<p>I disliked the environment of community colleges and ever since hearing about UCLA extension, I've been wondering if it's possible to transfer to UCLA (or to any other four year college) after completing 2 years worth of studies at UCLA extension school. </p>
<p>I actually plan to take CLEP (or finals/assessment tests if provided by UCLA extension school professors) and skip about a year worth of college therefore I will technically only take 30 or so units if UCLA extension school works like community colleges. </p>
<p>Otherwise, my initial plan was to start at a community college at 1.5 to second year level in most subjects including science and mathematics this summer and apply to UCLA this coming winter.</p>
<p>Sounds good, but the problem is that most extension classes will not transfer. Check with the school you'd like to transfer to (UCLA) and I think they will tell you that even their own extension program classes cannot be used to transfer to the university itself.</p>
<p>alphalala, if you live in so cal, then you should take total advantage of that wonderful Community College system you folks have over there. </p>
<p>Dang, I have learned on this site that you guys in So Cal have your acts together with Community Colleges. Gosh, there are web sites devoted to what all will transfer over to University and all kinds of neat stuff. </p>
<p>If you do not like the atmosphere of a Community College, then you could just enroll in one of those online degree options and then just kick back and study hard at the Community College library so that way you would be close to the tutoring labs and whatnot. </p>
<p>I agree with Calcruzer in that Extension Classes often times do not transfer. My good pal took more than a few of those (bot, totally not at UCLA) with regards to his trade, if you will, and none of them transferred.</p>
<p>I second what everybody's said. You could try concurrent enrollment, though. That would get you some UCLA classes while you attend community college.</p>
<p>The california community college system is quite good. It might not be as glamorous as the 4year colleges, but the do have some distinct advantages over the UCs besides cost. The ccc courses are taught by professors (not grad students), usually in small classrooms of 10 - 30 students depending on enrollment. I took two anthropology classes with a very engaged professor who has his PHD, publishes, does digs both locally and in the summers in South America, etc. He uses the <em>same</em> textbook that is used by UCLA and was part of the reading committee that vetted the book for UCLA. If the student took the class at UCLA, it would have been in a monster sized room of several hundred students and the one-on-one relationship that I got at the ccc would likely have not happened. Same course, same book, but taught by the PHD in a smaller class. I <em>know</em> I'm getting an excellent education - it is just minus the prestige at the moment. </p>
<p>I agree that you need to check out if UCLA extension will give you transfer credit - there are often restrictions and limitations. You are probably better off going to somewhere like Santa Monica Community College - getting into the honors program, doing Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society, and getting into a transfer plan that gets you priority consideration for UCLA. </p>
<p>The California legislature has mandated that the University of California campuses (including UCLA) give some priority consideration to the California community colleges for purpose of admission.</p>
<p>Considering this, why would you want to go to UCLA Extension classes instead of a close-by community college whose classes are specifically geared to getting you into a UC campus--and who even spell out exactly which classes make you UC eligible?</p>
<p>They even have a website that helps students going to California community colleges plan what to take to get into the University of California campus of their choice:</p>
<p>Keep in mind, though, that you will need about a 3.65 GPA from a California community college to successfully transfer to UCLA. (Other campuses will normally not be as strict in the GPA you need).</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>P.S. My son took a class during last summer in Financial Accounting at the University of Virginia and received a grade of "C". For this reason, he decided to retake the class at a California community college to improve the grade prior to applying as a transfer for USC and Emory (he did well in the re-take successfully raising his grade to an "A" at Cabrillo College). Both instructors used the same textbook. Both instructors used the same McGraw-Hill version of Homework Manager. The biggest difference between the two courses: it cost around $4,000 to take it at the University of Virginia versus around $80 to take it at Cabrillo College (and, of course, it helped that he had previously taken it when he got around to taking the Cabrillo version).</p>
<p>Thank you all for taking your time and giving your thorough insights and advice.</p>
<p>So I guess what I assumed was correct; when this person told me to definitely check out UCLA extension, I was pretty doubtful since I always thought UCLA extension gears more towards adults who are trying to get certificates or complete their degrees. I have never heard of a single case where someone takes classes at UCLA and goes on to the "normal" four year track. I mean, I should have at least seen someone do it especially considering the fact she said she is taking the classes there instead of state school classes or CC classes because it looks better on her record. She is preparing for medical school so I assume it's an entirely different story and guess she didn't take that into consideration.</p>
<p>Anyway, since I started the thread, I hope it's okay to ask one more question. Like I said on my original post, I disliked the environment of CCC's therefore was especially happy to hear about alternative options such as UCLA extension, which unfortunately was never an option.
My alternative option is applying for a college as a freshman. I will be 5-6 years older than those of whom applying this winter for 2013 therefore I am certain it will be a long shot especially considering the utterly competitive nature of college admissions nowadays, but I want to know if this at least sounds feasible. I do know how untraditional and difficult it is and because of that reason, I have never mentioned or asked about this plan to anybody until now.</p>
<p>Apart from the environment, the main reason for trying to avoid going to CC and transferring out is that I want to get this internship (which is extremely competitive and hard to come by) in my junior year, and as a transfer student who is technically new to whichever four year college, I'm not sure if the recruiters will treat me the same. For example, my GPA of 3.8 from CC definitely won't seem equivalent to someone else's 3.8 all obtained at Stanford/NYU.</p>
<p>But again, if I skip a year at a CC and transfer out next year as a junior (class of 2011), I will be gaining 2 years which will mean much to me.</p>
<p>Just go to a CC, its not the end of the world. I don't know how the ones in california are (I am in florida), but it sounds like they are very good from the people familiar with them in this thread. The CC I went to was massive (like 17k students), and sends most of the kids to places like UF or FSU. I however will be going to Cornell or BYU next spring. I only spent only 1 year post HS at it though, as I was also dual enrolled in as a HS senior and graduated HS with a year of college done.</p>
<p>While I will not try and say a CC is better as an fresh/soph, there are some real advantages such as class sizes. It allows you to get to know the professor and get help more easily if you need it. If you are smart you will do very well, as a large percentage of the students tend to be either stupid or unmotivated (well motivated to drink, not study) which makes it much easier to stand out. I got straight A's pretty easily only going to class two days a week taking 15-18 credits a semester.</p>
<p>I wish I could stay at SMC forever. The level of access to instructors and personal attention is unbeatable, and after paying $20/unit UCLA's fee schedule is going to sting like hell.</p>
<p>Perhaps if you specified what it is about the environment of community colleges that bothered you, people could suggest ways of handling the experience that would be more pleasant. </p>
<p>I'm not certain of the specific policy at UCLA, but many universities will not admit you as a freshman if you have done coursework elsewhere. Your two options are generally:</p>
<p>Freshman: no coursework at a CC or 4-year school
Transfer student: transfer as a junior</p>
<p>I could certainly be mistaken. No harm in contacting UCLA directly to find out.</p>
<p>you have so many ccc to choose from if you're in so cal. yeah some of the ccc may have a poor environment, but your ultimate goal is to transfer out of there and into ucla. i know a few people that attended ELAC for a year and got into ucla for this upcoming fall quarter and another that got into cornell. besides, many of the ccc have programs that you should take advantage of now. at ELAC, the EOPS office offer grants for books to students that are enrolled in their program. that's free money for books!</p>
<p>You are a non-traditional age student. What you have been doing with your life between the traditional HS graduation age and now will be important to the admission committees. Some colleges and universities specifically recruit non-trad students. As you continue to research your options, you may find that you are in a better position than you think right now.</p>
<p>Do investigate the UCLA extension program very thoroughly. Why don't you just pick up the phone and call them and ask your questions? They will know whether what you want to do is theoretically possible, and they should also know whether anyone has actually ever done it before.</p>