Should I Apply?

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

Hi yall. I’m deciding whether or not to apply for transfer now, this upcoming November 30th (yikes). I’ve looked through a couple of discussions on here but I’d like some more specific advice, if any would like to stay and listen :slight_smile:

I’m currently a first year with sophomore standing at a CSU(quarter system). I’ll have ~110 quarter units in credits by the end of Spring 2018, ~50 of which come from APs. This would technically make me eligible to apply as a junior, but I know UCs don’t take straight AP credit, but this is credit granted to me by CSU. Do these credits still count?
I know that each UC takes CSU classes differently, and I’m familiar with ASSIST. I still have yet to check my classes.
I realize that I’d be on a time crunch here, since applications are due Nov 30, but I’ve already got a bit of experience with the UC application from last year (I know the PI questions are a bit different). I’d be applying to schools like Irvine or SD.

Now for qualitative stuff (if you don’t care, skip to after the curly braces)
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My CSU is a stellar school by all means (except dormitory bathrooms). Still, I feel like I’d have a greater sense of belonging at a UC, especially since I’m dorming at a major commuter school. Pretentious as all hell, I know, but this big-fish-little-pond mentality is something I really didn’t think I’d be so uncomfortable with. Of course, there’s also a school pride thing. It’s hard to feel accomplishment announcing your school when every student’s bounced by 7pm, you’re stranded on a deserted campus every weekend, and the most common response to my school name is “Huh. Where is that?”
}

I know this was way long-winded, so thanks for reading. Please let me know if there’s some big factor I’m forgetting, whether I should attempt it, leave it for next year, get over my God complex and find some real friends, move this discussion to another thread, etc. Any feedback appreciated.

TL;DR - First-year at CSU with enough credits (including from AP) to apply transfer.

2

who told you that? UCs definitely give credit for AP. To frosh or to transfers. They could care less what your current school thinks of the AP classes, they decide what you get credit for and how much. See http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/exam-credit/ap-credits/ and also the tables of credit given at the schools you are considering.

It sounds like you’d be happier at a UC, especially one where students live on/near campus. I’d be a little leery of SD; great school but most students after frosh year disperse to PB, MB, and the greater San Diego area; the campus is pretty deserted late afternoon on. Take a look at Davis, UCSB, etc.

3

@mikemac is correct, AP credits count toward your transfer unit requirement so, you can apply now. Your risk is that your GPA is probably dependent on just a couple of classes.

I see no downside to applying to several UCs and a couple of CSUs to boot. You won’t need to pick between them until you get their acceptances - you can do some campus visits in the interim.

I don;t know your GPA or major so, it is hard to advise. As you’d guess, UCM, UCR and UCSC will be the easiest targets but, even there, the threshold varies widely by major.

This may help guide you - transfer GPA by major by campus for all the UCs.

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfers-major

As my mom would say, Go for it !

Good luck.

4

@NCalRent Sorry for the late reply. I’m a Computer Science major (yikes, I know). At the time of application, I’ll have only one real grade from a community college class I took in high school, which was an A.