Advice on engineering transfer from a California community college?

I'm currently at a California community college working on engineering prerequisites. I'm aiming to transfer to a four-year university. Any advice on what courses to take or schools with strong engineering departments that accept transfers?

Navigating the transfer process from a community college to a four-year institution is quite an endeavor, but rest assured the work will be worth it. Here are some steps to consider:

1. Coursework: Make sure you are satisfying the pre-requisites required for transfer students in the engineering departments of your targeted four-year institutions. These typically include fundamental courses in mathematics (such as Calculus I, II, and III), physics, computer science, and possibly an introduction to engineering class. You can usually find these requirements on the intended university’s college of engineering website.

2. Articulation Agreements: In California, a number of community colleges have articulation agreements with California State University and University of California schools. These agreements explicitly map out what courses you need to take at your community college in order to be eligible to transfer into specific majors, such as engineering, at these four-year institutions. It's important to research whether such an agreement exists between your community college and potential transfer schools.

3. TAG Programs: Additionally, California has the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program that ensures community college students who meet the specific requirements of the program are guaranteed admission into certain four-year universities. For engineering programs, UC Davis, UC Irvine, and UC Santa Barbara participate in this program.

4. Institution Selection: As for strong engineering programs that accept a good number of transfer students, entities such as UC Berkeley, USC, and UCLA have high reputations nationally and also have policies in place to ensure high transfer rates from California community colleges into their programs.

5. Seek Advice: Finally, make sure you utilize the transfer advising resources at your current institution to help you through the process, as they will have a deep understanding of how transfers typically work for students in your situation.

Remember, the most important thing is that you gain a solid foundation in mathematical and scientific principles while at your community college, as this will set you up for a smoother transition into an engineering program at a four-year college. Good luck with your journey in the field of engineering!