So I got rejected from almost all of the schools I applied to and I am now really thinking about the community college route but I’m so lost on the requirements needed to transfer to a UC. Should I be worried?
It feels like all of the effort I put in HS has all been for nothing but to start all over again.
I’ve heard that it usually takes longer than 2 years at a CC, is this true? Also how is community college different from HS in terms of difficulty? During my time at a community college do I need to do heavy extracurriculars to add on my application?
My major is Computer Science, what should I be looking out for at a community college (like in terms of opportunities).
Any type of advice can help, especially if you have gone through the college transfer experience. Thanks
What I heard and based on my own research (I was considering this route before the application season just in case results do not come out nice, but in my case I ended up well) you have to finish the “GE” requirements to transfer. Here is a link to the specifics: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/transfer/preparing-admission/minimum-requirements/index.html
I’m just a graduating HS senior, but I am just giving you the info that I found for myself when I was considering this route. Good luck!
Getting rejected to some schools is very disappointing, but not the end of the world. Review those schools, if any, and decide which one you would like to attend. Turning down a school you liked when you applied is foolish. There is still time to apply successfully to many other good schools. Freaking out is not a productive approach to getting into college. Attending community college is not horrible! You would be attending school to earn basic requirements toward a college degree. Community colleges are really good schools academically because they recognize their responsibility to prepare students for successful academic performance at a four year college or university. You will be expected to study and perform at a community college as you would a four year school. You have good options without n front of you. Stop freaking out and move on with an alternative plan. You can cry while you work on other applications but do not neglect to complete them.
As for length of time in community colleges, it just depends where you go. Out here in California, if you’re out of favor with the campus’ identity politics you’ll get NO priority when registering for classes and you’ll find most of the sections of the classes you need will be filled long before your window opens. In addition, there is a host of prerequisite classes that most don’t successfully test challenge out of. These prerequisites are nontransferable they create major scheduling bottlenecks. Under these circumstances you can expect to spend 3-4 years in community college in California. My high school counseling department steers students to CSUs whenever possible and only sends those with severely damaged transcripts to CCC. Chances of entering our local community college and one day holding a Bachelor’s Degree is somewhere below 10%.
3-4 years? Not for serious students intending to go get their bachelors. I know too many successful stories for this to be true. It doesn’t even ring true. Identity politics relating to registration priority? Come on!
Nonsense. My friend’s daughter is at Pasadena CC with a 4.0 after 2 years. She has completed.all requirements and has applied to several UCs. I expect she will get in. She’s a white girl and I have no idea what priority you think having “correct identity politics” would get you but she got all the classes she needed.
Totally possible to only take 2 years at CC. I know several students who graduated from UCs and the whole process - community college to UC graduation - only took 4 years. One young woman even graduated in 3 1/2 years. Be willing to take classes at less-than-popular times, like 8 am.
At our local California CC, the counseling office/ transfer center is fantastic. If you are in CA, contact the transfer center your local CC. They can help you with all of your questions, and help you draft a plan to transfer to UCs.
High achieving motivated students are going to be fine on a CC to UC plan if they make a plan and stick to it. There’s a huge difference between a kid with good grades and a plan and one who is wandering.