<p>So, I'm really debating whether I should go to Santa Monica College or not, I was looking around and even if I were able to get financial aid and scholarships to pay SMC, how will I be able to afford living there when rents are as high as $1000+? The reason why I want to go to SMC is because I want to transfer eventually to schools like USC, Stanford, Cal Tech, UCLA or Berkley. But will it be a pain to transfer the dual-enrollment courses I took in the local CC and the passing scores I received from the AP classes I took to SMC and therefore any of the schools I mentioned before?</p>
<p>I never thought about going to CC since I think that I've worked myself off so much to try to get into a good school. My unweighted GPA is a 3.0 and my weighted is 4.8, I've taken honors courses since middle school, and I've taken 5+ AP classes, one of my proudest courses I will be taking is AP Cal BC as a senior since I took AB as a junior. Either way I've been involved in community service and I will hold 6 officer positions my senior year, one being in Student Government. I feel like I will be doing a good for myself for trying to get into SMC and then transferring, but will the frustration (transferring credits and all that jazz) and money (rent, gas, etc) be worth it all? What are your opinions? Should I just stay in FL? Plus I really want to know which schools offers the best Computer Science program undergraduate+graduate.</p>
<p>If you are looking to study computer science, I would go with Stanford, Berkeley and Cal Tech for your undergrad. Being that you are OOS and money is an issue, I would apply to private schools first because you will have a shot at merit aid at those universities. Berkeley and UCLA will give you no aid. I would stay in Florida if you are going to go to a community college. It would be too expensive to study at Santa Monica City College and I would save your money for your eventual destination. If you do attend one of those universities for your undergrad, then you would establish California residency after one year. This would open up Berkeley to you for grad school. I would absolutely consider Berkeley for your graduate degree. Hope I helped and good luck.</p>
<p>But wouldn’t it be better if I were a transfer from a California CC not a FL one? Don’t California CC transfers given preference to schools in California itself? Other than that your advice was helpful.</p>
<p>Yes, they may receive some preferential treatment but not enough to justify financial hardship. The schools you are trying to attend in California are extremely competitive and there is no guarantee of admission even if you are coming from a California community college. If I were you and I was going to attend a community college before going to a four year university, I would stay in Florida, get the best grades possible in difficult classes, save my money, and then give it me best shot.</p>
<p>
This is only true of the UC and CSU systems, which on your list would include only UCLA and Berkeley. The private universities you list (USC, Stanford, Cal Tech) would not give preference to a student transferring from a California Community College over an out of state community college or a four-year university.</p>
<p>
It is very difficult for out of state students to establish California residency for tuition purposes. Students who move to California to attend a university or community college, for example, cannot establish residency while they are attending school. Your residency until age 24 will depend on your parent’s state of residence not yours, unless you have a job with sufficient income to cover ALL your expenses (out-of-state tuition, rent, food, transportation, etc.), and you do not return to your parent’s state during winter or summer breaks, etc.</p>
<p>California has made it VERY difficult to establish residency for tuition purposes, so please do not assume you will pay the lower rate after only one year, or you may find you cannot afford to continue.</p>
<p>[University</a> of California - Admissions](<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/ca_residency.html]University”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/ca_residency.html)
[Legal</a> Residence Information - Office Of The Registrar](<a href=“http://registrar.berkeley.edu/Default.aspx?PageID=legalinfo.html]Legal”>http://registrar.berkeley.edu/Default.aspx?PageID=legalinfo.html)
[UCLA</a> Registrar’s Office: Residence for Tuition Purposes](<a href=“http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/residence/index.htm]UCLA”>http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/residence/index.htm)</p>
<p>All very good points… Thanks for making up for my short comings.</p>
<p>Haha! Not shortcomings at all - I am rooting you on in that other thread where everyone is bashing California and our amazing public universities!!! Your point about UCB for grad school is a good idea - it is much easier to establish residency as a graduate student because they no longer base it on the parents’ state of residence.</p>
<p>Thank you both for your insight! It is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Hahaha… I’m so glad I’m not alone in my feelings about the California universities. I just couldn’t take it anymore! Thanks for rooting for me. Happy 4th of July!</p>