By Lookout Staff

December 12, 2022 -- There was no internet to read the news when Santa Monica College (SMC) began its record 32-year streak as the number one transfer college to the University of California (UC) system.

The World Wide Web was still two years away, and the vast majority of students who kept the streak alive this year hadn't been born.

To keep the streak alive during the 2021-2022 academic year, SMC sent 1,200 students to UC campuses -- 147 more transfers than the No.2 feeder college, according to transfer data released recently by the UC Information Center.

SMC also maintained the No. 1 spot for African American and Latino transfers to the UC, and continues to remain the leading transfer college to the University of Southern California (USC) and Loyola Marymount University (LMU).

In addition, the college is the top feeder west of the Mississippi to the Ivy League Columbia University, sending 26 students in spring and fall, college officials said.

“This is not an achievement we take for granted," SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery said of the 32-year streak.

"The numbers speak to the immeasurable dedication of SMC’s faculty, counselors and staff, as well as this college’s long, storied legacy of leaving no stone unturned when it comes to supporting students’ success.

"And most of all, this latest data underscores the hard work of SMC’s highly motivated students whose determination to overcome disruptions -- even a pandemic -- helped them attain their goal to transfer successfully to the respective college or university of their dreams."

Of the 1,200 UC transfers, 246 were Latino students and 59 African American students, according to the annual data.

UCLA continued to be the most popular destination, with 412 of the headed to the Westwood campus, followed by UC San Diego with 194 SMC transfers and UC Irvine with 133.

SMC also had more students enrolled at USC (124) and Loyola Marymount University (117) than any other community college.

In addition, SMC ranked third in total combined transfers to the UC and California State University (CSU) systems with 2,417 students, up from 2,319 combined transfers last year.

SMC offers Transfer Admission Guarantees (TAGs) to several universities for students who meet specific requirements, school officials said.

Its Scholars Program prepares students from under-served communities by focusing on academic preparation and study for university-level work and by offering intensive counseling and support, officials said.

“SMC students have shown they are tough and flexible because they stayed the course and remained focused despite the incredible barriers and challenges they faced every day," said interim SMC Transfer Center Faculty Lead Teresa Garcia.