xMathx

I'm currently a high school senior and around my junior year, I became very ill (auto-immune disorder). As a result, I failed a bunch of classes. I currently rank in the top 10% in my school. (Before I got sick, I had a GPA higher than my best friend, who ranks number 8 out of 800 seniors). The point is: I know I'm a high-achieving student and will have to attend a community college. I also plan on majoring in math and/or physics.

My main concern is...If I transfer from a good community college to UCLA, will I be prepared? (I completely understand that CC classes and 4-year university classes are completely different) Obviously, I'd be transferring to complete my upper division courses as a junior, but will I be prepared for them? I just want an equal opportunity and not have to suffer just because I went to a community college.

Please and thank you

sid3000

If you know you're naturally high-achieving then you will be fine.

Now, different subjects require different levels of preparedness. If you took several years of math in HS/CC, then you will be able to compete in math here. If you took, for example, more years of biology than chemistry then that will reflect in your understanding of either material when you take the course. The bottom line is you will have the potential to do well in any course if you work hard, even if youre starting from scratch. It is just somewhat easier if you already have past experience with the info.

coldness

You know, the admissions people do take into consideration very bad illnesses like that and understand that it caused you to to do less well. You should still try going into UCLA from the start. I think they do have a spot for you to put those extraordinary circumstances you went through on the application.
They sometimes send you an extra information sheet asking you to write an essay about something else you did as a supplement to your application, so you can go into more detail about how the auto immune disease affected you. They sent me a supplement around probably a month or two after the actual application.

Unless of course, you also want to save money by going to community college first.

xMathx

Coldness:
Most of the decision of going to community college is saving money, but I have barely recovered from my disease, so community college will be a nice transition to a four year university.

Symphony

I don't see why you wouldn't be prepared if you transferred in from a community college. Lots of people come to UCLA through a CC. As long as you work hard, you shouldn't be any less prepared than others. I mean, math and physics are the same wherever you are.

joliefillie

I also had health issues that started in my junior year, causing me to go to CC instead of UCLA.. I have to say that I am bored out of my mind, no challenge.. If you were a top 10 student, then I'm guessing that you would get bored too..

So if money was not an issue, I would reccommend going straight into a UC. I know it will be stressful, but if you are already recovering, then you may regret not taking the opportunity.

Academically, with math you should be fine transitioning from CC, bc they have to cover the same material. But physics.. my bf transferred from CSU Pomona(>CC) to USC (=UCLA), and had to get his shizza together for his physics and engineering courses bc it's a completley different level.

Altema

CC did not prepare me for UCLA. That's just how it was for me. I don't see how it can unless your CC was known for being hard in certain areas. It was way too easy to pick easy teachers and get easy As. Granted, I'm not a science related major, so I don't speak for that area, but it was easy to get really easy teachers for anything else.

The up side is that even though you are unprepared, you can just study and study and study more to make up for it.

siliconvalleymom

You might want to apply to UCLA to give yourself the choice six months from now. Medically, you might find that you make a lot of progress between now and next September. There are great medical facilities right on campus if you need ongoing care while you are a student.

jvesco22

CC can prepare you if you work hard and pick teachers that make you work to get an A. Many people make the mistake of picking the easiest teacher to get an A. Of course you want an A, but make sure you actually learn the material and retain it. If you get teachers that hand out A's like candy, then you probably won't learn much, don't do it . But if it's for GE classes, then just take the easy A.