Does UC Berkeley participate in the TAG program?
I'm a junior at a California community college and I'm trying to map out possibilities for transfer. I've heard a lot about the Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program with the UCs, and I wanted to know if UC Berkeley is one of the schools that offers this option.
I know UC Davis, Irvine, and a few others have TAG, but the information about Berkeley can be pretty confusing. My counselor gave me a basic list, but now I'm not sure if it's outdated. If anyone has personal experience with applying to Berkeley as a transfer or knows for sure about the TAG at Cal, I’d really appreciate some clarification.
Also, if Berkeley isn’t part of TAG, are there any other programs or tips you’d recommend for making a transfer application more competitive? I’m interested in STEM if that matters. Thanks for any info you can share!
I know UC Davis, Irvine, and a few others have TAG, but the information about Berkeley can be pretty confusing. My counselor gave me a basic list, but now I'm not sure if it's outdated. If anyone has personal experience with applying to Berkeley as a transfer or knows for sure about the TAG at Cal, I’d really appreciate some clarification.
Also, if Berkeley isn’t part of TAG, are there any other programs or tips you’d recommend for making a transfer application more competitive? I’m interested in STEM if that matters. Thanks for any info you can share!
6 months ago
•
1076 views
Kathy Jayanth
• 6 months ago
Advisor
UC Berkeley does not participate in the UC Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) program. The TAG is available at six UC campuses: Davis, Irvine, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz. Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego have their own highly competitive transfer processes, but they don’t offer guaranteed admission through TAG.
If your goal is to transfer to Berkeley, especially for a STEM major, you’ll want to pay close attention to the requirements for your major and make your application as strong as possible. Here are some tips and programs you might find helpful:
1. **Transfer Alliance and Pathways**: Although Berkeley doesn’t have TAG, they do participate in the UC Transfer Pathways program. This outlines courses you should take for popular majors—following these exactly is essential. Research the exact lower-division courses for your intended STEM major, because Berkeley can be strict about prerequisite completion. For example, the College of Letters & Science at Berkeley has detailed guidelines for majors like Computer Science or Biology, and missing even one requirement can put your application at a disadvantage.
2. **Excellence in Academics**: GPA is important, but so is academic rigor. Try to excel in calculus, chemistry, physics, or other required STEM courses. Competitive applicants generally have a UC-transferable GPA of 3.7 or above, especially in STEM.
3. **Personal Insight Questions (PIQs)**: Use these to highlight what makes you unique—maybe a challenging research project, volunteering in a STEM lab, or tutoring. Share a specific example, like how solving a lab equipment dilemma led you to present new lab procedures to your classmates, showing initiative and leadership rather than repeating a generic academic story.
4. **Extracurriculars and Experience**: Get involved in STEM clubs, internships, or research at your community college. For example, joining an Engineering Club and helping organize an on-campus STEM event shows both leadership and genuine passion.
5. **Programs like TAP/METAS**: Some community colleges have honors programs tied to the Transfer Alliance Program (TAP), which is not directly linked to Berkeley but strengthens your application to a broad range of top UCs.
If you’re drawn to guarantees, you might want to apply TAG to Davis or Irvine as a backup, alongside a regular transfer application to Berkeley.
Finally, meeting with a transfer counselor (in addition to your campus’s resources) and regularly checking assist.org for course articulation with Berkeley are both wise steps. That will keep you on track and ensure you’re not missing any STEM prerequisites. Best of luck—you’re asking the right questions!
If your goal is to transfer to Berkeley, especially for a STEM major, you’ll want to pay close attention to the requirements for your major and make your application as strong as possible. Here are some tips and programs you might find helpful:
1. **Transfer Alliance and Pathways**: Although Berkeley doesn’t have TAG, they do participate in the UC Transfer Pathways program. This outlines courses you should take for popular majors—following these exactly is essential. Research the exact lower-division courses for your intended STEM major, because Berkeley can be strict about prerequisite completion. For example, the College of Letters & Science at Berkeley has detailed guidelines for majors like Computer Science or Biology, and missing even one requirement can put your application at a disadvantage.
2. **Excellence in Academics**: GPA is important, but so is academic rigor. Try to excel in calculus, chemistry, physics, or other required STEM courses. Competitive applicants generally have a UC-transferable GPA of 3.7 or above, especially in STEM.
3. **Personal Insight Questions (PIQs)**: Use these to highlight what makes you unique—maybe a challenging research project, volunteering in a STEM lab, or tutoring. Share a specific example, like how solving a lab equipment dilemma led you to present new lab procedures to your classmates, showing initiative and leadership rather than repeating a generic academic story.
4. **Extracurriculars and Experience**: Get involved in STEM clubs, internships, or research at your community college. For example, joining an Engineering Club and helping organize an on-campus STEM event shows both leadership and genuine passion.
5. **Programs like TAP/METAS**: Some community colleges have honors programs tied to the Transfer Alliance Program (TAP), which is not directly linked to Berkeley but strengthens your application to a broad range of top UCs.
If you’re drawn to guarantees, you might want to apply TAG to Davis or Irvine as a backup, alongside a regular transfer application to Berkeley.
Finally, meeting with a transfer counselor (in addition to your campus’s resources) and regularly checking assist.org for course articulation with Berkeley are both wise steps. That will keep you on track and ensure you’re not missing any STEM prerequisites. Best of luck—you’re asking the right questions!
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Kathy Jayanth
Berkeley, CA
UC Berkeley | Economics & Slavic Studies
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5 years
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