Transferring Into A UC. I hate where I am now

[adrianxc]

<p>I am currently a freshman at the University of New Mexico. I am only here because I was offered an academic full ride for being a National Hispanic Scholar. An accomplishment that sounds a lot more awesome than it really is. Anyway, I cant stand it here and would love to go back to my home state of California, UCSB preferably. As a senior in high school, I did get accepted to UCSB and UCD and a few other state schools. </p>

<p>My question is, what is the process for transferring to a UC after I finish up my freshman year at UNM?</p>

[happymomof1]

<p>You should go visit the Transfer Forum for general advice, and the sub-forum for the California state system for more specific advice. You can reach them by clicking on “Discussion Home” in the upper-left of this screen and then scrolling down.</p>

[adrianxc]

<p>thank you :)</p>

[sherpa]

<p>I assume you’ve been at UNM for only a few weeks. You may come to like it. You’re smart to be looking into your options, but try to keep an open mind about UNM. I hope you have a great year, and I also hope next year is even better.</p>

[sherigmom]

<p>Sorry that you don’t feel your current school is a good fit for you. The NHS might not feel prestigious to you, but it gave you the opportunity to graduate with a four-degree debt-free, which is a lot more than most California kids have the opportunity to do. If you are spending all of your energy planning how much better UCSB or UCD would be for you, it doesn’t sound like you’re giving UNM a fair shake. Did you check out all of the schools that offered scholarships and then choose UNM? What made you pick it in the first place? I bet there are many students in the first few weeks of class second guessing their college pick, and I would strongly encourage you to try everything you can to make your college experience successful instead of looking over the fence at the greener grass.</p>

[mikemac]

<p>

what is the process for transferring to a UC after I finish up my freshman year at UNM

There is no such process. UC schools accept frosh applicants or junior transfers. This is based on units, though, not years in college. So if you have a ton of AP credit it might actually be possible at the end of this year. However people having this many units are pretty rare.</p>

<p>That said, you probably should attend a community college next year (assuming you last out the current year at your school). The UC schools give first priority in transfer admission to transfers from CA community colleges. And many UCs, including UCSB that you expressed interest in, have guaranteed admission programs depending on your intended major. If you want the UCSB experience starting next year, you could go to SBCC and live right in Isla Vista. I have a post about that in the UCSB forum.</p>

[fogcity]

<p>^^
I’m not sure that the previous post is correct. While it is typical from students to transfer (usually upon graduation from California CCs) junior year, my understanding is that sophomore year transfers are possible – in particular for students who had been eligible upon graduating from high school. See:</p>

<p>[University</a> of California - Admissions](<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/transfer/tr_adm_reqs.html]University”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/transfer/tr_adm_reqs.html)</p>

<p>And contact UC admissions directly! Your question requires precise answers, and you need to follow the UC procedures exactly. At best the members of this forum can only give you guidance and opinions.</p>

[mikemac]

<p>what fogcity is referring to is this:

Lower-Division Transfer</p>

<p>The University admits some transfer students before they reach junior standing, if they have met specific requirements.

That allowance is still around, but in practice it is pretty much moot at most UCs. With the echo-book working its way thru the UC system, they don’t have room for all the junior-xfer applicants that want to come, which means they don’t take those who aren’t juniors. However I’m not going to check each one; the OP can do that if interested.</p>

<p>The OP is interested in UCSB; here’s what they say on their website

The filing period for the fall quarter is November 1 - 30. Freshman applicants may apply for the fall quarter only. UCSB does not admit lower-division transfer students.
[UCSB</a> Admissions](<a href=“http://www.admissions.ucsb.edu/faq.asp?subsection=8]UCSB”>http://www.admissions.ucsb.edu/faq.asp?subsection=8)

Here’s what they say at UCLA

As a policy, UCLA does not accept lower-division transfer students. We allow students to apply as freshman and junior-level transfers. If you have reached junior-level standing at a California Community College or other institution, you are eligible to apply, even if you are not technically in your “junior year.” Visit our website for more information.
[UCLA</a> Admissions Blog : Did You Know?](<a href=“http://blog.admissions.ucla.edu/justine/2007/02/did_you_know.html]UCLA”>http://blog.admissions.ucla.edu/justine/2007/02/did_you_know.html)

Here’s what they say at Cal:

Transfer admission is limited to students who have or will have completed a minimum of 60 UC-transferable semester units by the end of the spring term of the current academic year.
<a href=“http://students.berkeley.edu/admissions/transfer.asp[/url][/quote]fogcity”>http://students.berkeley.edu/admissions/transfer.asp

fogcity</a> does raise a good point, though. When asking questions that have specific rules that apply such as transferring, in-state tuition, etc. the forum can give advice but to get the final answer the schools should be contacted directly and by email or in writing (saying “but that’s what someone told me on the phone!” isn’t going to get you far).</p>