Navigating the UC Admission Process - Bishop O'Dowd High School

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Why UC?
• 700 majors
• Access to internships
• Professors who are leaders in their
fields
• Opportuni9es to perform research
• Study abroad opportuni9es
• Resources to ensure student success

Paths to UC Admission
• Admission as a
Freshman
– Fall 2011
– Fall 2012 and
Beyond
• Admission as a Transfer
Student

Fall 2010 at a Glance: Freshmen
• UC received just over 100,000 (unduplicated)
applica9ons for freshman admission
• Applica9ons from CA residents grew by 1.6% (82,000)
• Freshman applicants apply – on average – to jut over 3.4
campuses
• 70,000 CA resident students offered admission
• CA resident freshman enrollment target: 31,500
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Freshman Prepara9on, Fall 2010
Preliminary California-­‐resident Enrollees
Year
College
Prep
Courses
GPA SAT ACT
2008 23.2 3.78 1762 25.1
2009 23.1 3.82 1776 25.5
2010 23.1 3.83 1773 25.4
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Freshman Demographics, Fall 2010
Preliminary California-­‐resident Enrollees
Year
First-­‐
GeneraEon
College
Low Family
Income
Low High
School API
2008 39.5% 38.9% 21.4%
2009 40.3% 39.0% 21.6%
2010 42.5% 42.5% 22.0%
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Fall 2010 at a Glance: CA CC Transfers
• Applica9ons from CA community college transfers
grew by nearly 21% (28,322)
• UC again increased CA CC transfer enrollment target
by 500
• 22,850 CA CC transfer students offered admission
• CA CC enrollment target: 13,900
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UC Welcomes Transfer Students
• More than 90% of admiaed transfer students are CA CC
students
• Each year, transfer students receive one-­‐third of UC
bachelor’s degrees
• Seven campuses offer Transfer Admission Guarantee
(TAG) programs
• Transfer Prepara9on Paths available for UC’s top 21
transfer majors: uctransfer.universityofcalifornia.edu
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Fall 2011 Admissions Policy
9

Admission to UC is a two-­‐step process
• Step 1: Eligibility
– For Freshman Admissions
• Subject requirement: “a-­‐g” courses
• Scholarship requirement: grades in “a-­‐g” courses
• Examina9on requirement
– For Transfer Admission: 60 transferable semester units +
specific course paaern + major prepara9on + GPA
• Step 2: SelecEon
– Comprehensive Review allows campuses to
fully assess all of an applicant’s qualifica9ons

Step 1: Paths to UC Eligibility
• Eligibility in the Statewide Context
• Eligibility in the Local Context
– (top 4 percent of every CA high school)
• Eligibility by Examina9on alone
• Admission by Excep9on

Keys to Eligibility
• Subject requirement
• Examina9on requirement
• Scholarship requirement (GPA)
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The ‘a-­‐g’ subject requirements
• ‘a’ – History/Social Sciences (two years)
• ‘b’ – English (four years)
• ‘c’ – Mathematics (three years)
• ‘d’ – Laboratory Science (two years)
• ‘e’ – Language other than English (two years)
• ‘f’ – Visual and Performing Arts (one year)
• ‘g’ – College Preparatory Elective (one year)
For more information: www.ucop.edu/doorways

Examina9on Requirement
• “Core” examina9on
– ACT Assessment with Wri9ng OR
– SAT Reasoning Test
• Two SAT Subject Tests
– Two tests in different subject areas
– For selec9on (not eligibility) some campuses have
recommended SAT Subject Tests for specific majors

Step 2: Do I have a chance?
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UC’s Comprehensive Review Process
(effec9ve fall 2002)
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
UC Comprehensive Review
• Academic grade point average
• Scores on the ACT With Wri9ng or SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject
Tests
• Number of, content of and performance in academic courses beyond the
minimum "a-­‐g" requirements
• Number of and performance in UC-­‐approved honors and Advanced Placement
courses
• Iden9fica9on by UC as being ranked in the top 4 percent of the your high
school class (ELC)
• Quality of your senior-­‐year
• Quality of your academic performance rela9ve to the educa9onal
opportuni9es available in your high school

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
UC Comprehensive Review
• Outstanding performance in one or more academic subject areas
• Work in special projects in any academic field of study
• Recent, marked improvement in academic performance
• Special talents, achievements and awards; special skills; experiences that
demonstrate unusual promise for leadership, other significant experiences or
achievements that demonstrate the student's promise for contribu9ng to the
intellectual vitality of a campus
• Comple9on of special projects undertaken in the context of your high school
curriculum or in conjunc9on with special school events, projects or programs
• Academic accomplishments in light of your life experiences and special
circumstances

UC’s Goals: Excellence and Inclusivity
“Mindful of its mission as a public ins9tu9on, the
University of California … seeks to enroll, on each of
its campuses, a student body that, beyond mee9ng
the University’s eligibility requirements,
demonstrates high academic achievement or
excep9onal personal talent, and that encompasses
the broad diversity of cultural, racial, geographic,
and socio-­‐economic backgrounds characteris9c of
California.”
– UC Policy on Undergraduate Admissions (1988)
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Fall 2012 Freshman Admission Policy
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For Fall 2012 and Beyond
– Applicants must complete at least 11 of the 15 required “a-­g”
courses by the end of 11 th grade
– Applicants must earn a 3.0 GPA but are no longer required
to meet an eligibility index for considera9on
– Applicants are no longer required to submit SAT Subject
Tests
All applicants who meet minimum requirements for
applica9on will receive a comprehensive review of
their applica9on.
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The Admission Guarantee
Guaranteed admission extended to students who:
• Are California residents
• Meet UC’s admission index and/or
• Are in the top 9% of their class at the end of junior
year aser comple9ng 11 specific “a-­‐g” courses
Applicants who are eligible for the guarantee but
who are not admiaed to a campus where they
applied will be offered admission to a campus
with available space.

Key Messages
• Complete UC’s admissions subject requirements (“a-­‐g”) – at
least 11 by the end of the junior year – and do as well as you
can in them
• Beaer prepara9on = more choices
• Campuses will look beyond grades and test scores
• SAT Subject Tests are not required but may be a good idea,
depending on students’ strengths and interests
• Performance rela9ve to others in your school is important
• Apply broadly
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Planning for the Fall 2011
UC Admissions Cycle
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Fall 2011 Enrollment Planning
• Freshman admission to the University will con9nue
to be highly compe99ve
• Op9ons for referral to campuses with addi9onal
space are expected to be limited
• Most campuses will use waitlists
25

Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC)
• 2010-­‐11 no9fica9on of ELC to high school seniors is
underway
• The following campuses will guarantee admission to
applicants who graduate in the top 4% of their
classes:
-­‐ Davis -­‐ Riverside
-­‐ Irvine -­‐ Santa Barbara
-­‐ Merced
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Test Requirements for Fall 2011 Applicants
• ACT with Wri9ng or SAT Reasoning Test
and
• 2 SAT Subject Tests in 2 different areas, chosen from
history, literature, mathema9cs (Level 2 only),
science, or language other than English
• UC uses highest ACT with Wri9ng /SAT Reasoning
score from a single test administra9on
• December 2010: last date to take admissions tests
for fall 2011 admissions cycle
• UC requires official test scores
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Personal Statement
• Helps readers know and beaer understand each applicant
• Adds clarity, richness and meaning to applica9on and completes the
applica9on
• An admission decision will never be based on the content of a personal
statement alone
• Opportunity to highlight your achievements in context of what opportuni9es
are available to you

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Personal Statement
• Applicants are asked to respond to two prompts:
• Describe the world you come from—for example, your family,
community or school—and tell us how your world has shaped your
dreams and aspira9ons.
• Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribu9on or
experience that is important to you. What about this quality or
accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person
you are?
• Word Count: 1,000 words total

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Application timeline
• One application for all UC campuses!
• Applicants must apply online at www.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply
• Application is now available!
• Applications must be submitted between November 1 st and November 30 th
• The UC application fee is $60.00 per campus
• We recommend that students apply broadly within the UC System

A New Look: UCOP Admissions Website
• hap://
www.universityofcalifornia.edu/
admissions/index.html
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Es9mated Cost of Aaendance
2010 -­‐ 2011
Average costs for an undergraduate California
resident living in University housing:
Fees*
$11,285
Books and Supplies
1,564
Health Insurance Allowance/Fee 1,046
Room and Board
12,980
Personal/Transporta9on
2,575
Total Average EsEmated Costs* $29,450
* Fees are subject to change without no9ce.
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Strategies for Financing Your
UC Educa9on
• The admissions applica9on also serves as the
applica9on for scholarships.
• Informa9on on financing your UC educa9on:
www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/paying
• Campus-­‐specific and private scholarships
• Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
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