Walter Mendez, fashion design major at Cal State University Long Beach, is the envy of his peers who did not transfer from a community college.

“In my experience, some of them look at me and they’re like, ‘I should’ve done that… I would’ve saved so much more money…’ At the end of the day we’re still ending at the same point and you know they have debt and all these classes that they could have taken at a community college.”

Mendez, in his first semester at CSULB, transferred from El Camino College in Torrance. 

“The overall transition from applying went pretty well, right now the transition into getting my classes was like a little bit tougher to figure out but i’m working on it,” Mendez said.

Cal State University Long Beach has extended the application deadline to Nov. 10 for community college transfer students applying for the spring 2011 semester. Students must apply online through CSU mentor.

David A. Dowell, vice provost and director of strategic planning and professor of psychology at CSULB, said that restoration money from the state made the extension possible.

Dowell’s message to students at Cerritos?

“Apply now. CSU Mentor is open. We have an unprecedented number of spaces available.”

Cerritos College is high on the list of the highest influx of community college transfers to CSULB.

Jordan Fuller, biology major at CSULB, is one of the students adversely affected by the high influx of transfers.

“It’s been hard getting into classes because the transfer students come in with like a hundred units. It’s pushed me back for registration dates.

“I’m always like the last one to register, ’cause I have to compete with these transfer students,” Fuller said.

Marvelina Barcelo, counselor and Transfer Center co-director, said the extension benefits students denied for fall 2010 due to a 3.5 GPA minimum requirement.

“Because CSULB will be implementing what they refer to as “unusual flexibility” in their admissions criteria, this extension will also benefit students who will have the minimum CSU admissions requirements completed by the end of fall 2010. Normally, these students would not meet minimum admissions requirements,” Barcelo said.

The minimum CSU admissions requirements include 60 transferrable units and a 2.0 GPA, and it will be used for all non-impacted academic programs at CSULB.

CSULB is also still accepting applications from prospective students looking to attend CSULB in fall 2011; that deadline is Nov. 30. 

“We hope that CSUs begin to open their Winter/Spring terms every year. CSUs have a common practice to change things at the last minute. For now let’s just say this extension is positive and could be a trend,” Barcelo said.

The next CSU application workshop held by the Cerritos College Transfer Center is on Friday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in room BE 17. Students can bring their unofficial transcripts to be guided through the application process.

Jasmine Rubalcaba, nursing major at CSULB, said that she thinks community college students have the upper-advantage when it comes to classes.

“Considering they’ve already got most of their major requirements out at a JC and for that I am pretty much jealous considering I went straight from high school to a four-year.

“I wish I would’ve done it.”

Oswaldo Escobar, intermediate clerk for the transfer center, outlined the sort of students aided most by the extension.

“[Students] who already basically have their 60 units and, for Cal States, their ‘golden four;’ which is the two English 100 and 103, a math [course] higher than math 80, and a speech course.”