For MiraCosta College alum Sri Ujjini, nothing was going to get in the way of her higher education dreams. Even if it meant doing the unthinkable and transferring to her dream university in just one year.
Flashback to 2023 and Sri was eagerly awaiting letters from admissions offices across the state. Like many of her peers, Sri had her sights set on one of the UC schools and, if she had her way, was hoping to receive good news from her dream school UC San Diego so that she could remain close to home while at university.
Yet despite maintaining an impressive GPA during her senior year of high school, she found herself waitlisted at UC San Diego and rejected from other UC schools on her list due to the challenging and competitive admissions process. Sri did get accepted to a couple other universities but deep down she knew proximity to home was the most important factor.
“I knew I wanted to help out at home and be there for my family while continuing my education,” shared Sri. “So once I knew I wouldn’t be able to attend UC San Diego after graduation, I started looking for alternative options.”
That's when a chance encounter changed everything. Through a meeting with MiraCosta College alumnus Peter Cohen, Sri discovered what would become her stepping stone to success. Cohen's enthusiastic endorsement of MiraCosta as "the best school he ever went to" led to an introduction with a college counselor, and just three days before the semester started, Sri found herself enrolled at MiraCosta.
What could have been a setback turned into an opportunity for acceleration. A very ambitious acceleration.
Explained Sri, “Initially, I was a little unsure and intimidated about the work that would be required for the Transfer Program but after speaking with the counselors, I knew it would be possible. In fact, I was so excited that I made a goal for myself to complete my transition pathway in one year instead of two.”
Working with counselors Jed Schleuter and Lise Flocken at MiraCosta College, Sri charted a course that saw her take as many classes as possible, starting in the summer of 2023 and finishing the following summer.
Said Sri, “My counselors were really helpful to make sure my course plan was set up and my APs transferred over properly and make sure I didn't miss anything. I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
Making matters even better, MiraCosta College’s flexible approach to learning meant that Sri could balance her time between family and schoolwork, just as she had always wanted. And while the pace was challenging, Sri was steadfast in her goal.
At every turn, Sri took advantage of the professors on campus who were always willing to spend extra time helping students learn the subjects. Whenever she had a question, she didn’t hesitate to ask and found that dedicated support from her professors an important factor in her journey.
“What I loved most is that the MiraCosta College professors were always willing to take time outside of class to help students and make sure we understood the subject,” said Sri. “They spent so much time helping me that it made the rigor of my coursework that much easier.”
Wasting no time, Sri worked with the MiraCosta College counselors to submit her application to UC San Diego in hopes that this time would be different. As months passed, Sri kept herself busy with coursework but always had her mind focused on what UC San Diego would say. Then, in April 2024, she finally heard back.
One year after getting waitlisted at UC San Diego, Sri was accepted to her dream school and would be starting on campus that fall.
“It was an incredible moment,” recalled Sri.
Now an engineering student at UC San Diego, Sri is already looking ahead. Following in her father's footsteps as an electrical engineer, Sri is particularly interested in machine learning and controls, inspired in part by a research paper she wrote while at MiraCosta. True to form, Sri is exploring an accelerated BS/MS program at the university and is excited for what the future holds in the local workforce.