Los Medanos College students were allowed to get a side-by-side comparison of University of California campuses on Oct. 21 inside room SC1-136 in the science building. Different representatives from UCs, such as from UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz, came to give students a breakdown about the size of their campus and overall general information about their colleges.
The panel was broken down by each representative explaining information about their respective school. Stating what their acceptance rates are like, what majors and minors are eligible for transfer, requirements and information on the transfer admission guarantee, otherwise known as TAG, and whether each campus participates in transfer partnerships.
The transfer process can be something intimidating when applying to schools for the first time. It’s an overload of information, but the representatives are here to help and make the process a little less scary.
Student Salvador Velazquez explained that the panel was a valuable resource for him. “I decided to come because I’m currently in the middle of the process of doing applications. I want to try to get all the resources possible to help me be prepared. It can be scary and intimidating, but this panel helped,” Velazquez said.
The panel gave students an opportunity to start thinking about what schools they’d like to transfer to and see if they are a proper fit, depending on their major and if they’ve met the requirements. Student Tatiana Rodriguez mentions what schools she’s been thinking of, “I was interested in learning about the UC campuses, and I just want to be prepared,” Rodriguez said.
Additionally, adding her interest in her top campuses, “I’d say my top three would be UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine. If I’m being honest, I’m a sucker for the beach, so if the location is good, everything else will be fine,” Rodriguez said, emphasizing how location means a lot to her.
The last 20 minutes of the panel discussion were open for any students to ask questions that they may have. Many were curious about the extracurricular activities they can take or what to include in their personal interest questions to make their college applications more competitive.
Students Simran Kaur and Joyce Zin Tun expressed their thoughts on the panel, the transfer process and suggested that students should attend more events like these in order to get informed. “I think coming to these events and getting the opportunity to talk to someone can be so helpful. You get more information and what you should do, and it gets you into the right place,” Kaur said.
“I decided to come because I had questions on the transfer opportunities, and talking one-on-one to the representatives gave me more accurate insight,” Zin Tun said. Additionally, mentioning how she appreciates the professionalism from each representative, “I’m interested in going to UC San Diego. I want to live there, and through their professionalism, it shows what kind of school they are,” Zin Tun said.
Transfer & Career Services Coordinator Sandra Parsons explains where students can find resources if they need them. “We are open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students can stop by any time to ask questions about topics such as how to find a job on campus and how to receive college credit for their jobs,” Parsons said. “Our amazing group of student ambassadors is at our front desk anytime to answer questions and offer guidance.”
For more information on the transfer process, please visit the Transfer & Career Center upstairs in the Student Services building.
