Reasons for Transferring to UC Irvine and What I Hope to Gain

Growing up in a small town, I had always dreamt of broadening my horizons and immersing myself in an environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, cultural diversity, and endless opportunities for personal growth. After careful consideration, I have decided to transfer to the University of California (UC) system to pursue my academic and career goals. My goal is to transfer from Southwestern College in 2 years and receive my degree from UC Irvine with a bachelor's degree in international studies and a minor in Arabic. International study is the study of the major political, economic, social, and cultural issues that dominate internationally. Students will get the chance to explore the delicate structure of diplomacy and interactions with other countries. 

Goal Statement and Academic Interests

It is my goal to transfer from Southwestern College in 2 years and receive my degree from UCI because it is my dream school and I am very much interested in international studies. In order to achieve my goal of transferring in 2 years from Southwestern College and receiving my degree in international studies and minor in Arabic, I need to meet the requirements for UCI to be able to transfer.

I am following the intersegmental general education transfer curriculum and transfer admissions guarantee pathway. IGETC is a general education pattern that will meet all lower-division general education requirements at most California State University or University of California campuses. TAG guarantees admission to qualified students from all California community colleges. Admission to most majors at UCI can be guaranteed through TAG for transfer students who meet the eligibility requirements and complete the online TAG application. As a California Community College applicant, I am eligible for TAG if I complete 30 semester or 45 quarter UC transferable units (including AP/IB/A-level) by the end of the summer term for fall admission. Other requirements include: earn a minimum GPA of 3.4 in all UC transferable coursework by the end of the summer term, complete one UC transferable math course with a grade of C or better by the end of the summer term, complete one UC transferable English course with a grade of C or better by the end of the summer term, complete a second UC transferable English course with a grade of C or better by the end of the spring term, complete 60 UC transferable semester units or 90 UC transferable quarter units by the end of the spring term for fall admission, complete all major coursework for your chosen major (including course prerequisites), are in good standing for all colleges attended and satisfy all UC transfer eligibility requirements, and attend a California Community College during a regular session in my last term.

Personally, the reason I want to go to UCI is for starters I love the area UCI is surrounded by. The community is very nice and feels safe. I also have heard wonderful feedback from UCI. It is a good school and is not so far from home. I feel I will be able to grow as a person by being a little bit far away from home, but also close enough in case I get home sick. To add on, I have a special person that is close to me who will be transferring to UCI and I am looking forward to that because I am close to them and I am happy I will at least know one person at UCI.

The next step is taking the correct and appropriate classes to fulfill my goal. As an international studies major, there is no prerequisite coursework required for admission but it is required to complete some form of international study experience, either abroad or through domestic internship for a minimum of one quarter. In order to graduate from UCI, I am required to take either: one semester of calculus and one semester of statistics, two quarters of calculus and one quarter of statistics, or one year of statistics. I will also need to take classes from the area of English communication, area 2 of mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning, area 3 of arts and humanities, area 4 of social and behavioral sciences, area 5 of physical and biological sciences, and area 6 of languages other than English. I was able to learn this information by meeting with my counselor at Southwestern College and getting a handout called, “Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum” that had most of the information on it. For Arabic, I can’t take any courses right now because Southwestern College does not offer any. I will have to wait for UCI in order to take the correct classes. International studies is ideal for students who love to explore and learn about different cultures and countries. It is encouraged that students should have an open mind to different viewpoints. Classes will involve a lot of critical reading, research and writing. Students will use their analytical skills to combine perspectives from various disciplines.

Graduates of International Studies are prepared to work in international politics and relations, international economics, or international law. Potentially, I can work as a journalist, political scientist, economist, or foreign exchange trader. But most graduates choose to continue their education with a Master's in International Relations or another related field. Graduates with a degree in International Studies average $36,175 as a starting salary, with a mid-career salary of $66,553. A few of the many jobs international students can venture off to include: foreign service official/diplomat, foreign area specialist, affirmative action officer, ESL instructor, foreign correspondent, journalist, export manager, and international banker.

Obstacles I Must Face in Order to Succeed

I am not naturally gifted in the area of mathematics. I have always struggled to understand math naturally and I need extra help. Since I am an international studies major, I must take one out of the three math options I listed earlier. I have never taken calculus or statistics before. I only took the basics in highschool in order to graduate. With knowing I have to take such difficult math courses, it does give me anxiety and create stress for me. I am also worried that I will not be able to handle the upper-division courses I will be thrown into once I move to UCI. I have heard it is intense the system that UC schools go by and the classes are fast paced and hard. There is also the possibility that once I start taking the major prep classes that I find out international studies is not my thing. That would be extremely disheartening because I am not sure what other major I would want to major in and all the effort/time I put into it would have gone to waste. Another issue that could go wrong with my goals is financial issues. I have been blessed to have always lived pretty comfortable and have all the necessities I need but since I am 18 (legally an adult), my parents have mentioned I could be cut financially and will need to pay my own expenses. I understand that this does happen to others but I am just worried that I won’t be able to pay for school. My parent’s earn a nice amount where I don’t qualify for financial aid. Most students sometimes do qualify, so I would have to turn to scholarships, grants, loans, or simple hard work to be able to pay for my expenses. I know working while being a full time student is hard but I know if I really give it my all I am capable of achieving my goals. Lastly, a big issue that can interfere with my goal is my health. I had a cyst in my throat when I was in fifth grade and I got it surgically removed. Ever since then my health has deteriorated. Originally, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and fibromyalgia. Over recent years though, I have been told I have a mix of hyper/hypo-thyroidism and I came back positive for my ANA test (antinuclear antibody). I was told it is normal for people to get positive ANA when they are older but not at 17 years old. My health causes me to have constant headaches, mild fevers, bad memory, lack of concentration, bad eyesight, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, rapid heartbeat, and mood swings. It affects my school because I am constantly always tired and the headaches/ mild fevers make me feel really bad. The bad memory and lack of concentration negatively impact school because I have a hard time retaining information or focusing in long lectures. For every challenge, there is always a way to overcome it. Since math has never been my favorite subject or something that was easily understood by me, I have been getting tutored since I was in elementary. Although, I started getting tutored around 5th grade and ended tutoring around 7th grade, I have talked with my parents and decided this would be the best fit for me. I will not be utilizing the tutors offered in Southwestern College because it is not a one on one system and they are pretty quick to go over things. I personally like a more slow approach in order for me to grasp the information well. I’m also self-conscious about my skills with math and I don’t like a big crowd around me so I can feel comfortable asking silly questions to the teacher. My parents were told about a good math tutor and I will be getting tutored by him for my upcoming math tests. Next, with the financial situation with my parents I really don’t know what to expect and just have to let things play out. The only thing I can do is fix my resume and start applying to at least part time jobs. By having a part time job, I can start saving money in case of any emergencies and will be prepared for anything that comes my way. I can also ensure I get really good grades so I may be eligible for scholarships. This is also a plus because it will guarantee me a spot at UCI through TAG since the requirement is to have a certain GPA. In regards to my health, I need to get checked by doctors frequently and keep a list of any new symptoms that may occur. I must live a healthy lifestyle which includes eating healthy, not being too stressed out, exercising regularly, and sleeping well. By doing this, it will make my symptoms less unpleasant and make me feel overall better. Besides this, there is not much I can do because doctors are still weirded out by my test results and are not completely sure what is medically wrong with me.

What I plan on doing with my degree after receiving it, I would ideally like to work at an international bank while focusing on deal with clients who speak Arabic. I would like to work at a bank because I like the hours that I would have to work, which most likely be from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. I also like it because holidays are always off and they pay well. I like the environment because it will be indoors and the formal attire I must wear. As a result, my objective is to receive my degree from UC Irvine with a bachelor’s degree in international studies and a minor in Arabic by transferring from Southwestern college in 2 years. I will be able to accomplish my goal by following IGETC and TAG in order to make things easier and guarantee I fulfill the requirements for admissions at UC Irvine. Although, I face a few challenges ahead revolving my lack of skills in math, financial issues, and health problems, I have found solutions to overcome these complications. I must study consistently with my math tutor to do well in math, work hard and save money to be financially stable, and try to live a healthy life as possible to make my symptoms more bearable. I have a lot of things coming my way with these next 2 years but as long as I stick to my plan, everything will work out and I will be able to eventually work at an international bank.