Tips for a gonna-be-SMC-first year student to pave her way to UCB or UCLA. =)

Transfer Students
1

<p>Dear all,</p>

<p>I am an out of state student attending SMC in fall. my intended major is biology and I am aiming to transfer to either UCB, UCLA or UCSD to finish my biology BS there. Since I am new to CA and didnt enroll asap, i didnt get to choose a lot of classes that have good professors. I am going to take English 1, math 7, Math 52 (stats) and Chem 11. I could barely plan my class schedule in the way that i wanted to. So here it goes: </p>

<p>Chem 11: LAVALLEE R J
english 1: TRACEY M P
math 7: KENNEDY J R
math 52: ASKARIAN S N</p>

<p>i have been to both <a href="http://www.gosmc.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.gosmc.com&lt;/a> and ratemyprofessors.com to look up for these professors, but I spotted some differences between the comments from the two sites. I dont know which one is true or more reliable.</p>

<p>Also, I saw in the previous thread that majoring bio in SMC is gonna hard and difficult to get a really high GPA, is that true? What kind of advice would you guys give me? ( I got a 5 in AP bio, but is the bio classes in SMC really really hard?)</p>

<p>I am from out of state and my parents would kill me if i cant transfer to those schools. I would kill myself for not being able to as well (after all, asians'families are more demanding)</p>

<p>I would be grateful if you guys can offer me some tips to pave my path to those UCs, thanks.</p>

<p>Together we strive for the best. Thank you very much.</p>

2

<p>dreamweaver, i am smc student second year, took all the classes that u plan to take...</p>

<ol>
<li><p>I recommend taking bio at UCLA extension and not smc... Tons of people say it's easier, but u should be ok at smc too except be ready to work ur ass off</p></li>
<li><p>Keep checking if someone will drop a class, the school has no waiting list. If somoene drops u have to pick it up. I checked 200 times trying to get into ochem, no joke...</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Here are my recomendations</p>

<p>Chem- Take Merlic... all chem classes are hard there, but she is the most easier one out of the bunch.. Show up first day of class she might add u, if u can...</p>

<p>Math- Kennedy is definitly a no no.. friend had murray, said he good. other professors i heard good stuff about, Jimenez, taka, maybe even askarian, The class u enrolled in is for scholars program, are u in it? It's a harder class.</p>

<p>Eng 1, i don't know anything about tracey, i had Burak for eng 1 and 2 and got two easy A's... i recomend him very highly...</p>

<p>Math 52, um i'd find a better teacher if u're looking for an A, maybe malakar</p>

<p>Advice: Expect to work ur ass off. The level of dificulty in science and math is comparable to UC.... </p>

<p>Go to math lab and LRC for tutoring it could mean a letter grade...</p>

<p>Make friends w/ persians they control the entire college, no joke... They might hook u up w/ stuff to help u get good grades and easy instructors. </p>

<p>Look into signing transfer guarantees, like TAG, Scholars, etc. More infor on smc.edu/transfer</p>

<p>Also look at ratemyprof, which seems like u do...</p>

<p>Go c counselors, always look at assist.org, know the drop dates,</p>

<p>First two weeks will be very crowded... Maybe 1.5 hrs wait at book stores, get ur books now...</p>

<p>Always leave 1 hr+ if u plan to park on campus, i've spent as mcuh as two looking for parking...</p>

<p>thats all of the top of my head..</p>

3

<p>Thanks, highschoolda.</p>

<p>I have just logged into the student service system and see if there are any open spaces for those professors you recommended me. but those classes are either not available or not the schedule is no good as they are night classes.</p>

<p>BTW, one more question. I will be sharing an apartment with roommate near purdue avenue. you know which bus route I should take? thanks a lot.</p>

<p>if you dont mind, pls tell me more abt your major and the classes you have taken during your first year. thanks a lot. i really appreciate that!</p>

4

<p>For UCLA, consider doing the TAP program:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.smc.edu/transfer/services/guaranteed.htm#UCLA%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.smc.edu/transfer/services/guaranteed.htm#UCLA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>In addition, it's a good idea to find a safety school. So try to do either UCSD's guaranteed program if you can (it does have cosiderable GE classes that need to be completed):</p>

<p><a href="http://www.smc.edu/transfer/services/guaranteed.htm#UCLA%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.smc.edu/transfer/services/guaranteed.htm#UCLA&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Alternatively, even though you've scoffed at the mid-tier UCs, it's a good idea to apply to one of them under their guaranteed transfer programs so that at least you know you'll get into at least a mid-tier UC come application time.</p>

5

<p>SMC is doing some weired stuff w/ enrollment. they used to drop u 15 days if u don't pay... Now sometimes they drop and sometimes they place a hold on u... So suspect a lot of people not showing up and a lot of spots open to students who are there first day of class.... But still check frequently, i checked 5-6 times daily when looking for an ochem class, and it was worth it...</p>

<p>I also recommend night classes over day classes. A lot less crowded and easier to focus.</p>

<p>As for bus stuff, i haven't takent the bus to smc. i did take to my HS which is close to smc... Don't know about Purdue b.c there are several of them in cali... are u talking about the one in WLA next to sepuleveda and 405 FW? </p>

<p>Major: Most likely Geology/paleobiology.
I don't do well when i take a heavy course load... So i didn't get much done first year... Chem 11 and 12 and Math 7 and 8 are the major classes... Then took a bunch of GE... Eng 1, 2. Pol Sci 1 and 51... Music 32... Ecology... Psych =42 units...</p>

<p>I had chem w/ hard teacher, got B and worked my ass off... I dropped Bio twice b/c i thought i couldn't handel it w/ all other classes. chem is 9 hrs a week and math is 4.6 hrs... both require tons of work...</p>

<p>this year i am looking to take Ochem and Bio and will be transfering. :)</p>

6

<p>Scholars requires special classes to be taken... But appears that u're taking a math scholars class...</p>

<p>UCSD TAG requires sequence of classes to be taken. for example chem 11 and 12. Pol Scie 1 and 2... U can transfer to it in the winter and spring which is cool although they never guarantee housing... </p>

<p>UCSB has guaranteed and u just need to do igetc...</p>

7

<p>Some majors do require pre-req classes, including Biological Sciences at UCSB (it requires 1 year of General Chem and 1 year of another science or calculus sequence). So for UCSB, you'd need that, IGETC (or the minumum 7 GE courses UCSB specifies), and a 3.0 GPA (starting with Fall 2007, the guaranteed transfer GPA is being raised from a 2.8 to 3.0).</p>

<p>That's another tip: If a college requires pre-req classes, make sure to take them. And the more pre-reqs you have, the better chances you will have at being admitted.</p>

8

<p>"Make friends w/ persians they control the entire college, no joke... They might hook u up w/ stuff to help u get good grades and easy instructors."</p>

<p>highschoolda- what do you mean? are alot of professors persians? elaborate...</p>

9

<p>i don't mean to sound racist or prejudice, but smc has maybe 25% persian students.... Which is a lot. They all stick together, give each other advice on best teachers to get and best classes... They also pass around test information and other things of that nature... I don't want to get really specific about it...</p>

10

<p>oh ok. yeah no i was just wondering.</p>

11

<p>thanks for all,</p>

<p>i just arrived in LA from Maryland!!</p>

<p>is there any chance i can meet you guys by any chance if you are studying in SMC too?</p>

<p>thanks.</p>

12

<p>I don't mind... Social life sucks at SMC, i have several people i can talk to, but wouldn't mind a couple more.</p>

<p>what's ur AIM screen name? I have no idea if collegeconf has private messages... I also started posting at gosmc.com as transferstudent06.</p>

13

<p>Hey dreamweaver and highschoolda!! I am planning on attending SMC for the Fall too. This is going to be my most productive year in hopes to get into UCLA!!! Let us all stick together and we can do it.</p>

<p>AIM: KOWAGARU</p>

<p>Major: Political Science
Current GPA: 3.63
Expected GPA by end of Term: 3.72
EC's: some work experience at a law firm</p>

<p>BTW, highschoolda what are your stats, major, ec's, etc.?</p>

14

<p>Major Geology/Paleobio</p>

<p>GPA 3.5- pretty low but sciences classes at smc are hard.
Expected by the end of term???? No clue taking Ochem, Bio (UCLA EXT), Geol.</p>

<p>Taken 42 units</p>

<p>I actually have taken Pols 1 and 51 at smc.. </p>

<p>Is this ur first year at smc Nikki?</p>

15

<p>Can you suggest what teachers I should take for Political Science 1 and 51 because I have to take both.</p>

<p>No, this is not my first year.</p>

<p>Current Completed Units: 46.5
Completed Units after Fall: 60.5</p>

<p>I'm currently signed up for the following classes:
Japanese 2; Nishikawa
Geology 1; Kremenetski
Political Science 1; Leung
Political Science 7; Chalala</p>

16

<p>HAHA, i am also in Kremeneski's Geo class. I'll c there.</p>

<p>Pol Sci 1- Take Schultz C K.... SHe is the best... Very easy class.
Everyone else check ratemyprof.</p>

<p>For 51, take Kurvink... He is a hippi, but real chill</p>

17

<p>Here's my contact!</p>

<p>MSN: <a href="mailto:lau_jennifer827@hotmail.com">lau_jennifer827@hotmail.com</a>
AIM: jenniferl827</p>

<p>thanks for all.</p>

18

<p>I think we should post at gosmc.edu about some SMC topics, such as teachers, classes, parking, other smc probs and pretransfer stuff of that nature.</p>

<p>I like that site... I'd like to c it become more lively.</p>

<p>My screen name there is transferstudent06. Hope to c u guys there.</p>

19

<p>hahaha nice! I'll see you in class on Friday highschoolda!</p>

20

<p>did u get a book for that class? I couldn't find the req for it... Pretty sure they use a plummer text, just don't know which edition.</p>