, especially if that time is to finish major prereqs, which I would personally highly recommend doing. If you’re thinking that another year would help boost your GPA that’s also a valid reason, though you probably realize that as you get more units under your belt it becomes increasingly difficult to raise your GPA. Do whatever you can to pass calc, but even if you don’t it’s not the end of the world since you should probably try to knock out those last couple prereqs before you transfer. Better to get them done in CC if having not completed them would mean spending more time at whatever institution to transfer to. I’m also applying to UCSD and UCD, along with UCB and UCLA (obviously).

Anyway good luck in whatever path you end up taking. There are advantages and disadvantages to both possible outcomes.

My older sister took about 7 years to graduate with her BS, and 4 were at CC. The other two were at Humboldt State.

She got acceptances to top medical schools and she’s debt free and doing just fine. You’ll be okay, there’s no time limit.

I have been in school for 1.5 years (on track to graduate in 2 years as scheduled). I am definitely having a lot of self-doubt as well. I applied to a college as a transfer student (after attending it for the summer and knocking out straight As with great recs) and STILL got rejected. I feel as if I’ll never redeem myself at this point.

I got my Associate’s in 2 years, then transferred to a local University for the remaining 2 years. I graduated at the same time as high school classmates who went to a 4 year university.