<p>I think you still have a good shot at Irvine! And I’m a little surprised you got rejected from UCD–your stats seem to be right on target.</p>
<p>And it’s awesome that you’re taking the possibility of attending a community college so well. My sister went to one for a year before transferring to UCLA and then attended an Ivy for grad school, so community college is definitely not a “death sentence” or anything. I’m assuming that you’re in-state because you only applied to UC’s, and the good thing about being in California is that there are a lot of very good community colleges with high transfer rates. In fact, if you really want to go to UCLA, then maybe a CC is the way to go, even if you end up getting into UCSC and UCI. </p>
<p>Best of luck! </p>
<p>Transferring from one UC to another isn’t a given, but it happens. (I did it, for one.) </p>
<p>There is a guaranteed path from CC to UCs if you follow it, called TAG and you should ask the counselors at the CC you go to about it on day one (if you do go to a CC.) </p>
<p>Also CSUs such as Chico will start accepting applications for Spring enrollment in August - but if your ultimate goal is to get to a UC (other than Merced, although you may get that one automatically) then going to a CC is the more certain path. For transfers my understanding is that CCs have first priority through the guarantee, then UCs, then everyone else. UCLA and maybe others only accept transfers after 2 years; some UCs don’t have a hard and fast rule on that.</p>
<p>Then again, some CSUs are pretty good Universities in their own right, so you might find one where transferring wouldn’t be the only option that would make you happy.</p>
<p>Regarding it being harder to transfer from a CC, I don’t know all about that, and you might want to ask in the UC Transfer forum. However, I think part of that is that it can be hard to get some classes that are prerequisites to impacted majors. You might want to look at what is available at the CC you are thinking of attending to make sure you are comfortable you will get the courses you need. Not all CCs are the same.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p><a href=“http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/transfer/guarantee/”>http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/transfer/guarantee/</a> describes TAG from CC to UC.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.assist.org”>http://www.assist.org</a> can help you plan course work at CC to transfer to a UC or CSU in your desired major.</p>
<p>For junior transfer to UC or CSU, SAT scores are not needed. The only high school stuff that may be relevant to junior transfer admissions is if you use high school course work or test scores to fulfill requirements like foreign language, American history and institutions, etc. (i.e. UC or CSU admission or graduation requirements commonly fulfilled by high school work).</p>
<p>I asked my teacher for a letter of recommendation, and he said he would be glad to do it. I have two options for teachers to write letters (Web Design, and Calculus). </p>
<p>I have asked only my web design teacher so far – he said that I should go to Merced and transfer to a high-end school (contradicting the CC to UC has favor). He told me that his wife went to Merced, and ended up at Berkeley. </p>
<p>I still plan to CC if my appeal is failed (appealing to Irvine and Santa Cruz). </p>
<p>Do you think that I should ask one teacher for two letters of recommendation, or ask both teachers for a letter to each school?</p>
<p>Someone mentioned Ole Miss. Based on your SAT and GPA, you would probably get a near-to-full or full tuition Academic Excellence scholarship. See this: <a href=“http://finaid.olemiss.edu/scholarships/#8”>http://finaid.olemiss.edu/scholarships/#8</a></p>
<p>Housing is inexpensive there, as is the meal plan. We have high California-type income, and only qualify to take out the one unsubsidized federal loan for the freshman year, and if we chose to do this, we would actually have zero up front out of pocket costs. A very nice thought.</p>
<p>Rather than a last resort, Ole Miss offers a really great opportunity and a rare one these days. When we went to an Admitted Students Day recently, the overwhelming majority of students there were from out of state. And the student ambassadors who gave presentations were from states including California, Washington, and Arizona.</p>
<p>I am a California native, and yes, I admit, when I was your age, I would never have considered Mississippi, and not just the school, but the state in general, or really the south in general, or really beyond that, anywhere not in California (though I did end up in Florida.) So it would be out of the box thinking, and you would have the plane travel (Southwest flies into Memphis and Ole Miss offers shuttles.)</p>
<p>I am sorry to hear that it is so hard for California residents to get into California universities these days. It is so sad. </p>
<p>Anyway, just wanted to throw that info back into the mix, though it sounds like you have a plan, and I certainly wish it all works out for you.</p>
<p>just look at the transfer numbers…most are TAG thru the CCs.</p>
<p>I just read that for the first time in a VERY long time the CCs right now have low enrollment, and are canceling classes for non enrollment. I don’t know if it applies to the usually impacted classes, but if you go the cc route it might be worth it to take some of those this summer if you can, while enrollment is low.</p>
<p>I’m already signed up for CC classes, summer term 2014!</p>
<p>Be aware however that once you’ve taken even one class at a CC or elsewhere after HS graduation, you’ll be considered a transfer and most UC’s will require you to apply Spring of your sophomore year only (or whenever you are on track to get 60 credits).</p>