Statistically the majority of admitted Transfers attend a California CC (usually over 90%). Transfers from OOS universities are possible but CCC transfers get priority over all other transfers.
This is extremely useful!! We need California “social” system to start viewing CC’s as a pathway, not something only less smart kids do!!
Having lived in CA for 4 yrs, the kids themselves look down on CCs.
Such a shame.
I just wanted to jump in to say that although CC is a great venting place for parents, please help your D focus on getting excited for the school she is committed to. If the school she is enrolled at is unaffordable, please consider a gap year. (I do understand/lament how many strong students do not want to consider CC, especially in states like CA where two years are typically required before transferring to the 4-year schools.)
Do you have a source for your last statement? Unfortunately UCs have become crazy competitive. I was surprised to see, for example, that over half of the last entering class at UCSB has a GPA above 4.3 (in fact over a third had a gpa above 4.4) and an average of 18 (I assume semesters) honors/AP.
On the CC aspect - there is a thread somewhere here about using SBCC as a “backdoor” to UCSB. It is probably as close to a 4-year experience as you’ll get from CC, and you can TAG to UCSB so you know (provided requirements are met) she will end up with a UCSB degree. And a few of my older daughter’s friends have already done this, so I can vouch for the pathway. This may be worth discussing with her. We are in what I suppose would be considered an affluent, high-achieving district, yet our school counselors have long (since D19’s day) emphasized both that getting into most UCs is hard, and that CC is a very solid pathway, and is especially attractive because of the affordability aspect. This is perhaps also something you need to discuss - I mean, if you can’t afford out of state, is that really an option?
(FWIW, yes CC is not a hugely popular option from our high school but enough kids do it, and from our school mostly end up getting their degrees either at UCSB - where the attraction is both the almost-college experience and TAG - or Berkeley, where our local CC is something of a feeder.) It’s perhaps worth mentioning that all the high taxes we pay also fund the CCs and CSUs - I don’t want to downplay your daughter’s disappointment but taxes are not some sort of entitlement to UCs when there are so many other public options here . (I would however totally agree that the proportion of instate students should be higher, like it is for some other top flagship systems.)
Does she refuse to consider community college because she wants a residential college experience? Would she maybe consider somewhere like Orange Coast College, where they have student housing available? UC Santa Barbara is part of their TAG program.
Thank you for this. Unfortunately, we hired a counselor who is not familiar with CA system. Her CV boasts of enabling her clients into Ivy Lesgue. And told my daughter UW Madison is like Ivy League. The whole thing was a topic of contention as it was me against my husband & daughter. We will need to almost exhaust our retirement savings now to pay for OOS Madison.
She is in a high performing HS. Her friend circle all got in to the top tier UCs, Cal Poly SLO, SDSU. She did not. Her GPA of 4.2 and application didn’t appeal to these schools. Her applied for BioChem.
This is just a nightmare for me. I have worked very hard to contribute to our savings - both me & my husband. But between the counselor, my husband, my daughter and since none of her friends are going to a CC, I end up alone as the person who’s “limiting her future”
This makes no sense. How does your husband not agree with you about this? I’m so sorry about this situation.
This is also so unfair. Objectively, a TAG to one of the UCs (like SB or Davis) is hardly “limiting her future” compared to Wisconsin - they are pretty much academic peers (and if you believe the rankings those two UCs are ahead). The counselor you hired clearly isn’t objective - I’m thinking she doesn’t want to have a “went to CC” on her record. Once your daughter is out of her current immediate friend circle what they think will also matter less. Is there someone more objective that can discuss with your daughter and husband, possibly? Sending hugs.
I am sorry you should have more support. I told my S that we simply could not afford the private tuition. He had a 4.2 GPA multiple APs and was accepted to UCD and UCSC. Waitlisted at UCSB and UCSD. He had friends with the same exact stats get into UCB, he also had friends who got into Oxford but didn’t get into any of the “top” UCs. Sometimes it’s just luck based.
Like others said the CC to UC pathway isn’t something people should look down on and I am sorry your husband wants to spend your retirement money on this. For what it’s worth I think you are right.
I read in the UCSB waitlist thread that your daughter was admitted to UCR and UCSC. UW Madison is a good school, but I would not pay more for that school over UCR and UCSC if my family could not afford it. If your daughter reaches out to the admissions offices at UCR or UCSC, they may accept an enrollment deposit at this late date.
Some movement on the UCSD waitlist for First years. An International admit for Math-Stats and 2 In-state admits for Physics and Astrophysics posted July 9 according to Reddit.
Edited: Today July 10, a wave of posted denials for First years.