Senior Transfer...

<p>Hello, so I have been at a junior college in California for 3 years now. I was a business major my first year, but I then changed my major to engineering (that's why people go to community college, right?) </p>

<p>Normally, it takes most students 3 years to complete everything required to transfer out as an engineering major. But now, I'm forced to stay at my community college for a 4th year, because I do not have my physics and math requirements done to transfer to most UC schools, since I took strictly business courses my 1st year. </p>

<p>So, I feel hopeless right now, because I DO NOT want to be in community college for an extra year. Is there any major that I can apply as so that I can get into the college, then transfer as an engineering major later? </p>

<p>It appears that I cannot transfer as undeclared, according to the UC apply page, so what do I do?</p>

<p>I NEED HELP BEFORE I LOSE MY MIND!!!</p>

<p>Pre-reqs are there for a reason… if you don’t have your lower div tech classes finished before you transfer, it’ll take you extra time at your UC trying to catch up. That said, if you’re only missing one or two you can probably still get in somewhere. If you’re really missing a years worth of pre-reqs, well, honestly you’d be better off taking them before transferring.</p>

<p>Also, I think you’ll still be a junior after transferring… You need to do upper division coursework, you can do that at a CC. And that typically takes about two years to finish. Not to mention UC will only count 70 of your CC units towards the 120 (semester) credits required for graduation. You still get subject credit for everything, but the number itself is capped to force you to stay two years.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Engineering is impacted at a lot of the UC’s, so it’s usually one of the majors that you can’t just switch into after transferring. This is also because, as mentioned earlier, it has a lengthy prerequisite sequence preventing students that switch into it from another major from graduating on time, which looks bad for the university. It’s also likely the most competitive group of majors in the UC system as a whole, so demand for enrollment is much higher than actual places in most UC’s engineering departments. </p>

<p>Secondly, something to be aware of is that many of the UC’s have a maximum unit limit for enrolled students that only permits you to take a set amount of units before you have to graduate or you’re prevented from enrolling in classes. For most of the UC’s this is somewhere around 200-220 quarter units (~145 semester units), which typically makes it so that you only have a maximum of 3 - 3.5 years as a transfer student. This normally isn’t an issue, but can be for students that switch majors multiple times or switch late in their college career and still have a lot of lower and upper division courses to complete for their degree. It’s also why the UC’s are so strict about prerequisite completion because transfers that still are completing their lower division requirements after they transfer are less likely to complete their degree before the maximum unit limit and that affects the school’s graduation rates. </p>

<p>Thirdly, you should really think about the financial implications of completing your lower division coursework at a UC when you have the opportunity to complete it in CC. Tuition at a UC is phenomenally higher than at the CC level and you’re setting yourself up to spend longer at a UC, which effectively means spending a lot more money. Tuition alone is about 12-15 times more without room and board. If you’re living rent free with your parents in CC it’s also an additional $10000+/yr to live on campus at a UC. You’re roughly adding another $30000+ onto your education bill by extending your stay at a UC for an extra year. Something to consider also is that financial aid isn’t indefinite. You only are awarded things like Cal Grant/Pell Grant for so many years, so if you depend on FA for tuition. It may not be there if you’re enrolled for a 3rd or 4th year as a transfer. </p>

<p>Lastly, engineering is probably the most rigorous academic path you can choose as an undergraduate. Not surprisingly, it’s probably the major that most undergrads switch out of most often, so make sure it’s something you’re actually passionate about and dedicated to if that’s what you’re going to major in. I say this because you seem somewhat unsure of what you want to do with your education and business and engineering are the two classic “I picked it because I’ve heard the degree makes a lot of money” majors. Really make sure you enjoy what you’re learning because if you think you’re in a bad situation now, it would be a lot worse if you switch into engineering only to discover you hate it. Except this time you probably will have too many units to attempt another major before reaching the unit maximum and you’ll have to leave the UC without anything to show for it aside from tens of thousands of dollars in student loans.</p>

<p>Edit: As failure622 mentioned as far as the UC’s are concerned you’ll still be a junior level transfer. This would be true even if you spent 10 years in CC because you can’t fulfill any upper division requirements at a CC. As failure said you’ll also be capped at a maximum of 70 semester units, regardless of how many CC units you have, which is junior standing.</p>