Click on a Question below to go to the answer.
| How do I find out about 4-year schools? |
| There are probably as many ways to find out about 4-year schools as there
are schools. Cerro Coso’s Counseling Services Office houses a collection of
resources for anyone who is able to travel to the campus. Local libraries
often carry college resources as well. Websites such as www.petersons.com
can provide a wealth of general information on colleges throughout the
country and most colleges have their own Web page with a myriad of specific
information. For anyone interested in campuses of the University of
California system, connect to www.ucop.edu/pathways Those who are
interested in the California State University System can connect to
www.csumentor.edu.
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| Can I transfer to an out of state school from Cerro Coso? |
| Cerro Coso Community College is an accredited institution making its courses
recognized by other institutions. Depending on the individual institution’s
requirements, there should be no reason why an equivalent class taken at
Cerro Coso could not be considered for transfer.
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| Do "D" grades
transfer? |
| Acceptance of "D" grades is based upon individual
campus decisions. Cerro Coso will not certify "D" grades for inclusion
in the IGETC.
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| Do Credit/No Credit
grades transfer? |
| The 4-year institution will sometimes accept Credit/No
Credit grades. However, required courses for the general education or
major should not be taken in this manner. Check with the transfer
institution for more information.
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| How do I apply? |
| Contact the school you wish to apply to for a complete
application packet. Additionally, many schools now have Web sites, which
allow for on-line or downloadable hard copy applications.
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| When can I transfer? |
| Most students transfer after completing a minimum of 56
transferable semester units or 84 transferable quarter units (60
semester units are required for UC campuses). If you meet these unit
minimums, you will often be transferring as a junior and your college
work will be used to determine your transfer eligibility. If you
transfer with fewer than 56 semester or 84 quarter units, the campus
will often use both your high school performance and your college work.
Contact the specific colleges you are interested in to determine what
their specific policies are.
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| How can I determine
if my credits will transfer? |
| This is an important issue that requires your careful
attention. All California community colleges have lists of their courses
that will transfer to the CSU or UC campuses. This is indicated in Cerro
Coso’s catalog by a CSU/UC designation next to the course name. At Cerro
Coso, courses numbered 1-69 are considered eligible for transfer. If you
are transferring it is important that you consult with the campus to
which you are planning to transfer to gain assistance with identifying
the specific course necessary to meet the transfer requirements. That
institution will make the final decision on what will count toward your
4-year degree. You may also consult your college counselor or transfer
center for assistance in determining which courses will be accepted for
transfer credit.
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| Can I transfer to a
four-year college without an associate degree? |
| Yes, however, by taking courses required for transfer,
you will more than likely meet the requirements for an associate degree
as well. Check with a counselor.
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| Are there a maximum
number of units I can transfer? |
| Specific regulations vary from college to college,
however, as a general rule, the maximum number of units accepted for
transfer will be 70 semester units. (105 quarter units)
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| What if I take more
units than that? |
| Most colleges and universities will accept 70 semester
units towards the total number of units needed to complete your
bachelor's degree; however, if you have taken more units than that, the
content of the courses will often be used to satisfy needed
requirements.
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| What is the minimum
GPA for transfer? |
The minimum GPA needed to transfer to a California
State University (CSU) is 2.0.
The minimum GPA needed to transfer to the University of California (UC)
is 2.4.
The GPA needed for transfer to private colleges varies so please check
the college catalog. Some majors and some colleges are impacted and will
require higher GPAs for admission.
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| What is an impacted
major? |
An impacted major is one that is very popular and more
applications for admission are received during the priority filing
period than the campus can accommodate.
If you are applying to a major that is impacted, the GPA for admission
may be higher and you may have to complete lower division courses for
the major prior to transfer. Check with the individual campuses for more
information on impacted programs.
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| What is a competitive
GPA for transfer? |
| To be accepted to an impacted program or a very popular
campus, the GPA for admission will need to be considerably higher than
the minimum required. A GPA of 3.0 and higher may be required to be
competitive for transfer admission. The GPA will vary each year
according to the specific campus and applicant pool at that time.
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| How can I improve my
chances for admission to the school that I want to attend? |
| The keys to improving your chances for admission are
working hard, earning good grades and taking the right classes. Taking
the appropriate general education courses is critical and for some
majors it is also important to complete lower division major
requirements to keep on track for timely graduation. Often outside
activities such as work experience in the field of study you are
considering, student leadership, extracurricular activities or volunteer
work are also considered by the 4-year school. Contact the schools you
are interested in or consult their catalog either in the Counseling
Services Office or on-line for specific information on the colleges and
majors you are interested in.
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| What is GE?
|
| GE or General Education is a program of courses in the
arts and sciences that provides a broad educational experience. Courses
are usually introductory in nature provide students with fundamental
skills and knowledge in English, arts, humanities, mathematics, social
sciences, physical and biological sciences. Cerro Coso offers General
Education Plans for completion of the Associate’s degree, UC and CSU
transfer.
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| What courses should I
take before I transfer? |
| For most students who intend to transfer as juniors it
is important to take basic general education courses. In many cases you
must complete at course work that includes general education courses
that meets requirements in Written Communications, Critical Thinking,
Speech and Quantitative Analysis (mathematics). You should also consult
a counselor or the college catalog to determine which lower division
major courses might be advisable to take.
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| When should I take
the required courses? |
| Complete transferable courses in written communication,
oral communication, critical thinking and quantitative reasoning during
the first year of community college. Complete remaining units in general
education breadth by the end of the second year of community college
enrollment.
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| What is the IGETC?
|
| IGETC, Intersegmental General Education Transfer
Curriculum, is a general education program which community college
transfer students can use to fulfill lower-division general education
requirements in either the CSU or UC systems. You must complete the
entire IGETC in order to have it accepted as meeting the general
education requirements at the transfer institution.
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| What is general
education certification? |
| All California State Universities accept a common
pattern of general education. If you complete the entire pattern prior
to transferring to one of the 22 state universities, you should request
that the GE Certification be sent along with your official transcript.
All 22 state universities will honor this certification, that is, you
will not be required to take additional lower division general education
courses in those areas certified as already completed at Cerro Coso.
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| What is certification
and why is it important for transferring students? |
Certification of CSU GE or IGETC is an important step
in the transfer process. The certification of GE is the official notice
verifying that a transfer student has completed courses satisfying lower
division general education requirements.
The certification is separate from a student transcript. The request for
certification of CSU GE or IGETC is done at the time you request
transcripts be sent to the transfer school. To be certified, all courses
on IGETC must be completed with a grade of C or better. The CSU GE
pattern can include partial certification when only a specific area is
completed or by completing the entire 39-unit pattern.
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| What are the
differences between an associate degree and a bachelor's degree?
|
| An associate degree is a two-year degree granted by a
community college to students who complete a specified program of study,
usually totaling 60 units. A bachelor degree or baccalaureate is a
four-year degree granted upon completion of at least 120 semester units
or 180 quarter units. Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees
are offered by the California State Universities, the University of
California and private four-year colleges and universities.
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| How many units do I
need for an associate degree? |
| Completion of 60 units is needed to obtain an associate
degree. There are general education, math and English competency and
other requirements needed to obtain the degree. Please refer to the
college catalog for specific requirements or consult a counselor.
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| What is the
difference between lower division and upper division courses?
|
| Lower division courses are offered for freshman and
sophomore level credit. All courses offered at a community college are
lower division courses. Upper division courses are offered for junior
and senior level credit. These courses are not offered by community
colleges.
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| What is articulation?
|
| Articulation is the process of evaluating courses to
determine whether coursework completed at one college will meet the
requirements for admission, transfer credit, general education, or major
preparation at another college.
Top |
| Does Cerro Coso have
an articulation agreement with the school that I want to transfer to? |
| Cerro Coso has specific agreements with a number of CSU
and UC campuses. A complete listing of Cerro Coso’s articulation
agreements with these systems can be found on the "Assist" Website at
www.assist.org.
Top |
| Can I transfer to a
school that does not have an agreement with Cerro Coso? |
| The articulation agreement simply makes the transfer of
credit proceed quicker. If your transfer school does not have an
agreement with Cerro Coso, classes will be evaluated for transfer on an
individual basis. Cerro Coso counselors and advisors are happy to work
with your transfer school to assure a successful transfer.
Top |
| What is the
California Articulation Number (CAN)? |
| CAN is a common number system used to identify courses
which are often required as lower division preparation for majors. The
courses are taught at many colleges with each specific campus using
their own unique number for the course.
Top |
| Do I need to declare
a major before I transfer? |
| Not all colleges require you to declare a major prior
to transfer; however, many do. For a specific CSU or UC campus, refer to
information in the application for admission. For other colleges, check
the college catalog or call the admissions office for that information.
Top |
| What is the
difference between CSU and a UC? |
| The California State University (CSU) is the system of
higher education in California that grants the most bachelors degrees.
The CSU campuses also grant masters degrees. The University of
California (UC) is the research system of public higher education in
California. The UC grants professional and doctorate degrees, as well as
bachelors and masters degrees. The CSU has a more practical,
career-oriented approach to education in contrast to the more
theoretical approach offered by the UC.
Top |
| What is meant by
priority filing dates for the CSU and UC? |
| There is a one-month period of time when applications
are first accepted for a specific term at the CSU and UC. Generally, the
filing period for fall admission is during November of the previous
year. Please refer to the application information for these campuses for
more information. |
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