Hi Guys! I’m currently a first year Electrical Engineering student at Cal Poly Pomona and I haven’t been enjoying my time here especially as it is a commuter campus. I was thinking of transferring to UCSD as I think I can grow a lot more there and also go into grad school directly from there. I just wanted to gauge what my chances were to get in or if withdrawing to a CC for 1 year would be a better option. Problem with CC is it would set me pretty far behind as I have completed a lot of credits here at CPP already. I had a 3.94 GPA first semester I’m doing similarly so far this semester. By the time I finish this semester I will have 60 units completed even though a couple major courses will not transfer. 26 of those come from AP credits. I’ve already looked at the transfer requirements and I’m a bit worried as CPP’s linear algebra and differential equations is combined into 1 class but the requirement to transfer wants both. Otherwise, I would be able to take the other requirements over the summer at my local CC.
I saw that the UCSD transfer acceptance rates for EE are around 50-60% for the past couple years. I understand priority is given to CC students but does anyone know what chances I have of getting in as a transfer to UCSD next year are? Thank you guys so much.
Have you thought about trying to transfer to SLO? The curricula would probably align better, so with 60 units at the end of this year, you might be able to make a more seamless transfer. If what you’re looking for is better campus life and strong engineering, SLO could satisfy those criteria at least as well as UCSD.
I’m not saying that because I’m assessing your chances negatively at UCSD - I’m just basing it on what you said about the challenge of making the requirements line up. Plus, a ton of upperclassmen at UCSD live off campus, so you might have some of the same concerns socially there, that you have now. Also, you can go directly to grad school from any of these colleges, including CPP! SLO even has a blended pathway: https://ee.calpoly.edu/academics/bms-honors
I agree with @aquapt in that you will be commuting to campus. UCSD is trying to build more dorms onto the campus. They have struggled with housing.
You do know that the noted acronym is “UCSD-UC for the Socially Dead”. The university has really tried to change that perception. A reason for the acronym is that those students work intensely on their projects, and, socializing is just not the major priority. It is on a quarter system so you have to have great time management. Also it is more expensive than the CSUs.
Priority admission goes to the CCCs.
CPP has dorms and you could live on campus with more of a social feel, or live in an apt near campus. I know someone who did that so I just wanted to point it out.
Your odds are lower to transfer to UCSD from CPP due to the CCC preference as you know. Look at the chart at Transfer fall admissions summary | University of California and click the radio buttons at the bottom under “Source school” to see the difference in overall admit rate. Not specific to EE unfortunately. You could also call the EE undergrad advisor to see if they have info they can share on EE transfers. Would also be a good idea to ask them about the pair of math classes you mentioned. Contact info is at https://ece.ucsd.edu/undergraduate/ece-undergraduate-advising-office
Are you aware that if you transfer to UCSD with only the xfer requirements they list met it will take you 3 more years to finish? Go to https://www.ece.ucsd.edu/undergraduate/resources/course-plans-forms and look at the EE plans for Freshmen and Transfers. The reason is the required prep doesn’t include any of the lower-division EE classes kids that started UCSD as frosh have spent two years taking so you’ll spend your first transfer year taking them.
Since you’ve pretty much satisfied the xfer requirements here is what I’d do next if I was in your shoes. Look at the classes taken by EE transfers in the link above and see if you can find equivalents for most or all at a CC in your area. UCSD descriptions are at https://ece.ucsd.edu/courses-2022-2023 and they sound like classes a CC would also teach. If so I’d next make an appt to meet in person or via zoom with the EE undergrad advisor at UCSD. Go over what you’ve found and see what they think, if it would let you finish UCSD in just two years after transfer. With this approach you also get the benefit of being considered a CC transfer.
I think I can grow a lot more there and also go into grad school directly from there.
Are you thinking PhD or MS? If an MS then most engineering schools these days offer a 5-year program where some of the classes for the BS count towards the MS and you get both degrees in 5 years. UCSD has such a program and I always encourage people to go straight thru and get it done.
Lastly, the key to your future no matter where you go are internships and coops. These really help you stand out when applying for full-time work and let you ensure you really enjoy the branch of EE you’ve chosen while there’s still time to change. But it’s going to be on you to put in the legwork to find them.
Hey thank you for the response! I did email the admissions office at SLO already and it is one of my options as of now. I think I would still have to take a few extra physics courses if I wanted to transfer there however. I will try to get in contact with someone from their ECE department to see how my courses will transfer.
Yeah I’ve definitely heard of the stereotype but it seems just a bit better than a commuter campus. I just thought it would be just slightly more lively than CPP which I was looking for. Thank you so much for the response!
Hey thanks so much for the response! I would definitely consider dorming at CPP if I didn’t live 25 minutes away, but I just thought it wasn’t too worth it. I looked over the math curriculum and it seems that I would have to take an extra Linear Algebra course to satisfy the prerequisites to transfer out. The time it takes is one of the reasons why I was a bit skeptical about transferring as I could probably graduate in 3 and a half years here at CPP with priority registration. I’ll definitely have to weigh my options more and see if it’s worth going to a CC for my second year. Thank you!
It sounds like you’re thinking out your options well. It certainly seems as if you’re thriving academically at CPP, and there’s no reason you couldn’t go from there to grad school if you want to; it’s just a question of whether you can achieve a quality of life there that you’re happier with.
One thing to factor in, if you consider staying, is that you could do a semester or a full year somewhere else, via domestic exchange or study abroad. (CPP isn’t listed as a National Student Exchange school, but their own website says they participate: National Student Exchange - there are a number of strong engineering schools that participate in this network) Maybe a full year at an exchange school would help sweeten the deal of staying at CPP; and it sounds as if you’d have no trouble graduating in 4 years even if it were a little less efficient.