Transferring to a decent school from a California CC

[nikolaijw]

Hey Y'all!
I apologize for the length of my post, but it is an issue that has been causing me a lot of stress!
I'm currently a sophomore student at a California community college and I intend to transfer into an undergrad Physics program. I really would prefer to go out of state and have always wanted to, however I have recently been more open to the idea of staying in California if it is absolutely necessary. Since I had no idea what I wanted to do when I started college two years ago, I ended up just taking General Ed classes along with some random classes just out of curiosity. I am now in my third year at the CC and am taking Calculus 1 (which I failed over summer) and General Chemistry 1 (which I withdrew from in the spring), along with a biological anthropology course which is the last course necessary for completion of my general Ed. It is recommended and for some schools required that Physics or Engineering majors complete the calculus trilogy along with differential equations and linear algebra in addition to completing the 3 class general physics series and at least General Chemistry 1A if not completion of the series all prior to transfer. In order to complete the remaining lower level courses, I'd have to stay another year and half, and while this may not seem like a big deal, the fact remains that I really didn't want to be here for one year, let alone four whole years. Part of this has been my fault due to repeating classes, and part of it is just that I didn't begin completing any math or science (beyond precalculus and astronomy) until my General Ed was essentially completed. For the record, I haven't struggled that much with material in classes that I have failed or dropped, it has really always been an issue of me making dumb decisions like not doing my work and skipping class.

Basically, I am curious as to how much of a chance I have to getting in anywhere as a Transfer for Physics or even one of the more challenging engineering disciplines like Aerospace or Nuclear with only a 3.0 or possibly even less GPA having completed General Ed plus (Calculus 1&2, Chemistry1A&1B, Physics 4A) combined with a history of retaking classes. -------With these things in mind do I have a shot at getting into some respectable out of state universities?

 

[symbolipoint]

Your chance of being able to transfer could be good. You now know what you want and you know what courses are needed. Go through the necessary Mathematics courses starting when you next enroll for the semester at the C.C., and take as many of the needed courses as you can at your current C.C. Do some of the Chem, Phys, or Engineering courses too. You can still do some of them at the university where you are transferred.

 

[Student100]

Hey Y'all!
I apologize for the length of my post, but it is an issue that has been causing me a lot of stress!
I'm currently a sophomore student at a California community college and I intend to transfer into an undergrad Physics program. I really would prefer to go out of state and have always wanted to, however I have recently been more open to the idea of staying in California if it is absolutely necessary. Since I had no idea what I wanted to do when I started college two years ago, I ended up just taking General Ed classes along with some random classes just out of curiosity. I am now in my third year at the CC and am taking Calculus 1 (which I failed over summer) and General Chemistry 1 (which I withdrew from in the spring), along with a biological anthropology course which is the last course necessary for completion of my general Ed. It is recommended and for some schools required that Physics or Engineering majors complete the calculus trilogy along with differential equations and linear algebra in addition to completing the 3 class general physics series and at least General Chemistry 1A if not completion of the series all prior to transfer. In order to complete the remaining lower level courses, I'd have to stay another year and half, and while this may not seem like a big deal, the fact remains that I really didn't want to be here for one year, let alone four whole years. Part of this has been my fault due to repeating classes, and part of it is just that I didn't begin completing any math or science (beyond precalculus and astronomy) until my General Ed was essentially completed. For the record, I haven't struggled that much with material in classes that I have failed or dropped, it has really always been an issue of me making dumb decisions like not doing my work and skipping class.

Basically, I am curious as to how much of a chance I have to getting in anywhere as a Transfer for Physics or even one of the more challenging engineering disciplines like Aerospace or Nuclear with only a 3.0 or possibly even less GPA having completed General Ed plus (Calculus 1&2, Chemistry1A&1B, Physics 4A) combined with a history of retaking classes. -------With these things in mind do I have a shot at getting into some respectable out of state universities?

Priority is given to students who've 1.) completed some kind of Tag program in their state, or 2.) students who've completed most of their articulable general education courses and the courses required for their major, as out of state transfer spots are typically limited to give in state CC students a chance to apply. You'd be somewhere on the bottom of the list for most of the "respectable" schools, based on completed course work and grades.

For in state, if you haven't done most of the courses listed as needed on assist.org, the UC system won't take you. In fact they won't even look at your application generally. If you completed the IGTEC, you might be able to get a spot, but they really want that lower division course work done. Other "respectable" in state schools are probably the same.

Further, do you even know if you like physics? It was my understanding that without Calculus one completed you couldn't have even began mechanics yet in California CC.