Hey everyone!
I have been in quite the predicament and I could really use some feedback. I am currently a pre-computer science major at CSULB. I am starting my second year of college this August. So far I have a GPA of 3.76. I took 2 classes (3 units each) during the summer at a community college and have aced both of them, so that should boost me up a bit more. I was wondering what are my chances of transferring over to a UC. My dream schools are UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCI, but I would also be content with any other UC. The problem is that I was told by the UCLA Admissions office to take 2 additional math courses (Calculus 3 and Linear/differentials), as well as, an extra physics course and english course. People have been telling me that I shouldn’t waste my time on those classes because I would fall behind if I were not to be accepted into any UC, but to just apply anyway. However, I have been reading online and have seen mixed opinions about the acceptance rate from a CSU to a UC. I understand that they look at other 4 year university transfers last (After High school and CC). But what are my chances? What do you guys think I should do? I am so conflicted.
Did you check assist.org for all these UC’s and see which classes are required prior to transfer?
Priority goes first CCC to UC, UC to UC, CSU to UC, 4 year to UC and OOS to UC.
It is possible to transfer from a CSU to a UC, but the CSU classes sometimes do not align with the UC requirements. You need to use assist.org and type in a local LB CCC and then put one of the UC’s as a target to see which courses are needed for transfer, then match these courses up to the courses you have already taken at CSULB.
Also the GE’s from the CSU’s can be different than the UC’s.
https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/transfer/Pages/upper-division-transfer.aspx
You also cannot TAG to any of the UC’s (6 of the 9 campuses) unless you attend a CCC.
You have a solid GPA at CSULB so why not finish your degree there and consider one of the UC’s for Grad school?
Here are the UC Transfer GPA admit ranges by UC campus and major to see how you compare:
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfers-major
I have looked through assist. Most UC’s ask for math up to differentials. I would prefer going to a UC due to its reputation and better opportunities.
What better opportunities?
Long Beach has a very good established reputation with corporate businesses in California. LB also puts theory into practice.
I agree that you should finish your degree at LB. Prestige isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It will take you longer to figure out what courses can align with UC requirements and the quarter system. Plus, you’re at the tail end for transfers. It’s the high school grads then all of the CCC students who have priority.
The cost to attend a UC is higher than a CSU. If you are on financial aid, you need to consider that some of your funding, may or may not transfer.
I think you’re putting too much faith in a name. Prestige counts more in areas where skills are hard to measure – how to you hire a great liberal-arts major for your business? It’s safer to pick the kid from Cal than from LB.
However areas like CS are different. There specific skills you are expected to learn and in a day of interviews they’ll figure out whether you did or not. Employers cast a much wider net, both because skills can be measured and because of the scarcity of CS majors (no scarcity of History or Poli Sci majors).
Furthermore “opportunities” are not a binary quantity where everyone from a school like Cal gets a chance at great employers and nobody from LB does. Employers look at things mostly under your control, grades and internships. The kid that has done nothing but take classes and earn a CS degree from UCLA is a much less desireable candidate than one that has spent 2 summers working in industry. I suggest you meet with the faculty advisor and find out what you need to do to land such a job after the end of your soph year. Joining CS-related clubs is another helpful way; you’ll meet older students who have found internships and you’ll be able to ask what they did to land them.
In the end nobody has a crystal ball. If you stay at LB you’ll never know if you would have done better had you transferred. If you transfer you’ll never know if you could have had the same opportunities had you stayed at LB.
LB is a good school. there’s really limited up-side to transferring to a UC. That said, there’s no reason not to apply and see what happens.