What's the Santa Monica College transfer program like?

I've heard good things about the transfer program at Santa Monica College. How does it work, and how successful is it in helping students move to four-year colleges? I'm interested in how it supports students throughout the transfer process.

Santa Monica College (SMC) has an impressive record when it comes to its transfer program. They are one of the leading community colleges in California for transferring students to University of California (UC) campuses, as well as other four-year institutions. SMC has consistently ranked as the top community college in California for transfers to the UC system, which is a testament to its strong support for students in the transfer process.

To assist students in their transfer journey, SMC offers a range of supportive services through its Transfer Center, which is a hub for everything transfer-related. This includes one-on-one counseling where students are guided through academic planning as well as application processes. Furthermore, the center organizes workshops and info sessions about UC and CSU admissions, application assistance, and major-specific information.

SMC also participates in transfer guarantee programs like the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) with six UC campuses. This means, that after you have completed a certain amount of units and maintained a designated grade point average, you’re guaranteed admission to one of these campuses.

Moreover, SMC operates under the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) program, which promises California community college students who earn an associate degree for transfer a guaranteed saved spot somewhere in the CSU system.

SMC also has partnerships with a variety of private colleges and universities, both in-state and out-of-state, that offer guaranteed and/or priority admission to SMC students. These include USC, Loyola Marymount University, and Pepperdine University.

An important point to mention is that many successful transfer students start their planning early, even in the first semester of their first year. Advisers assist them in this planning, helping them determine which classes to take to fulfill both the associate degree requirements and the lower-division prerequisites for their intended major at the four-year institution.

So, indeed, SMC provides thoughtful and comprehensive support to ensure their students are prepared for successful transfer to four-year colleges.