De Anza College unit transfer details?

I'm a student at De Anza and I'm curious about how the unit transfer process works to other colleges, especially UC schools. What should I keep in mind when planning my courses?

The course transferring process from a community college like De Anza to a university, especially UC schools, is usually straightforward but does require methodical planning. Some key points to keep in mind are:

1. Articulation Agreement: Check if De Anza has an articulation agreement with the UC schools you're interested in. These agreements are designed to assist students in a smooth transition between colleges by aligning course requirements.

2. Course Matching: Match your De Anza courses with those required or recommended for your prospective major at the UC schools. You can use resources like Assist.org as a valuable tool to compare courses and degree requirements between California Community Colleges and UCs.

3. The UCs and most four-year colleges typically accept a maximum of 60 transferable semester units (or 90 quarter units), usually corresponding to two years' worth of full-time coursework, although you can still get subject credit for additional coursework. This is vital when planning your course load.

4. IGETC: Consider completing the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC), a series of courses that California community college students can complete to satisfy first- and second-year general education requirements at UC schools.

5. Transfer Admission Guarantees (TAG) are formal agreements ensuring transfer students from California Community Colleges are admitted to a participating UC campus, subject to certain criteria. Be sure to speak with a De Anza counselor to understand the details.

6. Regular Counselling: Stay in regular touch with your guidance counselor or a transfer advisor, who can help guide you through the process and make sure you’re on track. Make use of various resources and workshops provided by De Anza College specifically for students aiming to transfer to 4-year universities.

7. GPA: Strive to maintain a high GPA. A stronger GPA can make your transfer application more competitive, especially for certain high-demand majors or campuses.

Remember, your goal in taking these community college classes should be to earn credit towards your bachelor's degree, so taking time to carefully plan your coursework will pay off in the end. Your specific process might differ slightly based on the major and the UC campus you're applying to, so it's a good idea to check with admission representatives from those campuses as well.