Hey everyone! So I am a freshman at Portland Community College, and it is my dream to transfer to UC Berkeley as a junior. I understand that California Community Colleges have absolute priority for transferring to a UC, so my chances are already very slim. I also know that students who already go to a California University have the lowest priority when it comes to transferring to another California University. With that being said, I am wondering if my chances at getting accepted to Berkeley will be even less if I were to attend Portland State University my second year, and apply as a transfer to Berkeley from there. I know that CCC students have the main priority, but does that mean that transferring from an out of state four year university would give me the same priority as transferring from an out of state community college? Please let me know! Thank you all!
I’m not sure where you’re getting that a ca college has lowest priority. int’l have lowest followed by 4-yr OOS. That said a community college OOS has an OK chance, not as good as CCC, UC-UC, or CSU but you could do it. Hopefully, your calendar term matches the UC you wish to apply to (semester vs quarter), which makes it easier. Berkeley would be the toughest, but would depend on GPA and major.
OOS transfer admission to UCB is a long shot- especially with the new budget deal that caps OOS students going forward. Applying from Portland State vs Portland CC won’t change your odds a bit. Pursue your current educational path -apply to a few UCs sophomore year and see what happens.
Good luck
Can you afford the out of state costs?
Yes, I can. The tuition cost isn’t the problem for me. The priority aspect of it is. I will be applying with a 3.86 GPA, completion of almost all the major requirements by the end of fall term, etc. I have done tons of volunteer work over the years, I will be doing clinical research at UCSF over the summer, and will be doing the same at OHSU over the course of the following academic year. With that being said, none of that would guarantee me acceptance, even if I was in state. That’s why since I am applying out of state, I want to make sure that I do not put myself in a situation that makes me less of a priority to Berkeley than I already am.
I am also applying to the Psychology major, and that is extremely competitive at Berkeley as well.
@ncalrent, I believe that is not accurate. The UCs do put higher emphasis on transfers coming from any community college (even OOS) over a 4-year. I’ve heard that from advisors and have seen several successful cc transfers from Wa state and Oregon. That said, it is lower down the totem pole and Berkeley is the hardest. The big key is course matching which can be a headache.
And I wouldn’t worry too much about OOS caps, as they were raising them every year for years, up until this year. So they’re still at the highest they’ve ever been.
Your ECs are stellar, BTW.
What you need to do:
- Go to assist.org. Plug in any CCC, then choose a UC and major. See what the major reqs are. Major req completion is the main priority.
- Do that with each UC.
- Then look at the bottom of the home page on assist. It will say explore majors. Select it. Choose UC campuses. Then choose Berkeley and select your major. At the top it will then say IGETC followed by a yes or a no. If it's no, you will have breadth to complete, usually as much as you can. The college housing your major will tell you it's breadth req. Always do the two English and quantitative math before you apply.
If you need IGETC, it’s a bit harder, but essentially the same.
- Do not take too many upper division courses as that could put you over the unit caps. You can take as many lower division as you want. Not sure if the research you're talking about is UD.
Here are the unit cap rules by campus:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/uc-transfer-maximum-limitation-policy-chart.pdf
A great number of OOS are eliminated because they had no idea what they were doing and are instantly ineligible, either through under minimum units, not finishing major prep, and missing the English or math.
A 3.86 GPA and solid ECs will make you a solid transfer candidate at many top schools. I’d encourage you to apply to UW and UofO as well.
@lindyk8
I stand by my statement - Applying as a Portland State student vs Portland CC student won’t really change your chances much. Just a handful of non-international OOS transfer applicants are accepted at UCB every year. Last year it was 44 of 480 applicants;. in 2013 it was 25 of 420.
- use this page to see for yourself
http://universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfer-admissions-summary
If you do more extra curriculars. you are a solid candidate for UC Berkeley. Make sure it is medical related. Leadership positions will help as well.
I have already competed the English requirement, and I will finish the Quantitative Reasoning requirement in the fall. If I have not completed the Math requirement at the time of application, but I am in the middle of taking the course when I apply, would that put me at a disadvantage? Or would it not weigh in very much for the final decision?
Also, thank you all so much for the help!
@TheGodfather19 completing in fall is fine.
Assuming you have fulfilled the major req, etc, you stand an excellent chance IMO. Keep us posted.
@ncalrent, we will agree to disagree. 
Thank you for the help! For the UC Berkeley Psychology major, they require two quantitive reasoning courses, plus Psych 10. The general UC quantitive requirement is only one course. With that being said, I should be done with everything else except one quantitive reasoning course and Psych 10 by the end of the Fall term. I plan to be done with every major requirement except Psych 10 by the end of Spring term! (Psych 10 is not offered at my school, I would have to take it at Berkeley). For Psychology at UCB, I have to get accepted to the school, not directly to the major. So would that mean that UCB cares mainly about the minimum transfer requirements for the school itself? Or the completion of every single major requirement before transfer? Which one is the most important at the time of application?
Psych is in Letters and Science which requires full IGETC. You need to contact an advisor at UCB to find out how to proceed.
Everything else you said is fine. It’s just the IGETC part.
(BTW, for IGETC, you will have to take an english course at the UC as no course outside the CCC fulfills the English critical thinking/comp, except maybe a few at a CSU. There’s nothing you can do about it and they know that. But fulfill the two english composition courses. They may let it slide.)
Here’s a jumping off point re: categories. Use the bottom seven sections on the list to hopefully match with courses you have taken.
http://oneyeartransfer.com/post/68354504607/uc-berkeley-college-of-letters-science-and-the
Below are the IGETC rules:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/transfer/advising/igetc/
@TheGodfather19 Can you enroll in an on-line transferable course equivalent to Psych 10 at a CCC while you prepare to enter Berlekey? I took an on-line class at a distant CCC as advised by a UCB advisor in my intended major when it was not available at my school. It helped me get in and positioned me to hit the ground running.
That’s a good idea @mamoi77, but it might be one of those weeder classes they want you to take at Cal. I did not look. If it is available, that’s an excellent option.
@lindyk8 Actually, IGETC is not an admission requirement, it is an option. For UCB Psychology, the actual requirements are the English, Quantitive Reasoning, and Foreign Language requirements. On top of that, a 3.0+ GPA, and a 3.2+ GPA in all major prep courses. it lists it all right here. http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/transfer/preparation-paths/psychology-majors/ucberkeley-psychology.html
Aside from that, another thing I am worried about is the foreign language requirement. It says that 3 years of a high school foreign language is required. I only took two years in high school. How can I complete that before entering Berkeley? Is it something that really can prevent me from getting accepted?
@MaMoi77 Should I do that if I were to get accepted to Berkeley, or do it earlier? I still attend PCC and have not yet transferred to PSU. If I were to stay and apply to UCB from PCC, I am only allowed so many CC credits that transfer to a UC (105 quarter credits). Since I am doing pre-med along with majoring in Psychology, I anticipate that I will have more than 105 quarter credits, which would deny me admission to a UC. It would also be a problem for Medical School acceptance since they only accept up to a 105 quarter credits from a CC. That is one reason why I am watching what courses I take from here on out, especially at a CC.
You know, it’s really bugging me that it keeps saying all over the place that Berkeley L&S requires full IGETC and then I keep seeing statements to the contrary. This keeps happening. All the CCCs seem to think it’s a requirement. Seriously. Google it. It’s written everywhere. So I wonder if they recently changed the policy? Why the confusion? Anyway, good news for you.
UPDATE: OK, I think although I need this verified that transfer students from a CCC are required to fulfill IGETC. Students from a non-CCC can do breadth.
Here is another link that implies IGETC. I swear every single CCC says full IGETC is required for a L&S. Anyhow, no matter what the situation, I think you’re in the clear as you are non-CCC: