Transfer Center

Congratulations on attending LASC before transferring to a four-year university! LASC’s Transfer Center has the information and resources you’ll need to help you through the transfer process.

Being actively involved in your transfer process will help your transfer go smoothly. Even if you don’t know where you want to go or what your major will be, you need to:

• Know what your transfer priorities are
• Identify potential obstacles that could keep you from transferring
• Have a transfer timeline and success strategies in place

Know Your Transfer Priorities

Decide what’s most important to you and your future goals so you know what your next steps are. Your transfer priorities can shape what options are available to you. And, be aware that your preferences and priorities might change once you learn more about the transfer process.

Pick your top priority to learn about your transfer options and strategies.

My transfer priority is…

1. Transferring in the shortest time possible (2 years or less)

• Think about transferring to a private or out-of-state university that only requires completing 24 -30 units before transferring. Admission information is found on university websites.
• UC and CSU campuses require you to complete 60 transferable units before you transfer. You would need to enroll in 15 transferable units per semester to transfer in 2 years. Keep in mind, not all LASC courses are UC and CSU transferable, so check LASC’s list of UC and CSU transferable courses at www.assist.org.
• To meet the minimum eligibility requirements for UCs and CSUs, you would need to complete the courses your major requires by the end of the Spring semester a year before you are scheduled to transfer in Fall. For example, if you are transferring for Fall 2021, the required courses must be completed by the end of Spring 2020. Talk with a Transfer counselor to see if you can meet these goals for your major.
  • Courses required to meet minimum UC & CSU Eligibility:
    • English 101 (UC & CSU)
    • English 102 or 103 (UC & CSU)
    • Transferable math course, Math 215 or higher for CSU, Math 225 or higher for UC
    • Oral Communication course, COMM 101, 151 (CSU only)
    • 4 General Education Courses – see IGETC sheet [link?] (UC only)
• For UC and CSU campuses, choose a major that doesn’t require you to complete prep courses for the major in order to be admitted, or a major that has only 3-4 required courses. Information on which majors require prep courses is available at www.assist.org.
• Depending on where you start in English and math at LASC, consider transferring to a university that requires only one English Composition course, such as English 101, and no transferable math course for admission.
• Note: This choice will eliminate all UC and CSU campuses and USC.

2. Transferring to a specific university (e.g. UCLA or USC)

• Choose the university as soon as possible.
• Find out what’s required to be admitted, such as the required courses, GPA, units, and any supplemental requirements.
• You should complete all of the courses required to meet the minimum eligibility requirements.
• Achieve the highest grades possible, especially if the university is selective (i.e. has a low acceptance rate).
• Research the majors the university offers. Apply to a major that interests you and is not impacted, meaning choose a major that doesn’t have more students wanting to get into it than there is available space.
  • For CSU campuses, information about impacted campuses and majors can be found at http://www.calstate.edu/sas/impactioninfo.shtml
• For UC campuses, admission requirements for each major can be found at www.assist.org.
• UC Berkeley Admit Rates: http://admissions.berkeley.edu/studentprofile.
• UCLA Admit Rates: http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/Adm_tr/Tr_Prof.htm.
• Be willing to adjust your transfer timeline to allow you to complete all required courses with the highest possible GPA.

3. Being admitted and graduating with a degree in my major

• Research what universities have your major, along with the courses and GPA required to be admitted to each university you are interested in attending.
• Find and complete the courses required to be admitted to the university and into your chosen major there.
• Apply broadly and make sure to include universities that you know you’ll be admitted into, as well as those where admission is less likely because of low acceptance rates.
• Be willing to adjust your transfer timeline to allow you to complete all the required courses with the highest possible GPA.
• For UC and CSU campuses, use the “Explore Majors” feature at www.assist.org.
• Find private and out-of-state universities with your major through EUREKA which can be accessed through the LASC Career Center.

4. Transferring to a university that does not require a transferable math course for admission

• You would have to consider transferring to private universities, possibly some out-of-state universities or even going to an Arts or Fine Arts school.
• You’ll need to choose a major that doesn’t require specific math courses to be admitted.
  • Note: This will usually eliminate majors like business administration, engineering, physical and biological sciences, and other majors depending on a university’s admission requirements.
  • You also eliminate all UC and CSU campuses with this option.

5. Transferring to a university in a specific geographic area

• Choose the universities in that region by using EUREKA which can be accessed at the LASC Career Center.
• Find what courses, GPA, and units are required to be admitted, plus any supplemental requirements.
• You should complete all the courses that are required to meet minimum eligibility requirements.
• Achieve the highest grades possible, especially if the university is selective (i.e. has a low acceptance rate).
• Research the majors the university offers. Apply to a major that interests you and is not impacted, meaning choose a major that doesn’t have more students wanting to get into it than there is available space.
• Be willing to change your choice of major if it is not offered by the universities in that region.
• Apply to at least one campus where you have a high probability of admission.

6. Transferring to a university that I can afford so I will have minimal or no student loan debt

• Do not eliminate universities early because of their “sticker price.”
• Consider applying to private universities that have more grant and scholarship monies available than UCs and CSUs.
• Think about applying to some out-of-state universities with lower tuition rates.
• Make sure you apply for Financial Aid and Scholarships.
• Wait until you receive your preliminary financial aid offers from each university you’ve been admitted to so you can find out what your actual cost of attending the university will be and compare your offers.
• Achieve the highest GPA possible so you can be competitive for merit scholarships.
• Start researching available scholarships early. A good scholarship search engine is FastWeb.com.

7. Transferring to a university where the part-time study is allowed

• CSU campuses have the most flexibility with part-time and evening study options.
• Make sure to ask each university you are interested in this possibility.
• Find out how many online courses the university offers or consider obtaining a degree that is completely online.
• For a list of online degrees and schools that offer them, go to http://www.thebestschools.org/online-colleges/.

8. Achieving the highest GPA possible

• You will need to balance the amount of time you spend in your non-school responsibilities (i.e. work, family responsibilities, and extracurricular activities) with the amount of time you dedicate to your academics.
• Assess your study skills, writing, and test-taking strategies. Take the Counseling 5 course.
• Be willing to seek out tutoring from study groups, supplemental instruction, etc. that will result in your highest performance.
• Identify on-campus groups that offer additional academic support, such as TRiO programs and Puente, or join a club associated with your major to expand your knowledge and possibly find someone to study with.
• Be willing to adjust your transfer timeline to allow you to complete all required courses with the highest possible GPA.

What if my transfer priority does not match my transfer goal?

You can always adjust your priorities to ensure that they match your transfer goals:

• Meet with a counselor as soon as possible to help you identify the information and experience you need to arrange your priorities with your goals.
• Transfer admission requirements are fluid and can change from term to term. Make sure you meet regularly with your academic counselor to update your Student Education Plan (SEP).

Identifying Obstacles to Transfer

Your thoughts and perceptions about what you can accomplish are an important factor in your success. Many times we are not aware of the fears and negative beliefs we have. Recognizing your fears and the obstacles you believe exist to allow you to analyze and deal with situations clearer, so you can untangle what is real and what is just in your imagination. Once you understand this, you can create a plan to successfully overcome your challenges to achieve your goals.

What’s Next? Success Strategies and Timelines

Now that you’ve identified your possible obstacles to transfer:

• Meet with your academic counselor to find strategies to overcome these obstacles, and create a realistic transfer timeline
• Learn more about the transfer process and LASC Student Services resources. Sometimes perceived obstacles are because you need more information and/or experience about how something works.

Explore and Research Universities

Discover what different colleges and universities offer to find ones that are your “perfect fit.” Use the links below to learn more about the campuses that catch your eye. You don’t have to explore every possible option, just the ones that interest you.

Choosing Your Universities

At this point, you are deciding which universities you want to apply to, not which university you will eventually attend.

Throughout your transfer process, and generally, in life, you have to make decisions without knowing exactly what a specific outcome will be. Having confidence in your decisions is important. Making sound decisions requires a combination of information, experience, and trusting yourself. Go through some of these websites and start developing a list of universities that fit your transfer priorities and goals:

College Match websites

• BigFuture from College Board – with over 3,700 colleges to search from, you can search from a large variety of options beyond location and majors, but also housing and payment options, sports, and diversity.
• Cappex – Online college matchmakers that can link to your Facebook account, if you choose, once you create a profile to use the site. Check out their scholarship site, Meritaid.com, which provides a valuable directory of scholarships that thousands of schools offer.
• Chegg – has over 6,000 colleges and universities to match with the filters you choose, such as environment, location, and school type. Find out information such as graduation rates, cost, and majors & sports offered.
• College Navigator – While this federal website may seem low-tech, it contains more data on the nation’s colleges and universities than anyplace else on the internet. You can use this to discover colleges or to find out more detailed information once you have a list of colleges you want to compare.
• College Results Online – Comparisons to costs and graduation rates
• Niche – Ranks colleges and includes lists for colleges with the best value, student life, programs, dorms, and more, along with student reviews.
• Peterson’s – use rankings are given by students and include a College Discovery Center to help you choose the right college for your needs.
• Princeton Review – use their ranking system of almost 400 colleges and universities, as well as additional 3,500 colleges to review based on location, majors, cost, required test scores, and includes comments from a student who attends.
• College Data – gives you information on how to use and find what you need when searching for your ideal college.

Connect with University Representatives

CollegeWeekLive gives you virtual college fairs and chat rooms with university representatives.

Virtual College Tours – Can’t get there to see a campus? Virtual tours are the next best thing to being able to visit a campus in person.

• eCampusTours – with over 1,300 campuses to tour
• CampusTours – hundreds of local and national universities and colleges are on file to tour virtually.

College/University Ranking Information

• U.S. Department of Education has a database on all Regionally-Accredited postsecondary institutions and programs in the country so you know which ones meet or exceed minimum standards of quality.
• US News & World Report rankings – choose from national and liberal arts colleges and universities around the country.
• Historically Black Colleges & Universities – see US News & World Report’s ranking of the best HBCUs across the nation.

Need help choosing your major or career direction?

While this can take time and consideration, personal assessments and career / major explorations can help you understand what your interests, values, strengths, preferences, and personality type are to help you find occupations or a course of study that best fit your profile. You can find these aids:

• Online (see below)
• By scheduling a meeting with your career counselor
• In the LASC’s Career Center, such as the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, the Strong Interest Inventories Career Test with a follow-up workshop, and many other career exploration and personality assessments

Majors

These online resources are geared to help you explore majors AND answer the burning question: What can I do with a Major in . . .?

• Eureka: Create your own account and use the student ID code for free in the Career Center. Use this powerful interactive tool (that LACCD pays for!) to explore majors, schools, and careers.
  • Check out some of the assessments in this program — like “True Colors.”
  • Review the comprehensive major overviews that include links to what UCs and CSUs offer in a specific major.
  • Also explore “related majors” and “related occupations”
  • OR explore by occupation areas of interest and see how to get there!
• What Can I Do with This Major? This very in-depth website also includes links to career titles.
• Want to know how much someone typically makes in a specific program of study? Check out Salary Surfer for the most up-to-date salary information.
• LASC Career Technical Education Programs: The CTE web page includes an expanded listing and requirements for career/vocational certificates and degrees.
• My Plan.com includes career titles and descriptions, and review the video library of professions!
• Career Center from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington that includes career titles, overviews, skills.
• Assist.org allows you to explore majors and prerequisites for CSUs and UCs.
• California Colleges Website linking your career exploration with colleges that have the major you would need for the career you choose, along with other criteria you set.

Careers

Excellent resources focusing on career exploration:

• LASC Career Center’s experienced staff will help you discover a wide array of career options through the testing and analysis of career assessments, career advisement, and information about other available educational opportunities, such as internships.
• Career Café is a Virtual Career Center for California Community College Students. You’ll find insights and tools to help you find your career direction.
• Eureka can also help you identify your overall likes and dislikes and translate them into potential careers that suit your personality.
• California Career Zone is a great career exploration program with a focus on California. Make sure to check out “Job Families” that have a good filter and videos to browse, and “Assessments” that details skills, interests, and work importance profilers.
• O*NET Online is a nationally-maintained, well-updated resource of occupational information. Central to the project is the O*NET database, containing information on hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors. It includes ROBUST advanced SEARCH functions.
• Roadtrip Nation is a website with inspirational videos of students interviewing people who followed their own roads in life that lead them to unexpected, life-changing careers.

Consider taking a Counseling Class:

• COUNSELING 17 Survival Skills (1 unit) – learn fundamental skills towards being a successful college student.
• COUNSELING 20 Post-Secondary Education: The Scope of Career Planning (3 units) – get in-depth skills in critical-thinking, decision-making, and higher education requirements, including transferring.

More often than not, California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) campuses are the most popular transfer destinations for LASC students. This is mostly because they are public universities that have more affordable transfer options in California with standardized minimum admission requirements. This makes it easy to know exactly what you need to transfer there successfully.

California State University

CSUs have set up a list of Transfer Admissions Requirements with California community colleges for most of the programs they offer.

Keep in mind, if the program you want to study has an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) at LASC, these degrees from LASC already have all of the required courses you need to get into a CSU in that major, and if you successfully complete your degree, you automatically have priority admission into a CSU!

Note: it may not be the CSU of your choice, as certain CSU programs are more popular than others. These are called impacted programs which means there are more students wanting to get into them than there are spaces available. Yet, you will still have guaranteed admission into a CSU that does have room for you. Talk with your academic counselor about which CSUs have your major and which might be impacted.

• CSU Transfer Admission Requirements (scroll down to Getting Into a CSU)
• CSU Impacted Programs
• CSU GE or IGETC Required Courses: Go to assist.org

University of California

UCs also have a list of Transfer Admissions Requirements with California community colleges for most of the programs they offer. These agreements are all listed so you know exactly what you will need to transfer to a UC campus. And, like CSUs, many UCs, have transfer agreements called Transfer Admission Guarantees, or TAGs which will be discussed in the next step.

These links will help you find out exactly what you’ll need to take to transfer to a UC campus of your choice:

• UC Transfer Admission Requirements (scroll down to Transferring to UC?)
• IGETC Required Courses: Go to assist.org

ASSIST Articulation Website

The ASSIST website is an excellent resource for finding lower-division major prep requirements
from California community colleges and the equivalent courses at the CSU and UC system.

Your familiarity and experience in navigating these resources will help you to build a transfer plan with your academic counselor.

Articulation Agreements

An articulation agreement is an agreement between two college campuses that ensure the transferability of courses to meet major and general education requirements.

View Articulation Agreements between LASC and California Public Institutions, Private & Out-of-State Colleges & Universities, HBCUs, and other Articulation resources.

Nationally, transfer guarantee agreements have different names, but if you want to go to a UC campus, one of the best ways to make sure you are guaranteed admission into that UC is with a Transfer Admission Guarantee or TAG for short.

A TAG is a contractual agreement between you, LASC, and a specific UC campus. Students who meet and maintain stated admission and major requirements are guaranteed admission to a specific four-year college or university.

UC Berkeley and UCLA do not offer TAG agreements, but all of the other UC campuses do. This doesn’t mean you can’t transfer to those two campuses, it just means you’ll have to do a little more work to ensure you are meeting the needed requirements, such as meeting with the university representatives from those two campuses, talking with their admissions offices, and meeting with your academic counselor to ensure you are on track.

Transfer Admission Guarantees (TAGs) are designed to make transitioning from a community college to a four-year university easier. Requirements for each of these agreements vary. Use the resources and links below to explore the TAG programs.

The University of California (UC) system has TAG submission forms for:

The links above provide eligibility information for each UC.

You can submit your TAG Application through the UC Transfer Admission Guarantee Application Site

Transfer planning starts with what you bring from high school. AP exam or IB scores can give you college credit with the right scores. Here are the credit references in applying for AP or IB exam credit.

• LACCD Advanced Placement Chart
• LACCD International Baccalaureate

With the help from a counselor, creating a SEP (Student Educational Plan) is crucial in making sure you are on track to transfer. You can also create a transfer planning profile for the UC or CSU system and enter courses as you schedule them.

• UC Transfer Admission Planner
• CSU Transfer Student Planner

CSU Associate Degrees for Transfer [link]: Get an AAT or AST degree to make transferring from a California community college to a CSU smooth and successful!

Links to Transfer Planning Tools

• ASSIST
• GPA Calculator
• University of Southern California Transfer Planning Guide

Make sure you complete your applications correctly and attend one of the Application Workshops we hold every semester!

California State University (CSU)

• CSU Admission website
• CSU Major Matching Assistant
• CSU campus major impaction search
• CSU Application Fee Waiver
• CSU Application Tips

University of California (UC)

• UC Admission Website
• How to Apply
• Undergraduate Application
• TAG Application
• UC Application Tips

Private & Independent
The Common Application

Other Links

• University of Southern California (USC)
• California Independent Colleges and Universities (AICCU)

Don’t Forget About…

• UC Housing Options
• CSU Housing Options
• UC Scholarships/Financial Aid
• CSU Scholarships/Financial Aid
• Scholarship Search

Getting an undergraduate degree comes with a cost. Those costs are related to the type of institution you attend. Public state colleges and universities are the most affordable. A private institution typically is more expensive, but also provide other financial aid resources to cover costs. With the right searching, you can find an affordable program tailored to your major or career goal.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. Federal Student Aid helps make a college education possible for every dedicated mind by providing more than $150 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study funds each year to more than 13 million students paying for college or career school. Applying as early as possible, starting October 1st, gives you the best opportunity to optimize the best financial aid package available to you for the Fall term.

CSS – the College Scholarship Service Profile, is an application distributed by the College Board in the United States allowing college students to apply for financial aid. It is primarily designed to give private member institutions of the College Board a closer look into the finances of a student and family. It is much more detailed than the FAFSA.

FASTWEB – Fastweb is the premier online resource for paying and preparing for college. Create a profile, it is free. You should never have to pay for Scholarship searches!

• UC Scholarships/Financial Aid
• UC Blue & Gold Plan
• CSU Scholarships/Financial Aid

Transferring to a four-year university is no different in terms of preparation or coursework if you are not a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or international student. However, being able to afford college because of your status should not hinder you from transferring, as well. Here are some valuable resources to help you achieve your goals.

What is AB 540?

AB 540 is a California state law that clears certain students from having to pay nonresident tuition (higher than resident tuition) and allows them to apply for different types of statewide financial aid, with the central application called the California Dream Act Application (CADAA).

To apply to the CADAA, you must have all of the following:

• Attended a California high school for at least three years, or graduated early from a California high school with the equivalent of three or more years of credit*
• One of the following:
  • Graduated from a California high school
  • Obtained a Certificate of General Education Development (GED)
• Enrolled in an accredited and qualifying California college or university
• If applicable, complete(d) an affidavit to legalize immigration status as soon as you are eligible

*If you graduated early from high school under this provision, you must have also attended California schools (elementary and secondary) for a cumulative total of three or more years.

AB 1899 allows U and T visa holders to also apply for state financial aid. (T visa holders are allowed to file for federal financial aid and should file a FAFSA.

If you meet the requirements above. You will need a certified GPA to qualify for a Cal Grant within your CADA application.

Your college is responsible for verifying your AB 540 eligibility. You can check with LASC’s Admissions & Records Office early in the summer before the Fall Term starts. The sooner you apply, the more funds you could receive that you qualify for!

What is DACA?

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is a federal process that delays the removal of an individual by USCIS (U.S. Citizen & Immigration Services) for a specified number of years.

• It is not the same as financial aid
• It does not grant lawful immigration status
• It does allow individuals to apply for an SSN and work authorization

California Dreamers should still file a CADA Application instead of a FAFSA and submit a Non-SSN GPA. If you or your school submits your certified GPA using your DACA SSN, make sure you include that DACA SSN on question #8 of your CADA Application.

For more info about DACA visit www.uscis.gov, www.e4fc.org, and www.weownthedream.org.

LASC Transfer Center’s mission is to assist students to successfully transition from LASC to UCs, CSUs, HBCUs, and other public and private four-year academic institutions.

We are here to provide you with information, resources, and opportunities you’ll need for a smooth and positive transfer experience to any university you choose. Your future begins here!

After meeting with a Transfer Counselor, students will be able to identify two (2) to three (3) four-year institutions that offer their major for future career goals.

• LASC students will be able to successfully complete the CSU/GE requirements
• LASC students will be able to identify UC, CSU, and private institutions