This is the one-stop shop for all questions that transfer students have before they transfer to UCSD, curated by your Transfer Prep Peer Facilitators! If there are any more feel free to contact us!
What is the Quarter System like? How is the transition from CC to UCSD?
The Quarter system is EXTREMELY fast as classes fly by before you know it. Every quarter starts off slow but ramps up within first weeks. If you took Winter/Summer sessions in CC, that is what a quarter will feel like. The biggest piece of advice to transition into the quarter system is to front-load classes during the first weeks in order to not fall behind and be ahead!
What transfer housing should I go to?
Let's start by saying that all housing at UCSD is enjoyable as long as you have a positive outlook! Most people like the new Pepper Canyon West the most as it is the newest building and offers all singles but it is a 12-month contract so it might be more expensive. The most common housing for transfers would be Rita Atkinson Residences which does have A LOT of double-mini apartments. Don't be discouraged if you do land a mini-double because it is not as bad as most people make it out and you get to make friends on the way! Rita is the most secluded and is on the medical school campus side so its got its own nice vibes to it. Other transfer housing is Pepper Canyon East and Matthews Apartments which are both larger and offer rooms like Singles, Doubles, and some Triples. They have a nice community and are close to Warren so walking to classes here would be a breeze!
How can I secure an internship in Engineering?
Being a transfer student with no prior engineering experience, it can be intimidating to try to put yourself out there and get these opportunities your first year at UCSD. However, there are many resources available to students that help build your resume and engineering portfolio. The biggest tip for landing an internship is to get experience your first year at UCSD through projects and clubs. The student organizations on campus are very accessible and provide a lot of hands-on projects than can be used for resume building. These clubs open up around the first weeks of the quarter and we would recommend looking into them earlier and seeing which ones you would be the most interested in. After joining a club, building a portfolio (LinkedIn) and putting yourself out there is the next step. The IDEA Center offers Resume workshops, Interview Practices, and many Industry Panels that are very beneficial to attend. Once you have engineering experience, a curated resume, and connections from industry you are bound to get an amazing offer during your time at UCSD.
Here are a list of student orgs!
Any advice on how to enjoy my time at UCSD?
Transferring to UCSD is both exciting but it can also be very draining and we are lucky to be in the city of La Jolla which offers many beautiful places to visit. These places are connected through our Trolley system that is on-campus where you can trolley to every place in San Diego. We recommend to take around 12 units your first quarter here to get adjusted to the quarter system and your new environment. However, don't let that discourage you from doing 16 units your first quarter if you need too! Its important find a balance with being a student and enjoying your time at UCSD by going out to the beach, playing sports, and taking time to relax on the beautiful places on campus when you do have spare time!
Industry Day is a day where many industry members attend and give valuable skills such as interview questions and advice on how to advance in your engineering career. During T-Prep we provide a resume workshop and mock interviews before meeting with these members of industry. However, if you want to advance and get your resume and portfolio ready ahead of time don't wait! Here are some resources to help you advance your engineering portfolio.
Not sure where to go or what to do? Want to learn more about the IDEA Center? Contact your team at the IDEA Engineering Student Center!