Route to Private or Out-of-State Schools
Research the School(s) of Choice
Find out some basic information about how to transfer to the school. Go to the school’s web site to find out:
- the minimum number of units you need to apply as a transfer student
- minimum GPA requirements
- lower division General Education requirements
- recommended or required major preparation
- application procedures and deadlines
Some tips:
- To find the number of units needed to transfer and GPA requirements, look under “Admissions” on their website. If they have a “Transfer Admissions” section, even better.
- You may find General Education requirements among the graduation requirements for a specific degree from the university. General Education requirements needed to obtain a degree may be listed in the catalog as Liberal Studies, Essential Skills, or Foundations courses.
- Lower division major prerequisites will be on the pages that describe each major.
- For both General Education and major preparation, you might need to look up the institution’s course numbering, in order to separate lower division from upper division.
- Use some of the online resources listed under Choosing a University or College.
Come by the Transfer Center to get help researching. Once you find the information you need, be sure to print it out so you can take it to an Academic Counseling appointment where you can work on your educational plan.
Create an Educational Plan
Bring your research with you to an appointment with your MPC Academic Counselor so the two of you together can create your educational plan. Your MPC Counselor can offer advice on what courses to take to prepare you to transfer. However, to know with certainty which courses will transfer for your major, it will be best to contact an admissions representative at your chosen school and request an informal evaluation.
Request a Review of Your Educational Plan
To request a review of your educational plan begin by searching your chosen institution’s website for Admissions Office contact information. Call/email the office and request to speak with an advisor who will review your plan and provide feedback on whether it will meet the requirements to be admitted at the level you are seeking. You should offer to email the plan to them and ask the advisor to email their approval or suggestions for changes. Inform the admissions advisor of the online access to MPC’s catalog and course descriptions; the admissions advisor will need to use them in the evaluation. Ask the general admissions advisor if you will have to make separate contact with an advisor in the department of your major to find out about major preparation.
Bring the results of this evaluation with you to a follow-up appointment with your MPC Academic Counselor to make sure you have what you need to stay on the right track to transfer.
Association of Independent California Colleges & Universities
The Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) represents over 75 nonprofit private schools in California with more than 210 campuses statewide. Universities and Colleges belonging to this association are accredited and reputable.
Many AICCU schools accept CSU GE Breadth and/or IGETC for general education requirements. Many also accept the Associate Degree for Transfer. Find out if your favorite AICCU accepts those from transfer students.
Minority Serving Institutions
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities were established to serve the higher education needs of the black community, however they are open to students of any ethnicity. There are 105 historically black colleges and universities in the country, with most located in the South and East Coast. They all award bachelor’s degrees in many fields. Some also award masters and doctorate degrees.
The California Community College system offers a guaranteed transfer pathway to one of several partner HBCUs!
Why Transfer to an HBCU?
California community college transfer students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher are guaranteed
admission to HBCU partner schools using either of the following two options: (1) complete
a minimum of 30 UC or CSU units (2) complete a transfer level-associate degree (ADT)
using the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California
State University General Education Breadth pattern. Students who qualify for this
guarantee can also receive an application fee waiver code for the online Common Black
College Application in order to apply to participating partner HBCU (four max). There
may be additional prerequisites or other requirements for certain majors.
Additional program benefits for students under the agreement include priority consideration
for housing, consideration for transfer scholarships for students with a 3.2 or higher
GPA, and pre-admission advising.
Interested in transferring to an HBCU?
Meet with an Academic Counselor to make your transfer plan a reality! And be sure to sign up to receive the latest information about HBCU related events and activities throughout the State of California.
Find your HBCU match and review which universities offer your major!
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)
The association currently represents more than 400 colleges and universities that are committed to higher education for Hispanic students. HACU is committed to improving access and quality of post-secondary education for Hispanic students. In order to qualify to be an HACU school, the school must have a Hispanic student population of at least 25% enrolled full time. HACU schools enroll 40% of all Hispanic students in higher education.
American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC)
Operates over 75 Tribal Colleges and Universities throughout the county committed to serving American Indian students. Their mission is to increase self-determination and service to their respective communities among their students.
American Indian College Fund National Indian Education Association
Common Application
The Common Application is a great tool to help you simplify your application to multiple private or out-of-state universities that use it. You can apply to multiple universities using just the one common application, greatly reducing the amount of time you spend on your college applications.
Find out if the college or university you plan to apply to uses the Common Application.
Explore Common Application Colleges
West Undergraduate Exchange
Are you interested in transferring to a state college or university outside of California? Through the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE), eligible students can apply to various state colleges and universities across the Western region and pay no more than 150% of the institution’s resident tuition rate. Participating universities offer these discounted rates to help students avoid the full cost of pursuing higher education outside their home state and minimize the impact of student loan debt.
Find your perfect match and use the online WUE Tuition Savings Finder to see how much you can save.