I’m completely lost, I know I could ask a counselor but I just want to understand what the IGETC requirements are and what the assist requirements mean? Say for example, I’m looking to transfer from a CC to a University, and I have a specific Major in mind, I see the list of classes on assist.org, but I also see the requirements for IGETC. Do I only have to complete the classes listed on assist.org? or should I also be completing the IGETC requirements? If I take all the classes on assist.org for the Major that I’m looking at, is that all I need to transfer? Also, if I complete all of these classes, and I transfer to a university that way (if that’s how it works), do I have to keep taking classes for that major when i transfer?
IGETC and Assist (major requirements) are considered separate. At nearly all universities (in CA anyway), degree programs require a student to complete lower-division general education (GE), upper-division GE, lower-division major reqs, and upper-division major reqs. IGETC is the lower-division GE equivalent and the courses listed on Assist are the lower-division major reqs equivalent for the specific campus you choose.
To transfer to a CSU or UC from a CC, you should complete both IGETC and the lower-div major reqs from Assist, although none of it is officially required. Transfer admissions to UC and CSU are competitive and the only way to remain competitive in the transfer process is to complete IGETC and the lower-div major reqs from Assist.
So, typically students looking to transfer complete both IGETC and courses listed on Assist for the major and campus for which they plan to transfer to. Again, IGETC is the lower-div GE courses like math, English, and some sciences courses (plus language courses for UC). Assist is the lower-div major courses that transfer directly into the major for which you are applying at a UC or CSU. The idea for completing IGETC and the courses on Assist is that as an incoming Junior classmen (transfer students come into a 4-year with Junior class standing) you will not be required to take any more lower-div GE or lower-div major courses so that you can focus on taking only upper-div GE and upper-div major courses with other Juniors and Seniors. Again, it’s not absolutely required to complete either IGETC or the major courses on Assist to transfer, and in some cases transfer students end up having to complete a course or two of lower-div work (either GE or major courses) at the 4-year college they transfer to.
Sometimes you can “double dip” on courses when a course fulfills both an IGETC area and a lower-div major req. For example, Economics 1 and Economics 2 can count for Area 4 of IGETC (Social Science), but also count as lower-div major reqs on Assist for many campuses offering a major in Economics. So by taking those classes, the student would fulfill an IGETC area and some lower-div work from Assist.
In college, either as a plan to transfer to a 4-year or begin as a Freshman, it is important to set up an educational plan - meaning, a plan that maps out your entire “plan” of courses for completing your intended program. Academic Advisors can assist you in doing this, but are not absolutely needed for motivated and diligent students. All the requirements for transfer (from CC to CSU/UC) can easily be found online so that a student can map out every single course he or she intends to take to fulfill each requirement, and adjust that plan accordingly as each academic term ends (check off completed courses, switch planned courses for other courses as schedules permit, etc) to stay on track with his or her “plan”. You can also utilize the Transfer subforum here on CC, and in particular the UC Transfer subforum.
Hope this clarified some things and good luck!
yes, that was actually very helpful. Thank you very much.
Hi I have a question about that “double dipping” thing you mentioned when courses can count towards both the IGETC and your lower division major requirements. Is there a limit or any restrictions when doing that? I’m majoring in Psychology and want to transfer to UCLA from a CCC. I noticed that at least 4 classes I will be taking will count for both IGETC and the ones on Assist. Is there any downside to doing this? There are more classes I can be ‘double dipping’ with but I just want to make sure I’m not making some sort of mistake.