» ATTEND NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION PROGRAMS offered at your community college.

» PRIOR TO REGISTERING FOR YOUR FIRST SEMESTER, meet with your counselor and let her/him know you need to follow a University of California transfer curriculum.

» BE SURE TO READ AND FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE provided on the UC Pathways Web site about transfer admission requirements (See https://pathways.ucop.edu/doorways/list/). As noted above, work with your counselor so that you complete the two English courses, one mathematics course, and four courses from three areas (Arts & Humanities, Behavioral & Social Sciences, Biological & Physical Sciences) with C grades or better by the end of the term prior to transfer.
(See http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/
paths_to_adm/transfer.html for more information.)

» BEGIN NECESSARY MATHEMATICS AND ENGLISH COURSES right away. Failure to meet the mathematics requirement is the most common reason transfer students are denied admission to the UC. Early completion of these courses will ensure excellent preparation for upper-division coursework after transfer.

» VISIT THE TRANSFER CENTER at your community college often. Use Transfer Center resources, such as catalog collections, videos, and college brochures, to research those colleges to which you are thinking of transferring.

» REPRESENTATIVES FROM FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES often visit community colleges. To find out when representatives will be visiting your community college, visit your Transfer Center.

» BEGIN RESEARCHING MAJORS as soon as possible. Some majors, such as those in the sciences and engineering, require extensive lower-division (freshman and sophomore year) preparation which can be completed prior to transfer. If you are planning on pursuing a degree in the sciences or engineering, let your counselor know as soon as possible so s/he can assist you in designing an appropriate course of study.

» REGARDLESS OF YOUR MAJOR, you will want to take the necessary lower-division (freshman and sophomore level) preparatory courses at your community college so that you can make timely progress toward completion of your four-year degree after transfer. Lower-division preparation-for-the-major is spelled out in articulation agreements that are available from your community college counselor and at your Transfer Center.

» BE SURE TO EARN THE HIGHEST GRADES POSSIBLE in all of your classes. Maintaining a high cumulative grade point average (GPA)—at least 2.40 for California residents and 2.80 for out-of-state transfer students—is necessary in order to be eligible for admission to the UC. Much higher GPAs often are required in order to gain admission to the UC’s more popular majors, such as those in business economics, the biological sciences, and engineering.

» IF YOUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFERS AN HONORS PROGRAM, consider participating. Honors Programs are excellent preparation for university-level work.

» BE SURE TO COMPLETE 60 TRANSFERABLE SEMESTER UNITS (90 quarter units) by the end of the term prior to transfer. Regular appointments with your community college counselor can help you to stay on track in terms of the number and kinds of courses you need to complete for transfer.

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» DON’T BE AFRAID TO SEEK OUT TUTORING if any of your classes are particularly challenging. Most community colleges offer tutoring services, and learning to use resources is a key to college success.

» TAKE THE TIME TO MEET WITH YOUR PROFESSORS at the community college. They often are happy to mentor students and can offer excellent suggestions for success!

» DO NOT GET SIDETRACKED! Remember to stay on course for transfer. Many community college students hold part-time of even full-time jobs while enrolled in classes. If you need to work, be sure to maintain a balance between your work and academics and always stay focused on your long-term goal of college graduation.

» MEET WITH ADVISORS at your community college’s Financial Aid Office to learn about scholarship and aid opportunities. Many students don’t realize that financial aid is available to community college students.

» ATTEND COLLEGE FAIRS (usually held in October and November) at your community college. College fairs are excellent opportunities to meet with representatives from a variety of four-year colleges and universities.

» IF POSSIBLE, PLAN VISITS to the four-year colleges and universities that you’re considering attending. For example, visit UCSB’s Visitor Center
(See http://www.admissions.ucsb.edu/VisitUCSB.asp?section=visitucsb. Check to see if your Transfer Center is offering any group tours.

» VISIT THE WEB SITES OF THE COLLEGES you’re considering. Learn about those colleges’ research opportunities, internships, and special programs. Having this knowledge will keep you motivated while at the community college and better prepare you for success after transfer.

» MAKE AT LEAST ONE CONTACT WITH AN ADMISSION COUNSELOR at the college you’re considering for transfer. Having a contact person you can call upon while preparing to transfer and during the application process can be very helpful.

» SUBMIT YOUR UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA APPLICATION during the month of November for Fall admission and during the month of July for Spring admission.

» SUBMIT YOUR FREE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA APPLICATION for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the March 2 deadline.

» IF YOU APPLY AND ARE ADMITTED TO UCSB, be sure to participate in UCSB’s Transfer Orientation Programs (http://www.sa.ucsb.edu/orientation/). Through Orientation Programs, you will receive priority registration for classes and will be fully informed about support services and special opportunities.

» IF YOU APPLY AND ARE ADMITTED TO UCSB, contact the Community Housing Office (http://www.housing.ucsb.edu/cho_community.htm) or UCSB’s Family Student Housing (http://www.housing.ucsb.edu/hchoices/fsh-general-info.htm) for housing assistance. Space in residence halls is limited, and wait lists for Family Student Housing can be up to one year in length, so it pays to plan early. UCSB’s housing applications are due between April 1 and June 1 for the following academic year (for example, between April 1 and June 1, 2003 for the 2003–2004 academic year). For more information, see: http://www.housing.ucsb.edu/hchoices/wherecanilive.htm#transferstudent.

» BE PROACTIVE! Remember that you are responsible for your own future — never hesitate to ask the questions or seek the clarification you need to prepare for transfer. Many counselors, both at the community college and the four-year colleges and universities, are willing to assist you. For example, contact the Transfer Services unit of UCSB’s Office of Admissions and Outreach Services with any and all questions. You also can contact a UCSB transfer student mentor by calling (805) 893-3872 or writing: transfer@sa.ucsb.edu. We are here to help you succeed.

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