Primer on UC admissions?

[Anonymous]

I’m trying to figure how student will fare in UC admissions. Private school, 3.9 average, nothing is weighted, core classes are honors classes (says on transcript), no APs offered.

I feel like there’s a formula but I can’t find it.

[Anonymous]

They will use their own formula for the grades. They will take the Honors classes and award A grades a 5, B grades a 4 and so on. If your kid has taken 4 years of a foreign language, there's usually a placement test on entry that means they can skip any required FL classes when they get there.

What is very important to the UC colleges, is community service, how it is local rather than international and what a difference it makes to those receiving it. The local impact is key. Same for positions of leadership held in school.

Sports and other EC's are important as well so long as you're not showing privilege. They care more about football than fencing, more about band than private viola lessons. Etc.

[Anonymous]

First, calculate the UC GPAs https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

Check data for admission by high school https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/admissions-source-school

If the GPAs are in range, whether the student will be admitted will boil down to how much a reader likes the essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They will use their own formula for the grades. They will take the Honors classes and award A grades a 5, B grades a 4 and so on. If your kid has taken 4 years of a foreign language, there's usually a placement test on entry that means they can skip any required FL classes when they get there.

What is very important to the UC colleges, is community service, how it is local rather than international and what a difference it makes to those receiving it. The local impact is key. Same for positions of leadership held in school.

Sports and other EC's are important as well so long as you're not showing privilege. They care more about football than fencing, more about band than private viola lessons. Etc.

There are no weighted points for honors classes for out of state students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First, calculate the UC GPAs https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

Check data for admission by high school https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/admissions-source-school

If the GPAs are in range, whether the student will be admitted will boil down to how much a reader likes the essays.

This is solid, sober information. I’d also add that, since the UC admissions process doesn’t utilize LORs (other than in an augmented review at Berkeley), one of the common benefits of a private school education (a counselor and teachers writing more insightful LORs about an applicant) is off the table during the admissions process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will use their own formula for the grades. They will take the Honors classes and award A grades a 5, B grades a 4 and so on. If your kid has taken 4 years of a foreign language, there's usually a placement test on entry that means they can skip any required FL classes when they get there.

What is very important to the UC colleges, is community service, how it is local rather than international and what a difference it makes to those receiving it. The local impact is key. Same for positions of leadership held in school.

Sports and other EC's are important as well so long as you're not showing privilege. They care more about football than fencing, more about band than private viola lessons. Etc.

There are no weighted points for honors classes for out of state students.

OP. Ugh. Any boost for taking and getting a 5 on AP exams they self studied for ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will use their own formula for the grades. They will take the Honors classes and award A grades a 5, B grades a 4 and so on. If your kid has taken 4 years of a foreign language, there's usually a placement test on entry that means they can skip any required FL classes when they get there.

What is very important to the UC colleges, is community service, how it is local rather than international and what a difference it makes to those receiving it. The local impact is key. Same for positions of leadership held in school.

Sports and other EC's are important as well so long as you're not showing privilege. They care more about football than fencing, more about band than private viola lessons. Etc.

There are no weighted points for honors classes for out of state students.

OP. Ugh. Any boost for taking and getting a 5 on AP exams they self studied for ?

Not a point boost for GPA The extent to which AP exam scores are considered is not known and likely varies by UC.

[Anonymous]

To clarify, AP course grades do result in a point weight for out of state applicants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To clarify, AP course grades do result in a point weight for out of state applicants.

But IIRC, the number of weighted points is capped (I think at 5).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To clarify, AP course grades do result in a point weight for out of state applicants.

But IIRC, the number of weighted points is capped (I think at 5).

The cap is 8 semesters. But some UCs consider all 3 gpas (unweighted, weighted, weighted capped).

OP, be sure to read the footnotes at the rogerhub page linked above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will use their own formula for the grades. They will take the Honors classes and award A grades a 5, B grades a 4 and so on. If your kid has taken 4 years of a foreign language, there's usually a placement test on entry that means they can skip any required FL classes when they get there.

What is very important to the UC colleges, is community service, how it is local rather than international and what a difference it makes to those receiving it. The local impact is key. Same for positions of leadership held in school.

Sports and other EC's are important as well so long as you're not showing privilege. They care more about football than fencing, more about band than private viola lessons. Etc.

There are no weighted points for honors classes for out of state students.

Oh you're right and I apologize for the mis information. I'm writing from California so very much the in-state focus here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m trying to figure how student will fare in UC admissions. Private school, 3.9 average, nothing is weighted, core classes are honors classes (says on transcript), no APs offered.

I feel like there’s a formula but I can’t find it.

UC formula gives extra points for IB and AP, not honors. How well known is school? Anyone ever attend a UC school from there?

[Anonymous]

There is an even easier way to figure out the chances for your kid. Google "UC Admissions by Source School". Find your school. You will see the number who applied from your high school, the number accepted and the number who decided to enroll. For each UC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is an even easier way to figure out the chances for your kid. Google "UC Admissions by Source School". Find your school. You will see the number who applied from your high school, the number accepted and the number who decided to enroll. For each UC.

Right, that site is linked in the third post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will use their own formula for the grades. They will take the Honors classes and award A grades a 5, B grades a 4 and so on. If your kid has taken 4 years of a foreign language, there's usually a placement test on entry that means they can skip any required FL classes when they get there.

What is very important to the UC colleges, is community service, how it is local rather than international and what a difference it makes to those receiving it. The local impact is key. Same for positions of leadership held in school.

Sports and other EC's are important as well so long as you're not showing privilege. They care more about football than fencing, more about band than private viola lessons. Etc.

There are no weighted points for honors classes for out of state students.

OP. Ugh. Any boost for taking and getting a 5 on AP exams they self studied for ?

Yes, you submit AP scores and they consider them in admissions. I can’t find it anywhere official, but that’s what a UC rep told my kid at a high school visit earlier this month.