Brittany Lundeen, a co-director and counselor for the transfer center at Cerritos College, provides workshops that inform students on the tools they need to transfer well and what to expect when transferring.
Even if students are not ready to transfer, Lundeen recommends attending workshops early on so students can have a clear understanding on how the entire process works.
Lundeen explained how students tend to limit themselves and transfer locally instead of exploring their options for out-of-state and private colleges. Lundeen said, “start here and you go anywhere” and having the right resources can help students achieve that.
Having the right resources can open the door for students to attend any college they desire, explained Lundeen. There are many scholarships available for out-of-state and private colleges. The Cerritos College website offers many scholarships and some are even specified by major.
Lundeen also recommends checking with financial aid to see how much of the 600 percent allowance has been used. As well as suggesting to hold off on financial aid until reaching university.
Loans are also an option but deciding which loans to accept is important. Lundeen explained the student does not have to accept the full amount of the loan. They can decide what is the best fit for them and their needs.
Cal States and CSUs can range from $7,000 to $14,000 a year. Lundeen said she talks about the cost not to scare students, but to prepare them for what to expect.
Attending campus tours can help the student decide what is the best campus for them which is why Lundeen suggests attending campus tours. It is “really important to get a feel for the campus” she said, so students can decide if that college is a right fit for them.
Cerritos College offers campus tours every Spring and Fall semester. This semester will have tours offered to CSU Long Beach, CSU Los Angeles, UC Los Angeles, Cal Poly Pomona, UC Santa Barbara and US Riverside. Including campus tours to the universities in Northern California.
The dates and registration for the tours are on the Cerritos College website transfer center link.
A high GPA is also key when applying to universities. Lundeen suggests having a 3.4 GPA or higher. Aiming for higher than the minimum is important because students are competing with one another to be enrolled.
Lundeen suggests starting to gather information on transferring early on as well as to start networking with advisors and counselors at the transfer center to have an easy transition onto university.
The next workshop, “A Degree with a Guarantee – Transfer Degrees for CSUs” is on Jan. 30.
