Understanding UC Credit Transfers from Community Colleges

I'm looking at transferring from community college to a UC. Can someone explain how the credit transfer works? I'm trying to ensure all my community college courses will count toward my UC degree.

Absolutely, transferring from a community college to a University of California (UC) institution is a common path, and the UC system has mechanisms in place to simplify the transfer of credits.

One key resource at your disposal is the ASSIST website, which is California's official statewide repository for articulation information. Articulation simply refers to how courses taken at one institution might satisfy requirements at another institution. You can use the ASSIST portal to identify which courses at your community college satisfy general education requirements or the requirements for specific majors at all of the UC schools.

When you are admitted and choose to enroll, the UC institution will conduct an official evaluation of your transcripts. They will consider all courses completed at regionally accredited institutions. Given that you're at a community college in California, this should not be an issue.

One thing to bear in mind, though: while many courses will easily transfer from your community college to a UC, not all might count toward the major you aspire to pursue. Additionally, some majors have pre-requisite courses that you need to complete before you can declare the major, or be admitted as a transfer student into that major.

Though the ASSIST website should be able to guide you on which courses are transferrable for major requirements, it may be a good idea to reach out directly to the university's advising or admissions office to confirm. This can help ensure that you don't end up taking courses that won't help you progress toward your desired degree.