The Two Year Transfer Myth
By Paul Kim
In high school, I would always be told that De Anza Community College is like a life-line that gives you another chance to get into a 4-year college. The rumor was that De Anza is like high school but with a guaranteed two year transfer program to a UC as long as you work hard and complete the requirements. I believed in it entirely entering De Anza, only to find out the two year transfer is more like a myth now.
The programs that were supposed to guarantee admittance, became more like a program to place a word, ÒpriorityÓ onto your transcript. That ÒpriorityÓ makes it so that the UC will look at the transcript and then put it to the side for debate. The issue is understandable considering the amount of transcripts and applications that are being sent in, but the problem does not end there. The more notable reason why the two year transfer is a myth is from the fact of how students are unable to get into many of their classes. With the large amount of classes that a student needs to transfer and how few a student is able to get per quarter, it makes the two year transfer seem all but impossible. A student would be considered lucky if they were to get wait listed from 1-7 for high on demand classes. All the students after 7 are generally unable to get into the class within the following two weeks of the quarter. By that time 1 or 2 tests would have been missed.
The only chance for a new incoming student to get priority in classes, is if they are participating in a sport or in the honors program. Joining a sports team is only viable for those who are athletic and honors program would have seemed to be the next best choice, but because of budget cuts, the honors program is planned to be pulled out.
To me, De Anza is not a life-line but rather a broken bridge that would require years to fix before you can continue with your future. I honestly have to say from where I am right now, I would be considered lucky if I were to transfer out within four years. For all of you who are in high school thinking that you can just get out of De Anza easy, be prepared because you will likely end up being there for a long time.
