LOS ANGELES (AP) - The state's community colleges are preparing for a crush of students who were turned away from the state's public universities because of state budget cuts.

More than 10,000 students who had the grades and SAT scores to enroll in the University of California or California State University systems are being told to apply instead to community colleges, then transfer to the campus of their choice in two years. That's further crowding a community college system that last year turned away tens of thousands of students due to overcrowding.

Enrollment opens Monday at some of the state's community colleges, and officials are worried about whether they'll be able to handle so many more applicants when they can't afford to add classes. They urged students to sign up quickly.

"If they wait, then there's nothing we can do for them. The classes will be gone," said Darroch "Rocky" Young, acting senior vice chancellor for the nine-member Los Angeles Community College District. Last year lack of money forced the district to turn away 5,000 students and cut 1,000 classes.

Under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed budget, both the UC and CSU systems were told to reduce incoming freshmen enrollment for 2004-2005 by 10 percent.

About 7,600 UC-eligible students received letters telling them they could be admitted to the campus of their choice if they completed their first two years at a community college. The CSU is sending similar letters offering guaranteed transfer options to at least 3,800 students.

Many students who received guaranteed transfer option letters were disappointed that their years of working to qualify for a university won't get them into one this fall.

"When I got my UC letter, I was crying," said Leonela Colque, 17, who has a 3.5 grade-point average at North Hollywood High School. "I was really mad. I worked so hard all four years of high school, and there are other people who didn't do anything and barely graduated, and they're going to community college. It feels as though all my hard work was for nothing."

Colque had hoped to attend UCLA, UC Santa Barbara or UC Davis, but now plans to attend Pasadena City College. She and other graduates will be given no enrollment priority over other incoming students at community colleges.

"There is no way for us to give them priority," said Joy McCaslin, vice president for student services at Pierce College.

Students who do sign up for community college classes may also find that it takes more than two years to finish their lower division course work so they can transfer.