kmzizzle

So I've been thinking during my first semester at SJSU (as a freshman) and I really want to transfer out to a solid UC such as UCB, UCLA, Davis, UCSC, UCI or even private schools such as SCU or USC. From what I've gathered, it is much harder to transfer from a CSU than it is if you did the IGET or TAP program (which one??) at De Anza Community College as you would get first priority in transfers. My dilemma is to either stay at SJSU and major in accounting since they are good with getting people into the Big 4, or go to a community college, go through the IGET/TAP program with a high GPA than I would have at state and have first priorities at transferring.
What do you guys think?
and can you help me with the differences between IGET/TAP
and if working part time during college will give you a couple points (like an EC) during transfer? thanks

dbguy4eva

i was in the same dilemma.. but i just stayed at a cal state and im trying to transfer to a UC from there for fall 08. My choice of staying at a cal state was because I was not sure if i would be able to get into the school i want, but being at a cal state, i'm already at a university. But it is true that CCC has first priority. My choice of transfering out was because im tired and bored of my school, I need to be somewhere more cultrually diverse.

Thedude44

The only problem is if your major is accounting no UC schools offer an accounting major except for maybe Riverside ( I could be wrong). UCLA has and accounting minor and Bus Econ which will do you just fine if you are seeking a big four firm. Actually probably better. But most the other UCs will not have accounting programs so you will have to be a econ or bus econ major which might not work that well if you are seeking to be an accountant position out of undergrad. But if you still want to go to a UC CCC is by far the best option. It will also be easier to get into USC even though it will still be difficult.

BouncingBoy

What do you get for staying at SJSU over going to community college?

If you fail to get admitted anywhere, you can transfer your CC credits back to SJSU and go on as a junior. Readmission shouldn't be an issue as long as you don't mess up at CC and if you didn't mess up at SJSU in fall semester.

De Anza already started winter quarter, so you're too late with them. You can still apply to SJCC/Evergreen/Mission/etc.

kmzizzle

Thanks for the responses
I read that SJSU is good for accounting (haven't heard anything about their finance undergrad) which is why if I stayed I would probably major in that. Otherwise I would not mind a Finance/BizEcon/BusAdmin major for any UC school. I got a 3.2 GPA this first semester (lower than I was hoping) and I'd probably want to go to De Anza sophomore year. I'm not sure if all my credits would transfer over or not and I am not sure about how many courses I have to take for the IGETC or TAP or w/e program that helps me get admitted Would starting that ^^ program sophomore year be too late?? Any other input is appreciated; thanks.

BouncingBoy

The problem with staying at SJSU for spring, which starts tomorrow, is that you're risking being labeled as a 4-year transfer rather than as a CC transfer.
In addition, you might accumulate too many units upon transfer to be admitted as a junior transfer. If you're end up as a senior, plan on graduating from SJSU. Max community college units transferred are capped at 70 for UC/CSU. With SJSU units, the sky's the limit - which means you can be a senior with around 100 units when combining DeAnza (max 70) with SJSU units in fall/spring. At SJSU, you won't have the flexibility to follow too many school's prereqs because of excess units. Meanwhile, the guy at DeAnza can take 99999 units there and has the flexibility to simultaneously apply any major under the sun and still be considered a junior transfer.

kmzizzle

I'm kind of confused by your post; but like some1 above said, couldn't most of the units just transfer over to de anza (obviously I'd have to check which ones do)?
Most UC's require people from state schools to have 60 credits (~2 years).
Note that I'm trying to transfer to a UC Junior year and I'm thinking about transferring to De Anza my sophmore year after this semester is over (only if I can do the IGETC program).
Could you clear this up a little I'm kind of confused lol

KGZotU

I generally agree with BouncingBoy except on one count. The UCs have very specific criteria for assessing whether you are a CCC transfer. You can find them at the top of this resource:

http://www.universityofcalifornia.ed...atrix_07-2.pdf

Personally, though, I'd be worried about the opposite problem if you waited until Sophomore year to go to a CCC. You'd have a much foggier picture of what pre-reqs, etc., your completed courses would satisfy. If you spent just one year at a CCC, then you might not even know whether or not you had 60 transferable credits.

--Joe

kmzizzle

The PDF said I had to go to a CCC as my most recent school for 2 terms - which could be my sophmore year.
Well couldn't I just ask a counselor if I had xx credits? And some would transfer over from State.
But would it be too late to complete an IGETC program starting sophmore year - I have no clue if any classes from State would transfer over

KGZotU

I was pointing out that you would unambiguously be a CCC transfer. (;

Generally, a transfer credit evaluator will not advise you prior to your enrollment. It would be nice if they could, but that would open up a ton of work for them.

One year is sufficient to complete IGETC.

kmzizzle

Cool thanks. I read your other posts about IGETC and other stuff in the sticky and it seems like you are knowledgeable about this
Referring to post #8, wouldn't a transfer credit evaluator be different than a guidance counselor and aren't counselors here to help me? (i hope) I mean it wouldn't be that hard to get a counselor to help me figure out how many credits I have right?

KGZotU

They can tell you what's likely to transfer, but they can't give a definitive answer. One piece of advice that an admissions officer gave on this board was that if you can point to a course in your prospective college's catalog and say, "I took this course!" then it's likely to transfer. Nobody can give you a definitive answer until after you've enrolled.

It seems like they really should have articulation matrices for CSU to UC transfers, but unfortunately the only certain answers are in the hands of UC admissions.

I had some OOS credits that I sort of had to play this game with as well. What I did was I picked out the courses that seemed like clear matches with UC courses. I guessed that I could count on 4/5ths of those transferring over. I picked out some that seemed like likely transfers, and I guessed that I could count on 1/2 of those of those transferring over. So, I added together those percentages that I felt I could count on. It was complete guesswork, but I feel like it gave me a decent ballpark.

So, if you're concerned, you might do that ballpark figuring on both the coursework you just completed and on the Spring coursework you're planning on. If you feel like you can only count on, say 15 credits by the end of Spring then it would probably be in your best interest to transfer to a CCC right away. If you're comfortable with how many transferable credits you'll have at the end of Spring, then you're fine.

One thing that might help is to call De Anza and find out if you can use courses that you've completed at SJSU to satisfy IGETC. If you can, then you can optimize your Spring semester by starting to knock out IGETC requirements. Good classes might be American History I/II, Mechanics of Solids w/L, Chem 101 w/L, Introductory Micro or Macro Econ, first semester Calc, etc. These are the bread and butter classes that I'm guessing would transfer easily, both towards IGETC requirements and into whatever university you end up in.

Hope this helps,
Joe

kmzizzle

Thanks
I went to assist.org and looked at De Anza to UCLA. I went to "UC Transferable Courses" and I found out that for my first two semesters, about 4-5 classes would be "transferable." 4-5 Units each that leaves with ~20 credits.

I also looked at "IGETC for UC and CSU" and I have ~4 courses that would work from San Jose State. Now let me get this straight; I have to fufill 6 categories of IGETC along with any pre-reqs I wish on taking. If courses from state fufilled IGETC then I would only have to take about a semesters worth of classes (minus the pre-reqs)

I'd really want to transfer into UCLA's business economics major. Another school I'd want to go to is UT Austin. Other schools I would probably apply to is UCI, UCSD, USC, SCU, UCB. If I don't make it in I guess I can transfer back to SJSU.

I hope I am on the right path here and getting everything straight.

BouncingBoy

I think you're making this needlessly complicated by staying at state.

kmzizzle

Well it is too late to transfer to De Anza for this semester :/
Do you go to SJSU bouncingboy? you knew the start day lol