UC Counselor Conference 2011

1. The Transfer Path: from High School to Community College to UCAdvising Students on the Community College Option UC Counselor Conference 2011

2. This session will cover: • UC’s commitment to transfer: our successes • How transfer works • “Best advice” for prospective transfer students • Information resources • Counselor feedback

3. Who should consider transfer? Any student can benefit from starting his or her path to a UC degree at a California Community College Students choosethe transfer path for many reasons: • Haven’t decided on academic or career goals and want to explore • Haven’t met requirements for freshman admission and want additional academic preparation • Aren’t ready or able to leave home • Want the affordability of community colleges • Unsatisfied with four-year originally selected

4. UC Commitment to Transfer “We at UC will actively partner with the CSU and the community colleges to help students understand that the transfer option is achievable and affordable.“ - UC President Mark Yudof, March 2010

5. Transfer and the California Master Plan for Higher Education • CA Master Plan for Higher Education specifies: • UC offers priority admission to all UC-eligible California Community Colleges (CCC) students • The best path to transfer to UC is via the CCC • CCC transfer student vs. four-year transfer student

6. UC Welcomes Transfer Students • 1/3 of UC bachelor’s degrees go to transfer students • UC offers a space to every UC-eligible CCC student • Seven campuses offer transfer admission guarantees • The University increased its new transfer enrollment targets by 1,250 over the past three years • Long-term plan is continual, modest growth of new transfer students

7. Strong Priority is Given to Transfers from the California Community Colleges

8. UC Student Retention & Graduation Rates

9. How Transfer Works

10. Admission to UC as a Transfer Student • Minimum eligibility requirements for transfer • 60 transferable units • 2.4 college GPA (eligibility vs. selection) • 7-course pattern with a “C” or better • In addition, transfer applicants should complete: • Lower-division general education requirements • Lower-division major preparation courses

11. The Importance of Major Preparation • Unlike freshmen, transfers enter halfway into a college degree • Therefore, UC is looking not only for general education classes, but also for significant work within the major • In many cases, the completion of lower division major preparation should be a higher priority than General Education or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) • Advise students thinking about the CCC transfer route to begin focusing on their choice of major • Explore www.assist.org

12. Transfer Is a Partnership Between High Schools, Community Colleges and UC

13. Partnerships • All ten UC campuses participate in partnerships to raise student achievement and close achievement gaps • Partnerships represent a systemwide commitment to work intensively with public schools and colleges that serve the most disadvantaged students

14. Prep Program Offerings • Summer and Residential Programs • Community College and High School Support • Peer Mentoring • Personal Advising and Motivation • Counselor Professional Development • Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) • Excluding Berkeley and Los Angeles

15. Best Practices: Preparing HS Students for Transition to CCC and Transfer Success

16. ‘Best Advice’ for High School Students #1 Improve college readiness: take rigorous college prep courses throughout high school • Take math all four years in high school • Take advantage of early assessments • CSU’s Early Assessment Program (EAP) exams in English and mathematics • Community college assessment/placement exams • Concurrent enrollment opportunities enable students to experience college while in high school • Take advantage of community college summer sessions following high school graduation

17. ‘Best Advice’ for High School Students #2 Research your options • Not all CCCs offer the same programs or opportunities • Some CCCs offer more transferable courses in a major(s) • Visit www.assist.org #3 Enroll in community college on time! • Competition for CCC courses is increasing • The CCC matriculation process has several steps that should be completed during the spring semester of 12th grade in order to register for classes when summer/fall registrations opens • Pay attention (check emails and other notifications)

18. Steps for Enrolling in CCC • Complete and submit a CCC application* • Or more than one! • Take the assessment exam* • New student orientation* • Register for classes* • Meet with a CCC counselor* • Pay registration fees • Student support services • Apply for financial aid • Visit CCC to process aid • Monitor Cal Grant B utilization to save for 4-yr • Go full time, if possible, to “efficiently” use aid • AB540 Affidavit (as needed) * Mandatory matriculation steps

19. Tips for Transfer Success in CCC #4 Attend full time, work part time • Three strong predictors for success: (1) full-time enrollment (2) continuous enrollment (3) work no more than 15 hours per week • Helps to utilize financial aid efficiently

20. Tips for Transfer Success in CCC #5 Decide on a major and campus no later than the start of sophomore year at CCC • Know which UC campus(es) and major(s) you want to target and which have transfer guarantee programs • Follow recommended curriculum for major (including competitive GPA) • Be sure GE pattern you follow is appropriate for intended major, campus

21. Tips for Transfer Success in CCC #6 Work closely with an academic adviser, Transfer Center Director, and UC rep to develop a transfer plan early • Develop, then follow, a plan, but update it regularly • ASSIST (assist.org) and UC’s Transfer Preparation Paths (uctransfer.org) are helpful but no substitute for personal academic advisement • Review the information on the website of the UC campuses you are interested in transferring to

22. Counselor Best Practices • Include CCC and transfer information in your general college-going presentations starting in ninth grade to ensure students are aware of academic expectations in CCC and transfer opportunities and requirements • Provide awareness of the enrollment timeline and matriculation process for CCC

23. Counselor Best Practices Support students in completing matriculation steps: • Partner with local CCCs & universities to assist CCC-bound students • CCC Application Days • Direct students to CCC student support programs (EOPS, Puente, etc) • Encourage students to participate in on-site assessments if offered by your local CCC at your high school campus • Field trips: • To tour and experience CCC campuses • To take assessment exam and participate in new student orientations Provide introduction to the transfer process: • Provide workshops on transfer to students and parents • Invite representatives from four-year universities, local CCC and successful transfer students to speak to your students and parents • Teach students how to use www.assist.org

24. Information Resources • ASSIST: www.assist.org • CCCApply.org • Counselors’ Resource Website: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/educators/counselors\ • Counselors’ Resource Website: www.ccctransfer.org • UC Systemwide Admissions Website:www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions • UCTransfer.org

25. Campus Selection Criteria • Berkeley: students.berkeley.edu/admissions/transfer.asp • Davis: admissions.ucdavis.edu/admissions/trfrSelProcess.cfm • Irvine: www.admissions.uci.edu/as_adm.html • Los Angeles: www.admissions.ucla.edu/transfer • Merced: admissions.ucmerced.edu • Riverside: futurestudents.ucr.edu/prospective/transfer.aspx • San Diego: admissions.ucsd.edu/dev3/transfers/req.html • Santa Barbara: www.admissions.ucsb.edu • Santa Cruz: admissions.ucsc.edu/apply/transfer_guide.cfm

26. UC Transfer Prep Programs for CCC Students