SMC — Maintaining its reputation as a leading transfer institution, Santa Monica College continued in 2011-12 to be the top transfer campus to the University of California system, UC-Cal State systems combined and USC, college officials announced Monday.
SMC also was the leader in transferring African-American and Latino students to UC, with a particularly significant increase for African-American students compared to the previous year, according to SMC officials.
In 2011-12, SMC transferred a total of 1,076 students to UC. This is the 22nd consecutive year that SMC has been the number one transfer institution to the UC campuses.
SMC far outranked the second and third feeder schools — Northern California's De Anza College, which had 804, and Diablo Valley with 682.
Other statistics for 2011-12 demonstrate why SMC is considered the premier transfer institution in California:
• Once again, SMC was top in transfers to the UC and California State University systems combined, with 2,176 students.
• SMC maintained its hold on first place in transfers to USC, from 168 students in fall 2011 to 221 in fall 2012. (USC reports transfers only for the fall.) That was close to triple the number of the next highest-ranking transfer institution to USC, which had 82.
• SMC transferred 43 African-American students to the UC system in 2011-12, a jump from 25 the previous year. This is the first time SMC has recorded such transfers in the 40s.
• SMC Latino student transfers to UC campuses was at 129 compared to 117 in 2010-11.
"Santa Monica College shows year after year its commitment to transfer but is always striving to get even more students into four-year universities," said SMC President Dr. Chui L. Tsang.
Transfer Center faculty leader Dan Nannini says there are several reasons for SMC's strong transfer record: keeping SMC's transfer reputation in the spotlight, recruiting good students, giving strong academic counseling to students that helps make them attractive to admissions offices, and outstanding professors.
In addition, Nannini pointed out that the college's Transfer Center hosts the largest college fair in the state. This fall, representatives from 140 colleges and universities throughout the world came to the SMC Transfer Fair to recruit students, college officials said.
SMC's Transfer Center also conducts workshops, holds weekly visits from four-year institutions, and has a close working relationship with UC and CSU to make sure SMC students get credit for their classes.
UCLA continues to be by far the most popular destination for SMC students, with 44 percent of the UC transfers — 472 — going to the Westwood campus. Berkeley came in second with 181 transfers, followed by the San Diego and Irvine campuses.
SMC also transfers students to public and private universities throughout the world, including Stanford, Columbia and Cornell.
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