From Community College to UC or CSU —
Experienced Guidance for Transfer Success.

What Often Gets Overlooked — and Why It Matters

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Over the course of my career as a teacher and academic advisor at four-year universities (including UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz), I’ve worked with hundreds of community college transfer students. Most of them were highly capable, motivated, and doing well academically.

 

What surprised me was how often students misunderstood how the transfer process actually works.

 

I regularly met students who:

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• Believed they could transfer first and then choose any major they wanted

• Had never heard of, or did not fully understand, IGETC or Cal-GETC

• Had not completed required major prerequisite courses

• Planned to transfer to campuses that did not offer the major they wanted to pursue

• Took courses they believed “should count,” only to learn they did not

 

These students weren’t careless. They were working with incomplete or unclear information — and often didn’t realize it until their options were limited.  Most of these issues could have been avoided with clearer guidance earlier in the process.  Learn more about my approach here.

 

So What Does Clearer Guidance Actually Look Like?

Clearer guidance is about helping you understand which details actually matter — and when.

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In practice, that means:

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• Clarifying transfer goals early, including specific UC and CSU campuses

• Exploring major path options

• Understanding how general education and major preparation work together

• Knowing which courses are required, recommended, or optional — and why

• Confirming that planned majors are offered at intended campuses

• Reviewing plans periodically as requirements or goals change

 

Good transfer planning creates options and allows students to move forward with confidence rather than assumptions. 

This kind of clarity is easiest to achieve early — before small decisions become hard to change.

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How I Help Students and Families Navigate the Transfer Process

I provide structured, practical guidance to help students and parents move forward with clarity and confidence.

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Specifically, I help families:

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• Clarify transfer goals early, including which UC and CSU campuses make sense given a student’s interests and preparation

• Understand how general education and major preparation work together, so requirements aren’t missed or duplicated

• Identify which courses are required, recommended, or optional, and why those distinctions matter

• Confirm that intended majors are offered at the campuses being considered

• Review and adjust plans over time, as goals evolve or requirements change

 

This isn’t about creating a rigid plan.   It’s about making informed decisions at each stage.

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For most student and parents, a short conversation is the easiest way to see whether their current plan is on track.​​​​​

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If you’d like to know more about my background and approach, you can read more here.

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Free Transfer Planning Check-In

This short, no-pressure conversation is a chance to talk through where you are — whether you already have a plan or are still exploring your options.

Some families come with specific questions.  Others are deciding whether community college makes sense at all.

 

We can discuss whatever you want to explore.  Curious about my background and approach? Learn more here...

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Schedule Your Free Transfer Planning Check-In

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