What qualities do UC schools look for in students?

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 UC schools not look at?

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 do the UC schools value?

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 do UC schools require?

Everything You Need to Know About the UC Schools

What is the UC 9 rule?

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.

Are UC schools harder to get into?

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.

Do UC schools look at personal statement?

Most UC campuses require a personal statement in addition to a statement of purpose.

What are UC schools looking for in essays?

The UC application essays are your way to give admissions staff a sense of your personality, your perspective on the world, and some of the experiences that have made you into who you are. The idea is to share the kinds of things that don't end up on your transcript.

Does UC care about essays?

Since there are fewer components to the application for admission, essays account for up to 35% of the admissions decision at the most competitive UCs, such as UC Berkeley and UCLA.

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 most competitive UC school?

UCLA generally experiences the highest number of applicants, making it one of the most popular UC schools. In 2022, UCLA received 139,489 applicants. It's also the most selective, with a 9% acceptance rate. Close runners-up include UC Berkeley, UCSD, and UCI.

What is the hardest UC to get into ranked?

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.

Which UC is the easiest to get into?

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.

What makes a good UC applicant?

The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC. 1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

Should UC essays be straightforward?

However, it's worth reiterating: keep your writing straightforward in the PIQs. The UCs themselves say, “We want to hear the students' everyday voice [using] language that reflects who they are.” As you revise, focus on clarity. Ask your coaches or reviewers where you're writing is confusing.

Do UC essays have to be 350 words?

The Requirements: 4 out of 8 essays, 350 words each. The UC application sounds like a riddle. Every student must write four essays, but choose from eight prompts. The rules may be unfamiliar, but the game is the same: tell admissions something they don't know – and then do it three more times!

Does UC ask for proof of activities?

We verify the accuracy of a student's academic record with certified transcripts and test score reports. We also select random applications from the applicant pool each year for verification of applicants' activities and achievements outside of the classroom through requests for documentation.

Do UC schools look at Common App essay?

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.

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.

What grades matter for UC?

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 ...

Why is UC so hard to get in?

The pool is ridiculously flooded with qualified applicants to the point where over half of the UCs have average student GPAs above 4.0. With demand far exceeding supply, the UC system can only guarantee a spot to the top 9% of California students, leaving the remaining 91% in the dark.