[quote=doofrat] . . . Is there a problem transferring from Community to UC that didn’t exist before?
And unless you go to Ivy League does it really matter which school you attend?[/quote]
Yes, doofrat, there IS a problem transferring from a CA CC to a CA public university. As of Fall 2013, the CSU and UC will only consider for acceptance a transferring-in junior who has taken a strictly prescribed set of GEs in CC and earned an Associate of Arts Transfer (AAT) or Associate of Science Transfer (AST) degree, depending on which field of major they intend to pursue at university, which MUST be ascertained PRIOR to entering CC. CSU/UC applicants who already have occupational degrees from years past (i.e. Assoc of Business) will not be considered for acceptance until they have the new required GE credits from CC under their belt required for entry. Mid-year freshman or sophomore applicants are no longer accepted at a CA public university. Once a student starts (and commits to an associate degree program) at a CA CC, they need to finish an AAS or AST degree prior to applying to the UC and/or CSU.
The AAT and AST roadmaps were implemented first by the CSU to boost readiness for upper-division courses, and, as a result, boost graduation rates.
Practically speaking, the AAT and AST are not easy to obtain (especially within two years) at CA CCs situated in heavily-populated urban areas. It isn’t easy to get the needed classes on these campuses because every single FT student there who came straight out of HS is trying to get the exact same classes and the CC’s aren’t as well-funded as they should be to have the class offerings to accomplish this goal. Therefore, I believe that HS graduates staying behind in a parents’ back bdrm to attend local CC are at a great disadvantage to their brethren who left to attend university as a freshman (SDSU is the MOST impacted campus of the 23 CSUs and admits only about 9% of freshman applicants overall).
In short, if your SD-County based HS senior or CC sophomore is eyeing a CA public university and their families cannot afford a private college (which isn’t always “better,” IMO), they need to apply to 6-8 CSU campuses, or, if qualified, to at least 4 UC campuses (preferably more). If your student’s GPA is among the top 9% of their HS class, the UC offers guaranteed placement at a UC campus but bear in mind that he/she may only be offered UC Merced.
If your kid’s offer(s) are from podunk CA inland campus(es), tell them to TAKE IT and DO NOT attempt to transfer out as a junior! Your student should humbly TAKE whatever offers they get. If offered more than one campus, your student needs to MAKE A QUICK DECISION and DON’T LOOK BACK!
Each UC/CSU campus is ever so slightly different in their curriculum so your student will undoubtedly lose credits if they try to transfer out as an incoming junior, costing time and money. ESPecially if they are transferring from a quarter-system campus to a semester-system campus or vice versa.
The goal is to live reasonably frugal and finish with minimal or no debt, even if it takes five years, which CAN BE DONE TODAY with a part-time job, parent/relative’s assistance and financial aid in the form of scholarships and grants which do not need to be paid back.
I don’t care if your kid graduates HS with a 4.27 GPA and 34 AP credits. Applying at CA public universities is a crapshoot for ALL applicants. The goal today is to GET ADMITTED, STAY THERE, STAY the course and finish your chosen degree progam.
If your kid’s goal is CA public university admission, starting their college “career” at a CA CC will put your kid way behind the eight-ball, IMO, UNLESS your kid’s CC is in a small town or a fairly rural area. However, the ROP program at most CC’s is expanding. If your kid wants to go into HVAC, for example, then CC ROP is the way to go. Your kid will be able to finish with a Certificate or AS and get a journey-level position within 1-2 years of starting CC.
