I am a Biology major at a community college, I went over all the classes I have to take before I can transfer to UCLA or UCSD with my counselor, and it will take me 5 years to complete all the courses needed to transfer… is this normal??
No! Read and post here http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/uc-transfers/
@ryank1235 - 5 years sounds excessive, but perhaps with your individual schedule or class requirements that would be necessary (for example, do you work many hours and attend CC part time? Do you need to take remedial courses?) At my D’s CC, Biology majors have the option of following a course plan. Plan 1 is a 2 year “fast-track” for a student with strong biology and chemistry background (and 2 classes are not required). Plan 2 is 2 year “fast-track” for a CSU transfer student with strong biology, chemistry and physics background. Plan 3 is a 3-year pace. Plan 4 is a 3 year with two science courses a semester pace.
My D’s friend is majoring in Physics at CC and works more than part time (so limited to taking classes in the morning). I estimated that it will take him 4-1/2 years to complete (and he will be required to take afternoon classes his last year).
@MLM I plan on going to dental school after CC either UCLA or UCSF for my dental practice. I average 14 units a semester and 6 every summer and even doing that it will take me 5 years to complete it all. However, if I take math, biology, and a hybrid chemistry, I can transfer in 4 years ,but its five if I take a normal chemistry and english instead of biology because if I don’t take biology, then I cant take zoology or botany,and those are offered once at a time. One in fall one in spring.
@MLM so I pretty much stay for an extra year because I don’t want to take a chemistry class that is half online. Why? I really want all A’s and I am worried that it will be hard for me to learn, thus possibly not getting an A. But then again I worry that I might not get accepted to dental schools ,or it will be really hard if they see I have 5 years in a community college. Also, I register for my next semester classes in 3 days.
No, it sounds like you are doing something wrong. 14 units is a little below the norm, so I could see it taking 3 years (1 extra year) but no more. Are you taking basic math/science/English that is not required for your major, in order to have the prereq’s for the required classes? If that is the case, then that could set you back another year possibly. You need to go talk to a Counselor to find out if you are taking the correct classes to transfer.
12 units is considered full time at my school, and I am taking all my lower division classes at my CC, and unfortunately I started with the lowest math class, and have to work my way up to calculus 3. I can tell you all the classes she wants me to take to transfer if you would like, so you get a better idea of my situation.
Since you started out taking the lowest level of math, yes, you will have to “work your way up” to taking higher math which will be required for your major. That alone will add more time than the typical 2 years. But, honestly, 5 years seems excessive for a full time student who is taking 34 units per year. Also, if you want to take 2 classes that have pre-requisites and the classes are only offered one time per year, that, too, will cause delays. Some students try to get around those types of delays by taking the class at another nearby CC where the class may be offered more frequently.
Yea a lot of classes like organic chemistry one and two are offered seperatly in different semesters, same with zoology, botany, and I think physics too. I will show you guys the classes I am supposed to take
This semester is intermediate algebra, pre general chemistry, and English 1. Term Spring 2016 pre-calculus, Chemistry 1, Biology 1, Term summer 2016- English 2, Economics 1, physical education class, and a guidance course. Term Fall 16- pre calculus 2, Zoology 1, Intro to Physics. Term Spring 2017- Chemistry 2, Calculus 1, Botany 1, Term Summer 17- Philosophy 1 and Psychology 1, Term Fall 2017- Organic chemistry 1, Calculus 2, General physics-mechanics, Term Spring 2018- organic Chemistry 2, calculus 3, Physics- waves, Ther & op, and I think I might have take another semester after that.
Four things - 1) Look at your target UC’s and see what their transfer course work for your specific major requires. Remember that your goal is to transfer, not to take all available courses to make you look good. The UC system spells out a prescribed major preparation articulation. Take only those classes that you need for admission and take the other classes after you matriculate at a UC. 2) Note that most science (and engineering) majors are discouraged from fulfilling either the AA-T or the IGETC path for transfer, as it’s well known that taking all of the requirements for the major would put a student on a three- or four year path. 3) Avoid taking O-Chem (not required for many majors) as many med/dental grad schools are reluctant to accept students who took O-Chen at the CC, rather than University level and 4) Make an appointment with a Transfer counselor ASAP. Consult with them about what is or is not needed to transfer.
I talked to my counselor and she told me all the classes I listed are needed to transfer to UCLA or UCSD. So I dont know, could she be wrong?
Have you confirmed it with ASSIST.org?
I would grt a second opinion from another counselor. It does not seem right.
So all the classes I listed above are not all needed?
I feel like they want me to take useless classes for example im in English 1 the lowest college level english, and tomorrow I am supposed to register for the next college level english class which is english two. On top of that I am supposed to take economics, philosophy, and psychology. None of these classes were on assist.org so I am so stressed out over this I dont want to take to many usless classes, so then when I want to go to dental school I have too many units to get accepted, same with UCSD I don’t want to be over the limit which I feel like I will be.
As long as you’re taking a full-load and the correct pattern of classes, you should be able to gain all the credits you need in two years, not four and certainly not five. Something in the milk ain’t clean…
Again, seems like you need to be pro-active at your actual Community College (not here on CC) and get an in-person second opinion from another Transfer counselor.
Ya, I just dont want me counselor to think like I went behind her back or something like that.
I wouldn’t worry about your counselor thinking you “went behind her back”. She won’t care. They have thousands of students they’re talking to all the time. In my experience, community college counselors should not be solely relied on for complete accurate information. I trusted my counselor to help me form an education plan that would get me to where i’m going, and after a year, I took a deeper look at it and realized it was really poorly written and I wasted an entire year taking classes I didn’t need at all. I know a ton of students with the same story. Everything I learned, i learned from talking to counselors at the schools i’m trying to go to, online, through this message board, and talking to other students, and figuring it out myself.
Are you doing IGETC? IGETC is not recommended for STEM students as it will take you 4-5 years to complete. IGETC is not required to be accepted to schools. You should follow the GE outline instead. Look at what your major requires you to complete for transfer, what classes you need to take to get your AA-T/AA-S and make your own schedule. It should not take you 4-5 years to get your AA.
Welp guys I talked to another counselor, and it turned out half the classes I “was supposed to take” were just recommended classes, and I didn’t really have to take them.
@ryank1235 - that’s great to know! Five years seemed a bit off! Curious, were the classes recommended (but not required) by the colleges you want to transfer to?