Schedule/Transfer Guidance

Transfer Students
1

<p>My first semester at my CCC is almost over and I already have a possible schedule that I may follow during these two years here. I just wanted some advice, comments, etc. as to how I will do with my schedule or what I should do, in terms of taking classes or applying to schools.</p>

<p>My GPA after this semester will be about a 3.6 and I am thinking of applying as a Mechanical Engineering major. However, I am still considering my major and may even dedicate myself to a much lesser impacted major. I probably will end up not doing the Scholars program at my CCC but it is still a possibility. I will probably not follow the IGETC because of the major that I am currently primarily focusing on, though I am basically going to complete it since there is very little or no difference from the courses that I will take. </p>

<p>First question: will doing a major like Physics, instead of ME, help me in the admissions process? My intuition tells me that it definitely will because I would only have to shoot for a GPA close to the one that is shown under UCLA's Transfer Statistics for admitted GPA to Physics. </p>

<p>Schedule for the two years at CCC:</p>

<p>1st semester(Fall):
Math 5A - Calculus I
Chem 1A - Freshman Chem
Drftg 8A - Engr. Design Principles
English 1A - Freshman English
CS 2 - Fundamentals of Comp. Sci.
Engr 10 - Introduction to Engr.</p>

<p>Total: 23 units</p>

<p>Winter:
Phys 1A - Physics w/ Calc.
Engl 1B - Second Freshman English</p>

<p>Total: 9 units</p>

<p>2nd semester (Spring):
Chem 1B - Second Freshman Chem
Phys 1B - Second Physics
Math 5B - Calc. II
Math 10 - Linear Algebra
Engr 6 - Engr. Design</p>

<p>Total: 22 units</p>

<p>Summer:
Math 5C - Calc. III</p>

<p>Total: 5 units</p>

<p>3rd semester (Fall):
Math 55 - Differential Equations
Phys 1C - Third Physics
Philo 20A - Ancient Philosophy
Engr 15A - Applied Mechanics - Statics
Engr 2 - Second Engr. Design
Geog 3 - World Regional Geography</p>

<p>Total: 22 units</p>

<p>Winter:
Russ 11 - Russian Civilization
Biol 1A - Freshman Biology</p>

<p>Total: 7 units</p>

<p>4th semester (Spring):
Phys 1D - Fourth Physics
Engr 17 - Dynamics
Biol 1B - Second Biology
Russ 3 - Russian, 3rd year
CS 3A - Object Oriented Programming in C++</p>

<p>Total: 22 units</p>

<p>This schedule seems to be a rather rigorous one and I hope that it will show my determination and motivation towards academic achievement/success. Sadly, I despise the impacted nature of Engineering majors and it makes me want to switch to Physics so that I wouldn't have to have as high a GPA (~3.8 this year for UCLA for ME, ~3.5-3.6 for Physics), and I would have an easier time with my courses because I would not have to take as many units and I could take a lot of other classes and even complete the GEs and all my major reqs. </p>

<p>I would like my schedule to be evalauted with consideration of the schools that I will be applying to. I would also like any suggestions regarding applying to the schools that I am interested in. I hope to have UCSD as a safety because it will be the one school that I will apply to as one. I hope to have UCLA and UCB perhaps as matches, or slight reaches probably because of the unpredictable nature of admissions at both schools. It is almost definite that I will have no chance whatsoever in applying to Caltech, but I will do so nonetheless. Is my schedule geared towards my current goals? How is my GPA looking so far towards my goals?</p>

<p>Sadly, there are a few courses that are not required at all but I have to take as prereqs at my school. Intro to Engr. is only recommended by UCB, Drftg 8A is a prereq for Engr 2 and 6, and CS 2 is prereq to CS 3A. Another thing that I am somewhat nervous about is that I have to take the Biology classes that only Biology/Med majors have to take. These are known to be extremely rigorous courses and they are required of me by Caltech, so I will do anything to please them =P. Also, even through the hell that I am going to go through by taking so many classes...I am still not going to be finished with the GE reqs and my major prereqs!!! I will only be missing 3 courses: Engl 25F as a GE, Anthr 1 as a GE, and Engr 16 as a major prereq (and perhaps Engr 14 for UCLA). </p>

<p>Am I hindering my chances at all by taking so many technical courses this year and not having almost any GE classes at all??? Am I on the right track by focusing so much on my major prereqs, as that a good thing??</p>

<p>Should I be considering USC? The science programs at USC seem to be weaker than at UCLA, UCSD, and UCB while the Engineering program is fine.</p>

<p>All advice and help is appreciated. (Thanks guys!)</p>

2

<p>It seems like you are overly obsessed with this whole process. You should choose a major based on what interests you. </p>

<p>And you mentioned the "unpredictable nature of admissions at both schools" referring to UCB and UCLA. That is actually not the case. Both are public schools and follow a process of comprehensive review that is entirely outlined online. It's hard to characterize that as "unpredictable."</p>

<p>Pick a major based on what you're interested in, get As, and you'll get in. Don't nitpick every detail because the adcoms won't. This isn't like applying to an ivy.</p>

3

<p><em>sigh</em>...perhaps I am overly obsessed about this process...but I am spending two years at a community college and I wish to have my time go into the greatest good that it possibly can...and I really want to be admitted to the schools that are my top choices, unlike what happened right out of high school.</p>

<p>I will choose a major based on what interests me, =P. It's just that both of those subjects interest me very much and choosing one over the other in order to have a higher chance for admission to my top-choice schools is worth it, because I wouldn't regret choosing something I like and if I am admitted then it would have been definitely worth the switch.</p>

<p>The nature of admissions at UCB and UCLA seemed unpredictable because I have read many posts on here where students fret of the "disaster" that has and may continue to happen, with regards to students not being admitted even with TAP and extremely high GPA's. Also, I read that they tend to work together on the admissions process and it is not very common for both of them to admit the same student.</p>

<p>The problem with your advice is I am becoming more and more unsure of myself with the "get As" part. After this semester, I have realized that I was not as good at math and chemistry as I thought I was. Perhaps it is because of the circumstances that I had to face during this semester or it may even have been with the whole transition to college thing, or even the problems at home. To amend for this, I need to acquire more confidence in my chances of transferring.</p>

4

<p>"The nature of admissions at UCB and UCLA seemed unpredictable because I have read many posts on here where students fret of the "disaster" that has and may continue to happen, with regards to students not being admitted even with TAP and extremely high GPA's. Also, I read that they tend to work together on the admissions process and it is not very common for both of them to admit the same student."</p>

<p>That is an extremely troublesome paragraph. Obviously your concerns are irrational, based on uninformed conjecture on this board--which highlights the need for something like a FAQ. I have pointed out numerous times on this board that the idea of Berkeley and UCLA working together on transfer admissions is a complete myth. Each school DOES NOT know the other UCs you applied to.</p>

<p>Furthermore, those overemphasized cases of students with TAP and/or extremely high GPAs being rejected CAN CERTAINLY be explained. You do not get a full picture of those students. In fact, those stories last year were mostly hearsay. A person would say, "I heard that my friend's brother got rejected even though he had a 4.0 and TAP!" In the rare case it was a direct experience, we never had the full stats to make a judgment. The person relating his/her experience is prone to not tell the whole story, his/her own surprise probably related to his/her ignorance of some important factor.</p>

<p>All of the factors in the comprehensive review process are outlined on the web. I encourage you to take a look at them. Each UC has developed its own way of going about comprehensive review; but it isn't 'mysterious' because they outline all the details of their process online or in literature.</p>

<p>Anyway, you should be able to get As in the discipline you enjoy the most--or at least enjoy getting whatever grades you do get.</p>

5

<p>Alright, I will definitely read about all of this.</p>

<p>For some reason, I am not getting As, currently, in the discipline that I enjoy. I don't know...</p>

<p>May my other concerns be addressed?</p>

<p>By the way, I will have extremely crappy ECs (like nothing at all...) and was wondering how much that will hurt me...</p>

6

<p>*I hope to have UCSD as a safety because it will be the one school that I will apply to as one. *</p>

<p>Why are you limiting yourself to those 3 choices? UCSB can be a safety, and it has a very good engineering program (the graduate program is ranked #21 in the nation).</p>

7

<p>Yep--all the UCs are excellent.</p>

8

<p>Because that is nowhere near my current goals. If I was going to transfer to UCSB, I might as well have attended Cal Poly Pomona right out of high school as I almost did, until I switched over to a CCC so that I could have another shot at my dreams...</p>

9

<p>Your dreams are one thing, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't prepare for what you will do in the case that you aren't accepted to your dream schools. Always have a few safeties in mind that you will enjoy your time at. And it's not like your life will be completely incredible if you get into the top 3 UCs but completely disastrous if you get into the mid tier UCs. It's all about how you approach your educational goals.</p>

10

<p>Yeah...I do have to pick safeties. But I am probably only going to settle for UCSD as a safety because if I pick more safeties, then the applications costs keep going up and my motives would be rather questionable because I could have just went to an equal school right out of high school.</p>

<p>Though, it is a rather sad decision seeing as how I may be majoring in Engineering and admissions specific to it is rather tricky and risky...</p>

11

<p>and my motives would be rather questionable because I could have just went to an equal school right out of high school.</p>

<p>Don't let the past affect your decision in the futures. Forget everything that happened before and take it from what you have since you started CC. I personally wouldn't stick with UCSD as a safety, it perhaps can be a safe match in your situation, but you should still consider a mid-tier UC to be an absolute safety in your situation.</p>

12

<p>Then I would probably go down to UCI. This causes another question to appear because I was offered admission by UCI for this winter quarter and I didn't take the offer because of my goals to get into much better schools...</p>

13

<p>"my motives would be rather questionable because I could have just went to an equal school right out of high school."</p>

<p>Are you implying that each UC sees the other UCs you apply to? Because that is not the case. There is nothing questionable about applying to a mid-tier UC just in case--even one you could have gotten in to awhile ago. The only cost associated with applying to another UC is 60 dollars--that's IT.</p>

14

<p>Nope, he's saying that he went to a community college for "rank jumping" reasons, and if he can't get into the top tier UCs, his time at the community college would be a waste since he could have gone to the mid-tier UCs as a freshman and now he'll be going to them anyway.</p>

<p>This is actually one of the reasons I think going to a CC for rank jumping purposes is not a good idea, because you're going to torture yourself over with what-ifs and regret if things don't work out exactly how you planned.</p>

<p>For Xcron, I just suggest you stop worrying so much. It's great that you have such ambitions for college, but you have to keep in mind that things in life don't always work out according to plan. In addition, don't let regret over past decisions ever affect how you're going to make your current decisions.</p>

<p>I also have to take issue with calling the top tier UCs "much better schools". Are they ranked higher? Yes. Are they more well known? Perhaps. Will going to the top tier UCs guarantee you more success than the mid-tier UCs? I think NO. It all depends on the attitude you have enterting the schools. </p>

<p>If you come in to a mid-tier school and have the right attitude, no doubt you can be successful. Yeah, I was bummed about being rejected to almost all the UCs as a freshman, and then to the top tier UCs as a transfer. But I came to UCSB ready to learn, and I'm enjoying my time here. I'm excited about my classes, looking for internships, getting ready to apply to the UC-DC program (which all UCs offer), and I've gotten over the other UCs not accepting me.</p>

<p>Now, for all we know, you may very well be accepted to UCB/UCLA/UCSD and you'll have a great time there. But just in case that doesn't happen, have a backup plan, and have a safety that you'll enjoy. And if by chance you don't get into those 3, make sure you keep the same ambition you have as you would have had attending those 3 schools.</p>

15

<p>I agree with rc251. You should apply for at least one safety, because if you get rejected from all the other top uc's you're going to be the one left unhappy. Life isn't always going to work out the way you want it to. And i'm sure you'll be fine if you attend a midtier uc. If you attend a mid tier uc it doesn't mean that you are doomed for failure. I know this person who was hired before she even graduated from uci and she's making $60,000 a year as a computer engineer. She says she has friends who graduated from berkeley as a business major who could not find a job for over a year. Even if you end up at mid-tier uc, I don't think you would waste your time at cc. First you would be saving yourself money. Secondly, you would know that you have tried transferring to the top uc's from a cc. If you stayed at a mid tier uc and tried transfering to a top tier uc from there, and got rejected, you might have kicked yourself for not going to a cc because its easier to get into the top uc's from a cc. This way you would have no regrets even if you got into a midtier uc from cc. The only thing you would be wasting is dorm life and the social aspect of college. And of course there is grad school. Since grad schools look at high gpa, and it may be easier to get a higher gpa from a mid tier uc, it might work to your advantage if you end up at a mid tier uc.</p>