Do UC schools look at recommendations?

UC does not require (nor read) letters of recommendation at the time of application. A campus may ask for them later as part of a supplemental review, so be sure to check your email.

Do UC schools look at letters of recommendation?

You should not submit letters of recommendation for the UC application. However, some campuses/majors may request letters of recommendation as part of a supplemental application review. Be sure to check for an email message from a campus.

What do UC schools not look at?

Test Scores Section

All UC campuses other than UCSD, UCLA, and UC Merced will not consider SAT/ACT testing for admission. UCSD, UCLA, and UC Merced will be test-optional, so you can submit your scores if you choose, but it will not hurt you if you do not submit test scores.

What do UC schools look for the most?

While academic achievement is the most important criterion the UCs consider, majority of the UCs also pay attention to applicant achievements outside of the classroom. Given how competitive the top UCs are, extracurricular activities are also a way for you to distinguish yourself from other highly qualified applicants.

How many teacher recommendations do you need for UC schools?

One letter must be written by an academic teacher or instructor. The second letter can be written by anyone the student selects, ideally someone who knows them well. Examples include a second teacher, college adviser or counselor, a coach, employer, clergy, etc.

Everything You Need to Know About the UC Schools

What do the UC schools look for?

Special talents, achievements and awards in a particular field, such as visual and performing arts, communication or athletic endeavors; special skills, such as demonstrated written and oral proficiency in other languages; special interests, such as intensive study and exploration of other cultures; experiences that ...

How many recommendation letters do UC need?

Letters of Recommendation

Recommendation letters play a very important role in your application, so it is important to have strong relationships with faculty . You may submit anywhere from 2 to 8 letters, depending on the award.

What is the hardest UC to get into?

The odds of getting into the UC system can drastically differ depending on which campuses a student applies to. UCLA and Berkeley are the most competitive campuses, with just 10% and 17% of California applicants, respectively, admitted to each in 2021.

What is the 9% UC rule?

The updated Statewide Index is used to determine eligibility for the statewide guarantee. The Statewide Index identifies California-resident students in the top 9 percent of California high school graduates and offers these students a guaranteed space at a UC campus, if space is available.

What is the easiest UC to get accepted to?

UC Merced is the easiest school to get into. It has an acceptance rate of 87%.

Which UC is least competitive?

Most likely, they're offered a place at Merced or Riverside, the easiest of the UCs to get into and the ones with the lowest enrollment rates — in 2022, 92% of in-state applicants to Merced were admitted, but just 1 in 10 accepted a spot.

Are UC schools harder to get into?

While these are very competitive public schools, they have much larger numbers admitted than the smaller private universities, so they are easier to get into. Not by much—the rates in 2022 were 8.6 percent for UCLA and 11.4 percent for Berkeley, while Stanford accepted 4 percent and Harvard 4.6 percent of applicants.

Do UC schools look at social media?

For anyone nervous about Harvard revoking the admission offers of incoming students over offensive memes, the UCs are not going to monitor your social media (this is NOT an open invitation for you to become a terrible person).

Do letters of recommendation matter?

Letters of recommendation are particularly valuable to admissions officers because the experiences that high school counselors and teachers describe can help them paint a better overall picture of who you are and the impact you will have on campus.

What do schools look for in letters of recommendation?

Admissions officers want to learn about your personal qualities and strengths from your recommenders. These personal qualities could include integrity, caring for others, thoughtfulness, humor, and passion. Two traits they especially value are demonstrated leadership and strength of character.

Are students supposed to see letters of recommendation?

But when it comes time to choose, many students are unsure of the best option. Generally speaking, waiving your right to view your letters of recommendation is ideal. While you can retain the right to view them, many admissions officers consider waiving the right as more honest.

Do the UC schools admit by major?

You can declare a major, or apply as undeclared, on your UC application form. For freshmen applying to a major in the College, your choice of major will neither help nor hurt your prospects for admission. In fact, a large number of freshman applicants apply as undeclared.

Am I guaranteed to get into a UC?

If you rank in the top 9 percent of California students according to our updated Statewide Index you will be eligible for the Statewide Guarantee.

Is it possible to not get into any UC?

If you rank among the top 9 percent of students throughout the state or in your graduating class, you are guaranteed admission (space permitting). If you're not admitted to any of the UC campuses to which you applied, you'll be offered admission at one of the other UC campuses.

Which UC has the lowest acceptance rate?

UCLA and UC Berkeley are often considered the crown jewels of California public universities. Those two schools boast the lowest admissions rates among California public schools, with three other UCs — Irvine, San Diego and Santa Barbara — rounding out the top five.

Which UC has the least students?

UC Merced is the smallest, with about 8,000 undergraduate students.

Which UC is least expensive?

UC Merced is the cheapest UC school. Students paid an average annual net price of $13,549 in 2021-2022 at UC Merced, according to NCES. In contrast, the most expensive UC school is UC Berkeley, which charged an average annual net price of $19,257 that same year.

Do UC schools require essays?

There are eight essay prompts (called “personal insight questions”) on the UC application. UC requires students to answer four of the personal insight questions, and there's no right answer about which ones you choose. Each of the eight UC personal insight questions has a 350 word limit.

How many recommendation letters is too many to ask for?

Most colleges will ask for up to three letters of recommendation, so keep that in mind and don't overdo it. If a school wants two recommendation letters, only submit two.

How many essays do you need for UC applications?

The University of California application allows candidates to apply to all UC campuses at once and consists of eight essay prompts—more commonly known as the “Personal Insight Questions.” Applicants must choose FOUR of these questions to answer and are given a total of 350 words to answer each question.