Hi everyone!
So I was reading a bunch of threads regarding inter-UC transfers and saw somewhere that you should have a valid reason to move from one UC to another. Is that true? And what would those reasons be?
Thanks in advance 
Current UC does not have your major is one reason.
Thanks for the reply @Gumbymom!
Some people have also said that they would say (for example) UC Berkeley has a better Engineering program than UCSB, but how would one say that without sounding like an idiot?
Wanting to attend a different UC because it has a better program or you want the prestige associated with it is, last I remembered, not necessarily considered compelling academic reason in most cases.
Unless you’re literally in a league of your own compared to other students and want a greater challenge, or want something else that your current department does not offer you, then I think UCs like Berkeley discourage transfers for reason of “better programs.”
@NotYetEngineer Yeah, that makes sense. What if my reason was that I wanted to be closer to home so I could help support my family?
Closer to home is an extremely valid reason. Also, I know they say you need a compelling reason, but I have seen many less than compelling reasons and people have successfully transferred, even to Berkeley. But being closer to home (and financial) are strong reasons.
I talked about how I felt like I fit in more with the student body because they were more motivated and had more resources available to them.
If wanting to be close to your family to help with finances is truthful, then you can ask. But if it’s a snow job to get in, they may check.
Perhaps that was said in terms of when you’re considering to transfer at all? Neither my friend nor I wrote any reasons for why we’re applying to another UC and were successful in gaining admissions to our desired schools. If Berkeley is your main goal, then a compelling reason might be more necessary.
Chiming in here, I successfully applied for intercampus and I never gave a specific reason of wanting to switch UC campuses. I just talked about my major and why I wanted to major in it. Applied from UCSD and got into UCLA and Cal. Good luck!
Thank you all! And yeah some said they provided a reason and others said they didn’t, hence my confusion. Thanks again:)
For those of you who chose to include reasons, did you incorporate them into your essays or did you write about them in the additional comments box?
Since the personal statements are about (1) your major and (2) a personal quality, I would suggest putting any reason in the additional comments - unless the reason really ties in with your major.
I didn’t write about specific reasons I wanted to leave my UC until I had to write a waitlist statement. In the application essay I stayed more focused on my major.
Hi guys, I currently go to UCSB right now and I want to transfer…
Am I allowed to take upper division classes here at UCSB? It says that only lower division up 105 units will be granted… I want to take some upper div classes just in case I don’t get accepted to SD or LA, but would I still have that 105 unit limit cap?
Thanks guys!
@infinitize In terms of UC-UC transfers they add up all the units, both lower and upper, so it won’t make any difference in your unit count. (In other words, 80 lower division is not topped off at 70, it’s 80.) So taking upper division is fine as long as you stay within the unit max for UCLA and UCSD and get everything done.
Everything includes the Letter of Reciprocity from UCSB and the major requirements completed for both UCLA and UCSD.
Wait - it only says LD will transfer? Where does it say that? The rule is you combine any LD and UD to get the totals. Let me look…
Tagging @Lemanie , @lindyk8 , @fncrane and @81Mamba
My school’s classes do not articulate too well to UCLA’s Life Science series and it requires many (4-5) extra classes, if I don’t take them, will it put me at a severe disadvantage? In other words, is it an automatic rejection?
So, you’re UC-UC? I can’t tell ya. You just need to try and match the courses as best you can. You need to talk with UC advisor from the school to which you hope to transfer. FYI, Berkeley will go over UC coursework from other UCs. Not sure if the others do.
@lindyk8 Yes, UC to UC. I’ve tried to match the courses, it’s just that there are way too many courses to do before spring. 
@collegeambitious so what major exactly and how many current units do you have? (By spring, I mean). Also, will you have Letter of Recipricity by spring?