<p>So I've searched and read through the facts, but still have some questions. This fall I am going to be attending UC Santa Cruz. I made some really dumb mistakes in high school and ended up doing the bare minimum and ending my high school career with a 3.0 gpa. This is not to sound cocky in any way at all, and is meant only for the sake of providing information needed to receive the proper answers, but my intelligence wasn't really a large issue in my gpa, but rather my pure lack of desire to work. My stats ended up being a 3.0 gpa with a 2190 sat, strong speech and debate results (top 25 in the nation/captain of my event for my team which finished top 5 in the nation and other major tournament results as well) and other extracurriculars (black belt tkd, some volunteer, etc.) I plan on majoring in political science and at UC Santa Cruz there are 2 required lower division courses. At UCB, there are 3, but only 2 can be satisfied from a school other than UCB, since the 3rd has no equivalent. I plan on taking 58 units this year (18 first quarter, 20 2nd and 3rd quarters.) At UCSC, this equates to 4 classes a quarter. Also, I really, really want to transfer after one year. Now comes the bombardment of questions :). 1) Should I focus on taking GE's or taking GE's and satisfying my 2 lower division requirements? 2) How much does my high school gpa factor into my transfer application? 3) Will my SAT and extracurriculars go onto my transfer application? 4) If I can pull off a 4.0 gpa at UCSC and join the mock trial team, what will my chances be of successfully transferring after just one year with 58 units (technically I guess I will have 63 units since my AP Calc AB test gave me units for my math GE)? Sorry for all the questions, but I really want to make a change in my work habits and try to utilize my potential. Thanks!</p>
<p>P.S. I am REALLY sorry if ANY of this came off as being cocky or trying yo brag or anything, but that is not my aim. After all, I wouldn't talk about my lack of work and then try to brag lol. I just need some help!</p>
<p>I know of a daughter of a friend who successfully transferred from UCSC to UCB. But she didi it after 2 years. Transferring after one year is next to impossible. You should go to UCSC, get as many GEs and lower div classes for your major done as possible (except for the ones SC doesn’t offer). Do your best, get involved, submit a stellar transfer app and see what happens. You should try to email or talk to a counselor at Berkeley if possible.</p>
<p>If you transfer after 2 years your high school GPA will not matter. You will have to report your SAT score so that may factor. For transfer students they really concentrate on what you have done in college, not high school. So forget the past, do great in college and hope for the best!</p>
<p>1) lower division requirements for the school you wish to transfer to are most important. However, getting your GEs done at UCSC will make it so you won’t have to take GEs at Cal (look up UC Reciprocity). Having your GEs done is also a part of the admissions process. Best to have GEs and lower divs done.
2) high school GPA has zero affect
3) SAT no, Extra curriculars yes
4) zero. Or somewhere around there. Cal is very selective and essentially only takes junior level transfers. </p>
<p>Take two years at UCSC and do it right. Finish your GEs, finish lower divs for Cal poli sci, and take low course loads to ensure a good GPA.</p>
<p>Regarding getting the GE’s and lower divs done, if I could get those done in one year, would it still be advisable to transfer after 2 years? At UCSC, there are 11 GE class I need to take. I’m taking 4 this quarter, 1 is already satisfied through AP credit, so I’d have 6 left to take. If I take 4 classes for the rest of the two quarters, I could take 3 GE’s each quarter and both my lower divs. Also, when you say finish GEs, do you mean finish GE’s for the school I hope to transfer to or the GE’s for UCSC?</p>
<p>The GEs for UCSC. Those are the ones you need to complete.</p>
<p>And yes, one year transfers are still a bad idea. You won’t have a shot without 90 quarter units or higher. And admissions only sees your fall grades from the current year, meaning they would only have one quarter to evaluate you.</p>
<p>You need to chill a bit and accept that you have to be at UCSC for 2 years. The most important thing will be your college gpa. The best way to get a 4.0 is to have a manageable workload, not by taking 20 units at a time.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your responses. So I definitely don’t have the required amount of units as people posted since I need 60 semester units, not 90. But to those saying to take a manageable work load, nearly everyone I know is taking 4 classes which equates to 20 units. Is that really that much? And to the person who asked how I’m taking 18 right now and plan on taking 20, we can take up to 19 units 1st quarter without need special permission.</p>
<p>The average class is worth 4 units. Taking 4 “normal” classes should be about 16 units. </p>
<p>What courseload one can handle is a personal preference, but jumping into 20 units your first quarter while you are still learning the campus and transitioning to the pace of the quarter system is probably a bad idea that will result in subpar grades for fall, which (if you are transferring in one year) are the only grades your GPA will be based on for transfer.</p>
<p>My daughter is at UCLA (entered as a freshman) and has a 3.9 gpa, so far all A’s and is in Phi Beta Kappa and the Honors Program. She usually takes 3 classes a quarter, occasionally 4. The quarter system is much different from the semester system. 3 classes can total up to 15 units. She has found that 13-17 units is just right for doing well grade wise, having a social life, and not being totally stressed out. She also has done 3 internships at the same time she takes classes, usually 2 full days a week. So it’s personal but taking more than 18 units during the quarter system is not a good idea. She will graduate on time and so why do it? If your goal is to get a 4.0 and transfer, why not take it easy your very first quarter while you settle in? Of course, you can sign up for all classes then after the first week decide which one to drop.</p>
<p>Hi thoughtpolice- i go to ucsc also i think 20units is very doable… ive done it before and i have lots of friends doing it too. some even strive for 22units (4classes, +2unit lab). thats 4 classes at ucsc in comparison to other uc, like san diego where 4 classes is about 16-18units?</p>
<p>UCSC is a little strange when it comes to units because nearly all of the courses are 5 units each. Most people average 3 classes each quarter to graduate on time, but I’ve had some quarters where I took anywhere from 20-30 units. I would just take your first quarter a little easier because you don’t want to dig yourself in a hole right out of the gate.</p>
<p>I would focus on completing all of the required work that UCB asks for first. Then I would complete your GEs because completing UC Reciprocity makes your life a whole lot easier. Get some extra curriculars under your belt and maybe some work/internship experience in your major. It really isn’t that difficult to transfer to another UC, you just need to be smart about it.</p>