Extracurricular Activities for Transfer Students
Why Extracurricular Activities?
While completion of required coursework and GPA are the most important criteria for transfer admission evaluation, UCs prefer to see a demonstrated interest in your field of study and/or leadership potential. Having extracurricular achievements can also help you distinguish yourself from other highly qualified transfer applicants in competitive majors, where completion of required coursework and high GPA are the norm. To gain experience in your major or develop leadership abilities, you may join college clubs or student government, volunteer with community, nonprofit, or faith-based organizations, or work as an intern or at a job.
If you are unable to participate in extracurricular activities related to your major due to issues such as the need to work full-time to support yourself or your family, or hardships that restrict your ability or schedule, make sure you explain your situation in the UC Application and find other ways to show your interest in your field of study.
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What is Leadership?
So what exactly is leadership? Below is an old guideline from the UCLA Alumni Scholarship Program defining different aspects of leadership. Use the list to identify situations where you have exhibited leadership qualities.
Individual Leadership Qualities
- Shows initiative, takes charge, sets priorities.
- Displays intelligence, good judgment, confidence and self-knowledge.
- Accepts responsibilities willingly and eagerly.
- Demonstrates courage, resolution, and steadiness.
- Manages, decides, and sets priorities.
- Exhibits perseverance, ingenuity, creativity, and dynamism in solving problems.
- Seeks opportunities and surmounts obstacles, including challenging the status quo.
Group Leadership Qualities
- Sets an example through commitment and action.
- Works collaboratively with others.
- Guides changes and improvements.
- Makes plans, motivates, follows through and guides the participation of others so that all will benefit.
- Delegates, trains and shares the responsibility and the credit.
- Demonstrates selflessness and consideration of others.
- Assesses potential in others.
- Shows understanding of followers/constituents, and their needs.
- Skilled in dealing with people, shows social perceptiveness.
- Able to win and hold trust.
- Exhibits adaptability and flexibility in approach.
You don’t need to achieve EVERY quality, but be sure to MENTION every quality you did achieve in your UC Application!
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Activities and Programs
Below is a selection of activities and programs I have come across over the years. Broaden your search beyond the internet; check with your community college career center or transfer center for local opportunities and browse the library reference section for guidebooks on summer programs and internship opportunities.
- Community Service and Volunteering
- Educational Preparation Programs
- Internships
- Summer Programs
- UC Transfer Programs
- Other Ideas
Community Service and Volunteering
You can search for volunteer opportunities using the vetted volunteer matching service providers below. Sign up to receive email notifications when volunteer opportunities in the areas you are interested in become available. Most of these are national listings with opportunities in every interest area you can imagine.
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Educational Preparation Programs
You may have heard of “educational preparation programs” and the UC Application even has a place just for them (part of the “Activities & awards” section). So what are these programs?
Well, according to the UCs, educational preparation programs are “programs or activities that have enriched your academic experiences or helped you prepare for college” and may include “counseling, tutoring, research opportunities or special study opportunities, such as study abroad.”
Below is a list of the educational preparation programs that are available to college students. Look for them at your school and do your best to participate in them.
Berkeley
- Boost@Berkeley Haas (listed as “Young Entrepreneurs at Haas” on the UC Application)
Offered through Berkeley Haas School of Business and Bay Area community college students may volunteer as mentors for participating Bay Area high school students. - Professional Development Program (PDP)
Serves current Berkeley students. - Starting Point Mentoring Program
Open to ALL California community college students. - Transfer Alliance Project
Serves socioeconomically disadvantaged students at partner community colleges.
Davis
- C-STEM
Serves students from grades K through 14. - Transfer Opportunity Program
Serves students at participating community colleges in Northern California.
Irvine
- American Indian Resource Program (AIRP)
Serves American Indian and Indigenous students. - California Community College Honors Program
Open to students enrolled in the honors programs at participating community colleges. - California Diversity Pathway to Law
Part of the California LAW program. - OCC Engineering Academy
Open to engineering students at Orange Coast College. - Santa Ana Promise Program
Open to students who enroll at Santa Ana College after graduating from a Santa Ana Unified School District high school. - Summer Scholars Transfer Institute (SSTI)
Open to all students at Santa Ana College and Rio Hondo College. - U-Link
Open to academically qualified students at Santa Ana College.
UCLA
- CBOP (Career Based Outreach Program)
Likely discontinued. - UCLA Community College/SITE
Serves community college students. - Transfer Alliance Program
Open to qualified students attending a participating community college.
Merced
- Transfer Initiatives Program
Serves all California community college students.
Riverside
- Puente Connection (UCRP)
Open to all community college students. - Smart Start Transfer Academy (SSTA)
Likely discontinued.
San Diego
- UniversityLink
Serves socioeconomically disadvantaged students at partner community colleges.
San Francisco
- UCSF Internships
Search “community college internship” on the UCSF website to pull up available opportunities.
Santa Barbara
- Transfer: Making It Happen
Open to community college bound high school seniors in the Santa Barbara Cal-SOAP.
Santa Cruz
- Transfer Preparation Program
Open to all California community college students.
Most UCs
- CAMP (California Alliance for Minority Participation in Science)
Search online for “California Alliance for Minority Participation in Science” to find program locations. Serves students from participating 4-year colleges.
Additional Programs
- California LAW
Serves students at partner community colleges. - MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement)
Serves elementary school, middle school, high school, community college, and 4-year college students. - Puente Program
Serves middle school, high school, and community college students. - Study Abroad
Check with your community college for available study abroad programs or try one of these external programs: - Umoja
Serves underrepresented minority students attending community college.
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Internships
Check with your college career center for local internship opportunities and browse the library reference section for guidebooks. Most large companies will post internship opportunities on their company website. If you are interested in a particular profession, you may also consider calling businesses in your neighborhood and inquiring about internship opportunities.
Here are some resources and ideas to help you get started with your internship search:
- Search Online
Search for “college internship [city and state or zip code]” for local internship opportunities or try internship search sites like Internships.com (by Chegg) and Internship Programs to search for internships by area of interest and location. - California Highway Patrol’s Explorer Program
Designed for young men and women, 15 to 21 years of age, to develop skills and knowledge needed to serve the people of California through assisting the CHP both in office and out in the field. - Community College Internships and Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships
Run by the Office of Science at the U.S. Department of Energy, the two programs place community college students in paid internships at Department of Energy lab locations all across the nation. Internships are offered during Summer, Fall, and Spring terms. - Courts (Local/County/State)
Most courts offer internships. For California, find your local Superior Court and search “internship” on the court website. - Science Centers
Science centers all over the U.S. offer internships. Look for ASTC-member science centers near you and search “internship” on the their websites. - Stanford Programs for Community College Students
A list of available summer programs, including research internships, that serve community college and transfer students (some are FREE and some offer stipends). - State Legislature
Most state senators and assemblymembers offer internships. For California, find your representatives and search “internship” on their websites. - UCSF Internships
Search “community college internship” on the UCSF website to pull up available programs.
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Summer Programs
Below are summer programs I have come across over the years and most are academic in nature.
Berkeley
- DISC* [Design & Innovation for Sustainable Cities]
A summer program that explores an interdisciplinary and multi-scalar approach to design and analysis in the urban environment. Need-based financial assistance is available. - Summer Research and Enrichment Programs for Undergraduates in STEM Majors
UC Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences has compiled a list of programs on the UC Berkeley campus that are open to community college and transfer students.
Davis
- King Hall Outreach Program
A unique initiative that helps college students from underrepresented communities prepare for the law school admissions process.
UCLA
- CCCP Scholars Programs
The goal of these programs at UCLA are to increase academic preparation and competitiveness for community college transfer students, particularly those who are first generation, low-income or historically underrepresented. - UCLA/CDU SHPEP
Program gives students the opportunity to work with expert faculty and staff who are eager to mentor students and share knowledge in their individual fields. Primarily serves educationally and financially disadvantaged community college students while also accepting some 4-year college students. Program participants receive a stipend and travel assistance. - UCLA PREP
Program is designed to provide premedical students from disadvantaged backgrounds with the means to strengthening their ability and readiness to study medicine. Program is FREE. - Undergraduate Cancer Research Training Program
Charles Drew University has partnered with UCLA to offer a summer research program designed for outstanding undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in biomedical sciences. Program participants receive a stipend.
Merced
- Transfer Academy
Program at UC Merced that is open to all current community college students interested in transferring to a UC.
Santa Barbara
- Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships Community College Programs
STEM-focused programs serving community college and transfer students.
Other Colleges
- Stanford Programs for Community College Students
A list of available summer programs that serve community college and transfer students (some are FREE and some offer stipends). - Summer Health Professions Education Program
Aims to strengthen the academic proficiency and career development of students underrepresented in the health professions and prepare them for a successful application and matriculation to health professions schools. The program is offered at 12 universities, including Columbia, Rutgers, UCLA, University of Washington, and Western University of Health Sciences (in Pomona, CA). Program participants receive a stipend and travel assistance.
Additional Summer Program Resources
- Inspiring Girls Expeditions Alternative Opportunities
A list of outdoor programs for young women (look under “Programs for 18+”). - Summer Research and Enrichment Programs at Other Universities
UC Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences has compiled a list of programs across the U.S. that are open to undergraduate students (some specifically serve community college and transfer students).
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UC Transfer Programs
You may have seen a long list of programs in the “Support program involvement” section of the UC Transfer Admission Planner (many are also listed as Educational Preparation Programs in the “Activities & awards” section of the UC Application). Wonder how you can get in on the action to better prepare for transfer? Check out the program list below and do your best to participate in the programs available to you. Some transfer programs are open to current high school seniors.
Berkeley
- Transfer Alliance Project (including all TAP-related programs listed)
Serves socioeconomically disadvantaged students at partner community colleges.
Davis
- AvenueB
Program not yet open. - AvenueE
Open to engineering or computer science students enrolled in partner community college districts. - Transfer Opportunity Program (TOP)
Open to students at participating community colleges in Northern California.
Irvine
- Santa Ana Promise Program (listed as “ADELANTE” on the UC Transfer Admission Planner)
Open to students who enroll at Santa Ana College after graduating from a Santa Ana Unified School District high school. - American Indian Resource Program (AIRP)
Serves American Indian and Indigenous students. - Edison Scholars
Open to science, engineering, or mathematics students enrolled in a community college within the Southern California Edison service area and on track to transfer to a UC campus. - Summer Scholars Research Program (SSRP)
Likely discontinued. - Summer Scholars Transfer Institute (SSTI)
Open to all students at Santa Ana College and Rio Hondo College. - Transfer Leadership Collaborative (TLC)
Open to all students at Santa Ana College. - U-Link
Open to academically qualified students at Santa Ana College.
UCLA
- Center for Community College Partnerships (CCCP)
Serves socioeconomically disadvantaged students. - Center for Community College Partnerships Scholars Programs (CCCP SCHOLARS)
Serves socioeconomically disadvantaged students; requires one-year commitment and participation in a summer program. - Student Transfer Outreach and Mentor Program (STOMP)
Open to all California community college students.
Merced
- Summer Transfer Academy & Resources for Success (STARS)
Likely discontinued; may have been replaced by Transfer Academy. - Summer Up
Likely discontinued; may have been replaced by Transfer Academy. - Transfer Initiatives Program (TIP)
Serves all California community college students.
Riverside
- Puente Connection (UCRP)
Open to all community college students.
San Diego
- UniversityLink
Serves socioeconomically disadvantaged students at partner community colleges. - UniversityLink Medical Science Program
Open to all students at partner community colleges.
Santa Barbara
- Transfer Preparation Academy (scroll half way down the page)
Open to all community college students. - Transfer: Making It Happen
Open to community college bound high school seniors in the Santa Barbara Cal-SOAP.
Santa Cruz
- Transfer Preparation Program
Open to all California community college students.
Additional Programs
- EAOP (Early Academic Outreach Program)
Serves high school students. - Upward Bound
Often part of the “Talent Search” program. Search for “upward bound” on the website of a UC or CSU campus near you. Serves high school students. - MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement)
Serves elementary school, middle school, high school, community college, and 4-year college students. - Puente Program
Serves middle school, high school, and community college students. - Cal-SOAP
Serves elementary and secondary school students. - EOPS
Serves socioeconomically disadvantaged community college students. Search for “eops” on your community college’s website. - CalWorks
Serves economically disadvantaged students. - Talent Search
Search for “trio program” or “educational talent search” on the website of a UC or CSU campus near you. Serves elementary school, middle school, and/or high school students. - Umoja
Serves underrepresented minority students attending community college. - California College Promise Grant (formerly BOG Waiver)
Serves economically disadvantaged community college students. Search for “california college promise grant” on your community college’s website. - California LAW
Serves students at partner community colleges.
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Other Ideas
- Science Project Ideas
Conduct independent science research using step-by-step science project guide provided by Science Buddies. - Virtual Summer Opportunities
While intended for high school students, this guide (put together by the folks at CollegeWise) contains many opportunities that are available to, and suitable for, college students.