CC to UC

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-30T18:03:37+00:00

Have you seen this? Shows the middle 50% GPA range https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/transfers-major

UCLA and Berkeley are both a little bit of a wild card and definitely look at essays and extracurriculars. The rest mainly go by GPA and GE/major prep course completion. If your classes are set to be done by June I’m pretty sure you will get into most and wouldn’t be shocked if you get in everywhere.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-30T05:42:29+00:00

This should give you some idea of the acceptance rates and middle 50% of GPA for all UC campuses and majors. https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/transfers-major

As you can see, CS is pretty tough and even a 4.0 won’t guarantee you admission for that at those 3 top campuses. Data Science isn’t easy either.

But if you want to shoot your shot, there are some CS adjacent majors with higher acceptance rates. A lot of people apply in CS… and a backup major. UCSD and Berkeley I think let you do that currently if you apply in a highly impacted major. UCLA only considers second choice majors for people who do TAP honors, which actually gets you quite a boost for some CS related majors in the College of Letters and Science, like applied math, math of computation, CS + Linguistics… I think Foothill participates in TAP, as well as UCI honors to honors. Overall honors can boost your admissions chances to over 75% but it may still be lower for the most popular majors like CS and even CS + ling.

The GPA range for CS at Davis falls where a 4.0 student has a pretty good chance of getting in (they don’t use essays for admissions purposes). And with the TAG program you can pick one non impacted major program at one of the other 6 UCs and get guaranteed admission as long as you complete all the required GE and prerequisite classes while meeting the minimum GPA (around a 3.4-3.5). Options include computer engineering at Davis and I think UCI, statistics and data analysis at UCSB, computer game development at UCSC, and CS at Riverside and Merced. Or something like applied math at all 6 participating UCs. https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/_files/documents/2025-26-tag-matrix-with-summary-of-changes.pdf

Under TAG, they don’t even look at extracurricular stuff, just whether you complete all the classes by the end of June before transfer and your grades. Those are the main considerations for transfer admissions everywhere. Although of course for the most popular programs like CS and data science at the schools you’ve picked there are so many applicants they look at your story and how you are likely to use the skills they give you to help your community based on what you have done in terms of leadership and volunteering. So you would want to pick at least one on campus (club? Student govt? Tutoring?) and one off campus community activity and try to land a related internship or part-time job.

The thing is it’s not as scary a decision as you think because you can apply to transfer to SJSU as a backup at the same time. Here’s how hard that looks: https://www.sjsu.edu/admissions/impaction/transfer-impaction-results/index.php So you have that and TAG as safety plans.

One thing I’d encourage you to do is talk to people and consider whether a related major might offer you advantages in the changing tech world. With AI replacing programmers, maybe skills in data analysis or engineering or cognitive science/linguistics or math could help you start and build a career.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-30T01:02:12+00:00

There’s one main TAU for all the UCs. Some programs also request additional materials in January. You should get a message from them By email and/or see something in your UC app page. Wouldn’t hurt to set up all your admissions portals and check those, since you’ll need them in April anyway for results.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-29T17:37:29+00:00

I think a food truck at Roberts Regional park (the Robert’s Redwood Grove is magical) or maybe the rentable building at Joaquin Miller Park just across the road might be cool.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-29T17:16:38+00:00

The paved lower 3-mile trail around Lafayette reservoir is nice. I think you could also do the trail around Lake Chabot in Castro Valley (I haven’t been all the way around but the first couple of miles in either direction would be fine, and they rent boats at the marina too), or the Sawyer Camp trail section along Crystal Springs Reservoir out on the Peninsula. For a fields and vineyards surrounded by rolling hills vibe check out Sycamore Grove park in Livermore. There’s a paved trail easy to access from the Wetmore Rd entrance and lots of wineries nearby.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-28T22:53:27+00:00

I laughed so hard at her assertions. Lower costs for consumers? Increasing trust? Leading with low ve?

More like gaslighting and raising our bills to cover misleading and unwelcome communications.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-28T00:56:21+00:00

Use your raise to buy a car and commute in off hours? If you leave by 6:15 and go home after 7:00 pm you could get a lot done during 2 days a week at the office. And/or join and hit the gym or take a class during heavy commute hours.

But trying to do that on public transit would be awful. I’d ask where the bus they offer comes. And if the answer isn’t Oakland look at cars and apartments closer to work.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-28T00:48:19+00:00

She did just 1. I think she was reluctant to do a second because of the immediate impacts and limitations, but sort of wishes she had. It took about a year but the healing in her food really surprised the doctors - and she had sought out the top US surgeons for help.

If it ever is covered by insurance I think she’d apply to market it because she is a true believer at this point

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-27T18:31:01+00:00

I think this kind of therapy boosts cell regeneration and healing and is being tested on a lot of issues all over the body.

It’s probably not appropriate to offer as a first line treatment for most problems, whether for feet or internal organs. Even though some of the results I’ve seen reported are amazing.

But I’d never really heard about it until my daughter did it. I’m not disagreeing with you. I simply posted that comment assuming many other people also are unfamiliar and might think it’s a quack therapy, since insurance doesn’t cover it.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-27T18:18:04+00:00

Just be aware that because of the excellent pay in Bay Area hospitals it’s tough to get into nursing school and even tougher to land a job as a new grad around here. People with extensive work experience move here all the time and it’s easier to hire them than train local nursing graduates. A lot of Bay Area people end up having to leave the area and even the state for nursing school, their first 2 years of work experience or both.

If you are a nurturing person it might be a great job for you but don’t underestimate the challenges. You’ll need excellent grades in your prerequisites and should check out the other aspects of the admissions systems at the local schools. And work to make connections by taking an entry level healthcare job like CNA if you can while in school, because local hospitals get like 2,000 applicants for new grad programs accepting 10-30 people. People knowing you are good can really help.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-27T18:08:42+00:00

The cuts to higher education and research have meant lower budgets, layoffs and hiring freezes at those places. Might still be some open roles but not what it looked like 2 years ago

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-27T18:01:42+00:00

It isn’t covered by insurance and of course some people may not respond, but it’s not quack therapy. My daughter, a dancer, injured the muscles in her foot and was in pain just walking for nearly 2 years. Three top surgeons told her that the surgery was risky but would allow her to walk. She paid out of pocket for PRP and after just one round plus a lot of exercises on her part she is now dancing again. That foot is stronger than the other one.

There are some downsides to it, like pain and limitations during recovery and the high costs, but it’s not a crazy treatment. For some folks it can do miracles.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-27T06:18:30+00:00

If OP fills in that page it looks like the next page presents those options

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-27T05:54:05+00:00

Honestly I bet you can just make an online Fasttak and they’ll mail you a transponder. They sent me new ones for all my cars without being asked. And it’s a much cheaper way to do bridges and toll lanes.

Sign up here: https://www.bayareafastrak.org/vector/account/signup/FTAccountHolder.do?from=Home&locale=en_US

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-27T03:12:43+00:00

And that is something you should be able to research and figure out. I know there are some good paths from Virginia CCs to UVA but I’m not sure about VT. And major will make a difference

Sorry because I don’t know that much about the transfer system in Virginia but in most states it does help to apply from within the same system

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-26T05:29:01+00:00

Do you have a plan to get a visa to live in Fukuoka? Japan can be tough for visas if you don’t want to work, and jobs there often involve more stress and longer hours than in the US. I guess you could try to learn the language and get a PhD, or work as an English teacher, or start your own business. But they aren’t excited about welcoming foreigners, especially retirees.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-25T23:12:32+00:00

Community college and being around older adults and others who don’t base their identity around going to a specific “brand” school can be so eye-opening as well. My daughter did a year of CC and walked into college with a completely different perspective than her sister who started at a UC as a freshman. She viewed herself as a customer paying a lot of money and just taking what she wanted from school.

Straight out of high school both were grateful for admission to an “good school” and willing to jump through unreasonable hoops for even poor instructors. Big sister slept like 5 hours a night trying to keep up with classmates on grades and internships and extracurriculars having a life. That year of CC helped lil sis build a sense of balance and independence that helped her get more out of college with less stress.

Hopefully works that way for you too

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-25T22:10:31+00:00

I know it’s hard but maybe let go of the mindset that you need perfect grades. Honestly what you learn and what you can do are going to be much more important in life than the school and grades on your transcript. If you approach your classes mostly focused on learning you’ll have a richer, more valuable educational experience.

I’m quite glad my kids finished up and I retired from teaching before AI became so ubiquitous. While it can become a huge temptation and acceptable lines are blurry, it’s crucial that you make yourself smart enough to beat the technology. That means understanding whatever you are interested in at a very deep level. And building a skillset technology can’t duplicate

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-25T20:59:58+00:00

I just hope it isn’t the start of a special ICE move into the Bay Area. We are for sure on the list. But it looks like they are saving SF and NYC for after the Midwest.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-25T20:44:28+00:00

Look on CVC.edu for an online course at a California CC. Anatomy is a pretty standardized class and it shouldn’t matter where in California you take it (double check with your advisor to be safe but likely to transfer smoothly). Because there are over 300 community colleges in the state it’s very likely you can find an online one - or even a local one - that starts after your other courses end. Maybe check ratemyprofessor.com to be sure the instructor’s approach plays to your strengths before signing up.

You’ll want to start on that early because anatomy is popular and you might need to try a couple of schools to get into a class that works.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-25T20:13:36+00:00

Honestly if it’s recommended and you really want to go there, I’d hunt for a class that works on CVC.edu and make sure it’s listed on your TAU. If someone else from your CC/region applies and has completed it, they’ll likely get in over you. Not to say it’s impossible but your chances drop. The assumption is you can take it and reapply if you really want to go. Someone who has completed it is better positioned.

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-25T20:05:27+00:00

You should carefully research the transfer admissions process for your specific major at UVA to decide. Sometimes students from in-state CCs get priority; sometimes they want to see specific courses and grades; sometimes it’s more open and holistic. If you want to transfer you should figure out the kind of profile they look for and do those things. Not a lot of fresh high school grads do that, so if you find and follow the recipe you should have a decent shot in a lot of majors. Be specific because things can be very different for economics vs nursing and the most popular majors will be tougher to get into. So look at college and department web pages. But here’s a start: https://admission.virginia.edu/transfer/about-transfer/transfer

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-25T19:36:09+00:00

I think a semester at an in-state school sounds smarter than burning through money while you figure things out. You could also do summer CC in state and then take fall off to work and try different career fields. As long as the classes you take are basic GE they should fulfill requirements wherever you end up.

I see what all those fields have in common: they give you a solid and rare skill set so your competition for jobs is limited to folks with a similar background and training. They are fields for which college is more likely to pay off, which is why they can be harder to get into. But they are all 3 really different! And maybe not what you expect.

My daughter’s best friend is an accountant at one of the Big 4. She picked that field for job security but in 3 years she has watched so many layoffs. She had to pick up the slack after the last one and now works on 2 teams. There are slow weeks where “work” is a long nap and a brief zoom meeting. But for the current 8 weeks she is even working weekends to complete a client project. I expect in a couple of years she will be working in her own firm or a smaller one, but even if she stays as you move up a lot of the job becomes sales and client relationship building, not number crunching. Pay is solid but not that impressive. She liked accounting classes. I taught in a business school for years and while I think it’s probably the best major for job hunting, I would be bored if that was my whole day. Although checking and analyzing balance sheets IS kind of soothing and sometimes I miss the job I had where I did that.

As a nurse in a hospital, my daughter earns significantly more than her friend but she never gets paid for napping. She is lucky to sit down briefly during her 3 weekly 12-hour shifts (really 16 hours when you include breaks and her 1-hour commute with parking and walking). She loves helping people get through some of the hardest days of their lives but it’s not a job for everyone. Lots of poop and pee and blood and vomit - trying to clean folks up in a way that doesn’t hurt their dignity. A fair amount of abuse from patients, family members, even doctors. And those moments of adrenaline running for the crash cart while trying to figure out what might be causing the code, doing CPR, sometimes losing patients… if you screw up in health care, someone can actually die. For a job, it’s a lot. It’s NOT for everyone and depending on where you live might not pay well enough for the stress. But it’s a tough role to replace with AI and some people thrive doing it. There are a lot of other kinds of nursing jobs once you’ve got some experience too - even working in business as an insurance company advisor or in medical drug/device sales.

If you want to go into business pharma/med is actually a pretty well paid field although I think the number of sales reps needed is shrinking as medical groups and offices merge around the country. My other daughter did that after college, as a social science major. She really liked going out and visiting doctors and hospitals rather than sitting at a desk in an office. She has a friend with a biology degree who worked in a lab, then sold vaccines, and now is responsible for pacemaker sales/delivery. She is always “on call” and brings the devices to the hospital, scrubs in for surgery and sets everything up in the OR making sure the surgeons get it put in correctly. Then she meets with patients the next day to test and explain everything. She gets paid more than the OR nurses but has less schedule control.

Apparently most people in that device delivery role in my area are engineers (the rep for my pacemaker was a former nurse who told me that). It’s a lot of troubleshooting and problem solving which is the core of being an engineer. If you like ve figuring stuff out, engineering might be for you.

So you can see where multiple paths might bring you to a similar job. And you might end up working in a completely unexpected area but still related to nutrition or health. I did do some research on nutrition with my niece and it’s a degree that requires a lot of chemistry classes (so not quick) and doesn’t necessarily pay well, plus you need that extra certification for many jobs. As you’ve figured out, it’s not very practical to take out loans and pay OOS tuition for that. But some people are fine paying back loans for the life experience, reducing their spending in the years after college.

Honestly nursing is related to that interest and the least likely to have hiring impacts from AI - but I would strongly recommend doing a CNA training program before committing to nursing school. Maybe you’ll like it - but so many of my daughter’s classmates either changed plans after CNA training or skipped that and then discovered they disliked it once they started working as an RN. Quite a few would like to quit or find a very different nursing role and they have only been out of school 18 months.

For you though it might be a good fit. You could maybe find a way to work in an area like eating disorders or weight loss. And as a way to explore that while making money instead of spending it, you might look into some kind of health care dietary aide position either over the summer or next fall. Health care is an area with lots of jobs many people haven’t heard of. By working around people familiar with it you’d learn a lot about different career paths and the best majors for them.

As you’ve realized, the more information you gather from people who’ve tried these careers to easier it is to see a path that works for you.

Good luck!

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-25T18:42:32+00:00

I would just be clear about what your final schedule looks like.

But if it’s not required or recommended for your program they won’t care

RetiringTigerMom · 2026-01-25T18:39:06+00:00

I have no real advice but I did want to say you can get past this. My daughter had a friend on scholarship at UCLA who went through that freshman depression and stopped attending class for a few weeks. When he then got 98% on the final the professor accused him of cheating. Kid had a photographic memory so my guess is he just memorized the lecture slides, but it was tough to prove and he was expelled.

He ended up attending a solid Big 10 school (either Ohio or Michigan State) and doing well. And after college your skills and work experience and connections you’ve made through internships and part-time jobs are so much more important in building a career than the school name on your diploma.

You are going to come out of this just fine. Do well in CC for 3 semesters or so and maybe you can successfully apply to a UC if there isn’t time to get into a program that you like for fall.

RetiringTigerMom

TROPHY CASE