Transferring to UC From CCC vs. From CSU

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

Hi all, I’m quite lost on this whole process. I just graduated high school and am currently committed to CSU Long Beach for the 2017-2018 term. After visiting the school for orientation, I realized the school really isn’t for me and I do not see myself staying there for 4 years. As much as possible, I want to pursue my undergraduate studies at UCSB for Sociology.

I also heard about how UCs prioritize CCC students in transfer admits, and it seems you can transfer from CCC to UC after one year. Transferring after one year would be the route I prefer the most.

I researched a lot right now about transfers to UC, but most of the information is for junior-level transfers. Can someone enlighten me on transferring after one year? Thank you!

Bottom line, would it be better for me to attend CSULB for 2 years and try to transfer or go to CCC and transfer from there?

2

Do not waste your time going to CSULB just so you can transfer to a UC a couple years later. Not only is it a bit difficult to transfer from a CS to a UC bit it will also cost you a lot more money than transferring from a CC. The cost of a unit at a Community College is about 50 dollars, I have no idea what the cost of tuition is at a CS but I doubt it’s lower than 50 dollars per unit.

I am not sure how it works or even if it’s possible for you to transfer to a UC as a sophomore but my two cents is to go to a CC for two years and put in your transfer.

3

The UC’s accept Junior level transfers with 60 semester/90 quarter units. It is possible to transfer in 1 year if you have a large amount of AP or Dual Enrollment credits that can fulfill many of the GE’s and required major classes for transfer. It will also require you to take several summer sessions to stay on track if you want to transfer in 1 year.

If you are not sure about CSULB, then I would start at a community college. CCC to UC’s will get priority and UCSB participates in the TAG program (Transfer Admission Guarantee) where if you meet the course and GPA requirements, you are guaranteed a spot but this is only available as a CCC applicant.

http://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/applying/transfer/tag

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/tag-matrix.pdf

Mostly likely, it will take you 2 years at a CC to fulfill the TAG requirements for Sociology so I would base my plan on that and you need a minimum 3.2 GPA to maintain your TAG.

You can use the link below to figure out the required major courses/prep needed and your transfer pathway and assist.org to help with the required GE’s.

http://pathwaysguide.universityofcalifornia.edu/college-pathways/0/0

http://www.assist.org/web-assist/welcome.html

These are the minimum requirements for transfers not including your major courses::::

Minimum Transfer Eligibility Requirements

Requirements for admission are explained at the University of California Admissions page. Students must complete the following requirements for transfer admission, listed as items A and B below.

Complete 60 semester or 90 quarter units of transferable college credit with a grade point average of at least 2.4 for California residents and at least 2.8 for nonresidents (no more than 14 semester or 21 quarter units may be taken Pass/Not Pass).
Complete the following seven-course pattern requirement, earning a grade of C or better in each:

Two courses in English composition.

One course in mathematics beyond intermediate algebra, such as college algebra, precalculus or statistics.

Four courses from among at least two of the following areas:
Arts and humanities
Behavioral and social sciences
Biological and physical sciences

4

@mb1721 Have you looked into Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) as an option? Many of the SBCC students live in one of the private residency/dorm options in Isla Vista. It can be a great way to get a 4-year college experience while attending a CC for the first few years. You’ll be living among the UCSB students, while attending SBCC. I’m not sure if there is still space in the private dorms (Francisco Torres (spelling?) is one of them, but it’s worth looking into. Best of luck!

5

to take a slightly different tack -
Long Beach is a very good school and, with a major like sociology, grad school is definitely in your future.

If you just gotta graduate from a UC and didn’t make it as a freshman, you certainly can transfer from a CSU but, TAG makes any CCC a an easier path. You should know though, unless you are bringing lots of AP credits, it is likely to take more than 2 years - and UCSB may not take you as a transfer. You might not meet the gpa threshold, the threshold might change and your major may be added to the non-TAG eligible list. In fact, if you go to a CC, you might not qualify to get back into LB - a particularly challenging transfer admit for non-local applicants.

CCs performance vary widely you can look into yours here:
http://scorecard.cccco.edu/scorecard.aspx
Note that even SBCC (one of the best) has a 2 year ‘math readiness score’ below 50% and a 6 year transfer rate of 61.8%.

Since you got into CSULB, you probably won’t have the remedial coursework that many CC students do - completion and transfer rates are much higher for well prepared students. I just think in the 11th hour, this course will be a setback and a risk. Worth it? that’s yours to determine. just make an informed decision.

If you were my kid, i’d think you are just getting cold feet and would encourage you to start where you comitted - give LB that old ‘college try’ and see how you like it. If after a year, you still don’t like it, apply to transfer elsewhere.

What made you commit to LB?

what are you looking for at UCSB that you couldn’t find at LB?

6

To be truly honest, if you were my kid, I would follow @NCalRent’s advice and give CSULB a try. I just offered you the CCC option. A CSU to UC transfer is possible, you just have to be diligent on trying to match your CSU courses to the required UC courses needed for transfer. There are no specific guidelines for the CSU-UC transfer other than what is posted on the UCSB website and through assist.org so if you are leaning towards this pathway, I would keep all syllabi from your CSU courses to help with the articulation.

As stated above, sociology will most likely require Grad school, so getting your Undergrad degree at CSULB and pursuing your Graduate degree at UCSB is an excellent alternative.

You chose CSULB for a reason so follow through and you may be pleasantly surprised. Best of luck with your decision.

7

If you really don’t feel CSULB is s good fit, why go there for two years? Switch to a CCC and you can definitely get to a UC if that’s your goal. But one year to a UC only applies if you have a lot of AP credits and took summer courses this summer.

8

FT (and we all know what SB kids say it stood for) used to be a private dorm but it was purchased by UCSB over a decade ago and is no longer available to house non-UCSB students. See http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/93106_archived/2003/January6/ucsb.html

9

^^ what does it stand for? lol

10

I only committed to CSULB because it was my only safety school that I applied to :confused: My other schools were all definitely reach schools and I was waitlisted for 3 of them (others rejected), but those waitlists didn’t end so well either. I just applied to CSULB knowing it was one of the better CSUs around, not really for anything I knew about the school …

11

^ @NCalRent @Gumbymom

12

You selected CSULB as a safety school for a reason. A safety school should be affordable, high chance for admission and above all a school you are willing to attend. If CSULB is not that school, you should have found another safety school to apply. CSULB is a top CSU so only can decide to stick it out and give CSULB a chance or go the CCC route and transfer (again no guarantees unless you TAG). Best of luck.

13

right … a safety school is one you’ll attend if that’s your only admit… sounds like that’s where you are. I am not sure what else I can tell you.

14

mb1721,
Did you get the opportunity to really check out the school in the Spring, students and all? I can see how one can become too busy to check out the plan B school and then see it with disappointment once committed. Gumbymom has really good advice now that this is your situation. For everyone else- this is a cautiionary tale to see the school in action while students are there.