Transferring from a CSU to UC as a sophomore applicant

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - GENERAL
1

Hi I have never used College Confidential but I am stressing out because I want to transfer from a CSU to a UC very badly. I am currently a freshman Biology major at Fresno State University. I am planning to apply to UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Davis, and UC Irvine (these are the only ones that accept sophomore transfers) as a lower-division transfer student. By the summer of 2017, I will have the following courses completed:

CHEM 1A General Chemistry 1A, CHEM 1 AL - General Chemistry Laboratory 1A
CHEM 1B General Chemistry 1B, CHEM 1 BL - General Chemistry Laboratory BA
BIOL 1A - Introductory Biology, BIOL 1B/BL - Introductory Biology/Introductory Biology Laboratory
ENGL 10 - Accelerated Academic Literacy (A2)
ENGL 20 - Introduction to Literature(C2)
CSM10 - The Scientific Method (A3)
CSM15 - CSM 15. Evidence Based Decision Making(LD GE E)
COMM3 - Fundamentals of Public Communication(LD GE A1)
PL SI 2 - American Government and Institutions(D2)
ARTH 10 - The Ancient Medieval Worlds (LD GE C1)
ART1 - Art Forms (LD GE C1/C2)
CHEM 3A- Introductory General Chemistry (LD GE B1/3)
and possibly MATH 70 or MATH 75 (B4) - Calculus for Life Sciences as well as a political science course that I will be taking over Winter Break.

In total I will have 43 credits completed.

Since there is no specific pathway or requirements for sophomore transfers, I want to know if these courses will be enough for me to transfer and if there is anything else that I should take to increase my chances. I graduated high school at the age of 16 with a 4.6 GPA and I currently have all A’s in each of my classes at Fresno State.

I am interested in one of the Biology science majors or possibly Cognitive Science.

I am mostly interested in UC Riverside, which has a 58% transfer acceptance rate but 95% of those come from CC. I just want to make sure I did everything I could to try and transfer.

What do you think my chances are of being able to transfer as a sophomore?

2

Have you tried cross referencing the CSU classes to the UC classes listed on assist.org?
Will you have your GE/IGETC courses completed and how many major prep/required classes for your major will be completed?

My understanding in regards to lower division transfers is that these schools accept them if there is available spots. Since Biology/Biological science majors are impacted at many of the UC’s, you may be qualified but there may not be any available spots.

Have you considered finishing up the year at Fresno state and then going to a local community college and use TAG for the following year? Or will you do this if you are unable to get in as a Sophomore transfer?

It is already difficult to transfer from a CSU to a UC as a Junior level transfer so being a Sophomore Transfer will make it even more of a challenge however, you look like a competitive applicant.

Good Luck.

3

very few transfer applicants with fewer than 60 units are admitted to UCs (or CSUs) regardless of source school - so your chances are near nil. People can and do transfer from CSUs to UCs at the Jr level but, the path isn’t well worn nor well documented. Assist may help and is worth a look.

I almost never advise this but given your situation, age and strong desire to study science at a UC, I think I’d head to a CC next semester then use TAG to transfer into Davis or elsewhere.

Good luck