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I'm working on my UC application, and I've taken some courses that don't fit neatly into the categories they provide. How should I include this coursework in my application? Is there a section for 'other' or additional courses?

Adding non-specified coursework in your UC application can be a bit confusing since the categories provided may not perfectly incorporate the type of course you took. However, there is a way to include these unique courses in your application.

First, under the 'Academic History' section, you'll find a subsection labelled 'A-G Courses.' Although UC applications are designed around the a-g course requirements, there is a category designated "G: College-Preparatory Electives" where you can include any non-specified coursework that might still be considered college-preparatory in nature.

If your course doesn't fit into any of the A-G categories, you can use the 'Additional Comments' box within the same 'Academic History' section to provide context for these courses. Make sure to include the course name, where you took it, its length, and what you learned from the course. Emphasize how the course contributed to your academic development and any special circumstances surrounding it.

Additionally, you may describe any unique or non-specified coursework in the 'Activities and Awards' section, particularly if the course was part of an extracurricular program or a special interest pursued outside of school.

Remember that any course you list should have academic value and relevance to your college education. Make sure to explain its significance and demonstrate its impact on your overall educational experience in your UC application. This will help college admissions officers understand the value and relevance of the coursework you've completed outside the traditional categories.

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A Step-by-Step Guide to the University of California Application

Padya Paramita

September 17, 2020

If you’re a California resident - or you just can’t wait to move to the west coast - you might have your eyes on one or a few of the University of California schools . Students only have to fill out each of the sections within the one University of California application system in order to be considered for admission at any number of UC schools. Upon completing the sections, you can send your application to any or all of the following schools:

• UC Berkeley
• UC Riverside 
• UC San Diego
• UC Santa Barbara
• UC Santa Cruz

So how do you navigate this centralized system and enter your information in a way that is organized and easy to navigate? The University of California application portal is divided into the following categories:

Start Your Application

• Campuses & Majors

Academic History

Activities & awards.

Test Scores

Personal Insight

It might seem overwhelming, so you need to take it one section at a time. To guide you through the dos and don’ts of each portion, I’ve outlined them, how to strategize your answers, and any information necessary to make sure you take full advantage of the University of California application . 

The first section is very basic. The University of California application starts out by seeking logistical information - when you want to start college, how to reach out to you, and whether you’re a California - or US - resident.

• Term & Level
• Address & Phone
• Citizenship

Term and Level - Indicate when you wish to enroll at college and whether you’ll be a freshman, transfer, or starting a second degree. It’s pretty straightforward and obviously helps admissions officers organize your file and understand your context.

Address & Phone - Simply insert your contact information into the University of California application system so that each school knows how to reach you! They might send brochures, ask clarifying questions regarding your application, and of course, announce your admissions decision.

Be careful when typing into these boxes. Make sure you haven’t mixed up digits on your phone number or accidentally put in your school address instead of your home address.

Citizenship & Residency - Next, the University of California application asks for your citizenship information. You also have to enter your social security number if you have one. 

Since in-state versus out-of-state tuitions are different, the UC system needs to know whether you’re a California resident or not. Another important factor to note here is that the minimum required GPA to apply to any of the UC institutes is 3.0 for California residents and 3.4 for non-residents for all of the schools within the UC system. This is another reason why the University of California application wants to know your state of residence. Keep this academic threshold in mind when thinking about how competitive you’ll be for these institutions.

Campuses & Majors - This is the section where you let the system know exactly which of the UC schools you’re interested in applying to and how many, so that all of your components reach the correct institutions.

You must select a major for each of the schools on your list and the major you choose may be different throughout your UC applications, depending on what is available at each campus. The University of California application system also lets you know if certain programs or colleges within the institutions aren’t open to freshmen. For example, At UC Berkeley, first year students cannot apply directly to the Haas School of Business – so if you’re hoping to attend the undergraduate business school , you have to wait until sophomore year. For now, select the College of Letters and Science with a pre-business major.

If you wish to apply to UC San Diego, you have to rank the six undergraduate colleges within UCSD (Revelle College, John Muir College, Thurgood Marshall College, Earl Warren College, Eleanor Roosevelt College, or Sixth College) in order of your preference. Don’t worry, this is just to make sure that admissions officers know what your second and third choice colleges are in case there are no spots left in your first choice, but you might fit into another school. The order of ranking of colleges does not affect the chances for admission into UC San Diego.

The About You section is divided into three parts:

• Personal Information
• Parent Information
• Family Size & Income

Personal Information - The Personal Information section asks that you indicate the languages you speak, whether you're married, whether you’ll be enlisted in the army when you enroll in college, and whether you’ve been in foster care. Again, these questions help admissions officers understand you, your interests, and your circumstances better.

Parent Information - The second part of About You actually asks about your parents. Make sure you’ve verified their exact job titles, their educational information, and typed in all of the details correctly.

Family Size & Income - Next, the University of California application would like to know how many people are dependent on your parents and your household income. Unlike the FAFSA , this information isn’t used to calculate your financial aid qualifications. Instead, it determines your eligibility for an application fee waiver. This could be helpful, since the UC colleges charge an application fee of $70 per school.

For the Academic History section, you have to elaborate on the following:

• 7th/8th Grade Courses
• High Schools & Courses
• Colleges & Courses (In HS)
• Other Academic History

7th/8th Grade Courses - Don’t worry, you don’t necessarily need to start looking for your junior high report cards! But if you took any high school level math or English classes in the seventh or eighth grade, this is the place to add it.

Even though the copy of your transcript sent by your school usually won’t include seventh and eighth grade results, the UC schools want to know about the foundation of your coursework. As a result, you should include any high school level classes you took in middle school, along with any foreign languages you studied at an advanced level before the ninth grade. However, if you got a grade below a C in these, don’t report them!

High School & Courses - Naturally, the University of California application wants to know your high school information so that admissions officers can learn about your school environment and the location where you grew up. Along with mentioning which school you attend, you have to mention how long you attended the institution, how the grading system works, as well as whether the school runs on a semester, quarter, or trimester schedule.

Once you’ve listed your high school, it’s time to add all courses taken. Add these by grade level, starting with the ninth grade. You need to first select the Subject Area/Course Category of the course to be entered (e.g. English, Math, etc.). Make sure your classes align with the A-G course system that is required to gain admission into each of the UC schools. The UCs will allow pass/credit grades for A-G courses during COVID-19 to accommodate that might have been implemented by your school.

The UC schools really do care that students have completed this coursework! The requirements are: 

• “A” History / Social Science (2 years)  - Two years of history/social science, including one year of world history, cultures, and geography; and one year of US history, or one-half year of US history AND one-half year of American government.
• “B” English (4 years) - Four years of college-preparatory English. If taking ESL-type classes, only the highest year can be counted towards this requirement.
• “C” Math (3 years required; 4 years recommended) - Three years of college preparatory mathematics; the minimum pattern is Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II. Math courses taken in the 7th and 8th grades that the student’s high school accepts as equivalent to its own may be used to fulfill a part of this requirement.
• “D” Laboratory Science (2 years required; 3 years recommended) - Two years of laboratory science in at least two of these three subjects: biology, chemistry, and physics.
• “E” Language Other than English (2 years required; 3 years recommended) - Two years of the same language other than English. Courses taken in the 7th and 8th grades may be used to fulfill part of this requirement if the student’s high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses.
• “F” Visual and Performing Arts (1 year) - A single, yearlong visual or performing arts class such as dance, drama, music, or visual art (drawing, painting, etc).
• “G” College Preparatory Elective (1 year) - One year chosen from additional "A-F" courses beyond those used to satisfy the requirements above or courses that have been approved elective classes.

If you’re a California resident, you should use the course name as listed in the UC pre-approved course list . If you’re not a California resident or your courses meet the UC criteria but aren’t included in the list, you’ll need to self-enter the coursework.

Now we come to the Activities & Awards section, which includes the following:

• Coursework Other Than A-G
• Educational Prep Programs
• Volunteer & Community Service
• Work Experience
• Awards & Honors
• Extracurricular Activities
• Review Activities & Awards

The UC Activities & Honors section gives you up to 5 entries for each of these categories. It’s also important to think carefully and strategically about hobbies, internships, jobs, and volunteering experiences! Prioritize your most meaningful and impressive activities and honors first as you think about how to order all of your information.

Coursework Other Than A-G - This is a straightforward question - if you’ve taken any classes in high school that don’t fit within the A-G format, such as a course in religion or leadership, this is the place to put it. Note that this doesn’t include non-academic courses like PE.

Educational Prep Programs - This is the place to indicate whether you’ve been involved with any community-based organizations. The drop-down menu includes a list of common programs such as AVID, Upward Bound, Gear Up, and UC Scholars. If a program that you’ve participated in is not included, manually enter it. You have to include which grades you participated in the program, the amount of time you spent participating, and a brief description of the program.

Volunteer & Community Service - If you’ve volunteered with a national organization or in your community, the University of California application systems asks that you list the name of the organization, along with the years you were involved with the activity, the time you spent with the activity each week and year, along with 250 characters to describe the initiative and 350 more for what you did as part of the service. Knowing about your community involvement helps universities understand your priorities and provides a sense of how you might contribute to the college community.

Work Experience - Participating in paid work during high school conveys to admissions officers that you’re diligent, responsible, and not afraid to step out of your comfort zone by applying to jobs. Again, you should stipulate what the work was in 250 characters, the years you participated, the time you spent during each week and year working - clarifying whether it was a summer job or an after school job, and a brief description of the company followed by a description of your role in 350 characters.

Awards & Honors - If you’ve received recognition for your efforts throughout high school, this is the place to boast about your achievements. Name the honor, select the type between “academic” or “other,” and briefly describe what you won. Awards could include winning a basketball state championship, being a semifinalist for National Merit Scholars, winning a scientific decathlon, or being published in a well-known journal. Keep the description of your achievement short and to the point, since you can only use 350 characters to describe each award. Always list the achievement with the biggest impact first.

Extracurricular Activities - This section covers extracurricular activities that don’t fall within any of the above categories. Admissions officers want to know what you’re passionate about outside the classroom. If you’ve founded a club or organization, or held leadership positions in your initiatives, these are the feats which should take precedence over others. When thinking about order, consider where you’ve spent the most amount of time, the areas in which you’ve had the biggest impact, and how the activity fits in with the rest of your application. When writing the description, think about tangible achievements - use numbers to emphasize the extent of your work as a member or leader of a club, project, or initiative.

Note : The order of the activities cannot be changed once they have been entered into the application system, so be sure to pre-plan and organize the order ahead of time.

• ACT & SAT
• SAT Subject Tests
• TOEFL or IELTS
• International External Exams

This is the section where you report your standardized test scores. As you can see, they’re arranged according to the different tests. Just choose whichever one you’ve taken, and don’t worry about filling TOEFL or IB if those don’t apply to you! Let’s take a look at how you should go about adding your test policies.

Here are some notes and tips to keep in mind for the various tests: 

• The SAT and ACT are optional for students applying for admission for Fall 2021 and 2022. The UCs will go test blind starting 2023.
• ACT with Writing and/or SAT with Writing/Essay scores must be completed by December of senior year. You must report the completed test(s) with the dates/scores or planned test date on the admission application.
• SAT subject tests are not required but may be recommended for specific programs at some campuses as an additional piece of information to consider during the review process. SAT Subject Test Recommendations can be found here .
• UC does not recommend that applicants use the College Board’s Score Choice function because it might delay the delivery of test scores.
• The University of California schools strongly encourage students to report all official scores although they only use the highest score from a single sitting for admissions consideration.

The Personal Insight section is divided into:

• Personal Insight Questions
• Additional Information

Personal Insight Questions - This is the personal essay for the University of California application . Unlike the Common App, the UCs ask you to answer 4 out of the following 8 questions, with a word limit of 350 words for each of your responses.

• Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
• Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. 
• What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
• Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
• Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
• Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
• What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
• Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

Remember that these 4 shorter essays act together as your personal statement and supplemental essays all in one. Make sure that you’ve highlighted who you are, along with any interests and goals that you haven’t elaborated on in the rest of your application. Your response should enhance your application and make a strong impression on the admissions officer. 

You want to stand out, tell your story, and share some of the biggest and most meaningful aspects of your life. It’s all about thinking strategically to determine how you can differentiate yourself from your peers. For our in-depth analysis of the personal insight questions, check out this blog .

Additional Information - Additional information could include a reason behind a particular trend in your GPA or whether any unforeseen circumstances, such as illness or a death in the family, impacted your school performance. You could also address any disciplinary action that might be on your record. You should be very careful when filling out this section. Since each admissions reader has a thousand applications to go through, double-check whether what you’ve put into this section can be mentioned in any of the pre-assigned sections.

This section is not a place to extend your personal insight essay or expand on an activity description! Those word and character limits exist for a reason. You don’t have to fill out this section if there’s nothing for you to add.

The University of California application system is designed to help each of the different schools within the UC umbrella understand what makes you tick. By carefully including information that adds valuable color to your application, you can convince admissions officers what makes you a strong fit for your dream California college. Best of luck!

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The 5 UC Application Tips You Need to Get Into University of California

College Admissions , College Info

If you're applying to one or more of the UC schools, you want to make sure you get the application right. This step-by-step guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the UC application, from the time you decide to apply to a UC school to when you submit the final piece of the application.

Keep reading to learn when the most important UC application deadline is, which documents you need to submit to complete your application, if you need a separate application for each UC school, and how you can make sure every part of your application sets you apart from the crowd.

University of California Drops SAT/ACT Requirement

In May 2020, the University of California Board of Regents voted unanimously to stop requiring the ACT and SAT as part of admissions applications. The decision was made in part due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the changes will remain permanent, even after the pandemic is over. The decision has been in the works for years, and it's being done to make the admissions process fairer to all students.

For at least through 2025, all University of California schools will be test blind. This means that, even if you submit SAT or ACT scores, they won't be considered as part of your application. ;However, test scores may still be requested for non-admissions reasons, such as determining which classes a student should enroll in. There is a UC-specific standardized test that's currently in development that may replace ACT and SAT scores after 2025, but that hasn't been confirmed. You can learn more about the decision to ignore SAT/ACT scores for admission here .

Important Info About the University of California Application

It's key to know important information about the UC application early on so that you have enough time to gather and submit all the materials you need before the deadlines.

Where to Find the UC Application: You can find the UC application here. This is the application for all University of California schools, so regardless if you're looking for a UC Berkeley application, UC Davis application, etc., they all use this same application.

How to Submit the Application: When you've completed the application, you can submit it by hitting the "Submit" button at the end of the application.

When to Submit Your Application: It's extremely important to know when the UC application deadlines are because missing one could mean your application won't be looked at. Below are the key University of California application dates.

Looking at the above chart, it's clear that the most important date is November 30th . This is the last day you can submit your UC application. UC states right on the website that they almost never accept late applications, so don't miss this deadline!

You'll learn if you've been accepted as early as March 1st, and you'll have until May 1st to decide which school to attend.

How to Apply to the UC Schools

There are four main steps to applying to UC schools. The earlier you begin your application (as early as August 1st) the more time you'll have to complete all the steps and the less pressure you'll be under to meet the deadline. The steps are the same regardless of which UC school(s) you're applying to since all UC schools use the same application (and you only need to submit one application, even if you apply to multiple UC schools).

Step 1: Create an Account

Your step to applying to UC schools is to create an applicant account. This step will only take about a few minutes since you just need to fill out basic information like your email, name, which semester you want to start school, and if you're applying as a freshman or as a transfer student.

Step 2: Complete the UC Application

After creating your account, you'll be immediately sent to the beginning of the application. The University of California application contains eight sections:

You'll answer background and demographic questions, such as your birth date and contact information, which language(s) you grew up speaking, what your family's income is, if you qualify as a resident of California.

Campuses & Majors

You choose which school(s) you want to apply to. There are nine UC schools, listed below, and you can choose to apply to as many as you want, including all nine. Be aware though that each UC school you apply to requires its own $70 application fee ($80 for international students).  If you have a fee waiver, you can apply to up to four UC schools for free.

Here are the UC schools:

• UC Berkeley
• UC Los Angeles
• UC Riverside
• UC Santa Barbara
• UC Santa Cruz
• UC San Diego

You'll next select your major. If you're applying to multiple UC schools, you'll need to do this separately for each school since they all have slightly different majors. Some schools also offer the option of selecting an "alternate major" which is your second choice of major if you can't be placed in that campus in your top major.

Academic History

This is a lengthy section where you'll need to enter in information about the high school(s) you attended, all the classes you took in high school, if they were honors or AP, and the grade you got. It's basically like entering all the information on your transcript . (You don't need to submit your official transcript until the summer, after you've been accepted and have decided to attend a UC school.)

Test Scores

Here is where you'll enter information about the standardized test(s) you've taken. Again, SAT and ACT scores won't be looked at during the admissions process, even if you submit them. However, there are other test scores you can submit.

You'll be asked about AP exams, IB exams, TOEFL exams, and IELTS exams on separate pages in the test score section of your application. According to the UC system's application website , "You’ll need to report your scores if you’ve already taken an exam or indicate if you’re planning on taking an exam in the future." None of these exams are required (unless you're an international student needing to show English proficiency), but high AP or IB scores can help strengthen your application.

Activities & Awards

In this section, you'll discuss all the activities you participated in outside of the classroom. There are six categories:

• Award or honor
• Educational preparation programs
• Extracurricular activities
• Other coursework (classes outside UC's "a-g" core subject areas )
• Volunteering/community service
• Work experience

The application explains which activities fall into which category, and there's no need to feel like you need to have activities to put in all the categories, or even most of them. For each category, you can add up to five separate classes/activities/jobs/awards/etc.

Scholarships & Programs

In this section you'll select your eligibility for different scholarship categories, such as ethnicity, career plans, and work experience. There are ten categories, each with multiple characteristics you can select. You'll only select these characteristics once, regardless of how many UC schools you're applying to. This is also the section where you can apply for the Educational Opportunity Program, which is explained in the application.

Personal Insight

This is the section where you'll answer the personal statement questions. There are eight personal statement questions, and you'll need to answer four of them. Each response should be 250-350 words. We recommend that you write your essays in a word document first to make it easier to review them, then paste each essay into the application once you're done editing it.

Below are the eight essay prompts.

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. Things to consider:   A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities?

Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family? 2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. Things to consider:   What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career? 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider:   If there is a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it.You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider:   An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you; just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today? 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Things to consider:   A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family? 6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. Things to consider:  Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can't get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs and what you have gained from your involvement.

Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider:   Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? 8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider:  If there's anything you want us to know about you but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.

If you want tips on writing your personal statements, we have a guide on how to write a perfect UC essay for every prompt.

Step 3: Pay Admission Fees and Submit Your Application

Once you've finished each section your application, you can submit it, as long as it's between October 1 and November 30. When you submit your application, first you'll enter in some final demographic information as well as your state of legal residence. Then you'll review all the information you entered to make sure it's correct.

Once everything is set, you'll pay the necessary fees. The application fee is $70 ($80 if you're an international student) for each UC school you apply to. Then you'll click submit, and your application will officially be sent to the UC schools you're applying to!

Step 4: (Optional) Complete Additional Materials

Most students applying to UC schools won't need to submit additional materials, but some will. This will depend on both which schools you're applying to and what you plan on majoring in.

For example, some students planning to major in a fine arts discipline are requested to submit a portfolio. These additional materials are typically only recommended, not required, but doing these extra steps can help give your application a boost.

If you do need to complete additional materials, you will either get a notification in the application or receive an email outlining what you need to do, but it's also a good idea to research your intended major at each UC school you're applying to in order to make sure you're not missing any important recommendations.

University of California Application Checklist

To recap, below is everything you need to submit when you apply to a UC school. Your application won't be considered until the schools receive all the pieces below.

• UC Application
• Application Fee of $70 for each school you apply to
• (Optional) Supplemental Materials

5 Things UC Schools Look at in Applications and How to Impress Them

The UC schools are pretty open about what they look for in applicants and what an applicant needs to have to be accepted. They've listed the qualities they look for in every application , and we've organized those qualities into five categories. Below, we explain what you need to do to excel in each category to create a standout UC application.

#1: Classes You Took

When UC admissions officers look at the classes you took, they're looking at two things: the actual courses you took and how difficult they were.

For the first category, UC schools want to make sure you've taken the classes you need to succeed as a college student at one of their schools. Their minimum requirements are:

• History: 2 years
• English: 4 years
• Mathematics: 3 years
• Laboratory science: 2 years
• Language other than English: 2 years
• Visual and performing arts: 1 year
• College-preparatory elective: 1 year

(These courses are sometimes referred to as the "A-G subjects").

Note that this is the minimum UC schools require; most applicants will have gone well beyond these requirements. Some majors, especially those in math or science fields, require additional classes, so make sure to research the major you plan to take to make sure you're on track.

In general, it's best to take more classes in the fields you plan on majoring in. For example, if you want to major in biology, you should take four years of science and four years of math. If you want to be a history major, you should take four years of history. Doing this shows UC schools that you're committed to the subject and can handle higher-level classes on it.

UC also looks at the difficulty of the classes you took. They're specifically looking for honors, AP, or IB courses since these are more difficult than regular-level classes. If your school offers these classes, you should take as many as you can without overloading yourself and still maintaining a high GPA. Taking difficult classes shows UC schools that you're focused on your studies and can handle the challenge and workload of college classes.

Also, UC specifically mentions the "quality of your senior-year program" as one of the qualifications it looks at, so don't be tempted to slack off senior year with a bunch of easy classes!

It's not enough just to take the classes UC schools want; you also need to do well in them. Your grades and overall GPA are another critical component of your UC application. For all UC schools, you need to have at least a 3.0 GPA in your A-G classes if you're a California resident, or a 3.4 GPA if you're a non-resident. Additionally, you can't have gotten below a "C" in any of those classes.

There is no requirement for classes outside the A-G subjects, but you should still aim to do well in all your classes. UC states that "the strength of your high school record is the most important component in our review" so you want your transcript to be as strong as it can be with a high GPA and record of challenging classes.

Below is a table showing the middle 50% of weighted GPAs of accepted students for each of the UC schools during the 2023 admissions cycle:

To give yourself the best chance of getting in, you'll want to aim for the higher end of the GPA range for whichever school(s) you're applying to. For example, if you're applying to UC Davis, your goal should be to have a weighted GPA of 4.30. You can definitely still get in with a lower GPA (since that's the 75% marker, ¾ of students are getting in with a GPA lower than that), but if you reach that goal you'll have a great shot at being accepted.

#3: Standardized Test Scores

With UC schools becoming test blind, test scores are now less important than they were before. Again, even if you submit your SAT or ACT scores, they won't be reviewed, so they can't help or hurt your application. However, other test scores, such as AP or IB exams, can still give your application a boost, especially if your GPA isn't as high as you'd like it to be. Strong test scores show a mastery of course material and give UC schools further proof that you'd be a strong student.

#4: Extracurriculars

Your extracurriculars are another important part of your UC application. The key to strong extracurriculars is to emphasize your passion and leadership skills. You can do this by pursuing extracurriculars in a field related to your future major, sticking with them, and achieving leadership roles in them.

Some things UC states that are looking for in extracurriculars include:

• Special talents, awards, or achievements
• Leadership experience
• Significant experiences or achievements that demonstrate the student's promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of a campus.

They list the following examples of "strong" extracurriculars:

• Special talent in visual and performing arts, communication or sports
• Intensive study and exploration of other cultures
• Significant community service
• Significant participation in student government

Don't feel like you need to have all or even any of these experiences; they're just given so you can get an idea of what UC schools are looking for. Basically, any extracurricular that you're passionate about, skilled in, and have shown some leadership potential for is a great extracurricular to include on your UC application.

#5: Personal Statements

Your UC essays should show three main things:

• Who you are
• Why you want to attend a UC school
• What's important to you

Maybe you're a lifelong nature lover who wants to attend UC San Diego to take advantage of all the different ecosystems nearby that biology students can study. Perhaps you've always been obsessed with space and want to attend UC Berkeley and major in aeronautical engineering.

Whatever your story is, this is the place for UC to hear it, and it's the best place in your application to show them who you really are as a person. For a more in-depth look, read our guide on how to write outstanding UC essays.

Automatic Admission for California Residents

If you're a California resident, who meets at least one of the following two requirements, you will have a guaranteed spot at a UC school.

• You rank in the top 9% of California high school students, according to the UC admissions index .
• You rank in the top 9% of your graduating class at a participating high school. This is known as "Eligible in the Local Context" ( ELC ).

Be aware that this doesn't mean you'll get into every UC school; it just means you'll get into at least one, as long as space is available (which there typically is). If you're a California resident who has met the above requirements and aren't admitted to any of the UC schools you applied to, you'll be offered a spot at another campus as long as space is available.

Summary: UC Schools Application

If you're applying to a UC school, you want to make sure you know every application step you need to complete. The most important UC application deadline to be aware of is November 30th (or December 1st if you started your application by November 30th) . This is the last day you can submit your application.

In addition to completing the application, you also need to submit your transcript and any additional materials your specific school and major require. UC schools are test blind currently, so they won't review SAT or ACT scores, even if you do submit them. You only need to submit one application regardless of how many UC schools you're applying to, but you'll need to pay a $70 application fee for every school.

Regardless of whether you're working on a UC Davis application, UC San Diego application, UC Berkeley application, etc. all UC schools look for similar qualities in students. You'll need to complete the A-G courses, take difficult classes, have good grades, participate in extracurriculars, and have strong personal statements.

Work to make your application as strong as you can across each of these areas to give yourself the best shot of getting into your dream UC school.

What's Next?

Want to learn more about the University of California schools? We have an in-depth guide to the UC schools to make it easy for you to compare the schools and see which is best for you.

Working on your UC essays? Check out our guide on how to answer every UC essay prompt to get great writing ideas.

Want to know how to make your extracurriculars stand out even more? Check out this guide to four amazing extracurricular activities and learn why they're so impressive to colleges.

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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The Ultimate Guide to Applying to the University of California

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The University of California schools are widely regarded as some of the top public universities in the nation, and it is not difficult to see why. Founded in 1869 in Berkeley, California, the UC system has expanded to include 9 main campuses: Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Davis, Irvine, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Riverside, and Merced. In addition to these campuses, which operate both undergraduate and graduate schools, UC San Francisco serves graduate students exclusively and is renowned for its top tier medical program.    

The UC schools are often praised for their distinguished faculty, cutting edge research, and plentiful academic and personal opportunities afforded to students. UC Berkeley and UCLA are ranked among the top 25 universities in the nation according to U.S. News and World Report, and UC Berkeley is sometimes called the world’s most prestigious public university.

Introducing the UCs

When the University of California was first established in 1869, it was comprised of ten faculty members who educated 38 students. Since then, the system has grown tremendously and is now widely recognized as one of the best university systems in the world.

Today, there are roughly 199,000 students attending a University of California school. The University of California prides itself on being “the only world-class public research university for, by and of California”, and thus it comes as no surprise that a whopping 84.5% of UC students are California residents. 42% of those students are first generation college students, and 27% are members of underrepresented minority groups.

The UC campuses are spread across California, and stretch from Berkeley, in the San Francisco Bay Area, to San Diego, in Southern California. Each individual UC school has its own distinct culture, reputation, and profile. Test scores, average GPAs, and general competitiveness vary quite significantly from school to school. For instance, the average SAT score for students admitted to UC Berkeley is a 2094 out of 2400; for UC Merced, the average is a 1616 out of 2400.

If you are considering attending a University of California school, you should conduct significant research on each specific campus you are interested in to determine whether it may be a good fit. It is important to weigh various factors, from location to campus culture to academic strengths. For instance, the veterinary program at UC Davis is exceptionally strong, and thus UC Davis may be a particularly good fit for a student interested in becoming a veterinarian.

The average cost of attending a UC for one year varies based on a few different factors; specifically, whether one decides to live on campus, and whether one is a California resident for purposes of tuition.

For California residents living on campus, the estimated total cost of attendance for attending a UC during the 2016-2017 school year is $34,200. If you choose to live off campus, that cost is approximately $30,300. For nonresidents living on campus, the estimated cost of attending is $60,882. For those living off campus, that cost is around $56,982. These numbers are averages across the UC schools, and specific costs and fees vary between school to school.

You may be wondering what it means to be a California resident for purposes of tuition at a UC. There is a difference between this term and and simply being a California resident under other definitions. As the University of California system explains it, “a person who is a California resident for tax or voting purposes is not necessarily a resident for purposes of tuition at the University of California.”

The University of California will ultimately determine whether you are eligible for resident tuition after you’ve been admitted. The UC application contains various questions that are then used to help determine your resident status. Various offices within the system may have various definitions, and it is possible to appeal the decision you receive from a given office by contacting the Office of General Counsel.

The UC schools all offer need based financial aid , and the system recommends that students apply for aid even if they aren’t necessarily sure they will qualify. The financial aid application process is free, and it begins with sending in your general UC application. The application also has a section wherein students are able to apply to several different UC-specific scholarships.

The next step is to submit your FAFSA, or your California Dream Act Application if you are an undocumented student. For this admissions cycle, the deadline to submit these applications is March 2, 2017. Additionally, if you are a California resident or are otherwise eligible for instate tuition, you should verify that your GPA was submitted for a Cal Grant. If you attend a California high school, then your school has probably taken care of this for you. However, it’s still a good idea to check and make sure.

Once you’ve submitted this information, each UC campus you’ve been accepted at will determine your financial aid package and you will receive the award offer electronically. Be aware that UC schools offer both merit and need based aid, and that packages may vary between campus to campus.

Application

All of the University of California schools share a general application. You can send this application to as many or as few campuses as you so desire. There is a $70 fee for every UC campus you choose to apply to. The application filing period is from November 1 – November 30; however, you can access and work on the application before November 1. Note that the UC system does not have an early action or early decision program. You only need to officially report your test scores to one UC campus, and this information will be shared with all of the other campuses you are applying to.

In the first part of the UC application, you’re asked to list general information about yourself. This includes what term you intend on enrolling in, whether you are applying as a freshman or transfer student, your contact information, your residency status, and your citizenship status. This section does not require much elaboration, and the questions are rather straightforward.

In the next section, you are asked about what campuses you are applying to and what major(s) you intend to pursue there. Some UC schools only allow you to select one major, while others give you the option of selecting an alternative major as well. You also have the option of indicating that you are currently undecided. Depending on the major you choose, you may be advised to discuss your passion for the major you’ve selected in your personal statement. You should certainly heed this advice, as this will increase your chances of admission, especially for impacted majors.

If you are applying to UC San Diego, you will also be prompted to rank the university’s colleges in your order of preference. At UCSD, “colleges are residential neighborhoods on campus with their own residence facilities, staff, traditions and general education requirements. Every UC San Diego undergraduate is assigned to one of six colleges when they are admitted to UC San Diego.”

Next, you’ll have the opportunity to review the different UC-specific scholarships. These scholarships are awarded to students who match certain identified characteristics. There are scholarships available in eight categories: academic major or specialty; affiliation with group, program, or organization; ancestry or family relationship; career plans, ethnicity, national origin or religion; school or geographic affiliation; or special conditions, and miscellaneous. Students can select a maximum of sixteen characteristics. You will find out if you’ve been granted a scholarship upon admission.

In the next section, you will answer questions regarding your personal information, parent information, and family size and income. These questions are relatively simple, and bear some similarities to questions asked on the Common Application . You are encouraged to check out the CollegeVine guides on the applicable Common App section if are unsure about how to answer these types of questions.

After this comes the Academic History section, wherein you’ll report relevant information about your academic record. This section asks for information on your middle school (7th and 8th grade), high school, and college courses, if applicable. You’ll also report your high school(s) name and information.

While filling out this section, it is important to keep in mind the University of California’s academic requirements, which are also known as the A-G requirements. These include:

• Two years of history/social science
• Four years of English
• Three years of mathematics
• Two year of laboratory science
• Two years of a language other than English (“*or equivalent to the 2nd level of high school instruction”)
• One year of visual and performing arts
• One year of a college preparatory elective, which can be chosen from the above subjects or be another course that has been approved by the university

Applicants must also have at least a 3.0 GPA for California residents, or a 3.4 GPA for nonresidents. Students also must not have earned any grade lower than a C. The questions in the Academic History section are designed to verify that applicants have met these requirements for admission.

In this section, you also have the opportunity to provide additional comments if there is anything you would like the UC admissions officers to consider while reviewing your academic history. International students who have a different grading system also have the opportunity to describe their high school’s system in this section.

Next, you’ll report your activities and awards. You can report various experiences in this section, and the University of California collects information on the following: coursework other than A-G, educational preparation programs, volunteer and community service , work experience , awards and honors , and extracurricular activities. You can include up to five entries in each category, and have 160 characters to describe the entry. Thus, it is important to both be succinct and prioritize what you feel will contribute the most to your application.

After this, you will encounter the test scores section. Here, you will have the opportunity to report your ACT and/or SAT scores. In addition to this, you will have to officially send your scores to one UC campus, after which it will be shared with the other campuses you are applying to. You can also report your SAT Subject test scores, AP test scores, IB exam scores, TOEFL/IELTS scores if you are from a country where English is not the main language of instruction, and international external exams.

Finally, the last section of the UC application is the Personal Insight section. Here, you will respond to four of the following eight prompts:

• Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
• Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
• What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
• Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
• Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
• Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has influenced you.
• What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
• What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates applying to the University of California?

Responses are limited to a maximum of 350 words, and you can choose whatever four prompts you feel most drawn towards. No prompt is regarded more highly than another. For more advice on how to answer the UC’s essay questions, check out our guide here .

It should also be noted that UC Berkeley sometimes requests a supplement from selected applicants. Usually, these supplement requests are sent to students who mentioned extenuating circumstances, special talents, disabilities, and other factors. Applicants will be emailed by UC Berkeley if they are selected to provide a supplement.  

Generally, applicants are asked to answer questions about their specific additional factor. Students are also asked to report their grades from their first semester of senior year, and provide a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor. This supplement is unique to UC Berkeley, and is simply intended to collect more information from the applicant.

Hearing Back

When you’ll hear back from a UC school depends on that specific campus. For instance, historically, UC Santa Cruz has tended to release admissions decisions in mid March. In comparison, UC Berkeley generally releases decisions closer to the end of March. As a general rule of thumb, you will receive your decision between March 1 – March 31.

If you are ultimately rejected, it is possible to appeal your decision . Some campuses also allow waitlisted students to appeal their decision. However, appeals are handled on a case by case basis and reversed admissions decisions based on appeals are extremely uncommon. Successful appeals are rare, but often contain relevant information on extenuating circumstances that were not present in the initial application, or reveal new academic and personal information, such as higher test scores that were not reflected on the initial application. The appeal must demonstrate that the student is in fact a stronger candidate than the earlier application had indicated. Additionally, the appeals process varies from campus to campus, and thus you are encouraged to look into each campus’ specific policy if you are considering appealing.

Waitlisted students will learn of their final status over the summer. If you are waitlisted at multiple UC campuses, you are able to accept a spot on as many waitlists as you so desire. Your chances of getting off the waitlist are influenced by a variety of factors, the most important of which are how many admitted students accepted their offer of admission, and the campus’ specific enrollment goals. Additionally, you are not able to submit additional information unless it has been specifically requested by the campus.

UC Berkeley also operates a unique program titled January Start. Under this program, UC Berkeley admits students who then begin their Berkeley education in the spring semester. Students are not eligible to start in the fall semester, and Berkeley suggests various options that students may choose to pursue during the fall. This ranges from enrolling in a community college after receiving approval from your Berkeley admissions officer, to working a job, to simply taking a break.

If you are admitted, your acceptance is still technically provisional until the UC campus you plan on attending receives your final official transcript, and can verify that you have successfully completed all courses necessary for UC eligibility. If you do not fulfill these terms, or if you experience a significant grade drop, you risk having your acceptance rescinded.

The University of California schools offer students exciting academic and personal opportunities. Every year, these schools attract top students who comprise a top notch applicant pool. While the application process to the University of California schools may initially seem rather daunting, we hope that this guide has helped to answer some of your questions regarding the UC application. We at CollegeVine wish the best of luck with your application!

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!

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What to put in "Courses Other Than A-G" section for UC application?

I am still trying to find out what I should put in this section. I go to a Christian school, so should I put religion classes in here? I also have things like Health, Speech, Yearbook, Choir, and Leadership - do I put those as well?

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UC Admissions - A through G requirements

Author: Cole Filipek, College Guidance Counselor at Advantage College Planning

Navigating the complex landscape of UC admissions can be a challenging yet rewarding journey. As an experienced college guidance counselor with Advantage College Planning, I have assisted numerous students in understanding and meeting the University of California (UC) system's requirements. In this guide, I aim to shed light on the essential coursework and strategies that can enhance your UC application.For a video version of this content, refer to our YouTube video ( What are UC A-G Requirements )

Understanding UC Requirements: The A-G Pathway

The UC system sets specific course requirements, known as the A-G requirements. We’ve outlined below as well as our general guidance: 

- **Two years of history**: While two years is the minimum, taking three to four years demonstrates academic commitment.

- **Four years of English**: Consider supplementing with community college courses for college credit.

- **Three years of math (minimum)**: Extending to four years, including advanced courses like calculus or AP statistics, would strengthen your application.

- **Two years of science**: Aspiring for four years with a mix of subjects like biology, physics, or forensics is advisable.

- **Two years of foreign language**: Four years shows dedication and interest, even though it can be challenging.

- **One year of visual or performing arts and an extra elective**.

A 'C' or better is required in these courses; a 'D' does not fulfill the requirements.

AP Classes and Rigor: Finding the Balance

The number of Advanced Placement (AP) and honors courses on your transcript is significant. Balance is essential; too many AP classes can lead to stress and impact other subjects. Choose AP courses that align with your strengths and interests. If you excel in math, consider AP math courses.

Which Semesters Matter Most?

UCs primarily focus on grades from the 10th and 11th years. However, 9th-grade and senior year grades are still important. Senior year grades are especially crucial if you're waitlisted, as UCs may review these grades for final admissions decisions.

Senioritis: A Word of Caution

Avoid falling into the trap of senioritis. Neglecting academic responsibilities in your senior year can affect your college readiness and habits. Taking community college classes during this period can be a smart move, offering college credit and maintaining academic engagement.

Final Thoughts: Personalizing Your Path

Each student's journey to college is unique. It's crucial to push yourself academically while also recognizing your own limits and needs. Discuss with counselors, teachers, and family members to determine the best course load for you.

At Advantage College Planning, we are dedicated to guiding students towards their college goals. If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact us ( [email protected] ).

UC Application Coursework other than a-g

<p>Under the activities and awards section for coursework other than a-g can i put psat prep classes and sat prep classes i took?</p>

<p>I wouldn’t unless your test scores are high LOL</p>

<p>Listing test-specific prep courses could cause an admissions reader to devalue high test scores that you may have.</p>

<p>No- this section is for other high school classes you have taken that do not apply to the a-g list. S was able to look up his specific high school and the extra courses he had taken to list here.</p>

College-preparatory elective

Course content guidelines.

All courses approved for college-preparatory elective (G) must satisfy the following:

• Be academically challenging.
• Involve substantial reading and writing.
• Include problem-solving and laboratory work, as appropriate.
• Show serious attention to analytical thinking and research skills
• Develop students’ oral and listening skills.
• Incorporate learning to develop skills and cultivate interest in the academic enterprise.

Courses specifically approved in the G subject area include those such as political science, economics, geography, humanities, psychology, sociology, anthropology, journalism, speech or debate, computer science, computer programming and others or be interdisciplinary in nature, drawing knowledge from two or more fields.

Approved courses that cannot be categorized in any of the A-F areas must provide academically challenging study at the same level of rigor as courses in the A-F subject matter fields.

One year of college-preparatory coursework required, chosen from: courses approved specifically in the elective (G) subject area, or courses approved in the A-F subject areas beyond those used to satisfy the requirements of the A-F subjects.

For information on how a student can fulfill UC A-G admissions requirements, please visit the UC Admissions website.

Honors Course Criteria & Guidance

Honors-level elective courses categorized specifically in the (G) subject area will demonstrate distinctive features that set them apart from non-honors coursework covering the same discipline(s).

UC honors-level elective (G) courses must also meet the general A-G honors-level course criteria .

Core Competencies

The intent of the college-preparatory elective requirement is to encourage prospective UC students to fill out their high school programs with courses taken in grades 9-12 that:

• Strengthen general study skills (e.g., analytical reading, expository writing, and oral communications).
• Provide students an opportunity to begin work that could lead directly into a major program of study.
• Expose students, at some depth, to new disciplines that might form the basis for future major or minor studies at the University.