How is the transfer process from Santa Monica College to UCLA?

I'm planning on attending Santa Monica College and hope to transfer to UCLA eventually. Can anyone share their experience or knowledge about how this transfer process works?

Transferring from a community college like Santa Monica College to a University such as UCLA can be a rewarding but complex process. However, luckily for you, Santa Monica College is one of the top feeder schools for UCLA, so the path is well-trodden and there are plenty of resources to help you!

1. Course Planning: Start by making sure you're on the right track with your course selection. The more prerequisites you can complete at Santa Monica College, the better position you'll be in at the time of transfer. So, use UCLA’s Transfer Admission Guide to check which prerequisites apply to your intended major.

2. IGETC Certification: You should aim to complete the academic requirements known as the "Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum" (IGETC). This ensures you meet the breadth/general education requirements for UCLA. Ask your Santa Monica College academic counselor to assist in mapping it all out.

3. GPA: UCLA transfer acceptance rates can be competitive. For most majors, getting at least a 3.2 GPA at SMC will ensure that you meet the minimum transfer requirements. However, higher GPAs increase your chances, especially for more competitive programs like Engineering, Business, or the Fine Arts.

4. Transfer Agreements: Use the Transfer Admission Planner (TAP) to track your progress towards meeting transfer requirements. Santa Monica College also participates in the Honors Transfer Council of California’s partnership with UCLA; students in this program receive priority consideration for admissions.

5. Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG): Unfortunately, UCLA doesn't participate in the TAG program, meaning there's no guarantee of admission based on meeting certain criteria. That said, your SMC counselor can help guide you through the process to maximize your chances.

6. Application: You'll need to submit a UC application and pay the application fee. The application period opens in August with a submission deadline of Dec. 2. So, start the application in advance, give yourself plenty of time to compose and revise your Personal Insight Questions (an important part of the UC Application), and ask someone to review it for you if possible.

After submitting your application, stay on top of any communications from UCLA, and submit your final official transcripts when requested. Finally, keep striving for academic excellence at SMC. Good luck on your path to transferring to UCLA!