@eagle21, As far as OOS CC → CCC → UC, it will all depend on the course transferability of the OOS CC, but the CSUs/UCs only have agreements with CCCs on what can transfer so it’s a large risk to attend an OOS CC which might be invalidated by the UCs.
Consider how stringent UCB and UCLA are with AP test scores and how 3’s are not usually considered passing. It’s very likely that they will evaluate OOS CC courses similarly which usually ends up where you have to take additional courses for partial/no credit just to meet their requirements. It’s also somewhat common for a CCC to declare a major prep course as “equivalent” only to be overruled at the UC level so it’s better to err on the side of caution when considering transferability.
Source: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/transfer/advising/transferring-credits/
Additionally, the definition of a “California community college transfer applicant” has two explicit requirements:
- Complete at least 30 semester (45 quarter) UC-transferable units at one or more California community colleges.
- Have attended, immediately before admission to a UC campus, a California community college (excluding summer sessions).
So if you are adamant on the OOS CC route, you would realistically need to spend one academic year at a CCC along with either the prior spring semester or summer session ensuring that you meet all the prerequisites and assessments for the UC transferable courses.
Source: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/transfer/advising/igetc/
I completely agree with @Happy2Help that you should plan to take 2-3 years at a CCC prior to transferring. It’s sometimes not a question of class difficulty but rather scheduling conflicts and limited availability that will hinder your ability to get all the necessary classes in less time. A lot of OOS and international students underestimate how crowded the CCC system is.
Lastly, UC-transferable hard science and math courses are usually not offered online because they require either a lab portion or have a physical class discussion requirement from state education standards. Additionally there are federal regulations that make it very hard (sometimes impossible) for OOS students to take online courses at a CCC.
Source: https://studentweb.sdccd.edu/docs/OnlineStatesNotPermitted.pdf
Edit: Sorry for any duplicate information; I didn’t refresh the page prior to posting.