The most important factor when picking a UC

Transfer Students UC Transfers
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<p>This is just my opinion , but from my rather negative experience with transferring to UCR a few years ago I'd have to say that by far the most important factor when picking a UC is the graduation rate . </p>

<p>It doesn't matter how good anything else is , if you can't get the classes you need . Both the graduation after transfer rate and the normal graduation rate are easily available . At this point the vast majority of you are set on one college or another , but i'd like to offer a bit of advice . </p>

<p>If your transferring to UCB or UCLA this thread isn't for you , your a genius and you're going to a fantastic school . If your considering UCR or UCM please read this . </p>

<p>Here's what happened to me , I transfered to UCR , after my first quarter I released it would be impossible for me to actually graduate in a reasonable amount of time . With the trouble I had getting classes I wasn't even sure If I could finish in 3 years . This , combined with the tuition increase , and other personal factors which impacted my ability to pay , lead me to drop out . To be honest I was really depressed after this .(But hold on , this all has a good ending !) </p>

<p>A disclaimer , I messed up French my last semester at CC , but even with that class I don't think I would of gotten the classes I needed to finish in 3 years .
I sure didn't look up UCR's graduation rate until I was deadset on going their , as in I picked out my room and everything . </p>

<p>The summer before going to UCR I was supposed to take 12 units of summer classes to make up the french class I got a no pass in . Here's the fun part , I ended up working an awesome job that summer instead , which directly lead to my current position . </p>

<p>I'm not going to gloat , I got extremely EXTREMELY lucky( and I get to work a bunch of great smart people ) , but when I go to a CSU to finish my degree( its going to be a few years ) , I wont qualify for a dime in financial aid . It's bitter sweet . </p>

<p>This isn't me saying you don't need college , but you have to be very realistic on what your time is worth , how much college cost ( several UC Regents have large investments in banks which directly benefit from college costing more and students having to pay for an extra year of school ) , as well as what your end goals are . </p>

<p>If your coming from a family that doesn't qualify for a lot of financial aid( even if you do get a lot of need based aid , Blue and Gold is only good for the first 2 years for transfers ) it might be unreasonable to spend a large amount of money on a UC if your going to be forced into an extra year . I have a close friend from such a family who decided to go to a (cc first ) CSU , work full time , and graduate without a single dime in debt . </p>

<p>Honestly I'd rather take 7 years to graduate without debt , while gaining work experience , then graduate with 50-60k in debt after 4 years of full time school . The last thing I'll say, if your having ANY doubts at all about how long it'll take you to graduate after transfer sit down with a consoler before the refund deadline and ask if you'll actually graduate within a reasonable time frame . </p>

<p>That's all I have to say .</p>

<p>PS: The second most important factor is the local economy , if your at UCI you'll have far more chances for internships or REAL jobs( not Kmart or Wallgreens ) that relate to your major .</p>

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<p>I know some friends and even cousins who went to UCR and graduated on time (both as transfers and coming out of high school).
maybe this was relative to your own personal circumstances and other issues?
UCR is a great school. I know you’re just trying to help, but honestly I feel as if this thread is going to discourage many students that chose UCR or are thinking about choosing UCR.
To each their own. it’s all what you make of it.</p>

3

<p>I feel like you just randomly chose a version of you’re/your and there/their/they’re every time one of those words came up.</p>

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<p>Thanks for sharing your experience. Does anyone have a similar problem getting classes at UCLA or UCB?</p>

5

<p>If your an engineering major and you get in at the right time then maybe you’ll get out in two years . For a Social Sciences major this is impossible . Overall Riverside is a very depressing place , unless you have a VERY good reason for attending UCR avoid it . I’d rather be at SF state in a great city than at UCR . </p>

<p>Facts don’t lie, UCR and UCM have the 2 lowest 4 year graduation rate among UCs . </p>

<p>@ chelsiemorning , I work full time , sorry if I didn’t take long enough to proof read my post . </p>

<p>@Evity, again , graduation rates don’t lie . Far more students graduate on time from UCLA and UCB then UCR .</p>

6

<p>Honestly, I don’t think graduation rate is something you should really pay attention to when picking a school.</p>

<p>UCB and UCLA might have higher rates, sure. Why is it higher? It’s not magic, it’s because there’s a lot of top students here who study hard and want to graduate on time.</p>

<p>I transferred to UCB as an EECS major, and I had 6 lower division EE/CS courses that didn’t transfer with me. CS is really impacted here, and there’s usually not enough seats to accommodate all the students who want to take a class. Of course, the situation is like that because the professors/classes here are amazing and a ton of people want to take them. Some classes had waitlists of a hundred students that couldn’t get in. Anyways, despite all that, if I were to take a class this summer and a full schedule in the fall, I could graduate a semester early. This has nothing to do with graduation rate, and even classes being full doesn’t deter graduation much. If a course is full, you put a different requirement in your schedule and take the class next semester.</p>

<p>Whether or not you graduate depends more on you than it does on the school, or what their graduation rate happens to be. If you want to graduate on time, take the right courses at CC, and plan well after you transfer.</p>

<p>

Sorry, could you explain this one? Engineering often has chains of courses that need to be taken in order (first you do calc 1, then calc 2, then physics 1, then physics 2…) and that can make it very hard to finish on time. I fail to see how social sciences is “impossible” to finish in two years, given the different nature of the requirements.</p>

<p>Some different advice on the most important factor in choosing a school: Go where you think you’ll do best. If you enjoy being challenged, go for Cal or UCLA. If you like all the trees at UCSC, go there if it’ll make you happy. Pick a place where you can excel.</p>

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<p>It’s okay. You don’t have to make up excuses that make no sense. It was just an observation.</p>

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<p>I look at it this way, the lower the 2 year after transfer graduation rate is the harder it will be for you to get the classes you need to graduate if you can only afford 2 years . </p>

<p>This is just my opinion on it , but with COA( cost of attendance ) at 30k + per year, and financial aid NOT guaranteed in any way for year 3 , you need to pick a school that offers you the best chance of graduating on time . </p>

<p>Think about this stuff now , not after year 2 when your looking at taking a 20k loan just to finish up your last year of school .</p>

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<p>thisislife: I know your message was about looking at graduation rates before selecting a college so please take heart with the following advice. I don’t mean to be critical, but please take some classes in English grammar-“syntax” and spelling. Your message was difficult to read because the grammar and spelling that got in the way.</p>

<p>It does impact **your<a href=“possessive”>/b</a> intended message and makes this post unreadable for flow. If **you’re<a href=“contraction%20of%20you%20+%20are”>/b</a> a second language learner, these classes should help you at your Cal State. </p>

<p>(I didn’t know if you meant counselor or consoler).
BTW: I am a second language learner.
there-place or location (Put the sofa over there)
their-belongs to them, possession (Their backpacks were soaked by the sprinklers)
they’re-contraction of they (group of people) plus “are” (a verb) = They’re going to the fair.</p>

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<p>Nothing like a bunch of ad-homin attacks .
The point is if you think you’re going to graduate from UCM or UCR within 2( or even 3 years in many cases ) , you’re in for a rude awakening . </p>

<p>I’ve said what I needed to say , I suggest anyone considering a lower tier UC seriously do some research on what it’s going to cost and how long it’s going to take . I’m sure at least one or two students will look up these graduation rates and consider the very real possibility that they’re about to attend an overcrowded school more interested with filling seats then making sure students succeed .</p>

<p>Or you can assume I’m an idiot and UCR’s a great school( even outside of academics , it’s located in a giant depressing ghetto ) . </p>

<p>I’m not an English learner , I just didn’t take the time to proof read my most , I wrote what was on my mind in the hope that this might be a bit therapeutic for myself , AND give some insight into one of the biggest challenges students face after transferring .</p>

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<p>Well, I apologize in advance if you think this is an ad-homin (sic) attack, but as someone who was interested enough in your topic to read the post, my best advice to you is that as a college student, you should pay close attention to Aunt Bea’s advice and consider writing legible and correct English in ANYTHING that is for public consumption. It is a good habit and will stand you well with your future writings. Your efforts to share your experience are useful and kind, and good luck with your future endeavors. PS…since CC highlights incorrectly spelled words in a post (such as “homin” above, it is hard to understand how so many people cannot be bothered to quickly correct these mistakes!).</p>

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<p>Meh i’m thinking of transferring to either UCD, UCSD, and UCI… </p>

<p>Currently i’m a high school senior going to cc soon. I got accepted as a freshman but, my parents couldn’t afford the finances, even with scholarships ]:. So now i’m going the cc route to transfer to save money. </p>

<p>I hope this is helpful for UCD, UCSD, and UCI.</p>

13

<p>Wow your advice is really helpful! Thanks! </p>

<p>At first, when I declined all those offers it was really tough. Then, thinking about it in the long run, i’ll probably be saving a lot of money~</p>