I get really confused on all the ways to transfer…
I went to talk to my CCC counselor a couple of days after I graduated high school (last week) and he told me that because of my AP classes, I might be able to transfer to UCSD, UCLA, or USB through the IGETC program for electrical engineering in one year. So this is my first year at community college and I will be applying in November. I hope to transfer to UCSD for electrical engineering.
Is the IGETC program enough to transfer or am I required to take more classes in addition? This fall, I am taking calc 1, intro to Chem, and a bio class. In Spring, I am taking Calc 2, an art class, and the next level of bio and chem. So really, i’m doing IGETC and the only classes showing on my transcript from Palomar community college (located in San Diego country) are philosophy- critical thinking, speech, swimming, and keyboarding. These are classes I’ve taken during summers in between high school. The rest of my credits come from AP classes… I have taken and am completely confident that I passed language arts, literature, world history, united states history, government, Spanish language, statistics, and psychology. I am not sure if I passed physics exam and will get score for this in around two weeks.
I’m worried because although I have a 4.0 gpa at community college, there aren’t many math or chemistry classes on my transcript because I will be applying before the end of fall semester, so they would not know what grades I am capable of.
I think my college essays will be pretty good…they are really the only thing that I am confident haha. I talk about my inspiration for this career coming from all the time that I spent with my dad (who is an electrical engineer) at work and also some life skills I learnt by organizing leadership training workshops for students. I have these essays attached in another thread if you would like to read those.
You need to go to assist.org, plug in your CCC and a UC, choose your major and fulfill those requirements listed. Major prep is most important. And you usually do not do IGETC for electrical engineering.
Most UC’s require engineering majors to complete the Physics series and several math classes such as Calc 3, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations.
As others above have noted, your transfer admission to an engineering major is primarily based not on your IGETC but rather your major prep courses and past precedence shows that even having a single major prep course is enough justification to deny your admission despite your GPA and total classes completed.
1 Semester of Chemistry - Chem 110 at Palomar
The full Calculus series - Math 140, 141, 205
1 Semester of Diff EQs - Math 206
1 Semester of Linear Algebra - Math 200
The full Physics series - Physics 230, 231, 232
It’s also recommended to complete CSIC 220 prior to transferring. (Noted at the top, but not articulated in the body of the report.)
Based on the information you’ve given, the short answer is that, NO, it’s not feasible in one year.
DiffEQ and Linear both require at least Calculus II, and really Calculus III, to fully understand and given that your only taking Calc I in the Fall sets up the following timeline:
FA16 - Calc I
SP17 - Calc II
FA17 - Calc III
SP18 - DiffEQ & LinAlg
That’s two years without drawbacks to complete the math. Generally, if you don’t have at least Calc BC (and Physics C: Mechanics credit for most engineers), counselors highly suggest not pursuing a one year transfer route and spacing it out over two years.
Also, DO NOT take the physics sequence at Palomar. It is worth it to drive to Mira Costa for physics 1-3. Palomar has openly prided itself on how much of a weeder department it’s physics classes serve as. Seriously, my advisor straight up told me to not even think about starting the physics sequence at Palomar. She said it’s going to destroy my GPA and chances. Mira Costa is like 8 exits down the freeway and like a 10 minute drive. Seriously, it’s worth it.