I’m planning to go to SJSU for computer science, but I don’t want to stay there all four years. What are my chances of transferring to private schools like USC and Stanford?
Possible, though improbable.
USC is within reach if you do very well at SJSU, but Stanford is pretty impossible unless you have a combination of Vet/URM/low-income/first-gen and community-college status on top of strong academic credentials.
SJSU has a very strong program in CS and is located in a good place for jobs after graduation. You would not gain a whole lot in transferring away.