Part-Time Community College Student Planning to Transfer

I'm a part-time student at a community college, aiming to transfer to a four-year university eventually. Does being part-time affect my chances or timeline for transfer, especially to schools like UCLA?

Being a part-time student at a community college does impact your timeline for transferring to a university such as UCLA. This is because your transfer eligibility is often determined by the number of credits you've completed, and less credits are earned per semester when studying part-time.

UCLA, along with other University of California schools, requires transfer students to have completed 60 transferable semester (90 quarter) units by the time of transfer. If you're attending part-time, it might take longer for you to accrue these necessary credits, simply because you're enrolled in fewer classes each semester.

However, being a part-time student will not inherently hurt your chances of transferring to a four-year school. What matters most in your transfer application is the overall quality of your academic work — i.e., your GPA — as well as the rigor of the courses you've taken, your personal insights/essays, and other elements of your application just as leadership and service experience.

As always, it's beneficial to reach out to an admissions or transfer counselor at your potential transfer schools to discuss your individual situation. Conversations with these advisors can give you more specific information on how being part-time might affect your transfer application and the best strategies for transfer success within your unique circumstances.