Transition from community college to university (UC in my case)

[tesfawMD]

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Hello guys,

I am a transfer student from a California community college who will be transferring to UCSD this coming fall. I wanted to know if you guys had any suggestions as to how I can make the transition to UC as smooth as possible. My ultimate fear is not being able to cope with my environment. I would like to hear from transfer students who were in a similar situation.

 

[rHinO1]

Hello guys,

I am a transfer student from a California community college who will be transferring to UCSD this coming fall. I wanted to know if you guys had any suggestions as to how I can make the transition to UC as smooth as possible. My ultimate fear is not being able to cope with my environment. I would like to hear from transfer students who were in a similar situation.

I did the same thing and the difference in class difficulty is negligible... infact most classes have a nice curve which the cc didn't have. The biggest difference is adjusting to the quarter system, you will have midterms every ~3-4 weeks then a final, so no slacking. If you made A's at the cc you will make A's at UCSD. If you struggled at the cc... then you will struggle at UCSD too.

 

[tesfawMD]

I did the same thing and the difference in class difficulty is negligible... infact most classes have a nice curve which the cc didn't have. The biggest difference is adjusting to the quarter system, you will have midterms every ~3-4 weeks then a final, so no slacking. If you made A's at the cc you will make A's at UCSD. If you struggled at the cc... then you will struggle at UCSD too.

Did you attend a community college in California?

 

[rHinO1]

Did you attend a community college in California?

Yes

 

[oNichole]

This is good to hear. Do either of you mind sharing your major and what your transfer gpa was?

 

[rHinO1]

This is good to hear. Do either of you mind sharing your major and what your transfer gpa was?

4.0 transfer gpa ---> 3.96 uc gpa (after 2 years).

Human Biology Major

 

[jpatel]

Hi there

I was also a transfer application. I did 2 years at community college and 2 years in university.

After transferring, i thought in universities it would get harder. But there was no difference for me personlly. I had 3.87 in CC and 3.82 in university. Only reason I have 3.82 in university is because I got D in 2 credit Tennis class. Sad I know lol.

So it really wasn't big change. CC overall was far easier to get an A. I rarely did any work except before the test. Only difference in university was that I started studying the day before I would do in CC.

But I know many stories of friends who get far lower grades in university.

 

[SabC]

I just transferred from CC (cali) to university (yes, a good one). If you got in, you'll be fine.

 

[WannaBePreMed]

Do students do well at Berkeley who have come from a CC?

 

[SabC]

Do students do well at Berkeley who have come from a CC?

No. They don't get into med school either.

 

[chman]

This is encouraging. I am transferring from a cc to the University of Washington next school year. I am pretty confident in my abilities, but just like UCB, and UCLA, it is a big school with a lot of competition, especially with pre-meds (or so I hear). A lot of people complain about the curve there (2.8 for science classes), but here at my cc we have no curve and for classes like calc and physics it can be rough. Anyways, it is good to here success stories.

 

[SabC]

This is encouraging. I am transferring from a cc to the University of Washington next school year. I am pretty confident in my abilities, but just like UCB, and UCLA, it is a big school with a lot of competition, especially with pre-meds (or so I hear). A lot of people complain about the curve there (2.8 for science classes), but here at my cc we have no curve and for classes like calc and physics it can be rough. Anyways, it is good to here success stories.

Some fun and encouraging stats:

Stanford (2008), accepted 20/1,200 transfer apps. 11/20 were CC transfers, 4 were non-trad.

Berkeley (2008), accepted 3,177/12,365, transfer apps. 2,890/3,177 were CC transfers.

UCLA (2008), accepted 5201/15,204 apps. 4,720/5,201 were CC transfers.

CC bias exists, I just haven't experienced it from anyone who matters (admissions/profs/schools). I don't treat the topic as something I'm ashamed of and thus no-one else has treated me like I should be.

Personally, I found the higher ranked the school the more interested they were in my CC/non-trad status and I strongly encourage CC students to app them as "need blind admissions" are probably the three sweetest words you'll ever hear.

 

[chman]

Some fun and encouraging stats:

Stanford (2008), accepted 20/1,200 transfer apps. 11/20 were CC transfers, 4 were non-trad.

Berkeley (2008), accepted 3,177/12,365, transfer apps. 2,890/3,177 were CC transfers.

UCLA (2008), accepted 5201/15,204 apps. 4,720/5,201 were CC transfers.

CC bias exists, I just haven't experienced it from anyone who matters (admissions/profs/schools). I don't treat the topic as something I'm ashamed of and thus no-one else has treated me like I should be.

Personally, I found the higher ranked the school the more interested they were in my CC/non-trad status and I strongly encourage CC students to app them as "need blind admissions" are probably the three sweetest words you'll ever hear.

Yea, here, as in CA, we have transfer agreements. Which doesn't mean you will get in, but it does mean that about 1/3 of the incoming class is designated as such. With my GPA, outside volunteering, and being a little older (24), I am pretty confident that I will get in (my app is being processed right now).

But just like calli, applying to UW as a freshman out of high school has become serious business.

 

[docelh]

But just like calli, applying to UW as a freshman out of high school has become serious business.

Is this true for the non-Seattle campuses as well?

 

[chman]

Is this true for the non-Seattle campuses as well?

No, not really. Transfer students are guaranteed a spot if you have like a 2.8 or something super low like that. They do accept some freshman, and I'm not sure what the average is for that, but I imagine is is quite a bit higher. Those campus were really built for the overflow of transfer students.

It really is not a bad campus (both Tacoma and Bothel), but their majors are really weird. I have thought about it though, because there is less competition, and it is probably easier to get LORs.

 

[WannaBePreMed]

That's nice to know bro, I should just quit now then.

No. They don't get into med school either.

 

[chman]

That's nice to know bro, I should just quit now then.

 

[rHinO1]

Some fun and encouraging stats:

Stanford (2008), accepted 20/1,200 transfer apps. 11/20 were CC transfers, 4 were non-trad.

Berkeley (2008), accepted 3,177/12,365, transfer apps. 2,890/3,177 were CC transfers.

UCLA (2008), accepted 5201/15,204 apps. 4,720/5,201 were CC transfers.

CC bias exists, I just haven't experienced it from anyone who matters (admissions/profs/schools). I don't treat the topic as something I'm ashamed of and thus no-one else has treated me like I should be.

Personally, I found the higher ranked the school the more interested they were in my CC/non-trad status and I strongly encourage CC students to app them as "need blind admissions" are probably the three sweetest words you'll ever hear.

This is b/c CA cc offer many guaranteed transfer agreements, to these schools and a lot more.

 

[docelh]

he must be bummed from all the negative Cal threads lately.

 

[SabC]

This is b/c CA cc offer many guaranteed transfer agreements, to these schools and a lot more.

Agreed. But it is indicative of CC students performing well.

And no-one is TAG'ing into Stanford. 😀

 

[SabC]

That's nice to know bro, I should just quit now then.

Sorry, I was being sarcastic.

 

[WannaBePreMed]

No worries I wasn't serious 🙂

Sorry, I was being sarcastic.

 

[rHinO1]

Agreed. But it is indicative of CC students performing well.

And no-one is TAG'ing into Stanford. 😀

which is why they only took 20 transfer students 😀

 

[SabC]

which is why they only took 20 transfer students 😀

Ya, which means the 11 CC students who got in got in on merit, not transfer guarantee. Win imo!

ie...CC is hardly the albatross people make it out to be.

 

[RevDM]

CC GPA = 3.5
UCSD GPA = 3.833

BS Biochemistry & Cell Biology

 

[WannaBePreMed]

👍

CC GPA = 3.5
UCSD GPA = 3.833

BS Biochemistry & Cell Biology

 

[rHinO1]

Ya, which means the 11 CC students who got in got in on merit, not transfer guarantee. Win imo!

ie...CC is hardly the albatross people make it out to be.

I agree 👍

 

[docelh]

Thread is becoming Stuart Smalley for CC....

 

[chman]

Thread is becoming Stuart Smalley for CC....

I went to a cc and gosh darn it, people like me.

Sometimes I just think that people who went to cc's, myself included, are in automatic defense mode. Most people are cool, but some people comment on the issue and have no idea what they are talking about...anyways, that's why this happens I think. Anyways, sorry OP, you will be fine. We should make this the official cc thread. All questions comments etc. Eh Eh, Mods?