Welcome to Merrill College!

We are so glad to have you joining us at Merrill! This page has some information and FAQs for new transfer students as well as new frosh. New students can also contact the Orientation office with any and all questions. Your families and parents can check out the Slug Families website as well.

For all current/ continuing students, please refer to our Merrill Advising schedule to get in touch with an advisor.

INCOMING TRANSFER STUDENTS

Enrollment Info

• You should be in touch with your major/department advisor to plan out your schedule. They will advise you on which major classes you should be taking.
• A typical schedule for a transfer student is: 2 major courses, 1 course of interest
• For the course of interest, you can take a class towards a minor, you could start learning a new language, or you could simply take something that sounds fun!

Frequently Asked Questions

If I completed IGETC at my community college, do I need to do any GEs at UCSC?

• No. If you are sure that you completed IGETC, you will not need to do any GEs at UCSC. You will just need to take all required classes for your major, and complete at least 180 units in order to graduate.

What should I do if I'm not sure whether I completed IGETC?

• Please check with your community college. If they say you have completed IGETC, ask them to send the IGETC certification to UC Santa Cruz (not your transcripts; the IGETC certification). If they say you have not completed IGETC, that means you may have some GEs to complete at UCSC.

I didn't complete IGETC -- which GEs do I need to do?

• We will not have an answer to this until all of your transfer credit has been posted to your UCSC portal. Please be patient, as this may not happen until sometime later in the quarter. Once all transfer credit has been posted, Merrill Advisors are happy to work with you to determine which GEs you still need!

What is the AH&I requirement?

• AH&I stands for American History & Institutions, and it is not a GE. It is a UC system-wide requirement, and students may satisfy it by taking US History or Government classes in high school, especially if you went to high school in California. Transfer students may want to have their high school transcripts sent to UCSC if you don't think you satisfied this requirement in community college.

Can I take three major classes in one quarter?

• We do not generally recommend enrolling in three major classes at a time. Unless your major advisor specifically recommends this to you, we highly encourage you to find balance in your schedule, and choose a third class that is different than your major area of study.

Why should I take any classes that aren't required for my major?

• Good question! All students need 180 units in order to graduate, so transfer students usually need some "filler" classes to reach this unit requirement. You could see this as an opportunity to do a minor, do a class that sounds interesting to you, learn a language, or get involved in a service learning course.

How can I find my enrollment appointment?

• Your enrollment appointment (which is just the time that you are assigned to enroll) can be found in your MyUCSC student account. Log into MyUCSC > Self Service > My Enrollment > Enrollment Dates

How does enrollment actually work?

• Enrollment has many different layers and it can be overwhelming. If you would like to see how to enroll, please review the “How To: Enrollment” videos found here and the Enrollment Tutorials here.

INCOMING FROSH STUDENTS

Enrollment Info

• If you have not yet enrolled for classes, please contact merrilladvising@ucsc.edu and we will help you choose classes.
• For their first quarter, frosh need to enroll in MERR 1 (core class) as well as two other classes.
• Make sure you have completed Slug Orientation Part 2, so that you can get an enrollment time assigned to you! If you do not have an enrollment time, feel free to reach out to us (merrilladvising@ucsc.edu) and we can try to help you with your next steps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I get all the classes I want?

• Your schedule may not be "perfect", and that's ok! If you don't get into all the classes you want, it's ok -- you can either waitlist, or you can take those classes in a future quarter.

Why don't I have an enrollment appointment assigned?

• Enrollment appointments will be assigned once you complete Part 1 and 2 of Slug Orientation, and once you have submitted all your transcripts to the Admissions office. Please complete the following to obtain an enrollment appointment for your first quarter: 

  • Orientation Part 1 (Quizzes and Surveys)
    • Tech Form (google form) 
  • Orientation Part 2 (Quiz) and the course completion form (google form)
  • Submit all transcripts and required documents to Admissions

Will I get credit for passing AP exams?

• For students who took AP/IB Exams, review the AP/IB Chart here. Once your AP credits are put into your portal, you will be able to see more formally how many units, or which GE requirements you may have received credit for.
  

How can I find my enrollment appointment?

• Your enrollment appointment (which is just the time that you are assigned to enroll) can be found in your MyUCSC student account. Log into MyUCSC > Self Service > My Enrollment > Enrollment Dates

How does enrollment actually work?

• Enrollment has many different layers and it can be overwhelming. If you would like to see how to enroll, please review the “How To: Enrollment” videos found here and the Enrollment Tutorials here.

Can I change my proposed major?

• School of Engineering: If you are hoping to switch to a major within the School Of Engineering, you will need to fill out this SOE proposed major change form.
• All other majors: First year students can request to update their proposed major by filling out this online form. Please note that it may take some time for us to process these; we appreciate your patience!