<p>I'm going to be a sophomore this year at a school back east, and I've been considering transferring to a UC school or USC. My question isn't whether I can get in, but if I can even apply at all? </p>
<p>My school is a good one, and I'm not entirely unhappy there, but I miss California, and so it took me awhile (really until this summer) to realize that I might actually want to transfer.</p>
<p>I've done some research and it looks like at least USC and UCSD don't even accept applications for a spring transfer. Is that right? Do they ever make any exceptions?</p>
<p>And if this is so, would it be foolish to take this next year off (essentially taking a year off from school) and then apply for transfer next year? I feel like that may be risky considering some factors like credit transfer. But I could be wrong. I just don't want to dig myself deeper into this school that I'm in if I turn out being even more unhappy.</p>
<p>Thanks to anyone who took the time to read and answer!</p>
<p>USC doesn’t take spring transfer applicants at all. They only take in transfer applications for fall semesters. They might offer you spring admissions instead of fall, but they only take in apps for fall.</p>
<p>Lastly the choice to take a year off is a personal choice. What happens if you don’t even get into USC or a UC? Also take into consideration possible major choice. The UCs are very strict with having pre-reqs for impacted majors completed. USC will be more flexible(again assuming its not an impacted major) with their transfer requirements. I think it would generally be easier to transfer into USC and not have credit transfer issues. You could still graduate in 4 years, you’ll just end up transferring in as a Junior, and be there for 2 years.</p>
<p>Have you considered looking at the claremonts, pepperdine, or occidental for spring transfer?</p>
<p>If the UC campus does not accept spring transfers then, no, they do not make exceptions. Second, not all UC campuses accept Soph transfers, so taking a year off might not help. With rare exception, Cal, for example, only accepts Junior transfers. As liek notes, a Jr transfer into UC must have completed most/all prereqs for that major, particularly if it is “impacted.” </p>
<p>If you really miss California, your best best is to stay home and enroll in a juco and apply for transfer as a Jr. The UCs and USC are transfer-friendly.</p>
<p>liek, I have looked at some of those other schools, and I think I’ll apply to a couple for spring transfer just in case. Would it be okay to transfer to USC/a UC school straight out of one of those schools, though, after one semester? Or would it be a better bet to stick out one more year back east and apply for fall transfer?</p>
<p>thank you both a lot, that really helped</p>