De Anza College students aiming to transfer next fall are facing new difficulties in the transfer process, as a result of COVID-19.

This fall, as college application season begins, transfer students have said that the limited resources available during the pandemic has made the application process harder.

“Applying this quarter is much more difficult compared to when I applied in high school,” said Brendan Dietrich, 21, business administration major. “I have run into troubles with transferring courses and due to the pandemic and wildfires, I have had to pause my work in order to evacuate.”

Transfer students used to be able to meet with counselors in person and visit universities in order to grasp their environments. Being stuck at home has made doing so difficult.

“Everything is much more difficult,” said Giselle Herrera Rivera, 19,  psychology major. “I’m unsure on how to start the application and with filled appointments for counselors, I find myself lost. I worry about getting in.” 

Schools under the Transfer Admission Guarantee or TAG program, such as UC Davis and UC Irvine, extended their Transfer Admission Guarantee application deadline to Oct. 15, allowing transfer students, both local and international, more time to work. 

Unlike students born in the country, international students have faced even more difficult times with language barriers and the lack of counselor guidance from both the college and admissions offices. 

Students must also still meet GPA and credit requirements, which some are finding difficult through online learning.

“Online classes are much harder to understand,” Michele Olayo, 19, nursing major, said. “I feel like I can not fully grasp the material.”

The application deadline for California State Universities and UC schools is Nov. 30.