40 Tips to Successfully Transfer to Berkeley and UCLA
Are you interested in transferring to one of the premier UCs?
A question I often get from applicants is how hard is it to transfer to Berkeley or UCLA? My answer is it’s totally doable, so breathe easy. I have compiled what I consider to be the top 40 steps, strategies and requirements necessary to make it to Cal or UCLA. You wanna be a Bruin or a Golden Bear? It’s all right here:
1. Go to a California community college.
If there is one thing that will boost your chances astronomically it is by going to a California community college (CCC). This is because the state of California has mandated that every year one-third of all UC-accepted students must be transfer students. Of those transfers, 92%+ come from a CCC. In addition, CCC courses have been calibrated to match UC courses so there’s no guesswork.
2. If you just started at another college but know you want to go to UCLA or Berkeley, see #1.
3. Simply going to a CCC is not enough.
To be considered for CCC priority consideration you need at least 30 semester (45 quarter) units from a CCC, and your last term must be at a CCC.
4. Have the minimum units needed for transfer.
Generally, you can only transfer to Berkeley, UCLA or any UC as a junior, although there are rare exceptions that crop up year to year. To qualify as a junior you must have a minimum of 60 semester (90 quarter) UC-transferable units completed by the end of spring prior to your admittance to the UC.
5. Try to plan early.
Plan efficiently by creating a spreadsheet that more or less charts your course schedule by term. If you are not yet sure of a major, look at the Transfer Pathways to get a general idea of the direction in which you want to head.
6. If you only have lower division courses, don’t worry about the number of units over 70. They won’t matter.
If you have only gone to a community college all the courses are lower division (freshman/sophomore level). You can take as many units as you want but only 70 semester (105 qtr) units will transfer. For any overages above 70 you will get subject credit only. If you attended a four-year college, as long as the courses are freshman/sophomore level, the same rule applies.
7. Don’t go overboard on upper division courses.
If you have credits from a four-year college, there are limitations as to how many upper division (junior/senior) level courses you can take. These are added on top of the total lower division courses. If you reach the UC transfer maximums you might not get in. UC Berkeley has a transfer max limit of 90 units, whereas UCLA has a transfer max unit limit of 86.5. Here’s how it works:
Example 1:
CCC lower division: 70
4-year college lower division: 15
Total LD: 70 units (rounded from 85)
4-year college upper division: 21
Total units: 91
(you will have over the recommended limit for both UCLA and Berkeley)Example 2:
CCC lower division: 65
4 year college upper division: 12
Total units: 77
(you are in the clear)
Keep in mind some of the units from other colleges may not be UC-transferable. These will not be factored into the total unit count. Oftentimes you don’t know in advance how that will go.
8. Remedial classes won’t transfer.
Remedial means below college level. These would include (1) intermediate algebra and lower, (2) most ESL courses, (3) composition and writing courses below the UC-required English course levels, and (4) bridge/transition courses, among others.
MATH TIP: Any math course that has intermediate algebra as a pre-requisite is college level. One way to determine college-level is to see if the math course in question requires intermediate algebra somewhere along its trajectory. If so, it is college level. However, that alone does not necessarily mean it is transferable, as it may be vocational (see Tip 9). Usually it is transferable, but be sure to check.
9. Vocational courses won’t transfer.
Courses that are specifically geared toward a trade will not transfer. These could include “how-to” courses or personal development courses. Look to your class catalog for more info.
10. Take sequence courses in order.
Sometimes courses are listed as part of a series (or appear to be a series). They may or may not need to be taken in a specific order. To determine if a series must be taken sequentially, look at the prerequisites.
Example 1:
Calc 2 has a pre-req of Calc 1. Calc 3 has a pre-req of Calc 2. These must be taken sequentially
Example 2:
Economics 100 (macro) and Economics 102 (micro) are not sequential – neither has the other as a pre-req so can be taken in any order. Some 3-course Physics series have only the first course as the pre-req, meaning the other two can be in any order.
11. Sequence courses taken out of order will not transfer.
This is one of the biggest reasons applicants lose units and end up under the 60-semester unit minimum requirement.
Example 1:
If you take Calc 2 and then take Calc 1, you will get subject credit for Calc 1, but the Calc 1 units will not transfer.Example 2:
If you take English 101 that has a pre-req of English 100, and then take English 100 afterward, you will get subject credit for English 100, but you will not get unit credit.
12. It is best to finish all course series at the same college.
If you have a course series to complete, it is best to take them at the same college so there are no gaps. Depending upon the subject, if a series is split among colleges, the UC may make you retake one of the courses to be sure a sub-area has not been overlooked, or they may not accepted any of the split series courses. (Calculus is standardized, so usually taking Calc 1 at one college and Calc 2 at another is acceptable.)
13. Major course completion is paramount.
Complete every single required course for your major. This is another deal-breaker for applicants. How do you find this info? You go to assist.org. Consider assist.org your Bible during your community college (freshman/sophomore) years.
Here’s how to find your major requirements:
Log on to assist, choose your community college. (If you’re not at a community college, just select any one to get the needed info.) Then choose the UC to which you hope to transfer and your major. Assist will provide a list of courses that are required at that UC in order to fulfill those major requirements. Do it for each UC as the requirements are different.Be sure to read the top as it explains additional details. All required courses need to be completed. Recommended or highly recommended are optional, but completing some or all will make you a stronger candidate.
14. UCLA and Berkeley do not expect you to drive all over to find a class.
If a course is not offered at your community college and there isn’t one nearby at another CCC in your district, the UCs generally will let it slide.
But… Berkeley Engineering kind of might expect you to drive all over.
In this situation, be sure to complete as many recommended courses as possible, even if it’s a hassle driving to another CCC.
15. Be as competitive as possible within your major.
Go HERE and check out the majors by campus
. Look at both the admit rate (which tells you how hard it is to get in) as well as the listed mid-range of admitted transfer GPAs. Try to get your GPA in that 25-75% range or higher. There are applicants who get in below the 25%, but keep in mind they are probably hugging that bottom GPA or have some other consideration: star football player, grandson of a noted individual, or some claim to fame. This area is what I call the UC wiggle room and they don’t like to broadcast those stats. Don’t put your eggs in that basket, if you can avoid it.
16. Be careful with the two required English courses.
The English courses can mess you up if you are using any English course from a non-CCC. Here are three tips:
- Verify that any composition course you took elsewhere will truly count as the first English comp course. They don’t always. This can cause a problem if you take the second required English comp course (or the IGETC-required composition/critical thinking course) at a CCC assuming the first is fine, and it later turns out it won’t count. You may now be out-of sequence, meaning you will need to take the first English required course after the second and will lose unit credit for that course. Also, you will not get full IGETC certification by the CCC if the courses were taken out of sequence. This can impact your Berkeley admission. It’s a sticky wicket when factoring in non-CCC English courses after transferring to a CCC. Advisors can and do get it wrong on occasion. As a starting point, Berkeley offers a out of state English course match search (see #36).
- If you have transferred to a CCC from a non-CCC and are doing IGETC, figure you will need to take the second English course at the CCC no matter how many other English courses you might have. That’s because the second IGETC English course (composition/critical thinking) is a manufactured blended course set up especially for the CCCs. You likely won’t find it elsewhere (a few CSUs might have it).
- International applicants: Good news! Taking the two required English courses at a CCC fulfills your English proficiency and you do not need TOEFL. (UCLA wants a B or better letter grade in both, so keep that in mind.)
17. The first English course and math requirement should be completed by the fall when you apply.
This is not exactly mandatory but it is something they look at closely, so ideally, try to complete by fall. At the very least the first English course should be done. I also suggest all three be taken for a letter grade. Berkeley and UCLA do not demand this, but writing skills are of the utmost importance to them, so I would consider it. Plus, some majors might require the courses be taken for a letter grade.
18. Up to 14 semester units can be taken P/NP.
These can be applied to IGETC and breadth. Keep in mind, however, you might want to save some P/NP for UCLA or Berkeley. These count as the campus overall P/NP limits.
19. Major required courses must be taken for a letter grade.
Except in very rare cases that will be noted within the department, all major coursework needs to be taken for a letter grade. Don’t mess with the major courses.
20. Berkeley and UCLA don’t care about Ws – usually.
Withdrawals (or Ws) are usually not an issue, especially if taken in bulk, meaning you had a bad semester or year. However, if they are scattered all over your transcript, admissions may want to know why and it could have some bearing, as they might wonder if you can stand up to the rigor of UC courses, or have the necessary follow-though. A lot depends on your explanation of the Ws in the application.
HAAS APPLICANTS: Haas School of Business does not like to see Ws in major required courses.
21. You can retake a course that has a C- or lower.
The new grade always replaces the old grade, so if the new grade is lower than the old grade, you’re now worse off. When repeating a course, they do not average the two grades into one. The former grade is simply omitted from the GPA.
22. You should not repeat a course by taking it P/NP.
If you are repeating a course, to get credit and erase the old course from the GPA you must take the repeat for a letter grade. If you take it P/NP, the previous letter grade will stand.
23. See if you qualify for academic renewal.
Sometimes it is impossible to repeat a course. This most often applies when you took the course at another college and you have moved away, or you can’t match the course elsewhere. Whatever the cause, you may be able to erase those bad grades from your record through a process called Academic Renewal. Not all colleges offer it and they all have their own rules.
Here’s the lowdown on AR:
— Start your search by going online to the college where the bad grades are housed. Look to see if they offer Academic Renewal. It may be called grade forgiveness or similar.
— Usually a year or two needs to have passed between those grades and the present. Plus you need to have taken new courses that have a minimum GPA to show you are on the right track.
— Some colleges let you apply even if you are no longer at their college. Others insist you reapply to their college for a term. This is where it might get tricky if you have moved away.
If AR is allowed and approved, it will show up on your transcript with the AR notation and those grades will not be factored into your GPA. If the bad grades cannot be erased or retaken, keep in mind that both Berkeley and UCLA are most interested in an upward trend, as well as your most recent grades. Bad grades from several years back that cannot be changed are not as important.
24. Foreign language completion is not a UC admissions requirement.
Unless it is required for your major, or you are fulfilling IGETC, you do not need a foreign language to apply to Berkeley or UCLA, or any UC for that matter. In terms of IGETC, two years of high school language in the same language fulfills the language requirement, as long as the last term of the second year of that language is a C- or better. Previous grades will not matter as language is a validation subject, meaning if you pass at a higher level, it is assumed you know the lower levels. To apply it to IGETC, you will need show your CCC advisor the high school transcript when he or she does the certification after you are accepted to your UC. Keep in mind, some majors require more years of language than the two year high school equivalent.
Internationals: If you have an international transcript that shows two years of high school instruction in a language other than English, you too have fulfilled IGETC. Bring the transcript to your CCC advisor for sign-off.
25. They do not care how long it takes you to get through the CCC.
If the road you took to get to the UC was more of a winding path with multiple stops along the way, that’s fine. Time spent on the road, so to speak, will not be a deterrent. Both UCLA and Berkeley will also not care if you took time off, but will ask to explain any gaps. But don’t sweat it; they merely want to know the reason, such as you were working, you had family obligations, you weren’t ready.
26. Should you choose IGETC?
There are two general ed paths: Breadth and IGETC. IGETC is an acronym for Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum. It is only offered at a CCC and has more classes to complete than simple Breadth. If you are at a CCC and majoring in the social sciences, arts, humanities, etc, you usually should do IGETC. The positive with IGETC is it is accepted at every UC, meaning you will have completed all the gen ed courses for all the UCs with full IGETC certification provided by the CCC.
Points about IGETC:
1. Once started, you must finish.2. At UCLA you may apply with Partial IGETC (meaning 1-2 courses are missing), but it depends on college, so be sure and check. Berkeley will only accept full IGETC , so no partials, baby!
3. If you get into UCLA with Partial IGETC, it’s to your advantage to try and finish in the summer before UC admission.
4. AP scores of 3 or higher may be applied to some areas of IGETC, depending on test.
27. Should you choose breadth?
As noted in #26, breadth is the second gen ed path and usually has less courses than IGETC. It is the preferred choice for STEM majors as there are a ton of major course requirements to fulfill in STEM, making IGETC somewhat unwieldy. The potential drawback to breadth is that each UC and college has its own breadth rules which are often not the same. However, since breadth does not need to be completed in its entirety in order to transfer, the only relevance to not completing is you may have additional courses to complete at the UC. Some AP scores may be applied, depending on the rules of that UC’s college (College of Engineering, College of Letters and Science, etc.).
28. UCLA and Berkeley do NOT offer guaranteed admission.
There are six UCs that offer the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program to CCC applicants. If you follow the rules set out, you are guaranteed admission to that campus. Unfortunately, neither Berkeley nor UCLA offer guaranteed admission. But…
29. They offer TAP instead.
UCLA and Berkeley offer other programs that can help students transfer:
UCLA Transfer Alliance Program (TAP):
This is an honors-based program, offered at select CCCs. If the applicant takes a certain number of approved honors courses and attends various seminars, they may apply to UCLA in the TAP program and get priority consideration. Applicants also get to choose an alternate major (with stipulations) that is not afforded regular applicants. UCLA claims about 80% of TAP applicants get admitted.
Berkeley Transfer Alliance Project (TAP):
Berkeley’s TAP is not same as UCLA’s program. It is not honors-based and there is no priority consideration. To qualify for Berkeley’s TAP you must be one of these three: (1) a minority student, (2) low-income; or (3) first generation college student in your immediate family. All you need to do is ask your CCC advisor to set up a meeting with the Berkeley rep next time they come onto your campus. Berkeley’s TAP is a mentoring program and helps you meet your goal of successfully transferring. They also claim close to an 80% success rate.
30. Both Berkeley and UCLA are holistic.
Berkeley started the holistic trend at the UCs some time back and now UCLA has followed suit. What holistic means in a nutshell is that admissions looks at the whole person when assessing the application. Make no mistake, GPA is still King, but they will look to see the person behind it — what hardships you might have had, what leadership you might exhibit, your workload, family obligations, awards, recognition, etc. This is where the Personal Insight questions (essays) can really help you shine.
31. UCLA and Berkeley love veterans.
Berkeley is recognized as one of the top UCs for veterans and UCLA is close behind. If you are a veteran you need to reach out to both campuses for support and guidance. The University of California has a global web page for veterans to connect our military to all nine UC campuses. They offer a boatload of services. Be sure to write about your military experience in teamwork, leadership, discipline or similar in your Personal Insight answers.
32. ECs generally are not important for transfers.
I’m slightly hesitant to say this because extra-curricular activities always help make you a more competitive applicant and certainly for selective majors, having major-related activities are a strength. But in general, both Berkeley and UCLA realize most transfers are working (jobs are an EC!) and have life obligations, so they are more easy-going about it. One big exception is Haas School of Business, which will expect leadership and business-related ECs. When using ECs for selective majors, try to show thematic elements and long-term commitment, if possible.
33. Final winter / spring grades are not factored in.
Cumulative GPA is only counted through the fall term when you apply. (In other words, if you apply in fall 2016 for fall 2017, the cumulative GPA cuts off after fall term 2016). If you took a course in winter session and aced it, you can send an email to each of the UCs letting them know. How they use that information will be up to them, but it will not be factored into your cumulative GPA.
34. They do not count summer courses before enrollment as part of the application.
You certainly may be able to take summer courses at your CCC after admittance, but it is separate from the application process. You must complete the UC minimum units and all required courses by spring term before enrollment.
35. Both UCLA and Berkeley accept UC transfers.
There is a misconception that it is near-impossible to transfer from one UC to either Berkeley or UCLA. False! Applicants successfully transfer year after year. UCLA, in fact, gives UC transfers almost the same priority as CCC transfers. The keys to success, in addition to a strong GPA, are (1) fulfilling the major requirements for the major at your targeted UC. You do this by going to assist.org, choosing any CCC and fulfilling the course list for the major. (2) The second part is getting a Letter of Reciprocity from your current UC. The letter indicates you have completed all the general ed courses at your UC. While a Letter is not necessarily required I have seen Berkeley rescind UC acceptances when the Letter of Reciprocity that was earlier promised fell through. I suggest getting it completed for Berkeley, and at least checking with UCLA for best practices.
36. Both accept non-CCC applicants.
If you are applying from out-of-state or from another four year college in California, you can still get into Berkeley or UCLA. Sure, it’s a bit harder, but it happens frequently. The key is to utilize assist.org. Look at the required courses for your major (choose any random CCC) and try and match your coursework at your institution as best as possible. Same goes with the general ed courses. Definitely take two English comp courses and a quantitative math/stats course. Berkeley offers a list of matching English courses from out-of-state colleges HERE.
37. Don’t plan on choosing an alternate major.
Berkeley does not accept alternate majors when you fill out the application. UCLA accepts alternate majors only in TAP and the alternate must be non-selective and only in the College of Letters and Science.
38. They don’t want SATs and your high school transcript is not part of the application process.
When you apply as a transfer you do not submit any SAT or ACT scores. You also do not submit your high school transcript during the application process, but if accepted, you then will need to send the transcript before your UC term starts. Don’t worry about grades as they have no relevance. They want the transcripts for various reasons — to verify what you wrote in the application about attendance, about graduation if applying for certain residence status situations that require CA high school graduation, or possibly to verify language fulfillment (they will look at the grades for that).
39. Don’t mess up last term.
Unfortunately, there is sometimes a downward trend the final term after submitting your application. Possibly it’s due to burn-out. Or perhaps you bit off more than you could chew. Either way, try to avoid Cs. UCLA is more lenient than Berkeley, as far as I can tell. If you get a C in a major required course, there’s no telling how Berkeley might respond. If you feel it is headed that way, reach out in advance to Berkeley (or UCLA), and try and get your other course grades up to help offset it.
40. Finally, you can be accepted into both Berkeley and UCLA.
There’s a myth that UCLA and Berkeley communicate secretly and if you’re accepted to one you won’t be accepted to the other. Flat out false. Applicants get accepted to both campuses all the time. They don’t communicate with each other. None of the UCs do.
Lindy King offers consulting services to prospective UC transfers and is author of the best-selling ebook, How to Transfer to a UC from a California Community College.
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I took classes at community college, went to a four year, and am back at community college.
Just to clarify, what if I took classes that are not “upper division” classes while I was at my 4 year or that are not required for the major in which I will be applying? Will they still put me over the unit limit?
Even if I am over the unit limit, is it still possible to get accepted, or is that an automatic disqualification?
As long as they are not upper division they will not put you in jeopardy. Any lower division units over 70 semester units (105 qtr) will not be factored in, although you will get subject credit for those extra courses, as applicable. So you are fine. Good luck!
Thank you for the reply!
I tallied it all and it puts me right at 85, if they don’t count a course that there’s no articulation agreement for, so I don’t anticipate that it would count as transferrable units. I suppose I’ll go ahead and apply anyway.
Thanks again
That’s fine. Even if you have an upper division course or two, it will just add to the LD total of 70, so you will be fine. Example: two 4 semester unit UD courses = 78 transferable units. The lowest minimum at a couple of UCs is 80 semester units, so it’s OK across the board.
I was unclear, my lower division course load from community college is over 70 units. Once I transferred, I still took a few more lower division classes, plus a few upper division.
All in all my LD total is above 70 as I took closer to 90 or 100 in community college, but they only accept / count 70 anyways. I have an additional 15 upper division units + another 9 that are technically upper division, but are very specific to my old 4-year institution, and I don’t think there would be any sort of articulation or transfer agreement. It was a general ed Humanities honors program.. So, I really am potentially right on the cusp.
Yes, you are.
And thank you for both your replies and such a great website / resource by the way. I’ll reach out to you closer to when it’s time for me to transfer. I could explain my situation / what I bring to the table and you could give me a realistic assessment of my chances. If they’re even remotely realistic, then perhaps I could hire you for your services..
Thanks for the kind words. ?
i hope to apply this fall buy, my gpa is below 3.8 for ecomomy major
but if my gpa is upper than 3.8 after winter class and i would aced for the spring also, i would be competitive for transfering UCB or UCLA?
No they do not consider your winter or spring grades when they consider admission. although its still with applying. Id also recommend applying to davis and san diego, both have good econ programs.
hello, my grade is now 3.74 i hope to apply UBC,UCLA this year so, if i ace my winter class and spring class then i have upper 3.8 gpa, it is not going to be counted for transfer?
2016 mid-range of admitted students into econ (meaning the mid-50% range) is as follows:
Berkeley – 3.82-4.0
UCLA – 3.81-4.0
So, yes, you are competitive if you get to a little above 3.8. You can enhance your chances with major-related or leadership extra-curricular activities and killer Personal Insights. The insights appeared to play a big role this year with competitive majors at both Cal and UCLA.
Great post! Have nice day ! 🙂 rgajp
thank you
I have a question for tip #38
When I am a sophomore transfer applicant
do I leave the SAT and High School (Grade, after school activities, awards) criteria blank
also I did not take the SAT and there is a space for stating why I did not take the test
do I also leave it blank?
Hey I’m attending a CC in California and was wondering if I received a “C” in a class, am I able to retake that class? I’m hearing conflicting statements on the internet so I thought I’d ask you.
You cannot retake a C grade. If you do, the UCs will not accept it. You can, however, repeat a C- grade, assuming your CCC allows it, which they usually do. So if you really want to retake it, go for the C-.
Keep in mind if you are applying to Haas Business School, if it is a major required course, such as calc, econ, business, etc, they will only accept the first grade.
Hi, I’ve submitted the transfer application this year and I heard from my classmates that some of them received the confirmation email from UC for updating this winter grade online. Will UC take this winter grade as consideration for transfer admission?
Submit them up on the Academic Transfer Update page by March 31. It’s up to each UC as to how they use the info, but one can assume good grades will only help. The winter grades are not calculated into the cumulative GPA, but especially if they are major course requirements, it’s good to show them. I have even heard of cases where the UC asked to see the Winter grades.
Hi Can you chance me. 3.9 De Anza , Comp Science to UCSD, UCLA and UCB
Already admitted to UCSB and UCD (Tag) for comp science. Excellent essays and EC
First female engineer from family . Dad is an engineer, mom housewife
All things being equal, you stand a good shot. But I’ve seen 4.0s not get into Cal (especially), so nothing is a guarantee. Good luck! You’ll know by next week — and likely to be a yes.
Thank you so much for this very informative blog. I have a weird case – my 14 year old son is skipping high school and starting at a UC this fall and would be possibly ready to transfer into a UC by the time he is 16 or 17. He wants to study engineering and science. Is there anything in particular we should be aware of as he is such a young student possible transfer?
Thanks !
You mean he’s going to a community college and then transferring to a UC? He has to really be on top of all engineering courses, included recommended if he’s aiming for Cal.
Hey, I am applying to UCLA this fall for Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology. I have a 4.0 GPA at my community college and (3.76 GPA from UCSD from my first quarter of my first year, then i dropped out and went to CC) I have finished all of the required classes for MCDB besides calculus two and a semester of biology. I will be taking those two required classes during the Spring. I was originally taking calc two this fall, but I dropped due to personal reasons. I will most likely still be missing organic chemistry II and the entire physics series, but they are recommended. I am worried that the W in calculus and the two required classes during Spring will lead to me rejection. What do you think?
Who knows but it should be okay.
Hello!
I am concerned about number 34. I am taking the summer course this summer, and I am going to apply for Fall 2019 in this fall (fall 2018). Does that mean my summer classes in 2018 will not count in my application?
No, you’re fine. 34 refers to courses in summer after you’ve been accepted (in your case meaning summer 2019 before you would start in fall 2019.
Thank you! I have one more questions. I am dance major and I have one F in the minor subject. (lighting design class) I think I can remove F by academic removal. I know it won’t be counted in my average GPA, but does the grade still show in the transcript? (individual grade)
Yes the grade will show, but AR will be next to it and admissions will ignore it. Be sure to explain why you got the F in the academic additional comments in the application (was ill, injured, work, whatever).
Thank you! I have one more questions. I am dance major and I have one F in the minor subject. (lighting design class) I think I can remove F by academic removal. I know it won’t be counted in my average GPA, but does the grade still show in the transcript? (individual grade)
Yes, it will show, but there will be an AR notation next to it. They will discount it.
Then, does that matter in my transcript? Do the judges care about it? Is there another way to eliminate the F grade?
Retake it.
really good article. Im going to be applying to econ this fall with a 3.8 all of which come from a college up in Oregon. to be clear one year in Oregon one year at a CCC. Is there any way I can get my transcript evaluated by the UCs to get a guarantee they will except my Oregon classes. I was also wondering if there are sources for some of this stuff so I can read more. specifically the alternate major and the 30 CCC course minimum thing. Some of it contradicts the information my counselor gave me.
There is a contradiction: All units from Oregon (1 year at Oregon and 1 year at a Ca. community college). Which is it?
Re: transcript evaluation, that’s a tough call. Some UCs do it, some don’t. It really depends on time of year, and if things are slow for admissions. You can try Berkeley, but I believe you have to show up in person and have an appointment. Contact UCB admissions and ask.
Next, if you get my book ($6.99) it will explain everything. I don’t have time to go over a bunch of stuff. Sorry. You need 30 units from a CCC to get priority consideration by the end of your final term. That’s a fact.
ok thanks
Can I get your book ?
Sorry its out of of print. Every year I had to update and it was too time-consuming eventually.
I have 70+ semester units at the lower division level all at the community college. I was recently accepted to UC Riverside pending orientation in a few weeks. I dont have housing and the financial aid application is still pending. Im thinking about just not even going and have my application rescinded and re applying. Think is, I now live in Stockton, CA and berkeley an 1hr drive from here now. However, I am not currently enrolled in a CCC. My last semester was spring 2018. Im thinking about taking courses through UC concurrent enrollment Math 104 and Math 110 and Math 113 during spring semester. Thing is, I think there upper division credit has lowered from 90 as this article says down to 80. Can anyone confirm. Also, I need to take at least 12 units at a during spring semester correct?
Yes any upper division will be added on top of the 70 lower division (which is capped at 70). So, for example, 12 UD will equal 82 semester units. Davis, Riverside and Merced have a ceiling of 80; UCLA is 86.5 and the rest are at 90. However, if you were not accepted to Cal this last time what makes you think it will happen this time around? I don’t know your GPA. Think hard about reapplying. Also if you plan to take in spring 2019 the UCs won’t even factor it in to the fall 2019 application and you will lose Riverside if more than 10 units.
Hi,
I took classes at a CSU my first semester in college and got C’s, these classes do not transfer to the UC system. Then i transferred to a CCC and got A’s. I was wondering if the UC’s look at the overall GPA or just the GPA of the classes that can transfer over to the UC system. My GPA is very high if they only look at the UC transferable classes, and a lot lower if they look at the classes that don’t transfer. Please advise.
They will see them and you need to submit them, but if they don’t transfer, they won’t care. It will have zero effect.
Hello,
I am trying to apply to UC Berkeley and UCLA as an economics major this Fall. I have 3.91 GPA and I have completed the IGETC requirements. One thing that really worries me is that I will have to take Calculus II, a pre-requisite for econ, during Spring 2018 (after UC application is submitted). Will this negatively affect my chance of admission since most other applicants would have completed them by Fall? If so, do you recommend that I should take Calculus II during the winter if I can?
If that’s the only required class left it’s fine in spring. Don’t sweat it.
Hi,
I’m an econ major and I have my calculus classes already finished. But most of my other LD classes would be done during the winter and spring term. Also, my second english class won’t be done until the spring. Is this something I should be concerned about??
So you don’t have either Econ courses completed? I don’t know. It would have been better to have one completed. Since there are so few Econ requirements, it could impact their decision.
Hello, I’m currently a CC student and planning to transfer to apply to HAAS. I have a 3.9 GPA, good extracurriculars and a relatively strong essay. I noticed you answered this already, but I just wanted your thoughts on finishing Calc 2 in the winter or spring semester. Am I even remotely less competitive if my Calc 2 is in progress?
I assume this is your last major requirement? You’re fine in either term. If it’s an issue they will put it in the provisional contract, such as “Must complete Calc 2 with a B grade or better.”
Good luck.
However, I just now noticed, from below, you might be missing other items. The less left to do, the better. Keep in mind, Econ is easier to get into than Haas. But ideally, whichever you choose, you only have one req. left for best result.
Hello! This was an extremely informative article, thank you for positing it!
If you could chance me, I would be so grateful.
GPA: 3.76 and will be either 3.74 or 3.84 depending on if I receive an A or B in plant bio this semester.
I have two pre reqs left to do and they are both calculus. I was wondering if this is going to impact the decision? I’m planning on going into Public Health but I haven’t seen many posts online about transferring into the major. I also waived my English 1A requirement from AP scores in highschool. My personal statements were really good and my extra curriculars are very good as well.
Hi thank you for the awesome and helpful article \
So I am an international student and I have been studying in high school in the US for the past 2 years .
But I just took 1 year of a foreign language during my high school years
SO do you think I can take another year in a community college or online somehow?
Thank you in advance!
Hi
Is it too late if I don’t fulfill 2 years of foreign languages in high school ?
I will be graduating soon and plan to attend a community college then transfer to a UC ..
Thanks for the helpful article
Talk to the CCC. You should be able to get into the next level. All you need is the CCC course that matches the IGETC approved course level for language. Google “your CCC IGETC” and you should see the approved course list by IGETC area.
Hi
As an international student, I have complicated background. I used to study at a university in China for two and half years. Then I studied at a UC as an exchange student for spring and summer quarters, achieving 4.0 in two Cals.
I also got 3.7(A-) for linear Algebra but most UCs consider this course useless for both linear algebra and differential equations have to be taken at the same CCC.
Afterwards, because I decided to change majors, I dropped out in China and attended a CCC as CS major. These happed continuously. Now I would like to apply for Cal and UCLA as well as other UCs.
1. Does the linear algebra affect my gpa since it is useless?
2. I studies cals 2 before 1 in that UC. Does it mean cals 1 is nontransferable in units?
3. Could I not report my transcript in China since I transfer as a CCC student?
4. Is it a good idea to attend summers courses like cs61b and linear algebra& differential equations in berkeley although they are offered in the CCC?
Thank you so much
Hi Ethan,
1. I’m not sure why linear at a UC is useless and a CCC course trumps it. Which course and at which UC? Whether it’s useless depends on course. Post the course number and name.
2. If you took the calcs out of sequence (calc 2 and then calc 1), you will not get units for calc 1, but you will get subject credit.
3. You must report your China grades. Contact a UC. They can look at the transcript and tell you what is transferable. Often, not too much is. You still need to report them all when you apply but the non-transferable will be discarded.
4. You’re fine taking it at a CCC. In fact, if you have a lot of transferable units it would be preferable, as any UC units might raise your unit count too high, depending on various factors. They calculate UC units differently and it could put your application in jeopardy if you reach a certain number (not so with any CCC courses or lower division from anywhere else).
Thank you so much, I plan to read your book.
1. I apologize for describing linear algebra useless. UCB told me it won’t work but in other universities it may work. That’s my mistake. It’s math 22A in UCD.
2. My transcript in China is civil engineering major, and some of the courses(Math) in that transcript were and will be taken in the CCC(overlap). Even under the circumstance that I won’t use Chinese transcript to transfer, I still need to report it as a CCC transfer student for honesty? The Chinese transcript seem useless to me.
3. The courses I took at ucd include 3 low division math courses(two cals and one linear), 1 low division statistics(elementary statistics) and an ESL course(untransferable). If I took cs61b and math54 in Berkeley(I think they’re also considered as low division), combined with courses in ucd, I seems not have any upper division courses .
So to Berkeley, the total will be 12/1.5 =8 semester units (in ucd )+ . 66(meet all UC requirements in CCC) + 8 (in berkeley) = 82 units (in two years)Will it harm my application as well?
If I want to reduce it, it seems I have to drop few IGETC courses, what should I do ?
Thank you again
That’s what they all say!
jk. (Thanks)
Hi,
I am an international student, I already submitted the application to UC. Before enrolling at CCC, I was enrolled at a bridge program in an university. However, I found the program was not good as I heard and expected. It was wasting time and money, so I quitted and transfer to CCC. My current GPA is 4.0 in Com Sci major.
My question is, I provided this information in my application, and UC is asking me the transcript about the program. I was not doing well in the last month of the program since this program cannot dropped so I was absent. I even did not take the final. So will this transcript lower my chance to be admitted to UCLA and UCB?
Thank you for your prompt attention.
Yes, it could. I don’t know enough about it, but if they are UC-transferable courses, the UC will take those grades into account. It sounds like you received Fs for not finishing (and not withdrawing). However, the term “bridge” makes me think the courses might not be transferable as they will be considered beneath college level. If that is the case, the UC will not care and the courses won’t be factored in. Send the grades and explain if you thought they were not transferable and/or that you didn’t feel you were getting anything from the program, so just stopped going and that explains the grades. Good luck. 🙂
Let me know how it goes.
Hi I’m currently a junior in high school and I was wondering if it is better to graduate early, then go to community for two years and transfer to a UC? I have a 4.5 GPA (weighted bc of APs) and do EC, outside commitments etc. But the standard scheduling of school conflicts with my outside activities and it makes it difficult to attend school. I have considered just going the tradition 4yr path but I am concerned that I may have a higher chance of being admitted if I go to community first and it is also cheaper for my family. I do qualify for the TAP program you describe for all three criteria but I just want to maximize my chances of being admitted to UCB and also consider different pathways. Thanks.
Yes, you can certainly do that.
hi, i’m a senior high school student studying in malaysia and i plan to further my studies in the US. there are programs here called American degree transfer programs and basically u can get credits to transfer to junior year here without actually going to the US(it saves money) so my question is will my chances of getting into UCs be affected compared to attending a community college in the US.
Trying to apply as a transfer from international is going to be so tough, I’m going to say zero chance. It isn’t zero chance but it might as well be. Go to a CCC. Almost all internationals get in that way.
Hi, I currently attend Chapman University (4 year university) and I applied as a transfer student for fall 2019. I know it is hard to transfer from a 4 year university. However, including this spring term, I would have 62 units completed and of those 62 units, I’ve done 23 units from community college. My GPA is 3.6 because Chapman gives 4.0 for an A and 3.7 for A-. I applied for less impacted major and I want to know my chance of getting in.
Hi, Im still taking class in CCC. For now I have more than 90 units, which means the time that I will apply for UC in fall 2019 I will have 101 units. Will the UC disqualify me for having so many units? Those 101 units are CC, lowe division.
All lower division courses top out at 70 units transferred even if you take 150.
If I apply for TAG in September and get in, will that negatively affect my November application for Cal/UCLA?
No. TAGs are usually seen as safety campuses.
Does Berkley accept applications from transfer students who have been attending a CA state 4 year course?
Will scores of 5 in AP lit/comp count as the English requirement?
I have taken 33 units at CCC during high school- will they count these?
I want to double major in Psych and Biology so need a lot more than 70 lower division classes- how would that work?
I’ve answered all these questions here. Run a search. ?
I am a student at UC San Diego and want to transfer to Berkeley. I am deciding whether to choose to apply as a physics major(39% acceptance rate) or astrophysics(19% acceptance rate) major. I have taken all the lower division courses for physics I believe and not any astrophysics lower-division course because at UCSD my curriculum is like that. However, one reason for me to transfer is because ucsd doesn’t offer astrophysics major. What should I do? Which one to choose?
Based on what you said, you 100% should apply to physics.
If a UC student withdraws at the end of their freshman year from their school (eg UCSC) to attend a CCC in order to transfer to another UC (eg UCSB) will they still be eligible for the TAG guarantee or is the TAG guarantee available only to students who take all courses at a CCC?
Yes, you can TAG. The TAG rules are that you need 30 semester units from anywhere by end of summer before you apply for the TAG in Sept and you need 30 semester units from a CCC by final spring term.
Note: I am adding this question to my FORUM page, which has a collection of other questions.
Hi,
I am a CCC student and hoping to transfer to UCLA, majoring in Aerospace Engineering. I have a quite complicated situation here. I recently just moved into another city where I usually go to school. And it is still uncertain that I can take classes in the spring semester of 2020 at the CC in the city I currently reside in. TAG is due next week and I need to put in the classes I planned to take next semester on TAP. Do you think I should put in courses that I originally plan to take at my old CC or the new ones according to assist.org at the new CC? Another question I have was that I need to complete Chemistry 1A and 1B before I transfer. However, I can only take chemistry 1A next spring and complete 1B over the summer before I transfer. Do you think this will influence my chance of being accepted to UCLA?
Also, could you please chance me here? I currently have a 4.0 GPA. Just need two chemistry classes and a comp sci class before transfer. Completed all the math, physics, comp sci, and engineering classes. Did not participate in activities related to the major because of financial instability, and serious family problems.
Thank you!! I really appreciate your help!
Hi, I applied to Ucla, UCB, and UCD and was wondering how big of a factor it would play into my acceptance decision if I didn’t complete my second English class until the spring before transfer? I was waiting until the honors class opened up because there’s been limited space and i needed to complete my last honors class. My gpa is a 3.78 and was wondering if it would be better just to try and it in the winter as a regular class instead? If not are my chances still okay taking it so late?
It should be fine. Note in the Additional Comments in the TAU that you held out for spring because you wanted to take it as an honors course.
Hi, I was hoping to ask you some questions. I am currently a second year CCC student and was hoping to transfer to UCLA as a chemistry/material science major for fall 2021. My current GPA is about 3.61, but I am hoping to raise it by the end of Fall 2020. The problem is that I don’t really have any ECs under my belt as I was solely focusing on school, and since I changed my major, several of my important major courses will be done in the winter/spring of 2021, and it seems as though they don’t really look at that. Do you think I have a real shot?
Love your stuff! So few people post regarding the UC transfer process.
I’m interested in Economics and wanted to attend UCSB or UCLA as a Freshman next year, but wasn’t accepted to either. I was accepted to UCR, which I do like (but just not as much).
If I want to try to transfer to UCSB or UCLA my Junior Year, am I better off going to UCR first or going to a Community College like SBCC?
I was also accepted to several private colleges (USF, LMU, Gonzaga). Is it a lot harder to transfer from one of these to a place like UCSB or UCLA my Junior Year if I decide to go that route? I hear that CCC students get priority. Plus it is obviously easier to make the credits match, I guess.
Hi! Thank you for the post!
I plan on applying to UCLA this fall of 2020 with a Biochemistry major. I have already finished my IGETC requirements, but with my current course plan, I will have all of my major prerequisite courses finished by Spring 2021 except for my second O-chem class. I will try to take this that summer after admissions, but will it be a problem if that is the only prerequisite that I haven’t finished?
On the assist page it says this:
That indicates it’s recommended but not required. How admissions will calculate it is something I can’t answer. There are a lot of competitive students who probably took it. But the answer is you won’t get rejected outright and in my experience if something is missing it is often o-Chem 2. Just really kill it with the essays. Good luck!
Hi! Thank you this article was very informative!
I was wondering with a 3.73 GPA and applying as an art history major what my chances would be for both UCLA and UC Berkeley? Do the personal insight questions have a big enough impact to help?
Hi, I am a student who was first attending a four-year institution in Hong Kong. After being in that four-year institution for a year, I dropped out of that university and came to California to study in a CC. At the university in Hong Kong, I took 33 semester credits(I don’t know if they are transferable to UC or not), and I plan to take 60 credits in the CC I currently attending.
So here are my questions:
1. 33+60=93, will I be dropped form UC application since the credits I took at CC and the four-year university are more than 90.
2. I got a 4.0 GPA in CC, but my GPA in the university in Hong Kong was only 3.3, will it affect my UC application?
Really thanks for your reply!
Hi, I have a complicated situation with my GPA for UC transfer requirements. I got a C in Calculus 1 at a community college when I took this class during my junior year of high school through concurrent enrollment. For the TAG of computer science at UC Davis, they want at least a B grade for the calculus series. I got A’s through the rest of the calculus classes at CC for the last 2 years after I graduated high school. There a policy for retaking Calculus 1 at my CC under the condition “Significance in time-lapse (36 months or more). If I retake the Calculus 1 class, will the UC look at my new grade or they only consider the C grade and disregard the higher grade?
Hello Lindy,
I am currently working on my UC transfer app and my academic history is more complicated than I realized. I started going to CCC after high school but fell into hard times and dropped out. This was just about ten years so I’m not even sure what my transcript says but I’m in the process of getting it. Then I attempted to go to a private online university SNHU but realized after one semester that it was not for me and dropped out. I received good grades for the first semester but again, cannot remember what the outcome of the second semester was. Currently, I’m enrolled in another CCC and I’m doing fantastic. Presidents Honors list for the past two semesters and will be receiving an Anthropology AA-T in May! So I’m wondering if I should even bother with my app to UCLA And UCSD or do I stand a chance? Granted I’ve explained my situation.
Also I’m uncertain if I can even get my transcript from SNHU since I am currently paying them back for my tuition.
Thank you!
The UCs don’t put too much stock on grades from 10 years back. They like people who don’t give up. So you stand a good chance, depending of course on grades, etc.
You can always get transcripts. You need to have them to go over yourself, you need to correctly list the courses in the application, and you will need to request the colleges send them to whichever campus you choose to attend. Keep in mind the UCs have access to the National Student Clearinghouse, which has all transcripts from everywhere. If they catch you not recording classes, any admission would likely be rescinded.
Hi Lindy, I am currently a UCSB psychology and brain science student and I am trying to apply to LA and Berkeley psychology major. As an international student, I am trying to complete some English course designed for international students. And one of the English composition course will be completed by next winter quarter and the other will be completed by the end of next spring quarter. I wonder if this will reduce my chance to be admitted.
Also I can get a letter of reciprocity by the end of spring quarter. Should I write this condition in the application letter, telling them that I will satisfy all ge by the end of next spring?
I would think those courses won’t replace the need for the completion of English (at least one) by this fall.
If you are referring to the two required English — neither of which will be completed by end of fall, I would say your chances are slim, doubly so if you’re an international student. Also, I’m not sure how this applies since you’re already at a UC but in terms of transfers international students need a B in both English courses for UCLA, Merced, San Diego and Santa Cruz. (You need a letter grade of C or higher for Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Riverside and Santa Barbara.)
And yes, definitely let them know you will have a LoR. There might be a check-off box in the application.
Also, I had lots of history course and political science course. Do you think these courses will prove to the school that my English skill is not bad?
Really appreciate your quick response, Lindy!
So, you think that UCB and UCLA will not consider my completion of English composition courses if I complete them in mid-March? I thought that I could complete them in mid-March and sumbit them quickly to let them know I have finish one English composition course.
I am also confused about the untis upper-limit requirement of UCB. It requires us to have at most 120 units to be eligible to be admitted. I don’t know if all my coursework from another UC are transferable, especially the English course series designed for multilingual students.
Obviously, get the grades to them ASAP. All you can hope for is that they’re lenient. Just keep in mind, no English by end of fall is a checkbox for possible rejection. (Waiting this long to take them sends a message that you were worried.) Prepare for bad news, but hope for the best. Good luck! ?
I mean, I wonder if all the courses I have at UCSB will apply toward the 120-units limit. Since I may exceed the limit, and I hope that some courses would be unacceptable for UCB (since UCLA is 128 limits, I am not worried about that.), so that my units would be less than 120.
According to my schedule, I will have 124 units finished before the end of spring, and I hope one 4-limit course won’t apply to the 120 upper-limit.
Can you give me some suggestion, should I drop one 4-units course in order to get my units under 120?
Transferring UC to UC is in many ways the most difficult in the sense that you don’t have any forgiveness in terms of total units. So you really need to be aware of the unit ceilings. Now, maybe some of these courses won’t be transferable but I would think most will transfer, so I can’t tell you what to do, but you really need to be cognizant of your total unit count.
Thanks so much, Lindy!!! I was really anxious about the transferring issues and had no one to talk with. At UCSB, there is no transfer consultant as the CCCs, and no one has the same condition as me. After talking with you, I feel better!!!! Also, do you think that my upper-division courses that are transferable will make me more eligible for UCLA and UCB? Since other CCC students have few upper-division courses, is it an advantage or a disadvantage for me? Do you think it will help if I mention that I am in the honor program at UCSB in my application letter?
Mention the honor program in the extra-curricular section. The upper level, it could help you. The issue would mainly be if it puts you over the unit maximums as they calculate UD units differently.
Hi Lindy, Thanks for your suggestion, and I agree with you about how a writing course is important. So, I am currently attempting to apply for a CC’s winter intersession to complete at least one writing course before the end of January. Do you think this way is available for me, as an international student? Completion of one English course will at least enable me to submit my grade for one writing course as soon as possible, but it will not enable me to have a grade by the end of the fall quarter. Also, I have a question about the Letter of Reciprocity. I will complete all the GEs by the end of the spring, but what I will complete are the GEs for Bachelor of Science at L&S college. Since I will transfer in order to complete a Bachelor of Art, do you think this kind of mismatch will still work? Will the school still consider my completion of GE although the bachelor degrees are different?
Hi! So I have been unhappy at my four-year and decided I want to transfer to a UC. Because of this, I decided to enroll in 3 major prep courses at a CCC on top of completing my classes at the four year. I am going to withdraw and attend the CCC full-time next semester. I am applying for Fall 2021, so my application is due very soon. My question is: Will the UC’s see me as a four-year transfer even though I am going to be a full-time CCC student next semester?
You need at least 30 semester units from a CCC to be seen as a community college student with priority consideration. Plus, if you have 80+ units from your 4-year you very likely will not qualify to transfer (too many units from a 4-year).
Hi, does getting honors certified matters in transferring to Cal or UCLA? I’m a STEM major and I’m planning on transferring after 2 years so pretty much every Sem I have to take 3 STEM classes, not to mention a Chem class in summer. I hear that being a an honors student gives you more chance but I’m not so sure if I can fit honors classes into my schedule.
Not really for Berkeley. UCLA has the honors TAP program, which gives priority, but people get in all the time without it and some CCCs don’t even offer it. Your best bet is to focus on GPA.
Hi, I had a question regarding 34.
I’m planning on applying in Fall 2021. Can I still take my last IGETC course and my last major course in Summer 2021 and have it still count? Or do I need to take those courses in Spring 2021?
Thank you!!
If you mean you will be starting the UC in fall 2021 then any major requirements need to be done by that spring 2021, unless it’s not required. If it’s recommended you could put it in for summer. Regarding IGETC, yes you can do it in summer, but you will then be applying with partial IGETC because the UC will only take into account courses through spring term. You will be a stronger candidate if it is completed by spring, but in theory you can do it that way. It’s really up to the UC how they’re going to respond.
Having said all that, there are exceptions — as is always the case. For example, if you’re applying to Berkeley’s College of Letters and Science and are doing IGETC, you must complete it by the end of spring. What you need to do is find out the rules for each college at each UC.
Thank you so much for this information! However, if I’m starting UC in Fall 2022 (so I’m applying in Fall 2021), I’m allowed to take IGETC and major requirement courses right? I just have to finish all by Spring 2022? Thank you again!
Yes
I am finishing my bacherlors in science (statistics) at a international uni (nz). I wanted to do a masters in data science or statistics, however my gpa is very low, due to personal circumstances and was doing a degree i did not enjoy. I was wondering if there is a way to go to community college for masters and transfer to a masters programme?
No a community college will do nothing. Best bet, work 5-6 years, work your way up into management and then apply. They will take grades less into account.
Hi, thanks for the information!
I applied to transfer as a computer science major last fall (Nov 2020), and currently I have a 4.0 GPA. My question is: I am taking 3 major classes (2 physics, 1 programming) currently, will having these 3 in progress major classes put me at a strong disadvantage? Due to the nature of CS, I just physically couldn’t have all of the major classes completed within 3 semesters. Will they prefer the students who took longer to transfer but have all classes for a grade over me?
Note: The CCC I attend does not have TAP programs with either Berkeley or UCLA unfortunately.
Well you never know. I suppose if any are to be near the end physics is the best choice. Good luck. Let me know the outcome.
Thank you for your information! I was worrying about my TAU. I want to update one course, which grade is not determined yet. But the professor told me that I can at least get an A. Can I do that, since it is one of my major preparation course?
Hi. I’m currently a senior and did not get into UCLA or Berkeley. Is it possible for me to complete community college in 1 year and transfer to one of those schools? I’m just researching all of my options and completing CC in a year interests me.
Hi. I’m currently a senior and did not get into UCLA or Berkeley. Is it possible for me to complete community college in 1 year and transfer to one of those schools? I’m just researching all of my options and completing CC in a year interests me. I’m graduating with a 4.2 GPA and feel as though I could handle it. Do you have any additional info?
If you have enough AP credits and your major doesn’t have too many requirements, then the answer is yes. I strongly suggest you take two courses in summer because they will be looking at courses through fall and ideally you would be best positioned if you have about seven. Also try and get as many major req as possible completed by end of fall. Save IGETC for last term.
Hi
My son took AP Calc I and scored a 4. He is currently working on AP Calc II. UCLA only recognizes Calc I with 5 only while UCB is 3+ for equivalent Calc courses at the University. If he were to apply to UCLA, do you recommend him repeating Calc I (and Calc II if score < 5) at CCC just to be safe? If his CCC allows him to start with taking Calc III after he gets (hypothetically) an AP score of 4, does that mean UCLA will not recognize his two Calc I and Calc II AP courses and basically deny him for not completing the required courses? He is intending to major in Engineering which is requiring all Three Calc courses. Thanks for your response.
While being in high school I have been actively taking classes at a community college that offers TAP program. Now, even though I am still in high school, I have already completed IGETC, all available lower division classes for my major (CS) as well as 15 units of Honors classes that will qualify me for TAP certification. My high school GPA and community college GPA are both 4.0. What would be the best strategy in this situation to get into UCLA? In order to officially apply to the Honors program for TAP certification, you need to be a high school graduate. So it is my understanding that in order to go the TAP route I would need to spend at least one year at a community college after high school, although I am not sure what I am expected to do there since I am done with all the required classes. Would it be wise to try to apply to UCLA as a transfer student during my high school senior year without the TAP certification?
I made the mistake of following a transfer course requirement pathway to go to UCSC. When I began my educational journey, I did not dare to even think I could go to Berkeley. I feel and think differently now. My GPA is high, I can write a mean essay, I have survived major personal struggles, and I am 1st Gen. in my family. Would it be worth it to remain in CC and retake classes I have already taken? Cal wants different English, Bio, and so many others than what I took.
If you think you have what it takes, then yes, take another year.
Hi, I’m an international student looking to attend a CCC to transfer to Berkeley. Are internationals eligible for Berkeley TAP? Also, would I be given the same priority in transfer admission as domestic students so long as I satisfy requirements at said CCC?
Yes to both
Hi
I am a 4 year freshman student at a semester university. Due to covid 19, I have taken Pass fail in 6 classes in Fall 2020 and Winter 2021. Do I have any chance for being an applicant in the UCs considering they have a 14 unit cap on pass/fail classes?
Hello! I am applying to the UC’s as transfer (fall 2021) for fall 2022 admission. I was wondering if the classes I take this fall 2021 will count towards my accumulative gpa. In other words do the UC’s look at my fall 2021 semester grades and take those into consideration before making their decision? Thank you!
Yes, they calculate GPA through the fall. They do not calculate after that.
Hi – I am a sophomore attending a four-year OOS university hoping to transfer to a UC in the Fall ’22. Is it better for me to attend a local CC in the spring or to stay at my current university? I’m currently in the honors program and have a 4.0 GPA.
I can’t answer for certain because it depends on many factors. Theoretically, yes… but not always.
Hi, I’m currently a CC student, but I was previously enrolled in UCLA. I dropped out since I had below average grades. Will UCs still take into account my UCLA grades (all of which were GEs) during the admission process?
Yes, they will count those courses. Also if you had academic probation — you mentioned subpar grades — that needs to be corrected at a UC — before you can reapply. So those courses need to be retaken at either UCLA, another UC or a UC extension that offers those courses.
Hello! I am a CCC student with 3.59 GPA, which will most likely be 3.64 or 3.73 after my fall 2021 courses are complete. I already submitted my TAG for UCI Public Health. (I eventually want to go to Med School) I also want to apply this November for UCLA Human Bio and Society BA, to start in fall 2022. ASSIST says I have to complete at least 5 out of a list of 7 courses by the end of Spring 2022, and I will have 5 of them, plus Statistics, which is not on the list at the top of the ASSIST page, but is on the second page, under “Lower Division Major Requirements”. But with their 17% acceptance rate and 3.73-3.92 middle 50% GPA, I wonder if my chances are too slim, and I should instead apply for UCLA’s Anthro BA, because I will have all the requirements and most likely will have A’s in all of them, when I finish in Spring ’22. (I’m doing one now, and will do two in spring, and one is “Not Articulated”). I’d appreciate your advice very much! Thank you!
All things being equal, major in Anthro. It’s tough to get into those Bio majors at UCLA.
Thank you so much for your reply! Your website is amazing and informative — thank you for doing this! I read pretty much everything on all the comments sections because the questions and answers are so informative. I noticed that at some point you mentioned that some UCs don’t read the transfer essays and some do. Is this still the case, or do they all read them now? Thanks again!
Hi,
Thanks so much for all the info on your site.
I attended Berkeley for two years from 2015-2017. But being a 17 year old who didn’t know anything about college, I took a lot of upper division courses in that time. My total units are at 77 (with 13 transfer units from two APs and 3 college courses I took in high school). Out of those, 23-26 are upper division units.
I’ve been out of school for 5 years now, and have changed directions, and want to return to UCLA to study ethnomusicology (when I was at Berkeley I was undeclared and taking a lot of humanities classes but no music classes).
I’m currently enrolled at my local CC to get my math requirement out of the way and take a year of music courses.
But after reading this information I’m worried that I’m not eligible just based on my upper div units.
On the Berkeley student portal it says I have junior standing, not senior standing.
If I wanted to I can choose to finish my degree at Berkeley, but I don’t want to leave the Los Angeles area, and Berkeley doesn’t have a music department quite like the music school at UCLA. They don’t even offer that major for undergrads at Berkeley, so that’s the main reason why I want to transfer. Do you think I am eligible to transfer?
I’m not sure who to seek advice from on transferring from Berkeley to UCLA, and specifically for ethnomusicology. Would I talk to a Berkeley advisor, or someone from the CC I’m attending right now, or someone from UCLA?
Thank you for your help.
Hi,
I am currently attending CCC and will be applying to UCB and UCLA this fall, and I see on the ASSIST website that the major requirement needs to be completed by next spring when I enter UC, but I know that it is the GPA through this fall that is considered. I am taking MATH11 this fall semester and will complete major requirements next spring by taking MATH15. My question is if I don’t complete MATH 15 by fall, will I be at a disadvantage to other top applicants, even if I have a 4.0 GPA at this point? Will it affect me in any way?
Thank you.
Depends on major but in terms of UCLA they often like to see major courses completed by fall. If there are a lot of requirements, most UCs give some leeway regarding spring, but UCLA can be a stickler.
Hi Lindy,
My son is planning to attend Cabrillo College in their Honors program and transfer to a UC after one year. He has over 30 AP credits so he will finish with the required 60 as well as IGETC and the TAP certification for UCLA. He wants to major in Math. Most UCs will give him credit for the first two Calculus sequence classes due to his 4 score in AP Calculus. However, Berkeley and UCLA require a 5 score to get credit for the second class in the sequence. He plans to take the third Calculus class at Cabrillo this summer and then Differential equations and linear algebra in the fall and spring. If he took the second Calculus class at Cabrillo (since Berkeley and UCLA require the 5 score) that would make it impossible to transfer in one year as he has planned.
My question is, will it be a problem for his admission to Berkeley and UCLA that he doesn’t take that second calculus course if his grades are good in three courses that require it as a prerequisite? In other words, he’ll obviously have mastered the material but technically his 4 score on the AP won’t give him credit for that course. If it is a problem, will it rule him out completely or just make him less competitive?
Thanks for your time. I loved your article. It was very helpful.
Brian
First, yes I think Calc 2 will be needed as math is a validation subject and usually stops at Calc 2, meaning Calc 2 verifies an untaken Calc 1, Calc 1 verifies an untaken pre-calc, and so on. But usually Calc 3 will not verify Calc 2. However, nothing is set in stone as far as I have determined doing this for so many years, so ask Berkeley directly.
Re UCLA TAP, I don’t see how you can do it in one year but each CCC is different. Be sure to verify the rules at that specific CCC.
Sorry this is late but it should help others.
Actually, if you see this I would love to know the outcome of the calc situation. 🙂