What are the computer science transfer options from Chabot College to four-year universities?

I'm currently studying at Chabot College and I'm interested in transferring to a four-year university for computer science. Can anyone share their experience or advice on the transfer process, especially to CSUs or other local universities?

Being a California community college student, you have several channels to transfer to a 4-year institution, and the process can be quite streamlined.

If your goal is to transfer to the California State University system (CSUs), you're in luck. California has an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) program specifically designed to streamline the transfer process to CSUs. Under this program, you earn an Associate degree while completing general education requirements and prerequisites for your major.

In the case of Computer Science, you'd be pursuing an Associate in Science in Computer Science for Transfer (AS-T) at Chabot College. After earning this degree, you would have guaranteed admission to a CSU. Not only that, but this degree may grant you junior standing once you transfer, meaning you would only have about 60 credits left to earn your Bachelor’s degree.

However, not all CSU campuses or all majors at every CSU campus are covered under this guarantee, so you'll need to verify this with your counselor and through the ASSIST.org system. This system catalogs the transfer requirements from community colleges to universities throughout California.

If you're interested in transferring to colleges outside the CSU system, it is more complex, but still very possible and common. Many colleges have specific articulation agreements with Chabot College for certain majors, including the other public university system in California, the University of California (UCs).

For UCs, you would need to meet the prerequisites for your intended major, fulfill the general education requirements, and maintain a competitive GPA. You can check out the details on the ASSIST website, or meet with your counselor to discuss it.

Certainly, transferring to private universities or out-of-state schools requires individual research for each school's specific requirements.

In general, maintaining a high GPA, fulfilling prerequisites for your major, monitoring deadlines, and leveraging available transfer advisory resources are all crucial steps in the transfer process. A useful resource during this period could be the Transfer Center at Chabot College, which provides workshops, individual counseling, and events where you can meet with representatives from four-year institutions.