Is it possible to transfer a paralegal degree into a 4 year?

[audreyc915]

If I get an AA in paralegal studies at a CCC, is it possible to transfer that to a UC or CSU? I’m trying to go to law school but I need a bachelors to do that. I also want a safe backup plan in case that doesn’t work out. Is there any school that has overlapping coursework for that major/degree?

[mikemac]

degrees don’t transfer, units do. Use ASSIST to see what units from your CCC are transferable.

[cptofthehouse]

Certain courses you took to get your Paralegal AADegree can be used towards getting a bachelors degree. You have to find the programs that will take the optimal number. Law school requirements are flexible in terms of college courses and majors so that’s not likely to be an issue.

[badgolfer]

@audreyc915 writes: I’m trying to go to law school but I need a bachelors to do that.

You might want to rethink this goal since it may end up leaving you heavily in debt and with poor job prospects. Recently on this forum you posted

I have been rejected from every single college I applied to (all in state CSUs/UCs 8 total applications). I am a transfer student from a CC with a terrible GPA (2.52). I’m not really sure where to go from here.

Understand, first, that law salaries are not centered around an average value but have two centers. The top grads from good schools get great salaries, but the rest have a salary clustering around a much lower value, about 1/3 of that of the strong students. Read thru https://www.biglawinvestor.com/bimodal-salary-distribution-curve/ or other articles you can find online.

If your 2.5 gpa reflects how you’ll do at a 4-year college there are a few more points to raise. You won’t get into an upper tier law school but you’ll be able to enroll somewhere (possibly unacredited). You might find the work too difficult in law school with the large reading requirements and workload. And beware…

Tuition at even mediocre law schools can cost up to $43,000 a year. “Avoid this overpriced sewer pit as if your life depended on it,” writes the anonymous author of the blog Third Tier Reality — a reference to the second-to-bottom tier of the U.S. News rankings — in a typically scatological review. “Unless, of course, you think that you will be better off with $110k-$190k in NON-DISCHARGEABLE debt for a degree that qualifies you to wait tables at the Battery Park Bar and Lounge.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/business/09law.html

That was from the NY Times 8 years ago, assume prices have only gone up since then.

Once you’ve taken on $100-200K in debt you still have to pass the bar. If you’re earning a 2.5 now this may be quite difficult. And even after you pass you’ll still face the job prospects outlined above.

I suggest you work with your career center to explore options and to make sure you are making an informed choice. If you enjoy working in the legal field perhaps a paralegal degree would be a better choice.

[audreyc915]

Thanks for the input but my question was about transferring a paralegal degree into a bachelors program. My major is Chemical Engineering, something I’m not passionate about at all which is reflected in my GPA. I have all A’s in my “other” non major related courses. Money isn’t really something I’m concerned about at all. I have the money to take care of it without going into debt…I just want to work in the legal field. Which is why I want a paralegal degree so I will have that opportunity even if law school ends up not being the cards for me.

[mikemac]

ASSIST in case you haven’t heard of it is the online tool for California community colleges that let you see what units transfer to a UC or CSU campus