Choosing a University

• Do you want to live on or near campus, or live at home and commute?
• Would you prefer to stay in the same area of the country, or move somewhere new?
• Most colleges offer a variety of social and cultural events — is the added stimulation and variety of a city important to you?
• Do you have an academic interest, career interest, or hobby that makes easy access to a certain location desirable?
• Do personal medical, religious, or other considerations call for a particular environment?
• How would location affect transportation costs (flights, gas, parking permits, etc.)?

• Is it important to you to know most of your classmates?
• Would you prefer a setting where you are always meeting new people?
• Do you prefer mostly small classes? Even at a large school, classes in your major may be small — ask a representative about the average class size for transfer students in your major.
• Would you like the intimacy of a smaller college?
• Do you prefer the relative anonymity of a larger college or university?
• Do you want regular interaction with professors? Look for a low student-to-faculty ratio.

• Would you like a single-sex school or a coed school?
• Do you prefer that most students come from your geographic area, or from all parts of the country and world?
• Would you prefer a school with a particular religious affiliation and students of that belief?
• Is a significant socioeconomic mix important to you? If so, check the percentage of students receiving financial aid and the average award.
• Do you prefer a competitive academic environment where most students are at or above your level of ability and achievement?
• Or would you feel more comfortable in a less pressured environment where you would be among the stronger admitted students?
• Do you want students who are academically competitive with each other, or who collaborate around academics?
• What type of campus culture do you prefer? To find out, visit the schools — the Transfer Club hosts campus tours every semester.

• Do you prefer a school dedicated to one particular field, or one with a comprehensive selection of courses and majors so you can interact with students across many fields?
• Does the school have your major? If so, what courses are required, and what elective options exist? Is the major offered as a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts?
• How competitive are academics? Do professors grade on a curve?
• What is the average class size? Do you prefer large 100+ lecture halls, intimate 10-student round tables, or something in between?
• Do you prefer faculty focused on undergraduate teaching (often more accessible outside class), or faculty whose work includes graduate teaching and research (who may be less accessible but bring ongoing research into the classroom)?
• Do you mind if some classes are taught by graduate students rather than full professors?
• Are you interested in innovative programs such as independent study, study abroad, individualized majors, or working experience for academic credit?
• Do you require specific services to support your learning, such as accommodations, tutoring, or college success courses?
• Research the career center: what internships are available? Which employers recruit on campus, and for which majors? How many students from your major are employed, and where? How many go to graduate school?
• Are there opportunities to work on special projects or research in your major's department as an undergraduate?

• Are fraternities and sororities important to you?
• Would you prefer a school with specific extracurricular activities (publications, athletics, student government, clubs, professional organizations)?
• Would you prefer a school with a large and varied extracurricular program?
• Do you want a university with a large and active sports program?
• What is the demographic makeup of the student body? Consider socioeconomic status, age, racial makeup, international students, political preference, and religion. How many transfer students are enrolled? Would you prefer to be among many like you, or in a diverse population? Where would you feel you belong?
• Would you like a club or learning community that supports students of certain religious, ethnic, gender, or other identities?

• Make sure the schools you apply to are eligible to provide federal financial aid.
• Use each school's net price calculator (required to be available online) to estimate the aid you are eligible for. Search the school's name plus "financial aid calculator."
• Research institution-specific scholarships right away — they are often due before or at the same time as the application. Don't let deadlines pass.
• Don't dismiss a school just because it seems too expensive. There is a big difference between the advertised price and what many students actually pay, and you won't know until you receive your financial aid award letter after applying. Apply to 3–5 schools, then choose the one that best fits your needs, including financial needs.

• University of California Admissions — UC application instructions, deadlines, planning, and program information.
• California State Universities — how and when to apply, plan, and more.
• CaliforniaColleges.edu — compare schools, estimate financial need, compare aid awards, search for scholarships, and more.
• US News & World Report — widely used college ranking guide.
• College Transitions — lists transfer admit rates by institution.

• UC Majors — a comprehensive list of all majors at the UCs.
• UC Transfers by Major — data on admit rates by UC campus and major.
• Transfer Bound — a database of all majors at the UCs and CSUs.
• College Board — list of private and out-of-state institutions by major.

• College Data — search colleges by the amount of financial aid they offer.
• College Affordability and Transparency Center — hosted by the US Department of Education, with information on what colleges cost, how fast those costs are rising, and why.

• Niche — students review their campuses and grade schools on a variety of metrics.
• Princeton Review — student interviews and reporting on academic culture, student body, and campus life.

UC Berkeley
UC Davis
UC Irvine
UC Los Angeles
UC Merced
UC Riverside
UC San Diego
UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Cruz

California Maritime
Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
CSU Bakersfield
CSU Channel Islands
CSU Chico
CSU Dominguez Hills
CSU East Bay
CSU Fresno
CSU Fullerton
CSU Long Beach
CSU Los Angeles
CSU Monterey Bay
CSU Northridge
CSU Sacramento
CSU San Bernardino
CSU San Marcos
CSU Stanislaus
Cal Poly Humboldt
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
San Jose State University
Sonoma State University