City College Transfer to UC: How Does It Work?

I'm at City College right now and thinking about transferring to a UC school. Does anyone know what the process is like or any tips for making the transition smoother? Any specific requirements I should be aware of?

Transferring from a community college like City College to a University of California (UC) school is a well-trodden path for many students. Here's a brief overview of the process:

1. Prerequisites: One of the first steps is to ensure you've met the minimum requirements to apply as a transfer student. For the UC system, you need to complete 60 semester (90 quarter) units of transferable credit with a minimum GPA of 2.4 for CA residents, or 2.8 for non-residents.

2. Selective majors: If you're applying to a selective major, there may be additional prerequisites. It's recommended to verify what exactly is required for your chosen discipline.

3. TAG Program: The UC system has something called the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) where six of their schools (Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz) guarantee admission to students from California community colleges.

4. Use Assist.org: This handy website catalogs the entire course catalog of every California community college and how each course will transfer to each UC or Cal State (CSU) campus. It's an invaluable resource for planning out your pre-transfer education.

5. Personal Insight Questions: Unlike many other universities, the UC system requires short essay answers to Personal Insight Questions in their application. Spend time crafting thoughtful responses to these.

6. Transcripts: Request your official transcripts from your community college to be sent to the UC systems once you apply.

As for a smooth transition, familiarize yourself with the campus, find the resources you'll need, and consider joining a club or activity to meet people. The UC website and your community college's transfer center are both great resources to help guide you through the process. Good luck!