So I don’t know what I want to do yet, as I feel Id be ridiculed by my family. My GPA isn’t good enough to get into UCLA, plus I live in New Jersey. One of my plans is to go to a community college and work hard and have my credits transferred over to UCLA. I could even get a good job while going to community college. Another plan was to go to an in-state university (such as Montclair University or Ramapo) and get my credits from there transferred to again-UCLA. The downside of that plan is tuition. Tuition at Montclair is expensive. The downside of Community College is being ridiculed by my family. I want to major in business and economics and I heard UCLA has the top major for that. Can someone please help me out with what to do? It’ll mean a lot.
UCLA like all UC’s give priority to in-state CA CC transfer applicants followed by Cal state/UC transfers, 4 year private CA transfer applicants and finally out of state transfer applicants. Also UCLA offers no financial aid for OOS students, you will be expected to pay $65K/year to attend. UCLA only accepts Junior level transfers (60 semester/90 quarter units).
UCLA has an excellent Econ major but does not have a Business school.
Below is the 2019 UC transfer GPA admit range for Econ at UCLA. Also not all your CC courses if taken at an OOS school may transfer so you will need to make sure you keep your course syllabi for any OOS CC courses.
2019 Admit Transfer GPA range was a 3.9-4.0 for Pre-Econ.
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfers-major
Econ Transfer requirements: http://www.admission.ucla.edu/Prospect/Adm_tr/lsmajors/econ_pre.htm
If money is an issue, UCLA does not give need-based aid to non-California residents. You would be aiming for a rate top-level merit scholarship, not just admission.
Why not go to a NJ public university, either directly, or starting and community college and transferring there?
UCLA is selective/competitive for transfers too so, getting in from a CC is far from a sure bet.
What is your status (Highschool JR?) and what are your qualifications (GPA etc) and budget?
If you are worried about the tuition at Montclair then where is the money for UCLA going to come from? It will be over $65K/year as a OOS student, and they do not offer financial aid to OOS students. Nor will you ever be able to qualify for in-state rates.
Montclair Instate is cheaper than UCLAs instate looking at UCLA for OOS it’s over double the price at 60k. If Montclair is an issue so will UCLA since you won’t get financial aid as an oos student.
If you have a goal, why would it bother you if they attempted to ridicule you? You do you. They do whatever they do.
Since you are from New Jersey, you do not qualify for any funding from the State of California. UCLA is a public university, funded by the state’s taxpaying residents. They will not provide any funding for you nor anyone who does not reside in the state nor pay taxes. Federal aid is chump change. The government will not provide you with $65K per year.
Tell your ridiculing family that they will need to pony up $65K per year; it should make them stop ridiculing you, for a second, when you ask them to provide those funds every year.
Heed the advice from previous posters-go instate.
Why fixation on UCLA? It doesn’t even have an undergrad business program, and the OOS cost is exorbitant.
What exactly is it that you like about UCLA? Is it just a name-recognition thing? Is it a location thing? If you explain what’s making you want to focus on this school, then we can suggest other alternatives that check the same boxes.
There’s nothing wrong with community college as a strategy, but a pipe dream of transferring to UCLA is a terrible reason to choose a NJ community college. CC-to-public U transfer pathways work much MUCH better within the same state.
What are your stats? What is your budget? What is your EFC?