Hi brookie1276! Yes, it is possible! (I have done it). However, it really doesn’t happen often, like NCal Rent said. I transferred from CSU San Marcos to UCI with 96-semester units and 12 AP test credit units. I applied three times: as a freshman, junior and finally as a senior transfer. You probably know that CSU transfers are one of the last ones accepted due to the TAG guarantee at CC’s. My recommendation is to keep your GPA in the 3.7 area, that makes you a bit more competitive in any major. Also, they don’t read the personal statements, like at all. I used the same ones from my junior transfer on my senior application because I got lazy…They only look at SAT and ACT scores for freshman and freshman transfer applications, after that, you don’t really need them on the application. However, AP scores can be used for all applications.
(HOWEVER, some majors are easier to get into than others, i.e. BIO SCI is majorly impacted where some majors aren’t, therefore apply for the less impacted majors and switch over immediately upon acceptance. Or in BIO SCI’s case make sure you have completed all your requirements before transfer and switch after taking the 4 required at UCI courses).
For financial aid… I got a 5K grant which was directly from UCI so I can’t vouch for other UC’s and schools. They offered me 2 loans of about 5,500 and 2,500, with the option of Parent Plus. Also, I have another grant that’s like 800 bucks from the middle-class scholarship.
In the end, they have accepted all my credits which came down to 139.5 quarter credits and 12 AP test credits and now I am majoring in Enviro Sci and Bio Sci, Gen.
Hope all this helps. If you have any more questions let me know.
A lot of the above information is somewhat wrong…
CC students from California get priority with TAG (if they do not apply for or get TAG they might as well wait till the next application season)
Out of State students get next priority - This includes out of state CC and 4-year applicants
In state Private School to UC (rare but does happen)
UC to UC (since you are already at a 4 year and in the UC they tend to not put them high on the list).
CSU to UC (Literally the last one. They figure since you already at a 4 year it isn’t a priority)
And this statement, “As CSU transfers the only thing we need to worry about really is credits transferring so as long as you have 60+ you seem set!” is so incorrect that I cannot even. First of all, you can transfer with less than 60 units. It is called a freshman transfer. Second, your units will all transfer, BUT they may not cover courses. For example, you took Philosophy 1 - Introduction to Philosophy (4 units) your 4 units are brought over; however, you will not get credit for the GE humanities and will need to retake it even though its a GE and no one cares about Philosophy if you are a Biology major. This happened to me. I took it as P/NP so it doesn’t matter in terms of my GPA and of course, I got a P… Long story short is you will have to fight for every unit in order for things to get covered. My suggestion? KEEP ALL YOUR PAPERS AND SYLLABI! They asked me for a paper I wrote 4 years ago to prove that I took a lower GE writing. Needless to say, they wanted to redo that class, but I pulled an “I talked to UC Berkeley moment.” They did approve me for lower division writing as I was able to prove it was equivalent. It worked but its annoying. Anyways…