I am currently a freshman at Cal Poly Pomona studying computer engineering, and I am planning to apply as a transfer student to some UC schools in my junior year, specifically USCD, UCLA, UCI, and UCB. I know its not common for students to transfer from one university to another, as most transfer students come from community college. I have already taken some core classes relating to my major, but I’m not sure if the credits will be be accepted by these UC schools.
What is the best way to set up an appointment to talk with the counselors at these schools, and what are the chances for a student like me to transfer?
I am just looking for some advice or maybe some stories from people who transferred to a UC school from another university.
You should contact each UC campus and meet with a transfer advisor if possible.
Below are some tips posted by a CSU to UC transfer student that was successful.
Tips for CSU to UC transfers:
- Get informed and and make a plan.
Use assist and college confidential to get informed and go out to look for any answers you might have. From ASSIST you will get all the information you need for the prerequisites you need for your major. Look up the major prereqs for every school you are interested in transferring to. When you know all the information for which classes to take, make a plan. Plan out which classes you need to take each semester before you transfer and how you will reach those mandatory 60 semester units needed to transfer to a UC. This is probably the most important part of transferring. The faster you have a plan the faster you get to transfer and you will have a easier and clearer path. And look through all the threads on the website and get a sense of what you need to do and what it takes to get a UC.
- Don't lose sight of the goal!
I know how hard it has been for me to keep my grades up and take enough classes to stay on track. So when you are striving to get As in those classes and you want to give up, don’t lose sight for what you are doing this for. CSU students probably have to the most to transfer because the odds are against us. If you are not willing to put in the work and you do not have the heart then trying to transfer is not for you especially if you are a CSU student. If you do put it in the work, trust me it will be worth it.
- Applications have to be perfect.
When you are finally applying to those UCs, make sure they are perfect when you submit them. Call all the schools you are applying, talk to some counselors, going to workshops if you can… do everything to make sure they are perfect. And for your personal insight questions, start early and and get some expert advice on them. Every CSU has a writing center to my knowledge, go to them with your essays and have them go over it for you and they’ll help you. Talk to counselors because they know what schools are looking for in a good essay and what an applicant should write.
- Plan for the worst.
The truth is that CSU students have last priority for transferring to UCs right after 1st) CC and 2nd)UC students. Some of us will not get into the schools we want or might not get into any that we apply to and that is the sad truth. So make a plan for every outcome that is possible. You might go to a UC that you did not expect or you might have to stay where you are now.
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/admissions-source-school
thats a link to the UC’s admissions data. If you select the Transfer GPA by Yr tab, you can use a radio button to select only applicants from CSU. You can see the applied and admitted GPA for each CSU and UC. It looks a little higher than the CC GPA from CCs - which makes sens due to TAG and the way the UCs prioritize applicants. So, it does happen regularly - but you gotta work extra hard.
I would add that there aren’t a lot of transfer slots for CS at any of the schools you list - UCB - for example, admitted 51 of more than 1k applicants - so honestly, going there is a reach no matter where you do your first 2 years. Here’s the data for you.
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfers-major
Now, that said - CPP has an outstanding CS program and offers (IMHO) an environment much more conducive to learning than you will find at any of the UCs you list. Sit in on a couple of CS classes at a big UC and see what I mean. I’d encourage you to make the most of CPP - join clubs, get some practical experience and do your best. Go ahead and apply elsewhere as a transfer - if something works out, great, but, don’t get too hung up pursuing long shots.