I have provided 14 SDSU Supplemental Application workshops since January 3rd, so I have a good idea regarding the mistakes students are most likely to make. Here is a list of the errors of omission:

Not double checking the CSU GE Breadth ("green sheet") to make sure every section in every GE area is checked off with a course title

Most likely sections missed are Laboratory and Lifelong Learning and Self Development

Not including courses you need and are enrolled in this spring semester

Other common errors include the following:
Clicking on more than one title for a single course (it's okay if the title is not exactly the same as the title of the course you completed)

Including courses that transfer but are not on the CSU GE Breadth ("green sheet"); English 110 (College Composition) is CSU transferable, but it does not meet the Written Communication requirement.

Indicating you fulfilled a Humanities requirement with a U.S. History course taken at GCCCD; U.S. History is used to fulfill the Social Sciences area only.

Not using the "Specify Course" option if you cannot find a title that is similar to a course you completed; Humanities 110, 12o and Religious Studies 140 are used as Arts courses at Grossmont College--you must specify how the course is used and provide the title , course number and when you completed the course.

If you have any questions about your CSU transferable GPA or the accuracy of your supplemental application , sign up for a workshop or come into the Transfer Center during our SDSU Supplemental Application review times.

What's your transfer priority?

One of the most important things I've learned in 25 years of providing college counseling is the importance of identifying your transfer wants and needs. The "want" part is the most critical key to success, as it will determine how much effort you put into achieving your goal.

I have gotten really good at recognizing when students see the light --knowing what they want to do and how they have to make it happen. Those students share the same basic characteristics: (1) a specific goal (college major and/or transfer institution) (2) a willingness to seek assistance and information to improve academic effort and focus (3) a determination to work hard and utilize resources (teachers, counselors, financial aid, tutoring, study groups) to perform at an exceptional level, and (4) to develop a semester by semester plan that provides a deadline for transfer.

If you're not sure you have the characteristics outlined above, start with identifying your transfer priority and develop a plan based on accomplishing it. You can use the link on the Counseling Center website entitled "College Success Profile" to determine your learning strengths and obstacles, and to identify a major and develop an educational plan. Also, make an appointment with a counselor or attend one of the weekly "Transfer Options" workshops offered in the University Transfer Center.

If you're uncertain of your transfer priority, considering the following transfer needs or wants you might have:
**to attend SDSU
**to attend a specific university
**to continue live in San Diego
**to transfer as soon as possible
**to pursue a major offered at only a few universities
**to earn my bachelor's degree as cheaply and quickly as possible

UCSD transfer requirements fall 2012

If you are a local community college student who hopes to transfer to UCSD fall 2012, be sure to attend a Grossmont College UC Online TAG workshop --the dates are posted on the Transfer Center website. There are also two weekly UCSD workshops offered in the Transfer Center (call 619-644-7150 to find out when they are offered and to reserve a seat). You must attend a workshop to qualify for the UCSD transfer opportunity.
UCSD minimum requirements for transfer fall 2012 include the following:

**60 UC transferable units by the end of spring 2012
**completion of English 120, English 124 and a college level math course by end of fall 2011
**required UCSD GPA at the end of fall 2011 semester
**submit the UCSD TAG Agreement by September 30, 2011
**complete a UC application between November 1-30, 2011

I hope to see you at a workshop in August or September!

What to do if you were denied admission to SDSU

This is the month most students already know or will find out if they have been accepted to the university and will transfer fall 2011. Unfortunately, as public universities in California grapple with fewer resources due to budget cuts, the number of applicants has increased. CSU and UC admission criteria is more competitive than ever before, and the best guarantee for successful transfer is completion of all lower division general education and preparation for the major plus an overall transferable GPA of 3.0 or higher. Grossmont College's largest feeder university is SDSU; students with 50% or more units completed at local community colleges are admitted based on the GPA for their major, which ranges from 2.4 to 3.0. Why then were some local students denied admission fall 2011 even though they met all the lower division requirements outlined above? Local students who contacted the SDSU Prospective Student Center were told the admission criteria was very competitve and that was the reason they were denied. One student had a 4.0 overall GPA, so she knew that couldn't be true. The only reason a fully eligible SDSU TAG student was denied admission is because some academic information was missing or inaccurate on the SDSU Supplemental Application submitted in early February 2011. Denied students should contact SDSU Prospective Center (619-594-6336) and ask the advisor to look at their supplemental application and let them know what is missing or incorrect. If the student will have all lower division requirements, including the minimum GPA for the impacted major by the end of spring 2011, then it is worth writing a letter of appeal. The University Transfer Center has a sample appeal letter and a description of the appeal process. The SDSU Appeals Committee will not make a decision on any appeal until after May 1, 2011.

The New Reality for Transfer Students

The CSU & UC priority application period is over, and now the wait to hear whether students have been conditionally admitted has begun. The "conditional" part is dependent on students fulfilling all admission requirements (transferable units, minimum GPA, required courses in general education and possibly preparation for the major) by the end of spring 2011.



Tuition costs for fall 2011 will increase at all levels of higher education in California. At the same time, more competition for fewer enrollment slots may result in many students unable to achieve their transfer goal. That is, unless they are willing to consider other options besides California public universities.



In these challenging times, when state budget cuts have limited access to community college classes and university admission, it is essential to identify your transfer needs and research all the options available to you. Once you've done that, it will be much easier to find a solution.

Attend a "Transfer Options" workshop in the University Transfer Center and we will help you get started.

Tips for successful transfer to the university

During the last couple of days of the CSU and UC fall 2011 priority application period, a few students always come in to the University Transfer Center lamenting that no one ever told them they had to apply by November 30th.
In troubled times, when California higher education opportunities are limited because of budget cuts to higher education, it is essential students take the following steps:
* Identify a transfer goal (major and transfer institution)
* Seek assistance in developing an educational plan and deadline
* Keep informed regarding transfer requirements and application deadlines
* Apply early and to at least two or more transfer institutions
The University Transfer Center provides small group, hands-on Transfer-Ready? workshops three times a week during the fall and spring semesters. (www.grossmont.edu/transfercenter has the dates and times.)
The workshop includes topics listed below:
*How to identify your transfer priorities
*How to research transfer options
*How to choose a major and transfer as soon as possible
*How to develop a semester plan and set a transfer deadline

Last day to apply to a CSU or UC campus!!

The priority application period for fall 2011 admission to a California public university has almost ended. Tonight, at 11:59pm, there will be students online hoping to hit the submit button before the application sites shut down for what will likely be a year.

If you're reading this post after the deadline has expired, consider this a cautionary tale and plan ahead for the application period next year between October 1-November 30, 2011 for California State University campuses and November 1-30, 2011 for University of California campuses.

The following steps will increase your likelihood of being admitted to a CSU or UC campus in fall 2012:
1. Meet with a counselor to discuss your transfer plans and/or attend a "Transfer Ready" workshop in the University Transfer Center (check www.grossmont.edu/transfercenter for spring 2011 workshop dates)
2. Choose your major and transfer institution in spring 2011 so you can develop an educational plan for completing all transfer requirements by the end of spring 2012
3.Write out a semester by semester plan that includes all the courses and units you need to complete by the end of spring 2012
4. Check the Transfer Center website or Facebook occasionally to make sure you are up to date on the latest transfer information
5. Research and apply to more than one campus so you are more likely to be at the university by fall 2012
6. Attend a CSU or UC application workshop early in the application priority period and submit your application as soon as you get all your questions answered