Hello. I was accepted into UCSD Class of 2022 this fall as a Human Biology Major. However UCSD is not my first choice school, and I am honestly not very excited about going there. My ultimate goal was UCLA, USC, or UC Berkeley. I would still like to attend one of those schools. If I go to community college and do well, i’ve heard it is much easier to transfer to a good school. However, if I go to UCSD and then try to transfer, I’ve heard it’s very difficult to transfer from UC to UC and also to get outstanding grades so that I can transfer. Which would be better?
I was in a similar position last year. I was accepted into UCI for business, but I wanted USC really bad. I took the risk and decided to go to CC and am waiting for a decision from USC for Fall 2018. Honestly, if you are absolutely sure you want to transfer, community college would be the best option by far. As you said, it’s harder to transfer from UC to UC and in a way harder for USC too. UCSD will probably make you take some classes you won’t end up needing to transfer, but at a CC, you can take whichever classes you want and won’t be locked into classes for your major. That way you can finish up GEs and required classes pretty fast. UCs prioritize transfers from California community colleges. You also save loads of money.
HOWEVER, you should still consider all your options with UCSD and know 100% you wouldn’t want to attend. Have you visited the campus? You might end up liking it there and not want to transfer. UCSD is also very strong in the sciences as I’m sure you know. You will most likely have to spend 2 years at a CC to transfer to a UC (unless you have a lot of AP credits). For USC, you can transfer in after your first year at CC because they accept sophomore transfers. Make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. CC has no social aspect and definitely isn’t the typical college experience.
@NotLonelyIsland Do you think I can go to UCSD and then transfer somewhere sophomore year or is that too difficutl? Congrats on applying to USC and please let me know if you get in as a sophomore transfer because it is something I am very interested in for USC as well. Best of luck!
I would suggest you go directly to UCSD if you can afford it. It often takes longer than you realize to transfer from CC to university than many people realize, and there’s absolutely no guarantee you’ll get into UCB or USC. I’m not saying you can’t do it, but do think about the time vs. money equation. Are you willing to spend more years in college in order to have the UC or USC diploma vs. the UCSD diploma? UCSD is a highly respected university, and the difference in opportunities between a UC and a UCSD degree is probably not as much as you think. Just my two cents! Good luck! Nice to know you have good choices available!
USC does accept Sophomore level transfer and UCB accepts Junior level transfers. I agree with @ccprofandmomof2, there is no guarantee that if you go to a CC you will get into your top choices. UCSD is a great opportunity and you should take advantage of this acceptance.
@Sbp325 Thanks! I’ll definitely let you know how it goes.
I wouldn’t say it takes longer to transfer from a CC. If you plan out which classes to take beforehand and take them, it shouldn’t take you any longer. However, classes fill up at CCs and when you’re a freshman, it might be difficult to get the classes you want so take that into consideration. I came in with AP scores which allowed me to waive some math pre-requisites allowing me to take the classes I would need for USC in my first year. Like the people above said, there is no guarantee and it is a risk. A degree in bio from UCSD and Berkeley are also similar. I chose to transfer to USC because a “prestige” somewhat matters for a business degree. UCSD is known for its bio program.
If I were you, I’d attend UCSD and see if I could transfer from there. One of my friends is a freshman at UCSD right now and has also applied to USC, so I’ll let you know how it goes for him. However, if you feel like you’d be miserable at UCSD, then consider CC. Although even if you don’t like the social aspect of UCSD, a CC is way worse. There’s no social experience at all and it kind of feels like an extension of high school. If USC didn’t have the option to transfer as a sophomore, I would’ve chosen UCI because I wouldn’t want to miss out on those first two years of college.
Take a look at this year’s transfer threads for each school and see what kinds of people are getting admitted.
I’m not sure why you don’t want to attend UCSD as a biology major when their science department is first rate. Transferring from one UC to another UC is more difficult than going to a CC and then transferring to a UC. Attending UCSD for one year then transferring to USC sounds like an option for you. I don’t really know how USC ranks in sciences versus UCSD though.
@NotLonelyIsland I’d be very interested in attending ucsd and then transferring to USC. Please let me know how it goes for you and for your friend who applied from UCSD. Do you fill out your application to be a sophomore transfer during november of freshman year?
@Sbp325 That sounds like a good idea. The app is due Feb. 1 of your freshman year. The only issue with USC is that they release decisions fairly late (around mid-April to late May), so not sure how that would affect your arrangements with SD. Not a huge issue as lots of people have gone through the same process. I’ll definitely let you know how it goes for my friend and me! 
Here’s the USC transfer brochure: https://admission.usc.edu/docs/TransferringToUSC.pdf
Are you pre-med? I ask cuz if you are it doesn’t matter how prestigious your college is for med schools. At least certainly when you’re comparing the difference in prestige between UCSD and UCLA.
I’d go to UCSD, but only if you’re contempt with staying and graduating there. Cuz if you absolutely want to transfer and you feel like you’re gonna have tough times sleeping at night without that UCLA/Cal degree, CC is your best shot.
It’s much harder to transfer from UCSD because:
- It’s MUCH harder to have a 3.8+ GPA at UCSD than it is at CC. But when colleges look at the apps in the transfer process they’re pretty much weighted the same
- CCC students get priority
- You’re already at an elite institution so they see little reason to have you go there. From talking to people who transferred from UCSD to LA, they have said that they had to highlight a reason why they want to leave UCSD, basically articulate on something that they would find at the target college that they wouldn’t find at UCSD
Hope this helps but honestly I, along with many others, would just go to UCSD in your situation. It is a very good school and SD is a beautiful place
@NotLonelyIsland is it difficult to get into USC as a sophomore transfer? Also, does USC heavily weight high school grades when accepting transfers or is it mostly about your first semester grades of freshman year? Does the app require you to list activities you’ve participated in in college because there’s only so much you can do in half a year of college?
@Sbp325 I wouldn’t say it’s more difficult, but I’m not too sure tbh. USC doesn’t look at high school grades at all if you have 30 or more semester units done by the end of your freshman year, which you probably would have. Your college grades are super important. The app just asks for activities so I pretty much put all of my high school ones. ECs are not looked at heavily for transfers at all. It’s about 1. Correct classes taken 2. GPA 3. Essays. Use this to find classes that have transferred in the past for UCSD https://camel2.usc.edu/articagrmt/artic_hist_range.aspx
@NotLonelyIsland Okay thank you! As for transferring to USC, have you heard anything about what life is like for a transfer student? Is it easy to integrate into the college and make friends or do you always feel excluded as a transfer student? I’m asking this because I know SD has a specific area on campus to house transfer students, which seems like they are being alienated to me since they are given housing with the general population of students.
@Sbp325 Great question! So I’ve heard it may be a little difficult as a transfer, although it should be a little easier for sophomores. Wow UCSD does that? USC integrates transfers into their housing, but availability is kinda sketchy from what I’ve heard. Seems like we have a decent chance of getting on-campus housing, but it’s not guaranteed. I’ve read a lot of posts on USC’s reddit page (I don’t think i can post the link here but just search usc reddit on google) about people’s experiences as transfers. Most people say integration is completely fine. They recommend joining clubs and living as close to campus as possible. I’ve read that you don’t feel excluded at all and no one cares if you’re a transfer and nobody really asks. I guess the hardest part would be putting yourself out there and making new friends, but that’s college in general tbh. Also, USC has great support programs for transfer students so I’m sure you’d definitely make friends with fellow transfers first (like at the transfer-only orientation).
@Sbp325 the UCSD transfer housing community has a good amount of continuing students, and it’s easily the best place to live on campus. less like an exile and more like a resort. it’s a bit far from everything but it makes up for it with the best views, best market, best social life, and best apartments
@DoctorP I understand that transfer student commodities may be nice, but if they are forced to live separately from the rest of the school, are they really allowed to be integrated and make friends with the 4-year students? They may have a nice place to live on campus, but its not integrated imo if they are forced to live separately and not allowed to live with the rest of the students.
@Sbp325 I have plenty of transfer friends… even though they live in a separate area from the rest of the school, that logic also follows with the other colleges. I live in Warren and it’s not like I don’t have friends from any of the other 5 colleges either.
Community College would be better. You’ll only spend about $4000 for an Associates Degree. Just make sure you do IGETC and you should be OK.
@NotLonelyIsland Hello! I just visited usc today and it is gorgeous. Have you or your friend from ucsd heard back?
@Sbp325 It’s nice right 
Nope no transfers have heard back yet. I’m hoping to hear back around the 20th.