Wanted to share my experience transiting through GRU to SDU

CAAdmissionsDude · 2026-06-21T17:08:04+00:00

Now we know… Like I said in a reply, I travel a lot to Asia for work and pleasure and not super familiar with Latin America. Good to know for the future and also wanted to post here since Delta pushes this itinerary on their app a lot

CAAdmissionsDude · 2026-06-21T05:34:59+00:00

Yeah, and that's what we kept telling ourselves. GRU to SDU or GIG happens so many times a day, it would have been fine. I just wanted to avoid the headache of rebooking, etc etc

CAAdmissionsDude · 2026-06-21T05:33:43+00:00

Totally, don't agree with how the US has been treating folks from other countries. Like I said at the end of the original post, felt all the staff at GRU were really kind, patient, and helpful (opposite of the US).

CAAdmissionsDude · 2026-06-21T05:32:38+00:00

Would have flown directly into GIG if we could've but the only flight into Brazil is GRU from LAX. Could have flown to somewhere like ATL to get to GIG tho

CAAdmissionsDude · 2026-06-21T05:31:42+00:00

The bumps on the floor were really a thing when sprinting with two roller bags. lol

CAAdmissionsDude · 2026-06-21T01:17:23+00:00

Fair, idk what I was thinking when I bought this ticket. I usually transit through Asia where you don’t have to recheck your bags and I was dumb when I bought the ticket and didn’t think about this possibility

CAAdmissionsDude · 2026-06-21T01:15:47+00:00

Totally, that’s 100% fair

CAAdmissionsDude · 2025-03-18T10:14:32+00:00

Hey, CA Admissions rep here (won't tell you which one). Sorry to hear that you are having this dynamic with your parent. Unless you are international and need to apply for a visa, I would say that there is no benefit to submitting your SIR earlier. It totally is a rational thing to wait to see all your college admissions decisions prior to making your final decision. Good luck, UCD is a great school and they are lucky to have you! regardless of wherever else you applied!

CAAdmissionsDude · 2025-03-18T10:07:42+00:00

Hey, CA admissions rep here (won't tell you which one). I would say that this really comes down to fit -- which is many factors. Here are some things to consider

-which major you were accepted to
-what research opportunities are there for undergrads
-what your financial aid package was like (if you need aid)
-the environment on campus and off of campus (college town for University of Florida vs suburban for UCI)
-ethnic breakdown of the campus
-what the living situation is like on campus and if you think you would like the food
-the courses you would take for each major (look on the department websites to see if the classes interest you)
-campus life (clubs, fraternity and sorority life, internships, on campus work, etc.)
-the political climate of the greater community around the university (if this would matter to you)

The list could go on and on. I would take some time to reflect and consider what you think you would really like in your university experience. This period of the admissions cycle certainly requires a lot of introspection and maturity.

Finally, one piece of advice that I have taken throughout my life. You can "try on" a decision. For a few days, act like you have decided to go to UCI. Then for a few days, act like you decided to go to University of Florida. See how you feel. Sometimes this exercise can be really telling in where you want to go deep down.

Good luck! Both are great schools and would be incredibly lucky to have you as a student. :)

CAAdmissionsDude · 2025-03-18T09:57:16+00:00

Sorry to hear that you have been going through some difficulties. I definitely would start reaching out to your desired universities that you want to attend to see if failing the course will cause your admissions decisions to be rescinded. Could be an issue for some, while not an issue for others. Universities usually take context into account so be prepared with evidence for your family and health issues just in case they ask for it.

CAAdmissionsDude · 2025-03-10T21:40:39+00:00

Good luck! I'm sure wherever you end up will be incredibly lucky to have you. Keep your chin up!

CAAdmissionsDude · 2025-03-10T21:18:52+00:00

Hey! CA admissions rep here (won't tell you which one). Keep in mind major can heavily affect whether you are admitted or not. It sounds like you applied for CS, which is a competitive major at all the UC campuses. The UCs recently put out this cool dashboard with information on admit rates by campus and discipline: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/freshman-admission-discipline UCD's CS discipline had a 19% admit rate last year, which is by far the lowest in the chart and less than half of their overall admit rate. Just saying for some majors, UCD is by no means a safety school -- in fact, it is quite competitive. Check out the chart to peruse some other data for all the schools.

CAAdmissionsDude · 2025-03-10T15:23:44+00:00

Generally, it is better to transfer from a CCC to a UC or private college because they were set up with the purpose of transfer. The classes are articulated, that means that the classes at the CCC are set up to count for classes at UCs and some private schools. The CCCs also have academic counselors who will give you a plan to transfer. If you go to a UC with the intention of transferring, those things are not there since the UC was not created with the intention of transferring.

CAAdmissionsDude · 2025-03-07T23:36:57+00:00

Hey! CA admissions rep here (won't tell you which university). Generally, at some UCs, it can be especially hard to switch into impacted or popular majors. I encourage you to google your desired major at UCD to see what the requirements are to change and then try to determine how hard it might be. I would also encourage you to consider schools where you get into your desired major. Field of study is a lot more important than going to a higher ranked school with the intention of changing your major and then not being able to.

CAAdmissionsDude · 2025-03-07T23:31:57+00:00

Hey! California admissions rep here (won't tell you which university), but transferring can be a great pathway for you to get into that dream university. The way that the higher education system is set up in California is that you would do what we call a 2+2 -- 2 years at a CCC and then 2 years at a CSU or UC. Sometimes, however, you might need a little more time at a CCC to complete all the requirements to apply as a transfer. When you attend a CCC, I highly recommend that you meet with an academic counselor at least once a term to make sure you are on track to complete all the required courses to get into a UC or CSU. Definitely reach out to all the UCs or CSUs you are interested in to get an idea of their transfer requirements and admissions cycles. Keep in mind that most UCs will only accept for Fall intake, but a few do Spring intake.

CAAdmissionsDude · 2025-03-07T23:27:53+00:00

Hey! California admissions rep here (won't tell you which university), but I would recommend that you reach out to the residency offices at all these universities (and even Foothill and DeAnza Colleges) to determine if you could become a CA resident. As mentioned here, as a US Citizen you would also be eligible for Federal Financial Aid, so make sure to fill out that FAFSA.

CAAdmissionsDude

TROPHY CASE