emengee

I have a friend who is just getting out of the military and applying for college, and he has a question about the UC application that I'm hoping we might be able to get some help from here.

Although he has been in the Marines for four years, he has inadvertently accumulated college credits through his service (as in, he's doing some things that required knowledge of a foreign language and happened to be given credit for his language training). He's just now applying to college and at most schools is planning on applying as an incoming freshman (since he plans on spending four years in college, and he wants to major in something unrelated to the language he studied in the Marines).

When looking at the UC application, he said that his college credit forces him to apply as a transfer student. Additionally, transfer students are expected to have finished a large number of prerequisites for their particular major (this is even ignoring the fact that he only has about one year worth of credit, and all of the majors he's interested in are closed to him for some reason or another).

Our question is: is he basically screwed? It seems as though the system is set up to make it nearly impossibly difficult for transfer students to get in unless they've basically been spending the past two years prepping to get into the UC system. In any logical system, he wouldn't be considered a transfer student (as he's been off in the Middle East fighting a war, not studying his ass off), but this system seems to be completely biased against him (which is completely a shame because he's coming out of his service with a wonderful record of service and has been nominated for some sort of Marine-wide recruit of the year or something).

Any information/advice would be extremely appreciated.

Thanks!

KGZotU

Hey, emengee. Former Marine here myself. My question is whether he actually has been granted college credit from an accredited university. When you say he studied a language, do you mean he was an actual linguist studying at the Defense Language Institute? If so, then apparently he does have actual college credit. If he really wants to apply to a UC as a freshman then I'd suggest he try to make an appeal to the admissions department to be considered as a freshman.

The other interpretation possible from what you've written is that he is not a linguist but took some intensive language course. In that case, he might have "potential" credit but no actual accredited units.

Either way, community college is not so bad. Tell him I said it's been a nice breather for me. Online courses, etc. I wish I'd known what the heck I wanted to do right when I got out, but it sounds like he has that going for him.

--Joe

fijeeboi

Hey, another former Marine here........it's just a Devil Dog reunion isn't it..haha. Anyway, I know most of the credits that I received in the Marine Corps did not transfer over to a four year school. They transfered to a CCC if I was trying to get my AA. If I was him, I wouldn't even list the credits I got from the Marine Corps, unless they were alot of credits and they were transferrable.

UCBChemEGrad

The UC website says "You are considered a freshman applicant if you are still in high school or have graduated from high school but have not enrolled in a regular session at any college or university."

You may call one of the admissions offices for advice, but it's likely that since your friend hasn't enrolled in a regular session at any college or university, he should apply as a freshman, and ignore the credits he got for his language courses.

Good luck!

emengee

Thanks everyone. He actually has received formal college credits for his studies, and I think he has even taken some of the courses at a local college, but I'm not sure whether or not that counted as "a regular session at any college or university."

I will pass on all of your advice, though. Thanks everyone!

UCBChemEGrad

One suggestion I have: if a California community college (CCC) will credit the courses he took, your friend could enroll in a community college for a year or two. Then apply to a UC as a junior level transfer. It would save your friend from having to take SATs and SAT II subject tests, if he hasn't done them already.

IMO, it's also easier to get accepted as a junior level transfer from a CCC than as a freshman. Plus, it saves money in tuition costs. He'll need at least 60 transfer units.

Eirenarch

"When looking at the UC application, he said that his college credit forces him to apply as a transfer student. Additionally, transfer students are expected to have finished a large number of prerequisites for their particular major (this is even ignoring the fact that he only has about one year worth of credit, and all of the majors he's interested in are closed to him for some reason or another)."

As a transfer, you have to have at least 60 units and apply as a junior for most schools. The reason why all the majors were closed to him is that he probably picked sophmore.

Honestly, for a situation like this you really need to talk to the schools. Have your friend call them or even go to one of them to talk to someone personally.

kenf1234

I agree with both Eirenarch and UCBChemEGrad. Talk to the colleges directly, but seriously considering gong to a community college and transferring as a junior. If he's been in the military, it's hard to imagine freshman antics are going to mean very much, which is the only real reason for not going to community college (missing out on the freshman "experience").

emengee

The thing is, the whole going to a community college and then transferring to a UC only really makes sense for someone who has their heart set on going to a UC (as in, if they don't get into their dream UC, they'll fall back on whichever one they get into). He's part of the other 99% of the population who thinks that some of the UCs are great fits but wants to consider other schools too (in case he doesn't get in or if he gets a better offer elsewhere).

And even though he's been in the Marines, he's still a pretty silly guy, and so being a freshman would still be fun. And I'm pretty sure he wants four years at a university (and not a community college - not knocking them, but it's a different experience than going straight to a university, and he wants the latter).

UCBChemEGrad

^ 10-4. I agree with you that it's an option for someone that is deadset on a UC and doesn't get in as a freshman. Good luck to your friend.