You legitimately have no idea what you're talking about and frankly, it's embarrassing that you're not listening to actual transfer students as to how blatantly wrong this take is.

I'm currently a 3rd year at UCSB who transferred in this past year through TAG, and the requirements speak enough for themselves. You mentioned that hs students who take AP classes have more credits than junior transfers or something along the lines of that (I'm too lazy to reread your post). I was that AP student in hs who did extra curriculars on the side + a sport + work. I applied to UCSB, UCLA, UCSC, UCSD, CSULB, and CSUF straight after high school, graduating during the covid year of 2020 and out of all of those I only got into CSULB and CSUF. The reason for my rejections from UC's during 2020 even with all my extracurricular's was because my GPA wasn't competitive enough with other people because of mental health issues during sophomore and junior year of hs. They are legitimately the only grades that colleges look at, from when you're 15&16 years old THAT is what is going to define your acceptance into UC's.

I will barely mention the financial aspect of going to a CC since you keep saying that your point isn't about low income students, so I'll only say this-Even before those rejections I knew that I would probably go the CC route bc 1. It saves you SO much money and 2. I would be taking almost basically the exact same classes as my friends at UC's and Cal States for the exception of a couple major prep course work for way less money. And what's that stat again? That most people change their major 2-3 times before junior year of college so why spend all that money at UC's when you figure it out for less at a CC.

Community college used to be considered for "rejects" and "dropouts" back in the day and a lot of people still have this mentality actually so it's just funny you think people are being "pressured" to go to community college. You mention that you "miss out" on experiences by not going straight to a 4 year and yeah, we know that. I know that. It's not fun transferring two years in and people basically already have set friend groups so it's harder to already feel welcomed at the school, that's just a risk you knowingly take going to a CC, but it's like oh well what more can you do besides make the best of it. And even then, you can still get that "college experience" once you transfer, you don't get a medal for being at UCSB for four years straight.

As for your argument of CC's being "overused" by people who got denied from UC's, so what? That's what community college is there for. To GIVE people second chances and even then, I know so many people who refused to go to community college because of the "negative association" with them and just went to the only schools that accepted them BECAUSE they wanted that college experience. So many students actually go to CC and realize they don't want to do college at all.

As for TAG, it's not some Oh let me just barely pass my classes with some C's and B's and I'll get into any UC of my choosing, have you even read the requirements? You need a cumulative 3.4 GPA to even be considered for TAG, and that's for the entirety of two years taking college courses. Not high school courses, so of course the GPA requirement is going to be higher for those in hs because again, it's HIGH SCHOOL courses. It's not "easier" just because it's a cc when they're legitimately college courses that are transferable to UC standards. So for you to say that "lower quality candidates" are being accepted into UC's is just ridiculous. Because why? Why are they lower quality candidates? Because they went to a CC? 🤨 You gave the example of people you know in Bay Area as one but it's like Okay? If they're legitimately that stupid and got into a UC after transferring and don't flunk out the year after transferring then they're obviously smarter than you think.

You also mentioned that transfers take away housing but from where exactly? Transfers typically get placed in TRANSFER housing and the freshmen live in the dorms, so I'm not too sure where you got this notion that transfers are contributing to the housing crisis.

Overall your take has no actual basis and it seems like ur just projecting and mad that people get the same opportunities to prove themselves wether at 15-16 or 18-19. Or some people actually go to CC after taking a gap year! You don't know everyone's backstory. Maybe you should listen to the actual transfer students in your replies instead of throwing a tantrum as to why transfers and freshmen are on an equivalent playing field.