In order to help guide students through today’s complicated transfer process, the California Community Colleges (CCC) and CSU system launched a new website last week.
The website, “ADegreeWithAGuarantee.com,” was designed to provide information with regard to what degrees are guaranteed transfers to CSU. It also explains what community colleges are approved to offer them, as well as the transfer process and procedures applicable for these degrees in connection to the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act, or the State Senate Bill 1440 that was signed into legislation in 2010.
Sue Oda-Omori, transfer counselor, said that this law stated that students who are completing an “Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T/AS-T)” will have the advantage of completing their degree in less time and with less money.
“It is going to give them some benefits in terms of admission to CSU. One of the main advantages that they will have is that when they transfer with this associate for transfer degree, they are guaranteed to complete their bachelor’s degree at the university in 60 units,” Oda-Omori said.
Furthermore, Oda-Omori said that under this law, students can increase their chances of admission to a university even if they do not meet the grade requirement in the traditional transfer process.
“For some students, depending on where they are applying to, they will get an extra bump of 0.1 to 0.2 in their grade point average for admissions,” she said.
Margarita Gonzalez, counselor, said that once students signed the AA-T/ AS-T agreement with their counselor they will be eligible for the benefits of this law.
“Students who are taking these degrees are prioritized over students with Transfer Agreement Guarantee (TAG),” Gonzalez said. “The chances (of admission) can be limited if students do not sign the agreement and complete their program.”
Aside from that, Oda-Omori said despite the halt in spring 2013 admission, the CSU system has opened their doors to nine EC students who had completed AA-T or AS-T.
Currently, EC is offering Psychology, Geology and Sociology majors for the AS-T and a Communications Studies major for AA-T, Lori Suekawa, articulation officer, said.
“We are expecting to have more degree majors available soon. They are in the process of being developed and approved by their respective divisions,” Suekawa said.