What are the transfer requirements from San Diego City College?

I'm a high school junior thinking about attending San Diego City College and eventually transferring to a four-year university. What requirements should I be aware of for a smooth transfer process?

Assuming you want to transfer to the University of California or California State University systems, which are the most common transfer destinations for California Community College students, you would need to:

1. Earn a minimum of 60 semester (or 90 quarter) units of transferable coursework.

2. Maintain at least a 2.4 GPA for CSU schools, or at least a 2.8 GPA for UC schools if you're a California resident. Bear in mind that these are the minimum GPAs; in general, you want your GPA to be as high as possible to be competitive for admission.

3. Complete the "Golden Four" courses with a grade of C- or better. These are:

a. Oral Communication (for CSU schools), or English Composition (for UC schools)

b. Written Communication

c. Critical Thinking (for CSU schools), or English Communication (for UC schools)

d. Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning

More specifically, if you're thinking about majoring in a STEM field or other competitive major, you might have to complete prerequisite courses. These courses would be laid out in the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the CSU General Education Breadth Requirements.

In addition, for UC schools, you may have the opportunity to participate in the Transfer Admissions Guarantee (TAG). With TAG, you can guarantee your admission into one UC campus if you meet certain criteria. Six UC campuses offer guaranteed admission for California community college students who meet specific requirements.

Finally, I'd highly recommend seeking out academic advising services at your potential community college, as they can provide specific guidance on how to prepare for your intended transfer institution.

Be sure to keep up with your coursework, and best of luck with your future endeavors!