I am currently a Freshman at UCR and I am not the biggest fan of the atmosphere of the school overall. I figure that maybe if I went to community college I would be on track and can transfer to a different UC from there. I am a Mechanical Engineering Major and I am ahead in most subjects and actually almost done with my Pre-req courses. Is it possible that I can transfer the units that I have completed at UCR to a community college then finish community college in less than 2 years? Will I still get the priority admissions that UCs give to CC students upon transfer? Would it just be a better idea to just graduate from UCR instead? Let me know please.
I know how you exactly how you feel, OP, I was in your shoes about a year ago. I left Davis after a year, went to a CC for a semester and applied to a few schools (including other UCs), and am currently attending a private university on the east coast. I got into the UC schools I got into/would have got into my senior year, for frame of reference.
Before you read any of this, know I’m not an expert and I only know what I know from experience.
That being said, there are a lot of factors coming into play here. How many APs did you take? Are you planning on taking summer courses? How are your grades right now?
If you have more AP credit and summer course credit, you could potentially transfer sooner (they all count for what you need for junior standing to transfer). It’s 90 quarter units, in case you’re wondering.
You also should know that your grades probably won’t be viewed the same as a CC student. I have a feeling the rigor of a UC vs CC is not really accounted for. My grades were on par with CC students of the same/similar major (judging by stats). At the same time, I think you do get the priority admissions; it’s tough to say without an insider’s insight.
Also, I’m pretty sure it may be more difficult simply because engineering majors are impacted at most/all UCs.
Taking fall quarter off and taking a semester at CC aligns perfectly so that you could rejoin for winter semester. I’m not familiar with UCR’s withdrawal process, so be sure you stay on top of re-admission/ other paperwork.
So taking this all with a grain of salt, you need to make the best decision for yourself. For now, finish spring quarter strong, plan to talk with a counselor at the CC of your choice about your options. You could opt to just take a quarter off and take a semester at CC to see how it fits with you. I realized I hated it and that I needed to leave (hence the east coast move). I’m still not sure I made the right choice, and even now I’m thinking about transferring again after receiving the acceptances. It’s never an easy choice, but at the same time if your intuition is really telling you to leave, it could be a good choice. You won’t perform well if you’re miserable. It’s your future and you don’t want to be mired with regret. If you need help or just want to talk, PM me (: always ready to listen. Good luck with whatever you decide!