I am currently a first year going to a CSU and hoping to transfer to UC Davis at some point. Should I transfer to a community college and take advantage of certain programs like TAG? I am having a hard time finding classes that are UC transferable at my CSU. If I go to a community college, I can easily find UC transferable classes using assist.org. The only thing I worry about is people telling me that getting the classes you want in community college are highly impacted and difficult. I heard some people are “stuck” at their community college since they are constantly on the wait list of the classes they wanted to take. With that said, should I take my chances and transfer to a community college? I have small hope in transferring from a CSU… after hearing people constantly telling me that it is near impossible to transfer from a CSU to UC.
Is there any program at your community college that would give you priority registration for classes?
First, where are you now, what do you plan to major in and why do you want to transfer to Davis?
As you evaluate this choice, you should know that TAG requires 30 California CC units to be on your transcript when you apply - of course transfers happen the following academic year. I think it will be tough to do without delaying your transfer by a year or more. You certainly could transfer without TAG CSU-CC-UCD without TAG but, don’t have the guarantee - so you are competing with the masses - and since the admission is somewhat subjective, you risk not getting in because someone didn’t like your personal statement. Yikes!
You highlight some very valid but countervailing concerns of making this change. How do you weigh some chance of "Getting stuck’ off of the advantage of Assist is hard to say but, transferring to a CC is not without risk. Some CCs have stellar advisors and plentiful classes. Others are crowded and don’t offer students much support so, pick the right school. We live in a large metro area and it isn’t uncommon for really motivated CC students to attend several classes to get the courses they need.
People can and do transfer from CSUs to UCs every year so, it is certainly possible, You can use the drop downs and radio buttons on the Transfer by Yr and GPA tabs on this tool to see how many and what their GPA was - helping you asses your odds. . https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/admissions-source-school
In my experience, the admissions advisors at UCs will work with you to ID the right courses each semester if you are having trouble mapping courses.
In all likelihood, your best shot at an expeditious and graduation is staying put and applying to transfer as a Jr. Obviously, your answers to my questions above could change that.
Good luck
I’m reading this to mean that when you submit the TAG in November in order to to enroll at a UC the following Fall that you must already have 30 CCC units. If that is the intended statement, I don’t think it is correct (although I’m only about 90% sure)
Most UCs are kinda murky about this. UCSB is the only one I know that appears to clearly state you need only the last 30 units out of the 60 at a CCC
The TAG matrix at University of California Counselors says
But since UCSB seems to allow units before the last 30 to be taken anywhere, and UCSB is part of “All UC campuses”, my interpretation is “Who can file a TAG?” does not refer to requirements in November when the TAG is sent in, but instead is a basic eligibility rule.
Somewhat later in that same document they have the heading “Minimum UC transferable units completed to submit a TAG” so again it seems “file a tag” and “submit a tag” are referring to 2 different things. And all the UCs list having 30 semester units, but don’t say anything about them coming from CCCs. Actually Davis is the only one that has a more restrictive clause, they require enrollment at a CCC from the Spring the year prior to submitting the TAG onward; no other UC requires you to have been enrolled at a CCC for Spring of what is normally the frosh year. Since the OP wants Davis, finishing this year at a CSU will make her/him ineligible to file a TAG in Fall 2017.
TAG applications are due in September. Your quote from the the TAG matrix makes the 30 CCC units at the time of application requirement pretty clear - and spells out that the requirement applies to all TAG UCs. If the OP transfers to a CCC, he won’t be eligible to apply for TAG until he has earned 30 units there.
I encourage the OP to call UCD admissions office to confirm before taking any action.