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Cerritos College’s transfer rates have kept its low percentages over the years.

The Fall 2010 semester had shown that only 21 percent of the students who applied to California State University, Long Beach were admitted.

That is 40.1 percent fewer than five years ago.

Today, the transfer rate has shown little improvement.

Linda Lacy, President and Superintendent of Cerritos College, reveals that in the fall term of 2011, out of the 716 students who applied, only 222 students were admitted.

That is 31 percent, a 10 percent increase due to a few more federal dollars Dr. Lacy states, who also tributes the low transfer rate to the Local Service Area policy that both California State Fullerton and California State Long Beach have adopted.

Students who plan to transfer share different feelings about the reasons they might not be admitted to their University of choice.

English major Wendy Gonzales said, “Because of all the classes being impacted, it is very hard to get all my classes done.”

She shared helps her, “I am in Teacher Track, which does not guarantees my acceptance but it helps me; It gives me a better chance.”

Arseny Bishay, business major, said, “I believe I will be well off.”

He shares his efforts, “I am trying to keep a good grade point average, the student honors program and extra curricular activities.”

Graphic design major Marquis Newborn had different reasons why he might not transfer, “Their requirements might be different here, or if they wont accept the classes I am taking”

Dr. Linda Lacy states that the low percentages over these years have been served through unjust grade point average requirements imposed on Cerritos College students.

She said, “When they developed the local service areas, what it did was create a higher grade point average for the Cerritos College students than it did for other colleges.”

She gave examples as to what the GPAs look like.

“It would require a 3.5 GPA to get [Cerritos students] into Long Beach and their students a 2.3 GPA,” she said.

She stated that it was worst with Fullerton where Cerritos College students required a 3.7 GPA where Long Beach transfers were required only a 2.3 GPA.

She continued, “One of the main things I am most concerned about is that Golden West, Orange Coast and Costline College, which are further distant from Long Beach, have priority local admission over us, there for or students drive right through our district to get to Long Beach.”

She points out in one of her letters to Dr. F. King Alexander, president of CSULB, that its explanation that its campus will become fully impacted in 2013 does not provide relief to the current situation.

Lacy has clarified that they will not let this issue go.

“We are fighting this every avenue possible.

“We have gone all the way from the grass root level of meeting with the local presidents to meeting with the state wide chancellor, Charlie Reed, for California States Universities,” she said.

She recommends the Cerritos College students to be proactive and take part in the public hearings, regarding proposed changes.

Also for every student to do their best in getting their gpa where it needs to be.

She hopes to avoid any legal settlement that will hurt the relationship between Cerritos Community College and its local Universities.

“We’ve been in every one of our legislative offices in Sacramento and in their local area offices, so they are very aware of the issue,” she said.