Click here to go to the NEW College Discussion Forum

Would taking UCLA Extension classes be beneficial to transferring into UCLA? Or for that matter, Extension classes from any of the UC's at which you are applying?

By Rana (Rana) on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 08:54 am: Edit

An individual extension class or two might be helpful, but on the whole, extension courses won't help you too much for transfers. Keep in mind that extension courses are usually supplementary to regular college courses or are meant for working people who are trying to tweak or update their training/background or are designed for folks who are just interested in casual learning (the life-long thing).

Plus, compared to most CCs in California, UC extension courses tend to be much more expensive (in many cases the cost of ONE extension course is the same or MORE than for a full load of courses at a CC).

If you are serious about a transfer to UCLA or some other university, you'd be better off attending a good CC and following the UC/CSU transfer route; the course work will be more appropritate and certainly more affordable.

FYI, listed below are the top five CCs that send transfers to UCLA (not too surprisingly, these are all in SoCal, but just about all CCs in California, however, have sent some of their transfers there, check with your local campus):

UCLA (Top five CCs that sent the most transfers in 2003, listed in order):
1. Santa Monica
2. Pasadena City College
3. LA Pierce College
4. El Camino College
5. Orange Coast College

By Bluevartouhi (Bluevartouhi) on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 04:30 pm: Edit

Well, actually, I also go to a Southern California CC, and have completed my IGETC and everything. I decided to start taking some classes at UCLA Extension for credit, classes that apply to my major. I figured that taking these classes through UCLA Extension would give me a bit of an edge as opposed to taking these classes at a CC. Also, a couple of the classes I am taking are upper-division classes for my major that only UCLA would have. So what do you guys think?

By Rana (Rana) on Friday, April 30, 2004 - 11:35 pm: Edit

Taking the extension classes will show a certain amount of ambition on your part, and that is always good. But the courses themselves may not be accepted by the major department you eventually enroll with.

Taking upper div courses, esp from ext, before you are actually an upperclassman may also cost you; in some programs you have to be at that level for the courses to count toward your major. You may have to take some of those courses over (the lower divisions at the CC, the upper div at UCLA).

Of course, I could be wrong; different depts and campuses may have diff views of this. But the dept I taught in at UC Berkeley did not consider the ext units the same as their own regular courses.

Have you checked with UCLA to see if they will count the ext courses for transfer? Or with the transfer office at your CC? And what if you aren't accepted to UCLA, will any of the other UCs or Cal States you are applying to accept these extension units?

I like that you are taking that extra step to prepare yourself for the UCs; but you really ought to check with someone who can answer your specific questions at your CC and UCLA...

By Bluevartouhi (Bluevartouhi) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 03:58 am: Edit

To be quite honest I thought these classes would count. They are considered degree-credit classes, which is defined on the Extension website as meaning that these classes can be taken and applied towards a degree. I didn't know it was so complicated! I've spent quite a bit of time and money doing what I thought was the right thing.

By Rana (Rana) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 09:43 am: Edit

Blue,
Here is what UCLA's website says about these courses; so double-check which type you have been taking. Notice that some might be completly accepted, while others will not be calculated into your UCLA GPA; others have to be petitioned to count (which means they might or might not count, but it is still not an automatic acceptance). It looks like if your courses are XLC then you should be OK, is that the type of class you have been taking?

From UCLA:
"XLC signifies that the extension course is also a regular UCLA daytime class with space available to those who are not fully enrolled UCLA students. Grades from XLC classes, if transferred, are computed into your UCLA GPA.
* XL classes share course numbers with regular UCLA courses, but are often taught by different professors at night or on weekends. Specific UCLA course numbers and unit credit are given for XL transfer courses, but the grade is not calcuated into your UCLA GPA.
* X courses transfer to UCLA with course titles and units but no grades. However, you may petition via a L & S Blue Petition to have them fulfill particular requirements.
Be aware that enrolling simultaneously in a regular UCLA session and in classes through Extension is considered Concurrent Enrollment and generally NOT allowed."

here is the link:

http://www.college.ucla.edu/up/aap/Counseling/regulations/uclaext.htm

By Rana (Rana) on Saturday, May 01, 2004 - 09:49 am: Edit

I should also say, that even if some classes count for your transfer or even for your gpa, your major dept may still want you to take THEIR version of the classes you took with the extension (again, this depends on the dept more than the admissions office)...it IS complicated, isn't it!?