Ten Tips for Transfer Students

by Sahar Zandi, College Counselor, Academic Coach, and Transfer Counselor

Many families and students choose the community college route as opposed to the four year route for many reasons. Whatever the reason may be, keep these tips in mind to ensure a smoother transition to the four year university or college of your choice.

1. Don’t wait! Visit the transfer center at your school, and find out about potential programs and schools that you may be interested in. This will also serve to motivate you while you’re taking your classes because you have a goal in sight.
2. Get guidance! Understand the track that you need to take in order to transfer as smoothly and quickly as possible. Know what classes you need. This will save you time and money, so don’t waste your time taking classes that do not satisfy transfer requirements.
3. Take Assessment Tests! If you aren’t happy with your placement based on an assessment test, retake the test! Each school is different, but most will allow a student to retake their assessment test after three months, to challenge their placement.
4. Know about Articulation Agreements: Check the agreements between your school and the school you’d like to transfer to. Resources like assist.org help break down how course credits earned at a public California college or university can be applied when transferred to another. Look at your school’s articulation agreements with other schools.
5. Go to class and study! Your grades are the first and most important thing that four year universities will look at when considering your admission.
6. Complete your 60 unit General Education requirements: Based on your expected transfer semester, figure out how many credits you should aim to take per semester.
7. Build relationships with your professors: Keep them in mind if you need letters of recommendation to transfer. Show interest in your classes, get to know your professors and talk to your fellow students.
8. Make sure your credits count! Most schools will cap the number of units that they will accept, which means that any credits taken in excess will not be counted towards your degree.
9. Get involved! Find clubs and organizations at your school and whether they exist at the school you’d like to transfer to. Pay them a visit at the school that you’re interested in, and make that connection.
10. TAG and Associate Degree for Transfer Programs at the UC’s and Cal States:
    • The University of California system has the TAG program, which is a Transfer Admission Guarantee with one of six participating campuses (UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz).
    • The California State University system has a program called the Associates Degree for Transfer. An AA-T or AS-T for transfer for CSU’s The Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act guarantees admission for any community college student who completes an “associate degree for transfer.” These are great options for students seeking to go to a CSU or UC to complete their bachelor’s degree.

The community college system is a hidden gem that allows students to transfer to schools that they may not have had a chance to attend straight out of high school. At The College Blueprint, we offer guidance on the transfer process and work with students to reach their educational goal. Please call us to set up your complimentary initial consultation at (949) 856-1221.