Mt. San Antonio College to UCLA
Biology Transfer Plan
Semester-by-semester courses, IGETC requirements, and major prerequisites — verified from real articulation data.
From
Mt. San Antonio College
To
UCLA
BiologyGPA Reality Check
UCLA's minimum GPA to apply as a transfer is 2.0 for California residents, but admitted Biology students in Fall 2024 had GPAs ranging from 3.80 to 4.00 — that's essentially a straight-A floor. The courses that matter most for your major prep GPA are your chemistry and calculus sequences, since those are the first things reviewers look at for a Biology applicant. A B in Organic Chemistry won't disqualify you, but a string of B's across CHEM 50, 51, 60, and 68 will put you at a serious disadvantage against applicants who aced them.
Transfer Alliance Program (TAP)
Mt. SAC has its own Honors Program that feeds directly into UCLA's Transfer Alliance Program (TAP). To get TAP-certified, you need to complete at least 15 units of Honors coursework at Mt. SAC with a minimum 3.2 GPA in those courses and a 3.2 cumulative UC-transferable GPA — then sign your UCLA TAP Applicant Form online in late January or mid-February when Honors staff alert you by email. TAP-certified Mt. SAC students are 2–3 times more likely to be admitted to UCLA than non-certified Mt. SAC applicants, making this the single highest-leverage move you can make.
Major Requirements
Biology (College of Letters and Science, B.S.) Major Preparation
Biology (College of Letters and Science, B.S.) at UCLA
Courses at Mt. San Antonio College that satisfy UCLA's Biology major preparation, verified via ASSIST.org.
UCLA offers several life sciences B.S. degrees that students confuse with Biology: Molecular, Cell & Developmental Biology (MCDB) focuses on cellular and genetic mechanisms, while Ecology, Behavior & Evolution (EBE) emphasizes organismal and environmental biology. Physiological Science is a separate major in the same college. Each has distinct upper-division requirements — confirm which fits your career goals before applying.
| Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Satisfies at UCLA | Units |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 50 — General Chemistry I | CHEM 20A — Chemical Structure | 5 |
| CHEM 51 — General Chemistry II | CHEM 20B — Chemical Energetics and Change | 5 |
| CHEM 60 — Organic Chemistry I | CHEM 30A — Organic Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHEM 68 — Organic Chemistry II with Lab | CHEM 30B / 30BL — Organic Chemistry II | 5 |
| MATH 180 — Calculus I | MATH 31A — Differential Calculus | 4 |
| MATH 181 — Calculus II | MATH 31B — Integration and Infinite Series | 4 |
| MATH 110 — Statistics | STATS 10 — Introduction to Statistical Reasoning | 4 |
| No equivalent at Mt. San Antonio College | LS 7A — Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity (Introductory Life Sciences series) | — |
| No equivalent at Mt. San Antonio College | LS 7B — Genetics, Evolution, and Ecology | — |
| No equivalent at Mt. San Antonio College | LS 7C — Cell Biology and Physiology | — |
Courses with no equivalent must be taken at UCLA after transfer. Factor this into your first-year course plan.
General Education
Foundation GE at Mt. San Antonio College
Complete these five courses at Mt. San Antonio College to start your UCLA GE pattern. Finishing full IGETC/Cal-GETC at the CC is ideal — these five give you the broadest head start, and CCN-tagged courses stay portable if you switch community colleges.
BIOL 1
General Biology
CHEM 10
Chemistry for Allied Health Majors
HIST 1
History of the United States
ENGL C1000
Academic Reading and Writing
ENGL C1001
Critical Thinking and Writing
| Area | Course at Mt. San Antonio College | Units |
|---|---|---|
Life Science | BIOL 1 — General Biology | 4 |
Physical Science | CHEM 10 — Chemistry for Allied Health Majors | 5 |
Humanities | HIST 1 — History of the United States | 3 |
English CompositionCCN | ENGL C1000 — Academic Reading and Writing | 4 |
Critical ThinkingCCN | ENGL C1001 — Critical Thinking and Writing | 4 |
CHEM 50 → CHEM 51 → CHEM 60 → CHEM 68
Your entire chemistry sequence is a strict chain — each course requires the one before it, spanning a minimum of four semesters. Start CHEM 50 (General Chemistry I) in your very first semester at Mt. SAC, or you risk not completing Organic Chemistry II before UCLA reviews your application in January.
UCLA runs on quarters — Mt. SAC runs on semesters
Your two Mt. SAC semesters of calculus or chemistry will translate into roughly three UCLA quarter-length courses, so expect the pace to feel significantly faster once you arrive — UCLA quarter terms are only 10 weeks long.
Preview
Your First Semester
A preview of what Pipeline generates — exact courses, in the right order, every semester.
Watch Out
Common Mistakes for This Transfer Path
Get TAP-Certified Before You Apply
Mt. SAC's Honors Program is a direct pipeline to UCLA's Transfer Alliance Program, and it's one of the strongest advantages you have as a Mt. SAC student. You need 15 units of Honors coursework and a 3.2 cumulative UC-transferable GPA to get certified — start taking Honors sections of your science and math courses (like BIOL 4H) as early as your first semester so you're not scrambling to hit 15 units in your last term.
The LS Series Has No Mt. SAC Equivalent — Plan Accordingly
UCLA's introductory Life Sciences series (LS 7A, LS 7B, and LS 7C) has no articulated equivalent at Mt. San Antonio College — none of your Mt. SAC biology courses will substitute for it. This is unique to Mt. SAC compared to some other TAP colleges. You'll take this three-course sequence after you arrive at UCLA, so don't count on completing your Biology major prep before transfer the way you would at a college with LS articulation.
Don't Wait to Start Chemistry
The Chemistry sequence — CHEM 50, 51, 60, and 68 — is a four-semester chain that must be started in your very first semester at Mt. SAC if you want any realistic shot at finishing before your application. Students who push CHEM 50 to their second semester often discover they can't complete Organic Chemistry II before UCLA's December application deadline, forcing them to apply with incomplete major prep, which puts them at a major disadvantage in a pool where most admitted Biology students have a 3.80+ GPA.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What GPA do I need to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College to UCLA for Biology?
The published UC minimum is 2.0, but admitted UCLA Biology transfer students in Fall 2024 had a mid-50th percentile GPA range of 3.80–4.00. Aiming for a 3.8 or higher — especially in your science and math courses like CHEM 50, CHEM 60, and MATH 180 — gives you a realistic shot at being competitive.
Does Mt. San Antonio College have courses that satisfy the UCLA Life Sciences intro series (LS 7A, 7B, 7C)?
No — Mt. San Antonio College has no articulated equivalents for UCLA's LS 7A, LS 7B, LS 7C, or the lab course LS 7L. This is confirmed by UCLA's Life Sciences Core articulation list. You will take this three-quarter introductory biology sequence after you transfer and enroll at UCLA.
What is the Transfer Alliance Program (TAP) and how does it help Mt. SAC students transfer to UCLA Biology?
TAP is a partnership between UCLA and Mt. SAC's Honors Program that gives certified students priority consideration for admission to UCLA's College of Letters and Science, which houses Biology. Mt. SAC students need to complete at least 15 units of Honors coursework with a 3.2 GPA in those courses and a 3.2 cumulative UC-transferable GPA to qualify. TAP-certified Mt. SAC students are 2–3 times more likely to be admitted to UCLA than uncertified applicants from the same school.
Which Mt. San Antonio College chemistry courses transfer to UCLA for the Biology major?
CHEM 50 (General Chemistry I) and CHEM 51 (General Chemistry II) articulate to UCLA's CHEM 20A and 20B. CHEM 60 (Organic Chemistry I) and CHEM 68 (Organic Chemistry II with Lab) satisfy UCLA's CHEM 30A and 30B/30BL requirements. All four courses are required lower-division prep for the Biology B.S. — they form a strict four-semester chain, so start with CHEM 50 immediately.
How many students apply to transfer to UCLA, and what are the odds for Biology specifically?
In Fall 2024, 27,167 students applied to transfer to UCLA across all majors. Biology specifically had a 20% admit rate with a mid-50th percentile GPA of 3.80–4.00 among admitted students. That's more selective than the university's overall 22% transfer rate, reflecting Biology's popularity as a pre-med pathway.
Explore More
Related Transfer Plans
Students planning to transfer from Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) to UCLA for Biology are navigating one of the most competitive pathways in the UC system. In Fall 2024, UCLA's Biology transfer admit rate was 20%, with admitted students showing a mid-50th percentile GPA range of 3.80–4.00 — figures that underscore just how seriously transfer planning needs to be taken from day one at Mt. SAC. The Biology B.S. lives in UCLA's College of Letters and Science, and completing the right major prerequisites before applying is non-negotiable. That means working through CHEM 50 (General Chemistry I), CHEM 51, CHEM 60 (Organic Chemistry I), and CHEM 68 in sequence, alongside MATH 180 (Calculus I) and MATH 181. One critical detail unique to Mt. San Antonio College students: unlike some other transfer institutions, Mt. SAC has no articulated equivalent for UCLA's introductory Life Sciences series — LS 7A, LS 7B, and LS 7C will all need to be taken after transfer. On the IGETC front, Biology students at UCLA can use IGETC to satisfy most lower-division general education requirements, giving Mt. SAC students flexibility to front-load their science prep. IGETC courses like ENGL 1A can be layered in alongside major prerequisites. The single biggest strategic advantage available to Mt. SAC biology hopefuls is the Transfer Alliance Program (TAP): certified students are 2–3 times more likely to gain admission than non-certified applicants. Students who want to map out their full semester-by-semester plan — accounting for prerequisite chains, IGETC coverage, and TAP certification timelines — can use Pipeline to build a personalized roadmap that keeps all of these moving parts organized and on track.
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