Riverside City College Transfer from an Associate's Degree

With an associate's degree from Riverside City College, I'm looking to transfer to a university. Any suggestions or insights into which schools are best for a smooth transition? Does Riverside have any guaranteed transfer programs?

Absolutely! Riverside City College has established numerous transfer agreements with a variety of 4-year colleges and universities, both public and private.

The most commonly used transfer program is probably the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT). With this program, you earn an associate's degree from Riverside City College and are guaranteed admission to a California State University (CSU) campus.

The ADT program does not guarantee admission to a specific CSU campus or specific major, but it does promise a spot somewhere within the CSU system. Seeing as CSU has 23 campuses throughout California, there's likely at least a few options that suit your interests, and the ADT program simplifies the transfer process quite a bit.

Many CSU campuses have strong programs across a number of disciplines – San Diego State and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo are often particularly praised. However, since your question didn't mention a specific major, I'd suggest looking into which campuses have strong programs in your area of interest.

In addition to the CSUs, there are also transfer admission guarantee (TAG) programs available with some University of California (UC) schools. UC schools participating in TAG for California community college students include UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz.

For both of these programs, be sure to keep track of all deadlines and specific course requirements—maintaining a certain GPA is often a part of the agreement, and you'll usually need to complete specific coursework before transferring as well.

For private or out-of-state colleges, admissions procedures can vary more, but many still have partnerships with Riverside City College. Some notable ones include the University of Southern California, University of La Verne, University of Redlands, and Chapman University.

Ultimately, the best school for you will depend on your personal and academic interests, as well as any financial or location constraints you might have. The transfer center at Riverside can provide detailed information on transfer agreements with specific institutions, as well as general guidance throughout your transfer application process. Also, talking to your teachers, advisors, and other students can provide valuable information. Best of luck!