SMC No.1 in Transfers for 33 Straight Years

For 33 Consecutive Years, Santa Monica College is #1 in UC Transfers

SMC Also Maintained No. 1 Spot for African American & Latinx UC Transfers, Continues to Lead in Transfers to USC & Loyola Marymount University; Leading Transfer College to Columbia University West of the Mississippi

SANTA MONICA, CA—For 33 consecutive years, Santa Monica College (SMC) has maintained a streak as the No.1 transfer college to the University of California (UC) system, per 2022-2023 transfer data released by the UC Information Center. SMC sent 1,086 students to UC campuses in the prior academic year—169 more transfers than the No.2 feeder college.

In addition, SMC maintained its spot as the leader for African American and Latinx transfers to the UC and continues to remain the leading transfer college to the University of Southern California (USC) and Loyola Marymount University (LMU). The college is also the top feeder west of the Mississippi to the Ivy League Columbia University.

Here are some highlights from SMC’s 2022-2023 transfer numbers:

• Among the 1,086 Santa Monica College-to-UC transfers were 213 Latinx/Chicanx students and 79 African American students. In addition, UCLA continued to be the most popular destination for SMC transfer students, with 414 SMC-to-UC transfers headed to the Westwood campus, followed by UC Berkeley (165 transfers).
• According to annual data, SMC had more students enrolled at USC and Loyola Marymount University than any other community college with 107 and 87 respectively of admitted SMC transfers, making the decision to enroll.

• SMC ranked second in total combined transfers to the UC and California State University (CSU) systems—2,170 students combined headed to UC and CSU campuses.

• The college’s transfer record reaches far beyond California—to the Ivy League Columbia University. Maintaining its long-time record of sending more transfer students to Columbia University than any other community college west of the Mississippi, 21 SMC students (out of those admitted) enrolled at the Ivy League institution in fall 2023.

“This is a continuing highlight we value and do not take for granted at Santa Monica College,” said SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery, “as it speaks volumes to the college’s longstanding legacy of all-encompassing student support and the tremendous dedication of SMC’s transfer team, instructors, counselors, and staff, who go the extra mile to ensure that students reach their dream goal of transferring to a four-year college or university or achieving their dream career. Congratulations to our transfer students and the exceptional team supporting them on this journey!

SMC Transfer Center faculty leader Dr. Janet Robinson acknowledged and thanked “the entire SMC campus community for the commitment and passion that it takes to help our students achieve their transfer goals.”

“It requires so much work but it pays off with the variety of institutions our students attend after leaving SMC—which never ceases to amaze me,” Dr. Robinson added. “I’m so proud of our students and the work they accomplish while with us. As a new year begins, I’m excited for all of the transfer activities and work ahead to continue building on our legacy!”

Among many other such activities, the SMC Transfer Center hosted a Fall College Fair in Oct. 2023 with 148 four-year schools in attendance. For the first time, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) sent a representative to offer a workshop for SMC students in order to build a foundation to attract transfers from the college. In another first, SMC also hosted a California Community Colleges (CCC) to HBCU Caravan, a college fair highlighting Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) from across the country, attended by nearly 500 students.

Transferpalooza 2023—an annual SMC event where students can receive personalized feedback on their transfer applications and personal statements prior to submission—saw faculty from 21 different SMC departments making 600 contacts with students over two days. Associated Students provided refreshments and fun, relaxing activities for participating students.

The Transfer Admission Guarantees (TAGs) offered at SMC provide guaranteed admission for students who meet specific requirements to several universities including six University of California campuses, Loyola Marymount University, Arizona State University (ASU), and many HBCUs, among others.

The Scholars Program is a distinctive academic community within the larger SMC community which aims to prepare students—particularly freshman, first-generation college students, students from underserved schools and communities, and non-traditional students—for transfer to the colleges and universities of their choice. The program’s focus is on academic preparation and study for university-level work through writing, exposure to research, critical thinking, and analysis, along with intensive counseling and support.

Through special transfer agreements with top four-year colleges and universities, Scholars students get priority consideration for admissions to the following campuses: The UCLA College, the Luskin Public Affairs major and the Education and Social Transformation major (TAP), UC Irvine, Loyola Marymount University, Chapman University, University of San Francisco, and Pomona College, to name a few.

For more information about SMC’s Transfer Center and its services, please visit smc.edu/transfer or email Robinson_Janet@smc.edu.

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