Most students typically attend community college to receive an Associate’s Degree or transfer to a 4-year university. But those looking to transfer are in for a challenge with the current state of education in California. Tuition is steadily rising, and schools are accepting fewer transfers every year.

On the surface, the new Transfer Admission Guarantee program appears to be a step in the right direction toward assisting students’ transfer hopes. But when one takes a good look at the revamped TAG, it is clear it is not enough, and not entirely fair.

The program guarantees admission to seven schools in the University of California system, three in the California State University system, and two private schools.

It’s nice to see the college making an attempt to assist students in their continued education, but these schools will only work for some students. Once transfer hopefuls see the schools covered under TAG, they may come to realize they don’t have an option that fits their financial situation or their field of study.

The top two institutions in the UC system, UCLA and UC Berkeley are excluded from the program. On the Cal State side, only CSU Channel Islands grants admission to students from the United States. CSU Northridge and San Francisco State University only grant admission for international students through TAG.

With 23 campuses in the Cal State system, having just one in the TAG agreement is unacceptable. Especially when CSU’s are easier on your wallet and offer majors unavailable at some of the UC campuses.

To have seven UC schools and only one CSU involved seems illogical. Having two of the most popular CSU’s only guarantee international students admission isn’t fair to those born and raised in California or in the United States as a whole.

Some of the most popular CSU campuses: Fullerton, Long Beach and San Diego, are completely left out. Even if these school’s requirements were potentially tough to attain, they should be options.

Popular UC campuses included in TAG, such as UCSB or UC Davis, have specific requirements that may be different from the rest of the schools available in TAG. Students may need to target one or two schools to ensure fufilling their requirements.

Also, City College’s Transfer Center fails to publicize the possibility of out of state transfers. Utilizing the Western Undergraduate Exchange program, students can attempt to transfer to over 100 schools across the Western US at just 150 percent of the cost that in-state students pay.

It’s great to see City College making an attempt to work through the difficult time our state is having to give us options, but it is simply not enough, and is generally unfair to certain students.

To those left out of the new TAG program: good luck finding your own way out. You’re going to need it.