Hello all! We’re knee deep in winter quarter at UCR but I would like to know if there are any tips out there to transfer to UCI and UCLA… im currently a biology major and i’m sophomore standing with about 74 units. I know the process is difficult but I feel like I overall would fit better at another UC and i’m willing to put forth the effort. Thank you for the tips in advance 
Best advice would be to go to a CC for the year and apply this Fall 2019 for admissions Fall 2020. As a UC transfer you’re considered after CC applicants. UCLA and UCI are competitive so you need to ensure that your GPA and Stats are competitive with other CC applicants.
You could go to a CCC but the unit limitations are much stricter if you come from a UC. My advice: stay at UCR. Go to assist.org and choose any CCC and the majors you want at each UC. Then try and match those courses with ones at UCR. Hopefully, you can get the UCR gen ed requirements completed and obtain a Letter of Recporicity from UCR. That really helps because it indicates to the UCs that your GE is complete. Then apply this fall, with hopefully all the above completed by spring 2020. The one drawback is be mindful of the unit limitations: **135 qtr for UCI and 130 qtr for UCLA. Do NOT go over those. **
UCLA claims to give essentially equal consideration whether from a CCC or a UC. Many students transfer successfully UC to UC every year, including to Cal, UCLA and the others.
@Ohm888 For UC-UC transfer, is over the unit limit an automatic rejection? Were there any exceptions in the past years for being slightly over?
Well, I cannot answer. I’m sure there are always exceptions but only admissions can decide. I would say it’s a position you want to avoid.
Just remember that AP credits DO NOT count towards the limit!!