Time to pick my class! by Amandine

At the end of each semester, we have to enroll for the next semester and pick our classes.

What classes should I take?

It is not an obligation but it is recommended for every new and continuig student to see a counselor. The counselor will help you plan for your next semesters.

You can take any classes that you want. The best is to take the classes that you NEED to tranfer or graduate and once you know your major and where you want to tranfer, it is so easy!

You pick your classes from Plan A if you are not planning to transfer and only want to graduate from MiraCosta
You pick your classes from Plan B if you want to transfer to a CSU.
You pick your classes from Plan C if you are not sure either you want to transfer to a UC or a CSU.

Now I know what classes to take, how do I enroll?

Use the online SURF catalog here  or the paper catalog that you can find on campus to know when and what time the class is starting and also the name of your teacher.

Step 1. Search your classes by subject, for example: art



Then a list of classes is going show. Here they are all the same, except the day, time and teacher.

For example, I want to choose the first class




Step 2. Click on select.
Then you are enrolled!! Re-do the exact same thing to select your other class and make that there is no time conflict between your classes.

If you don't want to take the class you enrolled anymore or you want to take a different one, you can drop it.
In SURF, click on My Academics > Drop > Select the class you want to drop > Finish.

If you still need help, the International Office can help you.

I want a Bachelor Degree but what's that? by Amandine

Certificate Degree, Associate Degree, Bachelor Degree.. I am pretty sure you've already heard about it ... but what's that ?

The U.S education system is way different than the one in our country. Well, I have to admit that when I started to apply at MiraCosta I was still a little bit confused and lost about which degree I should get.

As you might know from my previous post, my major is Graphic Design. MiraCosta College is a Community College and provide the Associate Degree that is necessary for a Bachelor Degree that I can get at a University like San Diego State University.
So I will go 2 years at MiraCosta (it can take longer, but it's not a problem) + 2 years at a University to get a Bachelor Degree. It is also called Transfer to a 4-Years Institution.

The cool thing with going to Community College instead of going four years of university is that you save 2 years of university tuition as Universities are way more expensive.



Still confused? Don't worry, I've got you covered!
Take a look at the image I've made.

The Finals are coming soon! by Amandine

 The Spring semester is soon to be over!

I am exited about it but I still focus for my Finals.
What's cool is that during the Finals period the MiraCosta Library and the Writing Center has extended hours so I can study longer (and get a good grade).


Here a list of my Finals assignments, so you get an idea of the amount of work. I already started working on them.

An essay to type for my Geology class
An letter to type to a company for my English class
A last project (a chandelier) for my Art class
An essay type and a quiz for my History Class.

Wish me luck!



PS : I went to the Art Gallery of MiraCosta last week because I gave one of my projects for the exhibition. Look how cool it is!

Applying to MiraCosta is easy! By Amandine

Hi everyone!

I know that the US system is really different from our home countries.

This is a slide that I realized, I hope it will make it simplier for you to understand the steps.

If you have any question, feel free to let a comment below or to send an email here.

ONCE YOU SEND EVERYTHING TO MIRACOSTA, you will receive a package including your I-20. You are good to go for your interview at the embassy and get your visa!

How do I choose my major? by Amandine

Hello everyone!

When I decided I wanted to study at MiraCosta, I knew I would be studying Graphic Design.  Since I was little, I always liked to draw, to go museums and art shows. Then one day I started drawing on my computer with Photoshop and it became a passion! I decided I wanted it to be my dream job.

To start applying college and  be a student in the U.S you have to choose a major.

What is a major?
A major is a discipline that you study as a focus area.  It becomes the name on your college degree.  The United States has a lot of different majors!  You can have a major like Chemistry, Computer Science, Math, Dance, Business, History, Art, or Recording Arts.  Check HERE all the major available at MiraCosta.

How do I choose my major?
Choose a discipline that you like, something that you are interested in. It could be a passion, a a topic related to a dream job.

If you are not sure of your major, no panic! You can change your major at anytime!  At MiraCosta, you can meet with professional career counselors and academic counselors to help you choose your major.   The Career Center as many resources to explore the perfect major for you.  

When it is time to apply to a California State University, Don't Worry. I got you covered. By Sarah

Tips on How to Apply to a University in California

1. Go on the website of the school you would like to transfer to - you will get the information to get your application started.

Different California State Universities have different application requirements in regards to international students. For example, CSU Fullerton requires international students to use the domestic application, whereas most other CSUs require international transfers to use the international application. Thus, it is important to look at each university's website before applying.

2.  Go to CSU Mentor to complete your application. Tap APPLY and then hit International Admission Application - start your application.

All CSU's use the same platform for the application process. This makes it easy for you to apply to multiple CSUs as the provided information gets saved so that you don't have to fill out every single application.

3. Go to a Transfer Workshop or Talk to a Transfer Counselor

Transfer applications have become more complex and allow less room for mistakes. Therefore, it's mandatory that you have somebody double-check your application!

Try to get an appointment with a counselor way in advance of the application deadline as they go quick! If you happen to get no appointment, don't worry, MiraCosta hosts 3-4 transfer workshops a week during the CSU/UC application period. The transfer workshops aren't as good as a one-on-one counseling appointment, but they'll enough to get you set. 

4 Tips to Navigate Through MiraCosta College by Sarah

1. Speak to a Counselor EVERY Semester

SOURCE: YOUTUBE.COM

I can tell you from experience that taking a class that is not on your educational plan is a terrible waste of time and money! Even though you might feel plenty familiar with you're academic plan and all the classes that you've left to take, have a second person, ideally a counselor, look over your schedule each semester.  It is easy to lose track, especially if you decide to drop a class last-minute to replace it with another one, but it only takes fifteen minutes to talk to a counselor, and you can save lot of money as well as many hours of studying for an unnecessary class.

2. If you Plan to Transfer: Go to the Transfer Center!

SOURCE: REDDIT.COM

So many students do not get accepted to the University they apply for because they do not go to the transfer center before they apply. This is because the transfer center has information you don't have... they have statistics on what majors are more likely to get accepted and they can look over your application to make sure you filled in all the correct information.

3. Don't Buy Your Books in the Book Store

SOURCE: YOUTUBE.COM

The book store at every college, including MiraCosta College, is going to charge MORE than most other places you can buy books from. So look online and use websites, such as Amazon.com or Chegg.com to buy your textbooks cheaper. This saves you a lot of money and after the semester is completed, you can resell your books for more money online than the book store would pay you.

4. Use the Writing Center

GIFPEANUTBUTTER.TUMBLR.COM

As an international student taking college-level courses in America you might want to use all the resources that the MiraCosta provides. English 100 was a challenge for me in my first semester at MiraCosta, but I mastered it with help from the Writing Center. The Writing Center provides you with students that are qualified to help you with the writing assignments that you have for ANY of your classes. That's right, it doesn't need to be an assignment for English, it can be an essay for biology or politics that you are getting help with.

With these four tips you are ready to start college at MiraCosta!