How do class transfers from California community colleges to CSU work?

I'm attending a California community college and thinking about transferring to a CSU. How do I ensure that my classes will transfer smoothly? Are there specific guidelines or tools to check course equivalencies?

Absolutely! California has a fantastic system in place to ease the transfer process from community colleges to the California State University (CSU) system. It's called the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) program. If you earn an AA-T or AS-T degree at your community college, you're guaranteed admission to the CSU system.

Also, under this program, the classes you would have taken at the community college would align with lower-division general education requirements at CSU, thus making your transition smoother.

There's also the "Assist" website which is the official repository of articulation agreements in California. It shows how coursework from one California public college or university can be applied when transferred to another. For instance, if you want to find out how your English 101 class would transfer to CSU Long Beach, you can find that information on "Assist".

Moreover, speaking with an academic advisor or a counselor at your community college who specializes in transfers can also be instrumental in ensuring that the classes you're taking will meet the specific requirements to transfer. They can guide you in determining the most appropriate courses related to your intended major and the general education classes you need.

In any event, it's a good idea to stay in regular contact with transfer advisers both at your community college and at the CSU you're hoping to transfer to, to ensure that you're on the right track with all requirements.