would it be practical for me to transfer from SMC to Berkeley in one year?

Transfer Students UC Transfers
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<p>Hi, I need some advice please!</p>

<p>I am a Santa Monica College student whose goal is to transfer to Berkeley, or possibly UCLA. I am starting next week, but I already have some credits down:
7 APs: six 5's (although one is Art and doesn't count) and one 3 (I still get credit for it though)
and I took Chem 10 at SMC over the summer. </p>

<p>since I tested into Math 29 and my major is poli sci, I don't have any more math or science requirements for IGETC except maybe stats.</p>

<p>I am planning to take classes during winter quarter at SMC and maybe pick up some credits online if necessary.</p>

<p>I would really like to avoid having to spend 2 years at SMC, and if I finished in 3 semesters I would have a semester in between of boredom. If I transferred after 1 year I would enter as a junior and finish college in 3 years.</p>

<p>I'm up to the work of transferring in one year. I spend my last semester of HS as an exchange student in Germany, taught myself the language and am now approaching fluency. I also got a 2330 on the SAT- I know it doesn't count for transfer, but I'm competitive! I also work and volunteer, was student body president, etc.</p>

<p>Sorry for the long-winded post, but I have several questions that I need to have answered!</p>

<p>1) First off, is it technically possible for me to transfer after 1 year? Would I be competitive enough to get in with only my fall semester grades, even if they are 4.0? (I got into UCLA as a freshman, but these are completely different requirements)
2) Do UCs typically accept/not accept students who do their lower division courses in 1 year?</p>

<p>Also, I would REALLY appreciate any advice/stories/thoughts/anecdotes on the matter. I haven't really been able to find any good resources that will help me with this. I have an appt with the counselor on Thursday, but I would like to hear from you guys too- do you know anyone who has done this/have you done it yourself? I need to know all the information I can!</p>

<p>PLEASE give me some info here if you can. I would appreciate it so much. Thanks a million!!!!!</p>

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<p>hahaha I just replied to your post earlier on a different thread so i think your already familiar with my story. </p>

<p>Wow, it sounds like you have an impressive academic history. I too was accepted into CAL out of high school but financial problems made it impossible for me to attend. CC shouldn’t be to hard for you considering that you are already a dedicated and successful student.</p>

<p>But yeah the one year is definitely possible and you shouldn’t be at a disadvantage at all in regards to that they will only see your fall grades. As long as you get good grades when the winter update form comes around you should be in good shape. However, i do believe that they pay more attention to our essays because we only have fall and summer grades by admissions time. </p>

<p>You probably already know this but In order to be considered a strong applicant you should have completed igetc, all major prereqs available to you at your school, and have a good gpa. Honors helps as well. </p>

<p>If you can do all this within one year you should be a shoe in for any UC school.</p>

<p>If you have any more questions or anything always feel free to pm me cpb</p>

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<p>I don’t think it’ll be a problem. My friend transferred in one year. She had a 3.89 by the end of the spring semester, political science major, but worked her butt off. It doesn’t hurt to apply, especially if you do believe you will be able to finish everything.</p>

<p>If anything, don’t talk to the SMC counselors about your situation. They’ll do everything to try and stop you (which happened to me; I didn’t know better, so I just went along).</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

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<p>I agree with you edelynly, community colleges counselors basically say NO NO NO take your time .
I think just know what you are capable of and go for it. Make a deal with yourself to work like crazy for 1 year…Put everything aside and focus on your goal.</p>

<p>I feel so much better now as I realize I’m not the only insane person who tries to finish in 1 year. </p>

<p>Thx collegeconfidential :D</p>

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<p>@cpbbookworm</p>

<p>This is superfluous to your post but damnnnn girl! Much respect. I wish i was like you; academically, but my question is… How’s your social life?? hahah i have a fuzzy idea what it might be like.</p>

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<p>mollycat: thank you for everything!! I will definitely PM you if I have any more questions.</p>

<p>edel and nyc: I know what you mean about the counselors . . . although mine is pretty cool, most of them seem to be rather staid and by-the-books. plus they’re associated with LAUSD, and we all know what a fiasco THAT is.</p>

<p>nuja: haha, I promise I’m not your stereotypical nerd! I did sports and I have great friends- ones who don’t even know what World of Warcraft is (I’m not sure I do either- I always get it confused with D&D). I had the EC’s and test scores but my grades weren’t so hot, actually. I wouldn’t have gotten into UCLA or Cal as a freshman without my SAT. I just have this weird, random, totally not-achieved-by-any-work-I-did ability to ace multiple choice tests, plus I’m a speed reader. However, I make up for it by being physically unable to make beds, draw straight lines, or properly conjugate Spanish verbs :)</p>

<p>Again, thanks so much! My main concern was that I wouldn’t be competitive with only fall grades . . . but I guess I’ll just try it and see. If anyone else has any advice/stories, please do tell!</p>

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<p>I have asked some counselors and teachers, some say that it’s a disadvantage that you only have fall grades…however some say that it’s totally an ADVANTAGE to finish in 1 year because it shows you’re capable of handling classes at UC…</p>

<p>Really I think we should just do our best and see what happens…</p>

<p>As I also try to finish ccc and transfer to uc in 1 year, keep in touch during the process of applying
And Tell me your results next year ^^</p>

<p>Hope for the best</p>

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<p>NYC- which community college are you going to right now? I know SMC is pretty good at handling UC transfers- if your CC doesn’t help you and assist.org doesn’t have all the info, you could also check out the SMC website.</p>

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<p>hahah. that wass funny =D</p>

<p>How the eff did you learn how to speed read? For myself; i have to re-read a chunk of words multi times before i can actually understand the gist. =[ lol i like the last line in your posts =] hahah i stopped making my bed about 3 years ago hahaha. SO POINTLESS!! it’s going to be messy when you wake up haha</p>

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<p>^ There are classes for speed reading, just like there are classes for SAT prep, college essay writing, math or English help, etc. It’s actually quite common.</p>

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<p>My mom is a complete bibliophile and passed that on to me (she taught me to read when I was three) and then I just read SO MUCH when I was a kid that I am really fast now. I guess it’s just a “practice makes perfect” kind of thing. If you’re genuinely concerned about your speed, then do take a class! One of my cousins took a course on speed-reading and comprehension and it was enormously helpful to him.</p>

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<p>@cpbbookworm</p>

<p>I go to city college of san francisco (ask ppl who have gone there…most ppl didnt have a good experience :frowning: )
ccsf is pretty large + overcrowded so basically i do the research by myself and check back with several counselors for their different opinions and to see if i’m doing the right thing</p>

<p>I will definitely check out smc website. Thanks for the suggestion</p>

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<p>Ehh from my experience and IMO, i think that in some cases counselors are not the best people to get information or advice from.</p>

<p>Most of the counselors were against the idea of me rushing through in one year. </p>

<p>In fact one of the counselors at my school tried to get me to drop half of my classes at the mid point of the semester because believed i wouldn’t be able to pull it off, and ultimately screw up my academic record. Despite the fact i had straight A’s.</p>

<p>I dunno, I guess my point is that counselors sometimes aren’t the best of help. Don’t get me wrong, their input should be considered, but only after hearing others such as students, transfers, etc out first. Once you hear from several people you will be more likely to make a more informed and rational decision.</p>

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<p>yeah, that’s why I came here! Unfortunately I don’t know anyone in real life who’s done this. there’s got to be more than two or three of us out there!!</p>

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<p>Hahaha, yeah I know what you mean about coming here. I too wonder who else out there is also a 1 year transfer. People speak up if you have had a similar experience!</p>

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<p>I’m applying this fall as a one-year transfer, major in mathematics/economics</p>

<p>I mostly worry about taking many of my prerequisites during Spring 2010 (Calc 3, LA, DE, Discrete)</p>

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<p>where do you want to transfer to, rpic?</p>

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<p>UCLA, then Cal, UCSD, UCSB.</p>

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<p>oh im a one year transfer also! haha</p>

<p>My major is philosophy…</p>

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<p>One year transfer hopefully to UCLA Major Communication</p>

<p>Also apply to UCB UCD and UCSB
Considering USC USF</p>