Getting Deferrals from the UC’s is not easy but UCD is more receptive to deferrals vs. UCI. You are still required to get approval.
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@tbooe: My older son is an Environmental science and resource management major graduate of UCD. He also got into UCI but UCD was the place that seem to “fit” him best and their Environmental programs are exceptional. He had a rough start at UCD but came to love his time there and after 3 years post-grad, he will be moving back to the area permanently, something he has wanted to do since he graduated.
Definitely consider a visit since it is hard to make choices unless you really walk around campus. Check out the arboretuem where you can get UC credit for volunteering as a student, wander around town and stop in Mishka’s coffe house or sample some great Thai food at Rosies.
I really think that once she sees her friends enrolling in their choice universities, getting their college gear and preparing to move into the dorms in the Fall, she might reconsider.
Best of luck and any questions about UCD, do not hesitate to PM me and I will try to answer.
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As a community college student, this is 100% not true. I started out a UC that wasn’t right for me and then left after a year and went to community college. I had a better social life at my cc than I ever did at my UC even living on campus and more flexibility in my schedule allowed me to intern with a variety of organizations which both boosted my resume over my UC counterparts and allowed me to meet a lot of people. The idea that there isn’t a social life as cc’s is severely outdated at best and classist at worst.
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My concern here would just be perhaps hanging around the wrong people or just losing interest since she is “out of the loop” so to speak. The result would be not getting a high enough GPA to have a good chance of transfer. On the other hand, she could of course flame out while at a 4 year but she would already be there so the repercussions are different. That being said, you are right. She needs to remain focused regardless of the path she takes but I also remember when I as 18 and lets just say my grades first quarter were not nearly up to my usual standards.
Also, the TAG program is excellent. She’s guaranteed readmission to both UCI and UCD. I’ve found as a cc student that students who aren’t dedicated drop out fast. The ones that actually remain on cc campuses are incredibly dedicated especially because a certain gpa and course pattern are required to qualify for TAG. My cc offered the opportunity to travel to different universities (entirely for free) and participate in STEM conferences to meet faculty at prospective schools, a STEM center with free tutoring and weekly networking and social events, opportunity to get close to my professors and their research (many uc and csu professors also teach at cc’s) in a way UC’s just don’t offer due to over admitting. It’s far easier to “fall in with the wrong crowd” at a university that partying, frats, and lots of anonymity due to the size than at a cc which has more of a community environment and focus on academic and career development.
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Some posters here may only know the “regular” CCs from other states. California Community Colleges, especially those with TAGs to UCs, are very different from CCs in other states in that they offer the full slate of (1st/2nd year) undergraduate courses, many even offer courses that cover the Engineering 1st/2nd year curriculum. They’re not all basic gen eds and career classes as may be the case in other states. Some have “student villages” nearby, others even have dorms.
But… that’s unusual in many other states. Californians are very lucky in that. 
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Some family history
D - CCC (4.0 GPA)
HS GPA ~3.6
Applied to UCB, UCD, UCSC and two CSU
She did not TAG - yes on IGETC
LOTS and LOTS of worry
Ultimately was accepted to all of the above and chose CAL (though it provided the least financial offset)
Fast forward three years…
S - same CCC (3.44-3.46 GPA)
HS GPA ~2.6 (yes, really)
TAG to UCD and IGETC
Applied to UCD, UCSC (his favorite campus) and UCB (the stretch) and two CSUs
No answers yet from UCs, accepted to both CSUs
4/1: UPDATE - Accepted to UCSC
Would either of them be accepted to CAL OR UCD out of HS? No. We knew we were going to have thee in college at the same time. So, from the get-go, they knew the path was going to be CCC to 4yr UC or CSU.
The upside? Two years of massive savings per kid! (we have three). Same classes, same books, etc. AND… they got into FAR better programs than they would have from HS.
Cal wasn’t even a ‘dream’ school for my kids out of HS. They are smart, but not smart and world-class athletes, have cured cancer and started a global non-profit. The CCC to world-class UCs is not only obtainable, it is an IDEAL path. The graduation results of CCC transfers are equal to freshman admits, with the bonus that CCC transfer are generally far more humble, they work hard, they really get just how special the UCs are (that is from professors and department heads).
AND finally - the end game is the resume with the University of XX on it. As a Recruiter, I want to see that, and I really like those that have CC on them as well. I know those candidates have grit and brains.
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CC’s would also offer smaller classes and profs who are there mainly to teach (at a research U, which all UC’s are, the focus of most faculty is on research foremost).
I agree with the poster who said “falling in with the wrong crowd” is more likely to happen at big state schools with a ton of parties than at a CC, where the students are there pretty much to improve their lives (nobody goes to a CC to party).
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Thank you for response. I do not know much about TAG yet so am curious why your daughter did not use TAG for UCD, UCSC?
Most smart kids hiss at community college like vampires in the sunlight. If she’s completely hung-up on UCSD, this is a totally reasonable alternative…and seriously, it saves you a ton of money!
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If she is set on the CC course, here is some transfer information to help in her journey.
UC Transfer by Major: Transfers by major | University of California
UC Transfer by source school: Admissions by source school | University of California
TAG matrix: University of California Counselors
The UC’s update the information yearly including major exclusions and GPA TAG requirements.
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Maybe they don’t go to the cc to party, but around us, at least a segment of the typical colleged aged students do party from the multiple stories I’ve heard.
Good question - and I really don’t know. My guess is that she really didn’t know what she wanted to major in, so she couldn’t yet decide which school. I coach my kids to choose your major first, then chose the best schools for that major. My the end of her sophomore year she was half way done and had the 4.0, so she figured she would have a good shot at every school she applied (and that was the case.)
Ultimately she was got her BA in Sociology (pre-law). She did do a program under the UC transfer system (mentoring) where she worked with a Cal student to guide her. While not a guarantee, the program starts the CCC to UC relationship, builds that bond, etc.
Her offer from UCSC was as a Regent’s Scholar (yes, she turned that down), and decided on CAL.
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Excuse my ignorance but is a student only allowed to TAG to one school? And if they TAG are they allowed to apply to other UCs?
Wow. Just wow.
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You can TAG only to one school but can apply to any of the UC’s as a regular transfer applicant.
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Well, again on D19’s friends anecdotes, sounds like at least at SBCC there are enough parties. Again, these are kids planning to go to UCSB. They are just being typical freshmen/sophomores. I have definitely met the kind of person you mean (a high school dropout now in his 20s and intent on doing something with his life, driving uber to pay his way is not going to have enough time to party) but there is definitely a parallel of normal college through these CCs including academics, parties, student style housing, and yes even sport teams.
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@tboooe I’m not sure if this post still applies at it appears your student got into Cal and choosing between Cal and UCD. Congrats!
I agree with @MYOS1634 and @SFBayRecruiter re: benefits of California Community Colleges as a legit on ramp to 4 year public institutions in California.
This on ramp will get continue to be stronger if CA legislature passes recommendations from California’s Recovery with Equity: A Roadmap for Higher Education. See today’s article re: Long Beach CC to CSULB as an example Easing the transfer path in California from community colleges to universities | EdSource
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