<p>Hello, as you may, or may not, know from my previous thread, I have finally decided to stay one more year at my CC and transfer. All this time, my two years at CC, I've been preparing for a whole different major from what I want to pursue now, which is Computer Science. I need to start cracking to be able to finish all the pre-reqs practically in one year. The problem that I thought about though was the unit cap. I am really hoping to get into UCLA. So the bottom line is, after I finish all the Computer Science pre-reqs, I will have approximately 110 semester units, in addition to the units I have been accumulating for my previous major. Will having that many units and/or staying one more year at the CC hurt my chance to transfer in any way, shape or form? As a matter of fact, am I even eligible to transfer?</p>
<p>Did you take any units at a 4 year?</p>
<p>You definitely need to talk to your counselor about this but I think it actually hurts to have so many units.</p>
<p>How did you take so many units in such a short period of time?</p>
<p>There is no unit cap if you’ve only taken classes at a community college. FYI, the average number of units for admitted transfers at UCLA for engineering majors is 114. One of the people who enrolled in their computational biology program last year had 140 units. These are high unit majors, and it’s expected to have that many if you’re trying to complete your major pre-reqs.</p>
<p>@washow It is not harmful at all, unless you’re transferring classes FROM a four-year. Most people in the science/engineering majors transfer with 90-125 units completed. It’s actually preferred. UCLA wants ALL of your pre-requisites completed.</p>
<p>For a major like CS, this means:</p>
<p>4 semesters of Calculus (5+5+5+3) = 18 units
1 semester of Linear Algebra = 3-5 units
3-4 semesters of Physics = 15 - 16 units
Intro Programming course = 3 units
Intermediate Programming course = 3 units
Data Structures course = 3 units
Discrete Math = 3 units
Gen Chem I = 5 units
2 semesters of English = 6 units</p>
<p>That’s ~60 units of major pre-reqs alone. If you choose to complete IGETC (for TAG with UCSD, for example), you can add another 20-30 units to that. If you choose a major like Bioengineering, well - lol. Add 2 semesters of Organic Chem (10 units), another semester of Gen Chem (5 units), and a year of Bio (10 units).</p>
<p>It adds up.</p>
<p>@iTransfer
No, only at a CC. </p>
<p>@washow
Well, as of now, I only have around 36 units, all for my previous major, but the Computer Science pre-reqs will require me to take up to 74 units. </p>
<p>@asphyxiac
Where did you get the numbers? If it’s from the Profile of Admitted Transfer Students, are those numbers by semester or quarter units?</p>
<p>^ I think the numbers are quarter units, since UCLA is on the quarter system…
And btw, yes, you are eligible for transfer. Having a lot of units is fine, and staying 3 years at CC is fine too. Don’t worry about these things. The only things you should worry about are your GPA and completion of major pre-reqs, which are very vital for CS applicants at UCLA.</p>
<p>@snipehunter</p>
<p>So… ummmmm… I just calculated it out and I will have 160 quarter units (110 semester units) by the time I transfer. That is almost no where near the 140 asphyxiac mentioned, taking into account that he or she was considered as one of the exceptions. Still ok? Would not hurt me chance?</p>
<p>It’s completely fine. I recalled @killmyentourage and many people here had a lot of units and still got into the top schools without a hitch. What’s your current GPA? That is the single most important thing deciding if you can get into UCLA, I guess</p>
<p>@snipehunter</p>
<p>currently 3.9 GPA, but I am assuming my GPA will go down? Because I heard those mathematics and engineer relevant courses are the “real” – meaning hard – classes.</p>
<p>Btw, where did killmyentourage transfer to? What was his major, GPA, etc? How about yourself? Or are you planning to transfer?</p>
<p>Hah, kmt is “she”, she’s gone to Berkeley as biochem I believe. Ask her for more info lol</p>
<p>Quite frankly, I am a CS major too, planning to transfer to UCSC or UCSD :D. Maths classes are not that hard, except Calc 2 can be a GPA killer… To me, physics are the biggest obstacle so far. I have a 3.78 GPA, yours is much higher than mine so don’t worry at all 
</p>
<p>Btw, if you are planning to go to UCLA, be prepared to face one of the most rigorous courseworks. I’m not kidding, as LA’s pre-reqs are much the same as Cal’s EECS. You must take:</p>
<p>
and some GE classes too…</p>
<p>Have you taken most of these?</p>
<p>none, LOL. but I got my schedule all planned out for another year at CC. So basically I will have 5 semesters to finish all of the pre-reqs.</p>
<p>oh and what was her GPA? did she post her info somewhere on the acceptance thread?</p>
<p>LOL go ask her, I’m not stalking people =)</p>
<p>
So, you have already stayed at CC for 2 years, now you decide to stay there another 2.5 years? O_o. Basically, staying at CC for a long time will NOT hurt your chance for any UC, but you have some explanation to do in your essay.</p>
<p>No, only 1 year so far. I was originally planning to apply this fall and transfer the fall of 2012. But I have decided to stay one more year, so apply next fall and transfer the year after that. So basically I will be at my CC for 3 yrs. Is it required for me to explain why I suddenly changed to a different major?</p>
<p>Nope, I think. If you don’t mention the fact that you change your major, nobody’s gonna know it… Good luck man!</p>
<p>From CC, I had 120ish total units and a 3.8x (105ish UC transferable = slightly lower GPA).</p>
<p>From an OOS 4 yr, I had 22 units and a 2.0. This is what limited me due to the unit cap, not the 110 CC units. </p>
<p>I don’t really have any idea what my UC transferable GPA was because I don’t know what classes they accepted from my OOS but I always just estimate that it was 3.4-3.6.</p>
<p>Also, I was at my CC for 3 years and I have no AP credit so I had to take a ton of classes. In addition to IGETC, my stupid counselor also told me I had to take Speech, 2 semesters of a Language, and fulfill Amer Hist/Inst when I already had it covered in HS. 5 classes for no reason >:[</p>
<p>For my Chemical Biology major, I finished 61 units of pre-reqs: Gen Chem 1 & 2, Ochem 1 & 2, 3/4 Bio classes (only took 1/2 for Cal, 2 extra for other UCs), 2/3 Phys classes, Calc 1-3, Diff Eqs & Lin Alg… and this Fall I still have to take an additional 10 units of lower level pre-reqs when I get there in the fall lol</p>
<p>if i take more than 70 semester units, how does it work, do the uc’s look at the gpa of only 70 or less or all the units you have?</p>
<p>No, they will look at your UC transferable GPA of all the classes you’ve taken including classes that were in excess of 70 units.</p>
<p>I’m not sure why this 70 unit transfer limit is so confusing to some people who have only ever taken CCC classes. Just assume there is no limit and take what you need to. When you get to UC, everything will be the same, except to graduate with a 120 unit major, you will need 50 extra units at the CC just like everyone else who transferred with only 70, even if you transferred with more. That is the ONLY difference.</p>
<p>What KMT said. Having 110+ semester units at transfer time for a sci/engineering major is no biggie. The 70 unit cap means that only 70 units will be applied towards your degree. All units will be considered when calculating your GPA.</p>
<p>So it is perfectly fine to take more than the units that the school has said is their limit? I went to 4-year in the fall then attended a CCC until now. I was going to major in engineering but now think I would like to do Molecular Biology. So thinking there was no cap I took classes that I wanted to take like a music class, speech, astronomy. And now I am part of an honors program so I need to take atleast one honors class a quarter to stay in. Can I continue to take classes that I want to take or do I have to stick to the pre-reqs on assist?</p>
<p>The no unit cap thing does not apply if you attended a 4 year and accrued 20 units or more.</p>
<p>If you attended a 4 year, and accrued more than 20 units, your unit cap is 90 minus units accrued. For someone with 20 semester units from a 4 year, this means 90-20 = 70 semester units is your cap.</p>