UCLA Communications major - Importance of Completing ALL 7 Major Prep Courses?

Transfer Students UC Transfers
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1

I’m a CC student hoping to transfer to UCLA Communication. I only have 5 out of the 7 required major prep courses completed. Obviously, it would’ve been ideal for me to have completed all 7 major prep courses by the fall prior to admission, but that ship has sailed. The remaining 2 major prep courses are not offered in my CC district, so I would have to take them online, at a completely different community college, next spring, my last semester of CC prior to transfer.

Which would improve my chances of being admitted into UCLA Comm:

  1. Complete remaining 2 major prep courses (thus completing all major prep), yet risk lowering my 4.0 G.P.A (because I’d be taking the 2 courses at a completely unfamiliar CC where I wouldn’t know the processes + they’re taught by hard professors + I would have an heavier class load in my last semester prior to transfer)?

  2. Or should I not take the 2 remaining major prep classes and maintain my 4.0?

2

Seems to me as if you’re answering your own question. The UC’s are pretty direct as it pertains to what you need to transfer. If you’re skipping out on two of the required prep courses, you seriously risk not getting accepted because you didn’t meet their requirements. So you take them and get a B. You would still have an extremely high GPA and you will have fulfilled your UC transfer obligations.

Seems like a pretty easy decision.

3

The ASSIST.org pages for UCLA communications (e.g. Welcome to ASSIST ) say that “THIS MAJOR IS HIGHLY SELECTIVE and the demand for this major significantly exceeds space available. Students must complete a minimum of four major preparation courses from the seven listed by the end of fall term before transfer. All courses must be taken for a letter grade. A minimum UC transferable GPA of 3.7 is required.”

So four out of the seven major prep courses is the minimum, though it is likely that completing as many as possible is better.

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4

Are you at a CC that participates in the TAP program? That gives an advantage in admission, also gives you access to trained counselors both at your CC and at UCLA.

You might also email the Comm Studies advisor (found on Staff - UCLA Communication) and get their advice. If you’re worried about asking a question affecting your app you could always create a new email account and use a different name.