College Competition

Relationships, jobs and the fate of their future are marked by the few years spent at a university. And with the emphasis placed on going to college and obtaining a degree, we can ?expect college admission to be competitive. Students wishing to attend universities in light of this competitive atmosphere face the constant struggle to stand out amongst the masses and push personal limits to fill that college resume.

Transferring to a university is no longer a simple ?matter; it is a complicated process that involves many ?sleepless nights and caffeinated beverages to maintain that ?4.0 and keep up with sports, clubs, and volunteering. In order ?to compete with their peers and be noticed by the ?university of their choice, pressure is on students to perform ?well in school while keeping up with academics and ?extra-curricular activities.

The odds seem to be against students; however, as the college applicant pool increases and the chances for admission decrease with each passing ?year. University of California campuses received a ?record number of applications for fall 2008 admission, seeing a 7.1 percent increase in applications from ?California transfer students, according to the ?University of California Web site.

The impacted universities are responding to the greater number of applicants by formulating strict policies for admission. California State University, Long Beach, for example, only accepts upper division transfers based on a list of criteria. Erik Fallis, a spokesman for the California State University Chancellor's Office, says that "there are a number of things that determine eligibility, including GPA and test scores," which is the index that the CSU system uses to determine an applicant's eligibility.

Students are forced to compensate for this spike in applicants and, ultimately, greater pressure to compete, by pushing themselves to work harder and ?overload already packed schedules, leading to unnecessary pressure and stress. The typical schedule for a college student looking to transfer is a sight to behold. With a daunting list of various accomplishments and activities ranging from clubs to tutoring, on top of challenging classes that well surpass the full-time status.

Eiko Tsukamoto, a recent UC Berkeley transfer from Fullerton College, was one of the many students pushed to maintain a rigorous and challenging academic schedule. Along with the pressure to remain competitive, she says that she also felt "additional anxiety because [she] was a first-generation student in America and felt ill-equipped to cope with the college application process."

In an effort to ensure that she be admitted to the school of her choice, Tsukamoto took on the duties of an Associated Students Senator, Phi Theta Kappa Vice President, academic tutor, honors program intern and student committee member, along with maintaining 15 units per semester on average (most of those units being comprised of Honors classes).

Students are aware of the competition when it comes to admission into a university, which is evident both in the classroom and around campus. Susan Yu, a FC graduate who transferred to UCLA this year, points out that students are competing for the highest grades and best colleges to alleviate pressure generated by parents and universities to do well in school. She notes that this is particularly evident in honors classes where she says that "there is a lot of pressure to excel because everyone competes with everyone else."

FC students are generally well-equipped with tools and resources to aid in their transfer endeavors. The numerous workshops conducted by the ?Cadena/Transfer Center cover everything from writing a personal statement to choosing a university. The Center also offers presentations, handouts and college catalogs to aid students in the transfer process.

Lily Espinoza, the Center's director, says that "the requirements to get into college are more difficult, particularly when a specific major is impacted." However, she goes on to note that "the main thing you need to know when you want to transfer is how to prepare yourself," which means being aware of the requirements for transfer and the deadlines for applications and admission.

FC also has 'Transfer Admissions Guarantee' ?agreements with several universities that promise ?transfer admission after completing a list of requirements and criteria. Students also have the ?opportunity to take advantage of other programs, such as the Honors Program, Tutoring Center, meeting with university representatives and touring various ?university campuses.

It doesn't look like universities will see a drop in the number of applicants at any point in the near future. And the issue of students spreading themselves too thin and overloading their schedules in ?order to remain a competitive university candidate is a ?prevalent issue facing today's college students. ?However, with the excellent transfer resources found at FC, students can overcome the pressure and stress of ?transferring to a university in order to succeed in their future endeavors. T