<p>I have been researching and digging around for information about inter-campus transfers, and I have few questions. </p>
<p>But first, I would like to introduce myself and my situation. I am an incoming freshman at UCI this fall. I initially applied as Mechanical Engineering for Cal, UCLA, UCSD, UCI, UCSB, and UCD. I was rejected admission from all but UCI. However, even UCI denied me from the major I wanted, and as a result, my major is Undecided/Undeclared. This bothered me because I would have to deal with the hassles of changing into an impacted major. So I decided that if I have to work hard to change my major, I might as well transfer to another UC with a better engineering department. UCSD was my dream school before I was wait-listed and rejected, so I want to transfer to my dream school.</p>
<p>I know the CCC-UC route is much easier than the UC-UC route, but I am dead set on the inter-campus transfer. And fortunately, I am sophomore standing because of the AP credits I accumulated, so I might be able to transfer in a year.
I have AP Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Art History, AP Calculus BC, AP English Language, AP Physics B, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Microeconomics, AP Macroeconomics, and AP US History.</p>
<p>So here come the questions:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Can I not do any of the GE requirements? Or do I have to at least complete some of them?
I know prereq courses and GPA are the most important. In order to successfully transfer in a year, I plan to focus and complete JUST my prereq. Then I'll start doing the GE requirements at my new UC school.</p></li>
<li><p>How does applying to Winter quarters work?
The filing period for Winter Quarter is July 1-31. If I file this month, does that mean I am applying for Winter Quarter of 2014 or 2015?</p></li>
<li><p>Is it necessary to take upper division courses?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>You’re dead set on UCSD. You already got into UCI. Honestly, you wont do well in your classes at UCI if you don’t want to be there. Did you visit UCSD? Have you talked to others about UCSD? I don’t think you can transfer to UCSD after ½ year at UCI regardless of the number of AP credits you have. </p>
<p>I know this is not what you want to hear, but I am going to say it anyway. If you really want to go to UCSD, then the best way to do it is community college. First of all, Mechanical Engineering at UCSD is an impacted major. For you to be able to transfer into that major, you are going to have to complete all of the lower division requirements. Which means that you are going to have to spend at least two years at UCI, even if you have AP credit. </p>
<p>Second, UCSD only accepts applications for the fall quarter, so that means that you are going to have to spend at least a year at UCI. When considering transfer applications, UCSD also gives priority to community college students, which is very bad for you if you decided to follow your plan. That is not even all of the bad news. You are going to be competing with an overwhelming amount of community college students, who are going to have a higher GPA than you because community college is a lot easier than UC’s. UC level work is no joke. You are going to have to take a lot of very difficult classes that are meant to weed people out of your major. </p>
<p>So by going to UCI, you are going really putting yourself in a really big hole. You are going to handicap yourself, by having a lower GPA than your competition and having second tier consideration for admission for a major that is already very difficult to get into at UCSD. I’m telling you right now, you are really making it difficult for yourself. If you want to increase your chances, than go to your local CC.</p>
<p>By the way, why don’t you want to go to community college? You should not be going to a four year university unless you plan to graduate from it. Otherwise, you are just wasting your money.</p>
<p>To answer your questions, no it is not necessary to complete any upper division classes. I doubt that you will even have time to do so if you want to transfer in one year. You just have to complete the major prereqs, but keep in mind that all of those classes may not transfer to UCSD, Which means that you might have to take retake classes at UCSD and that is going to delay your graduation. </p>
<p>Also, are you prepared to spend four years at UCI, because that is a strong possibility. What are you going to do if UCSD rejects you? </p>
<p>@aunt bea yes I have visited UCSD, plenty of times. I never said I wanted to transfer in 1/2 year. </p>
<p>@collegedropout1 I did and still am considering going to a CCC. After I was rejected from UCSD, I mentioned to my mother that I wanted to do the CCC route, but she strongly and stubbornly refused. Informing and convincing a traditionally tenacious Asian parent can be rather complicated. </p>
<p>Furthermore, I already know the difficulties and disadvantages of being an inter-campus transfer. But, I firmly believe I can succeed better this way. I tend to be lazy when I do not have much of a challenge so going to a CC will most definitely make me slack off. Also, I’ve thought about this carefully and extensively; I know that UC classes are harder than CC classes, therefore if do manage to successfully transfer from UCI then I will be at least used to a UC setting. If I successfully complete the CCC route, then I might have a hard time adjusting from easy classes to harder classes.</p>
<p>Also, I do not mind staying at UCI for two years. I just thought I had a shortcut by being a sophomore standing.
And what do you mean by lower division courses? Do you mean the prereqs? Because I looked up UCSD’s mechanical engineering transfer pre-reqs, and I only have to take 7 out of 10 required courses. Since, my AP Calculus BC, and AP Chemistry credits can excuse me.</p>
<p>@dongkimr95 By lower division courses, I mean classes that you take your freshman and sophomore years for your major, mechanical engineering. That means the Calculus, physics, and chemistry classes. You have to check at UCSD to make sure that the AP credit fulfills the requirements. The AP credit might fulfill UCI requirements, but that might not be the same for UCSD. The classes on the left are the ones that you would take if you were going to UCSD.</p>
<p><a href=“http://web1.assist.org/web-assist/report.do?agreement=aa&reportPath=REPORT_2&reportScript=Rep2.pl&event=19&dir=1&sia=IRVINE&ria=UCSD&ia=IRVINE&oia=UCSD&aay=13-14&ay=14-15&dora=MECH+ENGR”>http://web1.assist.org/web-assist/report.do?agreement=aa&reportPath=REPORT_2&reportScript=Rep2.pl&event=19&dir=1&sia=IRVINE&ria=UCSD&ia=IRVINE&oia=UCSD&aay=13-14&ay=14-15&dora=MECH+ENGR</a></p>
<p>Just to put the CC issue to rest, if you are going to UCI, then make sure it is because YOU want to, not because your mom wants you to. If you don’t want to, then you need to tell your mom why don’t you want to go. Stand up to her! Remember that your major is going to influence the type of job you can get. If you go to UCI because your mom tells you to, then you are essentially letting her pick your career. That is just ridicules. Don’t you think you should get a say in that? You need to do what it best for you! If that means going to community college, then do so. Remember, if you don’t like UCI, then it is going to be very hard to do well. </p>
<p>I shouldn’t call you foolish. I’m sorry. I just think you’re doing yourself a great disservice trying to go from UC Irvine to UC San Diego. Why not aim for Berkeley or UCLA? If you tend to be lazy, why don’t you work on that?</p>
<p>As for uc classes being harder than cc classes. That’s not necessarily true. It depends on the cc system. I went to a very strong cc and students from ucsd who came over remarked physics, diff eqs, calc III and ochem were harder at the cc, than at ucsd. I wasn’t surprised, considering the profs were had were phds from ucla, cal, yale, cal tech etc… </p>
<p>Anyway… Engineers don’t have a lot of ge’s to take. Abet accreditation prevent that. Just take major requirements. With the UC to UC agreement, your uc classes will transfer without hiccups. </p>
<p>Ap credits are a different story though. </p>
<p>Winter quarters… most uc’s don’t do that anymore.</p>
<p>As for upper division, no. once you start taking upper divisionals, you will be considered a senior transfer, which uc’s don’t do. </p>
<p>You’re not at a great advantage or anything by going in with Sophomore standing, so rule that out. I jumped into SDSU as an AP-credit-loaded-“sophomore,” and here I am, 2 years later of being an Aztec, transferring to UCLA in the fall. </p>
<p>There may be a few less GE’s you have to take, but you gotta make sure which ones UCI and UCSD accept and if the credit you’re awarded actually goes towards fulfilling GE’s/pre-reqs for your major. Don’t count on any AP credit counting for pre-reqs, though. With that assumption alone, you should expect 2 years at UCI as pre-reqs at a relatively good pace can take that long. 1 year transfer is possible and has been done, but you definitely need to plan it out and get in touch with counselors to help guide you. My point is: a crapload of AP credit =/= shortcut. Misconception. </p>
<p>I totally get where you’re coming from with wanting to be at UCI rather than a CC. You may easily excel at the CC and grow smug, only to find out that once you get into the UC of your dreams, you’re crashing and burning. Hell, some on this website are going to be slapped with a rude awakening come fall. UCI will be good training for you, but don’t see it as a stepping stone. Accept it as your possible place of study for the rest of your undergraduate career, because UCSD may end up rejecting you. Intercampus transfer as you know isn’t as easy as CC-UC transfer.</p>
<p>But take it from someone who transferred from a CSU (lowest priority): it’s possible. </p>