I'm planning to transfer from community college to CSU next year. Can anyone share their experience about which credits typically transfer smoothly and any tips for making this process go smoothly?
Transferring from a community college to a California State University (CSU) is a common path for many students, so you're not alone in navigating this process. Here are some guiding steps:
1. Accreditation: The first thing to remember is that your community college needs to be recognized by a legitimate accreditation body for your credits to be transferable. As a rule, accredited community colleges have credits that are aligned with CSU requirements, making the transfer smoother.
2. Articulation Agreements: California has articulation agreements between community colleges and CSUs, which outline the transferable coursework between the two. You can consult your community college's advising or transfer center to understand these agreements better.
3. ASSIST: California also has an online student-transfer information system called ASSIST, which provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about student transfer in California. ASSIST shows how course credits earned at one public California college or university can be applied when transferred to another.
4. CSUGE or IGETC: In terms of general education courses, community college students usually follow either the CSU General Education Breadth (CSU GE Breadth) or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) to satisfy lower division general education requirements before transferring. Your counselor can help you see which one is right for you.
5. Advising: Meet regularly with your community college academic advisor to stay on top of your degree progress and make sure you're on track to meet all the requirements.
6. Application process: Apply to your intended CSU during the application filing period and make sure to submit all the required documents.
Remember, while the CSU system is fairly flexible in accepting community college credit, not every credit will necessarily apply to your intended major. This is why regular advising appointments and staying informed about your program's transfer policies are so important.
Good luck with your transfer process!
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