How do community college transfer credits work for UC Berkeley?

I'm considering starting at a community college and then transferring to UC Berkeley. Can anyone explain how the transfer credit process works? I'm a little worried about making sure all my classes will count.

Transferring from a community college to UC Berkeley is fairly common, and UC Berkeley has a system in place to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible.

UC Berkeley, like many other universities, evaluates credits on a course-by-course basis. They look at the content of each course you've taken and match it against the curriculum at Berkeley to see if there's a similar course. If there's a match, you'll likely receive credit for that course.

The UC system has a resource known as Assist.org, which can considerably help you navigate the transfer credit process. Assist.org provides information about which courses or sequence of courses at a community college will satisfy lower division prerequisites at a UC campus.

It's also crucial to note that UC Berkeley and CCC (California Community Colleges) have a guaranteed transfer program known as TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee), which assures admission to students who meet certain criteria. However, this program is not available for all majors, and the College of Letters and Sciences at UC Berkeley doesn't participate in TAG.

Lastly, reach out to both your community college advisor and the admissions office at UC Berkeley. They can provide additional guidance, help you pick out the correct courses, and make the transfer process as smooth as possible.

While the specific process may depend on your major and other factors, following these steps can help ensure you maximize your transferable credits. Remember, planning your course load wisely can save time and resources in the long run. It's always better to be proactive and clarify any doubts you have about transfer credits early on in your academic journey.