Students hoping to transfer to a University of California campus next fall will have more time to apply. The UC extended the deadline for transfer students to file applications for fall 2017 from Nov. 30 to Jan. 3, 2017, widening the window for qualified students preparing to transfer to
the university.
“This is a great opportunity for our students,” Ashley Brackett, a transfer counselor in Allan Hancock College’s University Transfer Center, said in a press release. “Whether a student started but didn’t finish an application or wants to apply to more schools in the UC system, they have four more weeks to submit it.”
Students who already submitted transfer applications can log in to their UC application account and apply to additional campuses. Though the deadline was extended, some of the campuses announced plans to close certain majors to transfer applicants who apply after Nov. 30. For example, UC Irvine closed admissions for dance, music, and nursing majors on Dec. 1.
“We encourage our students to apply now because they may not be able to apply for specific majors if they wait too long,” Brackett said in the press release. “It’s in our students’ best interest to apply by the original deadline if possible.”
To see the list of majors that will be closed after Nov. 30, visit admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/check-majors/index.html.
Numbers support Brackett’s statement. According to University of California data, students who applied in November were admitted at a higher rate last year than applicants who submitted during the extension.
The extension is the latest in a series of efforts to aid transfer students. Earlier this year, the University of California boosted the number of transfer pathways, which outline a single set of course expectations that prospective transfer students can take to prepare for a major at any of the UC system’s nine undergraduate campuses. Transfer pathways for the 21 most popular majors now cover two-thirds of all transfer admissions applications the UC receives.
The university continues to boost its enrollment of California students. The UC system added 5,000 this year and is on track to enroll an additional 5,000 by 2019, addressing the rising demand for admission. The UC system’s goal is to enroll one new transfer student for every two new freshmen.
The system enrolls more community college students than any other university of its caliber. Nearly a third of entering UC undergraduates are transfer students, and 92 percent of them come from a California community colleges.
“Giving transfer students more time to file their applications will help hard-working, eligible students across the state make their way to a UC campus next fall,” UC President Janet Napolitano said in a press release.
For qualified students who would otherwise be unable to apply for admission, the University of California will waive transfer application fees for up to four campuses. The fee waiver program is for United States citizens, permanent residents, and applicants eligible for AB540 benefits.
Students can apply for a fee waiver within the online application and be notified immediately whether they qualified. The family’s income and number of people supported by that income are required to apply for the waiver.
“If someone’s already qualified for the fee waiver or plans to apply for it, I strongly encourage them to capitalize on the extension and apply to four campuses. It’ll be free so students have nothing to lose and everything to gain,”
Brackett added.
The extension applies only to transfer applications and not to freshmen.
For more information, call 922-6966, Ext. 3363.
This article appears in Dec 8-15, 2016.
