HELP Confusion with UC Transfer

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

Hey everyone!

I’m a political science freshman, with the hopes of getting into Berkeley next year!

I came into CC with 32 credits because of AP.

APs I passed, with scores in parentheses:

United States History (4)
Psychology (4)
Macroeconomics (4)
United States Government (4)
Statistics (4)
Environmental Science (3)
English language (3)
Physics 1 (3)

Several questions:

  1. What’s the difference between IGETC, Breadth, and Major Reqs/Department Reqs? Which do I need?

  2. According to the UC website, ostensibly, a 3 in English should generally count as half of my English requirement: “A score of 3, 4 or 5 on an English AP exam may be used to meet the English Composition requirement, but not the Critical Thinking/English Composition requirement” (http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/transfer/general-education-igetc/igetc/index.html) …and because of that, I’m taking English 1C (I have a 110%). But according to the Berkeley website, for L&S, I just found out I needed a 4. Which is right? (http://students.berkeley.edu/files/admissions/12626_5.info_transadm.pdf)

  3. For the foreign language requirement, I will be taking the SAT II for Modern Hebrew. Apparently, according to this website (http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/transfer/advising/igetc/index.html), I need a 470? But I also see on other websites that I need a 590? I’m profoundly confused.

  4. I called Berkeley, but I’m still confused. If I, for example, took AP Govt and got a 4 on it, and then enrolled in American Government and Politics for my major, I still get to keep my AP credits, right? They said I would, but I’m still not sure.

The Berkeley site (http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/requirement/summary.html) clearly states that “L&S Requirements may be met by IGETC or UC Reciprocity for transfer students”. So what do I do?! It appears as though IGETC and L&S Requirements use different scores to fulfill reqs!

Because I have so many AP credits, I’m planning on taking next year off (for internships, informal courses in writing, volunteering, trips, etc.). So It’s imperative for me that I get all of my reqs done this year.

This semester, I’m taking:

Western Civilization 1 (3)
International Relations (3)
English 1C (3)
Critical Thinking and Composition (3)
Introduction to Theater (3)

Next semester, I’m planning on enrolling in:

Honors: Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
Introductory Statistics Honors (4)
Intro to C++ Programming (3)
Comparative Politics (3)
Introduction to Political Theory (3)
Creative Writing (3)

Next summer, I’m taking

Business Law (3)
Biological Anthropology (3)

How can I modify my courses, if needed, to accommodate my transfer to Berkeley?

THANKS,
-Solostish.

2
  1. I don’t quite see 32 units from your APs.
  2. IGETC is CCC’s plan for GEs at UC/CSU. Breadth is UC’s map for GEs. Major reqs are the courses needed to fulfill upper division prereqs toward a major at UC. You need a minimum 60 semester or 90 quarter units made up of either IGETC or breadth plus major prereqs, all UC transferable, to be able to transfer to a UC. Use Assist.
  3. Each UC has its own rules on APs. Follow Berkeley’s rules.
  4. I don’t think you can take SAT IIs since you’re a CC student. Didn’t you take at least 2 years of HS foreign language? If so and you received better than C-, it’ll satisfy IGETC.You would need to send your HS transcripts to your CC.
  5. I don’t think you need to take macroecon or stats since you already have AP credits for them.

You do realize that you can apply next month for Fall 2016 enrollment?

You should be working with a CC transfer counselor who could have explained all this!

3

Thanks for your response, @Happy2Help !

My bad, I have 29.4. Thanks for catching that! :slight_smile:

If IGETC doesn’t match Breadths, I’m still fine? And so if IGETC does count a 3 on English Language and Berkeley doesn’t, I still have to take intro-leveled English?

I called College Board a few weeks ago, and they said I could! I only took one year of Sign Language :expressionless: Didn’t take high school seriously–as in, I just took a bunch of AP classes without so much thinking about my course structure.

And because they’re major reqs (for UCSD), I need to take them. Berkeley’s the dream, but I’m trying to design my schedule so I have as many options as possible! (:

And I spoke with a Cal admissions officer; she said they wouldn’t take me. UC Davis, UCSB, and “lower-ranked” UCs probably would, though. I’m just so set on Cal, that I figure waiting a year wouldn’t be all too bad! I might apply anyway, though, just to keep the option open!

My CC transfer counselors are highly inaccessible, and from what I’ve learned, highly uninformed. They literally told me to use college confidential…harhar

4

It’s possible to do a 1-year transfer into Berkeley’s PoliSci.

You will be granted units for your AP tests. Even at Berkeley. It’s just that they don’t accept 3’s for things such as the English requirements, and that’s only if you’re following Breadth. But, by following IGETC, you bypass that (I had this same problem and have talked to Berkeley admissions officers about this, I’m certain that this is correct). You don’t even need English 1C, I think - but you’re taking it, and that’s fine. Follow your school’s IGETC.

So, your best option is to complete IGETC and also complete your major prerequisites. You can find the major reqs here:

http://www.assist.org/web-assist/report.do?agreement=aa&reportPath=REPORT_2&reportScript=Rep2.pl&event=19&dir=1&sia=BERKELEY&ria=UCB&ia=BERKELEY&oia=UCB&aay=15-16&ay=15-16&dora=POL+SCI

It looks like you will have completed the major requirements. You should talk to a counselor to see if your current plan will allow you to satisfy IGETC. I think the AP American Gov exam clears PoliSci 1: Intro to US Gov - so taking comparative government will not void the AP units.

Make sure that you get full IGETC certification. That is really key. If you apply this year, then none of your summer units will count.

You need to complete the language requirement - I don’t know if the SAT II test will work. Make sure.

If you take stats or macroecon, your AP units for those classes will be voided.

Make sure all of your classes are transferable.

You need to take a lab in conjunction with Biological Anthro if you’re following IGETC.

That’s all that I see, but perhaps I’m missing something.

5

@goldenclub Thanks for the information! MY BAD, I messed up with my course list. I’m takign Intro to American Govt this semester! My bad.

I’ll check with my transfer counselor. Takes a week to here back. But gotta find out what I need for my SAT II score.

I don’t have any grades to show Cal if I transfer this year? How would they know I’m legit?

Thanks so much!!

6

@solostish Sorry if someone answered this as I didn’t read much except your comment about English. If you are fulfilling IGETC and your CCC accepts a score of 3 for English, once you are certified, the UC honors the certification - meaning they will accept the AP score of 3 as fulfillment, even though Berkeley would normally want a score of 4. So once you take critical thinking/comp and get certified, you have completed the English requirement.

This applies only to IGETC because standard breadth is verified by the UC, meaning you would need to follow the UC rules.

7

You send in an update after you get your first semester grades. If you can, get a 4.0. Talk to your counselor ASAP - ask specific questions, try to make sure that you’re doing everything correctly. You need to find out if you will be IGETC certified by the end of Spring, because you have to put it on the application. It might make sense to take classes next Fall, and then just take the Spring off. Then you wouldn’t be so rushed, and would probably have a better shot at Cal. But it’s still possible to do a 1 year transfer, it just requires better planning.

I also doubt that the anthro lab you would need will be offered during the summer. And you need that done by the end of Spring, if you want to apply now.

8

You didn’t mention you were taking American Gov this semester. This is equivalent to your AP so I believe now your AP will not count.

I highly doubt Berk will take your SAT II scores that you took after graduating from HS. You are a CC student. Take foreign language classes.

9

I believe you can get double credit for Anerican institutions and American government with both an AP and a course. At least it sounds that way based on this:

http://registrar.berkeley.edu/?PageID=ahi.html&no_server_init

And, yes, SAT II can fulfill language req for transfers, but not sure how it works if you haven’t taken it yet. Although I’m not sure what difference it would make. A test is a test, and they accept it for transfers, so I’m kind of leaning toward yes. Email the UC and find out for sure before you take it.

10

OP gets AH&I credit with APUSH score of 4.

OP cannot get duplicate credit of AP US GOV and CC course Intro to American Gov. See last paragraph here http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/exam-credit/index.html
Same for macroecon and stats.

Foreign language: http://ls-advise.berkeley.edu/requirement/fl.html says high school work’s SAT II score satisfies. I read it to say, “…while you are in high school, if you get an SAT II language score of >=590, you meet the requirement.” Since OP is in CC, he should meet the foreign lang requirement with transfer work!

11

I’m well aware of the duplication rule; however, the link I put up seemed to indicate they didn’t necessarily see it as a duplication, which coincidentally is what Berkeley told OP (supposedly). So, I do not know the answer to this one and suggested OP contact Berkeley for clarification.

12

Since OP cannot get duplicate credit and looks like he needs graded major prereqs over AP credit, he’ll be short units on his original plan post #0 and looks like he’ll have to take more CC classes in the Fall 2016.

13

I’m not the admissions office, so cannot answer.

However, to paste what is on the link I attached:

This implies one would need to take an American gov’t course.

We can guess as much as we want, but the only one to give a definitive answer is Berkeley - which he should follow up on before he takes additional classes or the SAT II.

14

I am going to possibly digress- the AP he took seems to fulfill just one part of the requirement, and I assumed OP was taking the correct course for the second part of the requirement. If he chose the wrong course (doesn’t fulfill history) than yeah, @happy2help would be spot on. I have no idea where the course he is taking falls in the spectrum.

Anyway you look at it, he needs a definitive answer from the UC.

15

I disagree, OP’s APUSH score of 4 totally satisfies Berkeley’s AH&I requirement. The link confirms it.

16

THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP, EVERYONE!! :slight_smile:

So I followed the advice on the thread, and checked out all of the IGETC.
@goldencub , I looked at my school’s IGETC, and apparently, my APES credit covers my lab requirement (along with my physical science one). Meaning, I don’t need to take Bio Anthro Lab!

@lindyk8 , my school’s IGETC, sadly, says nothing about the SAT II. Thankfully, though, the req can be met with one semester of language! Should take a jiffy!

@Happy2Help , my 3 in AP Engl (according to my school’s IGETC) covers the first part of Engl. I should be fine!

I called Berkeley twice, and both times they said they’d give me double credit. It sounds dubious, to say the least. Even if I don’t get credit, though, I should still be fine and at 60 with summer.

And found out I can use IGETC instead of Berkeley direct reqs or UC breadth!

Here’s my new course load:

Fall RN (15 units):
POLS M04 International Relations
HIST M01A Western Civilization 1
POLS M03 American Government and Politics
ENGL M01C Critical Thinking and Composition
THA M01 Introduction to Theater

Spring (19 units):
ECON M02H Honors: Principles of Macroeconomics
MATH M15H Introductory Statistics Honors
ANTH M01 Biological Anthropology
POLS M2 Comparative Politics
POLS M6 Introduction to Political Theory
ENGL M10A Creative Writing

Summer (6 units)
SPAN M01 Elementary Spanish 1
JOUR M02 Reporting & Writing for Media

I don’t think it looks bad. I’m having no trouble with 15 units. 19 shouldn’t be too bad, either; especially because I’m retaking two courses that I’ve gotten 4s on (macro and stats).

Thoughts? And also, realistically speaking, could I get into Berkeley if I applied this November? I’m sure I can pull a 4.0 this semester. Right now, I have a 110% in English, 97% in Govt, 96% in IR, and a 93% in Western Civ. I’m also Prez of a club, was the creative writing specialist at my summer camp, and am interning with my local congressperson.

17

@solostish SPAN M01 (Moorpark?) is a 5 unit class.

18

@Happy2Help What gave away Moorpark? My English classes? lol

And yeah! My bad. 5 units!

19

I’m a mom, I just know :slight_smile:

I think you may be missing an Arts/Humanities course - you need 3. You have HIST and THA so far.

20

@Happy2Help , for arts and humanities, I have AP USH, Western Civ 1, and Theater!

I’ve been planning on using this schedule for over a year now. Because of this thread, I’ve made so many changes in just one day! Woah