Community College Transfer Programs: A Comprehensive Breakdown

Community college has so many benefits yet half of them come in the form of hard to understand acronyms. So, let me explain...

California community colleges WANT to help you transfer into your dream school successfully. In fact, many CCCs have incredibly helpful programs to boost your odds or even guarantee admission to top universities. Do you want in? Keep reading!

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1. TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee)

   The Transfer Admission Guarantee allows for CCC students to select one UC campus to have direct admission into. In order to complete the TAG process, you must meet the required minimum GPA for your selected campus, meet unit minimums, and complete specific course prerequisites before applying. The application is available through the Transfer Admission Planner (check the Resources page for the link) and due in September.

   
   

   Participating Campuses (6 out of 9): UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Merced, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Santa Cruz.  The most popular campuses, UC Los Angeles, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego do not participate in TAG. Additionally, highly impacted/competitive majors may be excluded from TAP at some campuses.

2. UCLA TAP (Transfer Alliance Program)

   UC Los Angeles participates in the TAP or, Transfer Alliance Program, which offers priority admission for honors California community college students. Students are able to provide an alternate major option when applying to UCLA, an option unavailable to non-TAP scholars.

   
   

   Exclusions: The TAP program, as of recently, is only available to 2-year honors students. Additionally, it may only be used for admission into UCLA's College of Letters and Sciences.

3. CSU "Degree with a Guarantee"

   For California State Universities (CSUs), earning an associate degree for transfer (AA-T / AS-T) guarantees you transfer admission somewhere within the 23-campus CSU system. Having an associate degree adds a 0.10 GPA boost on your transfer application when applying to CSU majors

Read additional details and requirements here.

4. CCC to HBCU Transfer Guarantee

   There is an agreement between the California community college system and 39+ Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the nation to offer guaranteed admission.

   
   

   Requirements: An Associate Degree (AA/AS or ADT) with a minimum 2.0 GPA OR 30+ transferable units with a minimum 2.5 GPA.

Read additional details and requirements here.

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Navigating community college is difficult already, learning how to take advantage of all is has to offer shouldn't be an additional challenge. While these apply to California community colleges, out of state CCs hold similar transfer agreements with local universities---don't be afraid to do some research! Let me know if I've missed anything or if you have had experience with one or more of these amazing transfer programs.

Lilly Hazard

Hazard on Campus

@lilly_hazard