For a transfer student, there is nothing more daunting than waiting for college decisions to come out. I know this all too well, sticking out my final semester at my community college until I can finally transfer to my dream University of California.
We feel this pressure the most between the months of January and May when University of California and California State University decisions start rolling.
While opening that acceptance letter can be exciting, figuring out the logistics of transferring seems nearly impossible when I have to plan my life out in a matter of months.
Most students entering a community college intend on transferring to a four-year university. Community colleges typically provide programs and resources for students to succeed in this endeavor, including the UC Transfer Admission Guarantee program, transfer counselors available at students’ disposal and engagement centers.
Students can finish their Associates Degree for Transfer to increase their chances of getting into their dream school.
As a student at Riverside City College, my school has made this process easy for me. I switched my major from business administration to journalism my second year at RCC.
After meeting with counselors, I expect to finish my third year with an associates degree in business administration, journalism and social and behavioral studies.
The only thing that RCC can no longer help me with is deciding where my life goes from here. This is something I had to wait out on until I heard back from the colleges I wanted to transfer to.
UCs release decisions throughout the month of April where some exceed mid-April. The final day to commit to the UCs is June 1. On the other hand, CSUs release their decisions typically between February and March. Commitment day is May 1.
The issue lies in the decision releases. I am expected to begin our transfer year in either August or September, depending on the school we choose. Yet, I am also expected to make a life-altering choice within the short time frame of decision releases and commitment days.
According to RCC transfer counselor Merisa Cote, students often come to her with concerns about where to transfer and how to take advantage of financial aid. During the fall is when she sees the most students, around 20 to 40 a day. In the spring, around 10 students visit her office.
The time it takes for us to hear from and commit to transfer schools can be a matter of days, leaving us little time to meet with our counselors in the spring.
From here, we must decide if we will live in dorms or off-campus. For UCs, transfer dorms are readily available. For CSUs, freshmen are typically prioritized over transfers. While CSUs provide resources for off-campus housing, students can no longer take out loans to cover their housing. Instead, they are expected to attend school full-time, work a job to pay for rent, ranging from $500 to $2,000, and make the transition into a new city.
I will be transferring to UC Irvine, and although it is only an hour away from home, I will have to live in the Irvine area and find a job. Initially, I had planned on transferring to CSU Long Beach until I heard back from UCI. In a matter of a month, I had to decide which school best fit me, and the process has been scary.
I will not be dorming, so the comfort of secure housing that UCs offer is not something I will have.
Nevertheless, I am excited. The logistics often mask the reality that this big leap is necessary and everything I have ever wanted.
The transfer process is more than just meeting deadlines and checking boxes. It is a pivotal life transition. While California’s higher education system offers great opportunities, it also places pressure on students to make life-changing decisions in a short period of time.
Until universities offer better timelines and stronger support, we are left to navigate this rushed, high-stakes process with resilience and hope our choices will pay off.
