Santa Monica College continued to maintain its No. 1 position in transfer of students to the University of California system in 2004-05, sending an historically high number on to the state’s universities.
It was also the leader in transfers to the UC-California State University systems combined, as well as the No. 1 transfer school for historically underrepresented minorities to the UC system.
Sending 974 students to UC campuses in 2004-05, up from the previous school year’s 900, SMC far outpaced other schools, with the No. 2 feeder, Diablo Valley College in the San Francisco Bay Area, with 611.
“We’re demonstrating that SMC takes very seriously its crucial transfer mission,” said Dan Nannini, SMC Transfer Center coordinator. “Indeed, we are getting increasing national attention for our transfer record from such publications as the 2005 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Issue.”
In addition, SMC’s transfers of Latinos to UC campuses totaled 109, compared to the next highest, 77, by Pasadena City College. Transfers of African American students totaled 30, compared to second-ranked El Camino College in Torrance with 23.
Transfers to the Cal State system increased from 1,121 to 1,256, an historically high number and a 12 percent jump from the previous year.
Combined UC-CSU transfers totaled 2,224, up from last year’s 2,121, which kept SMC No. 1 spot. Orange Coast College, with the second highest combined total, came in at 1,929.
The transfer figure to the University of Southern California for fall, 2005 was 163, with the No. 2 transfer institution, Pasadena City College, sending 79 students. SMC has long been the leader in transfers to the private university.
Transfer to schools throughout the United States continues to be strong, with SMC students going to such campuses as Stanford, Juilliard, and Howard University in Washington, D.C.
UCLA continues to be the most popular destination for SMC students, with more than half of the UC transfers – 534 – going to the Westwood campus. Irvine, Santa Barbara and Berkeley are the next most popular destinations, in that order, with transfers to Santa Barbara increasing by more than 50 percent in one year.
Nannini attributed SMC’s strong transfer record to a number of factors: keeping SMC’s transfer reputation in the spotlight, recruiting good students, giving strong academic counseling to students, and outstanding professors.In addition, Nannini pointed out that the college has a strong transfer counseling record. SMC’s Transfer Center conducts workshops, hosts one of the largest college fairs in the state, holds weekly visits from four-year institutions, and has a close working relationship with UC and CSU to make sure SMC students get credit for their classes.
