Preparation for Transfer from a California Community College

Transcription

1 Preparation for Transfer from a California Community College Nicola Place Transfer Center Director, Diablo Valley College (Retired) Assistant Director of Admissions, Mills College Presented by: Dennis Franco Counselor and Counseling Department Chair Diablo Valley College Presented to WACAC Share, Learn and Connect

2 Why Attend a California Community College (CCC)? The tangibles: Cost Convenience In most cases, smaller class sizes Great transfer path to UC, CSU and private colleges The intangibles: Greatest variety of people of any education system Breadth of academic missions & options Fosters development of resilience, adaptability, tolerance, resourcefulness, camaraderie, and, hopefully a sense of humor. J

3 Great transfer path: Admit Rates of Transfer Students coming from California Community Colleges Fall 2014 UC Berkeley: 23% admitted, 94% from CCCs (Frosh rate was 17.3%) UC Davis: 57% admitted, 93% from CCCs (Frosh rate: 40.6%) UCLA: 27% admitted, 93% from CCCs (Frosh rate: 18.2%) USC: 28% admitted, 53% from CCCs (Frosh rate: 18%) Saint Mary s: 66% admitted, 73% from CCCs Mills: More than 30% of students are transfers

4 Preparation for Transfer: Two Parts and One Universal Truth Academic preparation + Financial preparation

5 The universal truth about transfer preparation: IT DEPENDS

6 Preparation for Transfer: How students start at the CCCs SB 1456: Student Success Act (2012) Mandates New community college students now must: 1. Apply 2. Be Assessed for English and Math 3. Attend an Orientation (online or in person) 4. Create an Ed Plan in consultation with a counselor 5. Register When to begin? EARLIER than you might think: January.

7 Academic Preparation: What s in a degree? LD = Lower Division UD = Upper Division Gen Ed: ~40 units LD at CCC UD at 4- year Electives: ~0-40 units At CCC and/or At 4- year Major: ~40-80 units LD at CCC UD at 4- year Total Units Needed for a Bachelors: 120+

8 Minimum Requirements to Apply- The super simple version: UC and CSU Required Minimum Transfer Eligibility 60+ TRANSFERABLE units General Education of some form Major preparation if stipulated Minimum specified GPA Private (Independent) Colleges and Universities Varies by school but usually less stringent than UC/CSU (See handout for more details.)

9 So what should students take? It depends! Not sure of major yet? English: Early and often Math: Early and often And in addition: Other general ed Interested in Science? English: Early and often Math: Early and often Get started with chem as soon as possible And in addition: Other general ed

10 CCC General Education Options IGETC = Inter- segmental GE Transfer Curriculum Accepted by UC, CSU and most CA private schools CSU GE = California State University GE Accepted by CSU and most CA private schools CCC Campus GE = The community college s GE. Often meets AA/AS but will not suffice for transfer NOTE: Most PRIVATE schools do NOT require students to complete GE prior to transfer but it may be advantageous to do so

11 Key points about IGETC It was created for UC and CSU; is now widely recognized by private schools and some out- of- state schools (OR, NV) 39+ units, C or better in all Consists of Areas: English, Math, Social, Arts, Science plus LOTE (UC) or Speech (CSU) The 6 Areas are universal and apply statewide: Once an area is completed at one CCC, no need to do again. For UC/CSU: If whole pattern is completed, it completely fulfills the Lower Division GE requirement. Good for many majors; NOT good for High Unit majors (i.e., engineering, chemistry, etc.)

12 Beyond General Ed: Major Preparation Major Prep is often required prior to transfer. Most common in the UC system but also in the highly selective programs in the CSU. For UC and CSU major prep requirements go to: Also see the community college counselor every term. For private schools also contact them directly early and often!

13 How to apply to transfer: UC: Has their own online application CSU: CSU Mentor Private schools: Many now using Common Application for transfer students. TIP: Contact the school to verify what s required when using the Common App.

14 UC Transfer Admission Guarantees (TAGs) Yes, they exist and they work for 6 UC campuses. Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, SB, Santa Cruz Search Google for UC TAGs Things to remember: For most campuses, 2 English courses and transfer math must be completed by the end of the Fall prior to transfer Even if you are granted a TAG, you must STILL complete and submit the full UC application

15 AA- T and AS- T Degrees for CSU Admissions Good for CSU if the campus deems major and concentration as similar Often aids in helping to streamline requirements when applying to multiple CSUs Guarantees completion of BA\BS within 60 units after transfer will provide small bump in GPA for impacted campuses\majors

16 And one slide on financial preparation for transfer: The two most common reasons why students didn t receive Federal, State or Institutional funding are: 1. They did not apply (or didn t re- apply) 2. They applied late SO: Apply EARLY and apply EVERY YEAR.

17 In closing: Like 4- year schools, but even more so, the CCC system favors the early & organized for transfer progress and success. UC and CSU transfer entry requirements are inflexible. Private colleges and universities have more flexibility in transfer entry requirements and in awarding funds. Better funding comes to the early birds.

18 Questions? Resources: www. assist.org CaliforniaColleges.edu (hosted by AICCU) UC websites, counselor conferences, e- mail groups CSU websites and counselor conferences WACAC trainings and conferences Thank you for caring about transfer students!!!

19 More on the money The Big 4 money sources: 1. Federal Government: FAFSA. Pell grants, Work Study, Stafford loans 2. State of California: AB- 540 status. Cal Grant. Dreamer Grant. 3. Schools: App fee waivers. Merit scholarships. Other non- cash. 4. Others: Big national: Jack Kent Cooke. Nike. Gates. Small local: Lions. Rossmoor. Churches. Et al. Wide range of qualifiers; don t need a 4.0. How to get more money? Apply, on time. Scholarship search tips: Narrow the criteria. Don t pay for info.