Do CA community college classes transfer to Cal State?

I'm attending a community college in California and considering transferring to a Cal State university. How do I ensure my classes transfer smoothly? Are there specific courses that usually transfer without issues?

Absolutely, many classes from community colleges in California can be transferred to Cal State schools. In fact, the system has been designed to make this process very smooth.

The Assist.org website is a great resource to help you determine which courses are transferable. It provides articulation agreements between California community colleges and Cal State schools. Articulation agreements are formal agreements between two colleges or universities which document the transfer policies for a specific program or degree.

Another good resource is the IGETC (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum), a series of courses California community college students can use to satisfy lower-division general education requirements at any CSU or UC campus.

One more option is to pursue an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) at your community college. This guarantees admission to a CSU, but not necessarily to the particular campus or major you might prefer. Long story short, many classes will usually transfer smoothly, but it's essential to be proactive and plan your classes carefully to avoid any unnecessary hiccups. Remember, the earlier you start planning, the more smoothly the transfer process will go.