Transferring with a CS degree from Cerritos College?

I'm working on a CS degree at Cerritos College and thinking of transferring to a four-year school. Any tips on how to make sure my credits transfer smoothly, especially for CS courses?

Transferring from a community college like Cerritos to a four-year university can be a smooth process if you plan ahead. Especially, when majoring in a specific field like Computer Science, ensuring your credits transfer and align with your intended course is crucial.

Here are some steps to ensure a smooth transition:

1. Understand Transfer Agreements: Many community colleges have articulation agreements with four-year universities, which outline how specific courses will transfer between institutions. If Cerritos has such an agreement with your target university, it is a useful tool to plan your courses. Visit your college's transfer office to know more about these agreements.

2. Meet with an Academic Advisor: An advisor from Cerritos can advise which courses you should take that can potentially fulfill the prerequisite requirements of your intended major at the four-year university. If possible, also seek advice from an advisor at the university you plan to attend.

3. Review the Major Requirements: Look at the CS curriculum at the university you want to transfer to. Compare the classes they require for CS majors to the classes you've taken or plan to take.

4. Check Transferability: Use resources like ASSIST (for California colleges) to see how courses transfer between institutions. This way, you can ensure that you're taking the right courses that will be accepted at your target university.

5. Maintain Strong Academic Performance: Most colleges look at your GPA during the transfer process. Aim to maintain a strong academic performance in all your courses, but especially CS-related ones, as your proficiency in these classes will be crucial in your new school.

Lastly, keep in mind that not all credits may transfer and that's okay. The academic rigor and course content can vary across institutions, especially between community colleges and universities. So, even if some classes don't transfer as credit, the skills and knowledge you're building now are critical for advanced coursework in Computer Science.