<p>I'm currently in high school right now and plan to enroll in a CCC right after I graduate and hopefully transfer to Cal or UCLA (preferably Cal). The major I want to get into is Communication Studies for UCLA and Mass Communications for UCB. There are no exact numbers of the people who get into each major at UCB, but there is for UCLA and Communication falls under one of the most impacted majors. Last fall there were only around a 16% admittance rate with the avg. GPA falling around 3.89.</p>
<p>This has made me worried quite a bit especially because my local CC's TAP program for UCLA works with every major in the Letters and Sciences except the Communications major. My main career goal is to get into Public Relations and Communications seems to be the best major to get into for that. It also appeals to me by far the most out of any of the other majors. </p>
<p>My other choice would be an English major because many who major in it also get into PR but the courses and the class in general does not appeal to me like Comm does but the avg. GPA of admittance was around 3.5ish and over 55% were admitted last semester. Do you see admittance for Communications getting easier within the next 2-3 years before I transfer? Or has it been a continuous trend for a while now?</p>
<p>Should I just go for Communications anyway, do my best, and hope to get in? Sorry this is getting to be a big post but any suggestions/help would be appreciated! Thanks!</p>
<p>It sounds like you are well prepared for CCC and will do well in your courses. I think you should apply as a comm. major unless for some reason (which I doubt will happen) you will have a lower GPA than the avg. admit in comm. If you have a lower gpa than avg. I would consider applying as an English major. As for admittance getting easier in the future, unfortunately I believe the opposite is much more likely.</p>
<p>I don't think that the communications major at UCLA will be getting any easier in the next 2 years except maybe by a small percentage different maybe. However even TAP will not give you priority admission for the communications major at UCLA it will still give you the opportunity to have a alternative major. So if I were you I would complete the honors program at your school and apply to UCLA as a communications major and put English as your alternative major. (2nd choice major at UCLA is only for TAP students)</p>
<p>That's pretty interesting, I never knew that you could apply for an alt major at UCLA if you are in TAP. I would assume that they expect you to finish all the pre-reqs for the alt major as well?</p>
<p>Also, I asked this in another thread I believe but I don't think I got a response. Does anyone know of a website or anything that may show the % of people accepted into the Mass Communications major at UCB and the avg. GPA of those admitted? Is it as impacted as it is in UCLA?</p>
<p>It would be best to complete as much major preparation as possible for your alternate major as well for UCLA.</p>
<p>The percentage of students admitted to the Undergraduate and Interdisciplinary Studies division is 38% at Berkeley, Mass Communications falls under this division. <a href="http://students.berkeley.edu/files/Admissions/9258_Info_TransAdm.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://students.berkeley.edu/files/Admissions/9258_Info_TransAdm.pdf</a>. The statistic is on the fifth page. Since Berkeley does not admit students by major you will be competing with all the students that apply to this division. Unfortunatly Mass communications at Berkeley is one of the six capped majors in the college of letters and sciences. (capped=impacted) This means that you should do your best to complete everyone of the major prerequisites for the mass communications major. Here is the link L&S</a> Major - Capped Majors. No one really knows for sure how applying to a capped major at Berkeley will affect your admissions chances since they admit students by department. But chances are it will be more competitive.</p>
<p>So basically if I don't get into UCLA as a Comm major then I will be getting a second chance as an English major assuming I have most of the pre-reqs done?</p>
<p>Is GPA the main importance for admittance into Berkeley? I hear that it's the most important for UCLA but have heard differently for Cal? Is having no ECs bad considering I maintain a 3.9 or 4.0 and get IGETC done and most of my pre-reqs? I don't really plan to get involved with ECs because with Communications being as competitive as it is, I want to focus all my time on my studies.</p>
<p>GPA, IGETC, and major preparation is the most important factors in admission. UCLA and Berkeley both partake in holistic admissions saying that they take all factors in an application. I would try to get involved in ECs but if you don't it will not kill your application. There are many ECs out there including campus clubs which practically take no time out of your life and should not affect your grades. Also I would try to show some demonstration in your major. This is something that Berkley also looks at in an application even though it is not vital for the College of Letters and Sciences. Just find some way to be involved in the communications field and this will really help your application stand out from the other 11,500+ applicants that you will be competing against. But if you really think that ECs will impact your grades I would focus more on your GPA than ECs.</p>
<p>I've actually been looking at summer internships in PR but I'm planning to take summer and winter courses every year it is available so I can get IGETC, pre-reqs, and TAP done. </p>
<p>Is it really difficult to get all those three done on time before admissions? Would it be a big boost if I did take classes in the summer and winter when they are available like I am planning?</p>
<p>Also I do roam these forums quite a bit but don't think I've see any Communications majors...are any of the regulars here one?</p>
<p>I believe there are a few communications majors in the UC transfer section. With good planning if you take 15 units a semester you should be able to complete IGETC, major prerequisites, and also TAP. However I find it easier to just take one or two classes in winter and summer.</p>
<p>How many courses, exactly, is 15 units? (not sure how units work)</p>
<p>Wouldn't it be quite difficult getting the pre-reqs done considering that the pre-reqs for English and Communications are very different. I would have to take roughly three more courses and according to Assist, a 4th semester of one foreign language (does this mean I have to take four course of foreign language?).</p>
<p>Most classes are 3 units. Lab sciences are generally 4 units. Foreign languages are usually 4 or 5 units. Generally, one unit means one hour per week in class, so a 3 unit class meets for three hours a week. 15 units is considered the standard "full load", with anything from 12 to 18 units being considered "full time".</p>
<p>Good advice in this thread but other issues in your initial post stood out to me so I'll address those.</p>
<p>I think you're selling yourself a bit short here and should give yourself a bit more credit. Worrying won't help you. Thinking you might not be good enough won't help you. Raise that self-esteem and understand that you are totally capable of achieving your goal. Someone has to get in so it might as well be you. </p>
<p>This isn't meant to be a pep talk...it's basic truth. Stop worrying about getting in and start doing what it takes to actually get in.</p>
<p>Give it your all and good luck to you!</p>
<p>edit: I just recognized your screen name. What happened to majoring in philosophy? :)</p>
<p>Edward04,
After speaking to some people I figure it's best that I don't major in it. Not to say it's a bad major at all because philosophy itself still interests me but it's not for me in terms of my career goals. ;)</p>
<p>Thanks again for the advice, everyone. I guess I'll have to think this over and see what's best for me. I know I'm definitely capable of getting above the avg. GPA but having never gone to CC, I'm just not exactly sure what to expect.</p>
<p>You sound like a capable guy, and it's my guess that if you apply yourself you can do well enough to get into any major. It sounds like you have your hopes set on a highly competitive major, and are worried that if you aim too high in major choice you'll be rejected from UCB and UCLA. I would consider a couple of things:</p>
<p>(i) I'm not really familiar with communications, but it might be better to go to UCD or UCSD for a major that you're primarily interested in over getting into UCB or UCLA for a major you're tangentially interested in. If this is the case, then you need only aim for communications, and even if you don't make UCB or UCLA, you can certainly put in sufficient effort to make UCD or UCSD.</p>
<p>(ii) If you really want to go to UCB or UCLA, try a list of "backup majors". During your first semester of CCC, focus on IGETC and the overlap of these majors. If you believe that you can put in the effort to get a sufficient grade, no problem, then continue with the pre-reqs for your preferred major. You would want to suss that out by the end of your first fall, though.</p>
<p>Hope this helps,
Joe</p>
<p>Edit: In my experience, what you can expect at CC vs. high school is less work, a bit harder work, and no hand holding. Nobody is going to give you dirty looks if you get a D, or consider you "bad". If you can deal with that then you'll excel. The catch, however, is that most people can't deal with that.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for all your help; You have no idea how much it helps. </p>
<p>After really thinking about it, I think Communications is the way to go for me. It's definitely amongst the most challenging majors to transfer as but it's a challenge nonetheless and I think pushing myself to work extra hard will really benefit me not only in CC but once I transfer as well. </p>
<p>It's almost like an epiphany that I've had and its really thanks to the great advice everyone here gives.</p>