TAG Unit Requirement

[anthonyvel]

Hello!

I am attempting to TAG to UCSB for the Fall 2021 academic year and so far I think all requirements are met. I was concerned, however, with the fact that I will have 28 transferable units by the end of Spring 2021 , and the requirement is 30 ( I took courses at a 4-year university prior to community college). I did take an AP Exam in high school, but I don’t know if it can be used to satisfy the 30. If this is the case, I will be above 30 transferable units. I’m probably overthinking and it does count towards the 30, but I really just want reassurance. Can AP Exams be used to satisfy the 30-transferable units requirement for TAG?

[mikemac]

I’m not a UC adcom, but I don’t think you qualify for TAG.

Who can file a TAG?
Only students transferring directly from a California community college (CCC) are considered for a TAG

A CCC transfer student is one who has completed at least 30 semester (45 quarter) UC-transferable units at one or more California community colleges. The last college the student attended in a regular session (fall/spring or fall/winter/spring) before admission to a UC campus must be a California community college.

https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/_assets/files/transfer-requirements/tag-matrix.pdf

The AP units will count for xfer credit towards the 60 you need, but as I read the rules they don't qualify to make you a CCC transfer since they weren't completed at a CCC

Best to check directly with UCSB admissions: https://admissions.ext-prod.sa.ucsb.edu/contact-us

[anthonyvel]

I have been misreading the requirement this entire time. I did not realize that the 30 semester units needed to be completed by the time I apply for TAG. I don’t have any cc classes completed yet. I started cc this fall after attending a university for one year (42 semester units). For some reason I was under the assumption that I needed to have 30 units by Spring of 2021! Oh well. I already submitted the TAG, so I will be receiving a rejection email soon. Hopefully regular admissions won’t be too bad.

[mikemac]

I did not realize that the 30 semester units needed to be completed by the time I apply for TAG. For some reason I was under the assumption that I needed to have 30 units by Spring of 2021!

That assumption is actually correct. You just need to qualify as a CCC student at the end of the spring prior to entry. It’s just like the 60 transferable unit requirement to enter as a junior; you don’t have to have 60 units when you apply to UC, you just need to have them at the end of the spring prior to entry. When UC gets your final transcripts in the summer prior to entry they will verify you meet the rules (60 units, 7 course pattern, etc. etc. as well as TAG if that’s how they admitted you). When UC schools send you an admission offer it is always conditional. See https://admissions.ucsc.edu/apply/conditions-faq.html for an example from UCSC

UCSB even says the 30 CCC units only need to be done by spring. https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/sites/default/files/2020-09/UCSB_TAG.pdf Point 3 says you need 30 college units to submit a TAG but doesn’t have any restrictions on where they come from. Point 6 says you need 30 CCC units by spring as part of your 60 total.

BTW is there a reason you can’t take 2 additional units to get the 30 at a CCC?

[anthonyvel]

Oh really?? I can definitely add two extra units to my Spring 2021 workload if that means I can qualify for TAG! So as long as I have 30 units completed at a community college by Spring of 2021, I am good to go? I will have completed 15 units at a community college by the end of this fall, and the rest will be taken in the Spring. Someone informed me that 30 units need to be completed prior to TAG submission, but is that not the case now or was I misinformed?

[mikemac]

^^^ I updated the reply, see the UCSB link

Be sure those 2 extra units are transferable units, UC wants to see 30 transferable units at a CCC

Also since this is such a turning point, I suggest you don’t take advice from random people (including me!) but contact UCSB admissions directly

[anthonyvel]

You’re right. This transfer process is just so stressful, and I wanted all of the insight and help I could get. I contacted UCSB admissions directly, and they sent me this:

Thank you for your interest in the UC Santa Barbara Transfer Admission Guarantee program (TAG). In order to be eligible for the TAG at UCSB, students must earn at least 30 units at a California community college (CCC) and their last term of attendance prior to transfer must be at a CCC. The GPA requirement for UCSB’s TAG is a 3.4 by the end of the fall term a student applies for TAG and regular admission. Full TAG requirements can be found on our TAG letter available online here: https://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/tag. UCSB only offers a TAG for the fall term for junior level transfers.

The TAG application is done online via the Transfer Academic Planner (UC-TAP) and must be submitted during the month of September. Students must also submit a UC application to UCSB in the same major indicated on the TAG application.

As long as students meet full TAG requirements, their admission to UCSB is guaranteed.
Thank you,

[Ohm888]

@anthonyvel cut to the chase: AP can be used to fulfill the 30.

[ucbalumnus]

@Ohm888

@anthonyvel cut to the chase: AP can be used to fulfill the 30.

But be sure to count the AP credit by what UC gives: https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/ap-exam-credits/ap-credits/ . Note also that if you have taken a college course covering the same material as AP credit represents, you will only get credit once, not twice.