What do UCs care about most?

Academic grade point average in all completed A-G courses, including additional points for completed UC-certified honors courses. Your grades are the most important thing the UCs consider when it comes to your application.

What qualities do UCs 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 ...

What do the UC schools value?

What is the most important part of UC application?

Your grades and GPA are considered the most important elements of the UC application review process. For all UCs, a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required in the A-G courses for California applicants and a 3.4 minimum for non-residents.

What do the UCs look for in essays?

Keep in mind

It's about getting to know your personality, background, interests and achievements in your own unique voice. Use the additional comments field if there are issues you'd like to address that you didn't have the opportunity to discuss elsewhere on the application.

Everything You Need to Know About the UC Schools

How do you ace UC essays?

In general, the first (setup) section of the essay should be shorter because it will not be focused on what you were doing. The second section should take the rest of the space. So, in a 350-word essay, maybe 100–125 words go to setup whereas 225–250 words should be devoted to your leadership and solution.

Do UCs care a lot about essays?

Do not waste your 350 words on writing style. The UCs don't even score answers on grammar. (They do score on what you write, though, so do make sure your writing is clear and easy to understand.) Your big focus should be on the information that matters to your UC admissions readers.

How can I increase my chances of getting into a UC?

Get good grades in those hard classes. You don't have to be perfect, but you will need to do well. We've seen students with C's or even a D get into Berkeley, but it's the exception that proves the rule. You should strive to do as well as possible, starting in 9th grade.

Do UCs look at senior year grades?

UCs do look at courses you take in freshman and senior years; the grades and rigor of your coursework are considered in context of your overall curriculum. But freshman and senior year grades are NOT included in the GPA calculation. UC-approved Honors, AP, IB and community college courses are weighted.

What are the easiest UC to get into?

UC Merced, with an acceptance rate of 87%, is the easiest UC school to get into. It's the UC system's newest campus, offering 25 majors and 18 graduate programs. Its three schools focus on engineering, natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and art.

Which UC is hardest to get into?

The three most difficult schools to get into — UCLA, UC Berkeley and UC Irvine — also have the highest enrollment rates, which is defined as the percentage of admitted students who chose to attend the school.

What does top 9% mean for UC?

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 grades do UCs look at?

UCs do look at the courses you take in senior year and take the rigor into consideration when evaluating you for admission; but as long as you maintain satisfactory grades (typically an unweighted B average, with no non-passing grades, is sufficient), your performance in your senior year courses will NOT affect your ...

What do UCs care about?

Academic grade point average in all completed A-G courses, including additional points for completed UC-certified honors courses. Your grades are the most important thing the UCs consider when it comes to your application.

What kind of students does UC want?

We look for persistence, passion, and a desire to give back. It doesn't matter whether you're the first in your family to attend college or you're the latest in a long tradition of educational excellence: You stand up and you stand out. Keep in mind that at Berkeley we receive far more applications than we can admit.

Do UCs give rejection letters?

Yes, they do. Once UC admissions decisions are released, you will get a status update on your applicant portal. Once you click “view status update,” it will either display an acceptance letter, a waitlist letter, or a rejection letter.

Do UCs accept D grades?

Grades of D

A grade of D (including plus/minus) in a transferable course will count toward the number of transferable units you have completed. However, you must earn a grade of C or better when completing the seven-course pattern. And, in most cases, grades of D do not satisfy major or general education requirements.

Do UCs accept C grades?

You need to earn a grade of C or better in each course or a Pass (P) grade if pass is equivalent to a C (2.00).

Why is it so hard to get into UCs?

Why Are the UC Schools Hard to Get Into? Admission to UC schools is competitive and for good reason: students flock to the UCs because of their high rankings and exceptional academic quality.

Which UC school is the most prestigious?

US News ties UCLA with UC Berkeley at #1 on the list of top public schools, and Forbes ranks it as the #6 university in America.

Is it possible to get a full ride to a UC?

For California students whose annual family income is under $80,000 and who qualify for financial aid, systemwide tuition and fees will be fully covered by gift aid (grants and scholarships) during the first four years at UC (or two years for transfer students).

Does Cosmos help with UC admissions?

Some UC campuses give special consideration to those who have participated in COSMOS. Non-UC schools may also be familiar with COSMOS. We encourage you to keep a copy of your COSMOS acceptance letter as well as your Certificate of Completion for verification of participation.

Should UC essays be straightforward?

It's okay to answer the personal insight questions in a direct, straightforward way.

Do UCs look at Common App essays?

The UCs don't ask you to share your Common App essay but honestly, this question is pretty much the same as prompt 7 on the Common App. This essay is much shorter, however, most students can utilize their Common App essay here.

Do UCs compare you to your school?

The UCs evaluate applications in context, meaning that you are compared to your peers (those who attend the same high school as you).