University of California schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wondering if anyone whose DC got into an UC school from out of state would share which school, unweighted GPA (using the UC method which I think A- counts as a 4.0 and a .5 bump for AP and honors? As an aside I find it so confusing all the different gpa calc methods abs it makes a huge difference so just citing the number isn’t sufficient unless you know how it was calculated), summary of extracurriculars?

My DS loves the research opportunities the UCs can offer and is ready for a large school (his current HS is very small and he is ready for something else). He’s certainly a good student but not the tippy top and he doesn’t think he did that great on his first two APs this year (he did well in the classes but is nervous about score, he’s taking 4 more APs next year and probably 3 senior year so will have a total of 8-9) so I am trying to figure out what campuses other than Merced are realistic for him to consider and the public info available is hard to assess for OOS.

UCs don’t use any test scores in admissions. The only place where AP score would matter is credit/placement if he is admitted/attends.

Apparently, the UCs do care about AP scores in admissions. Which I think are far more inequitable than SATs, because many high schools don’t subsidize AP exam costs.

You’re right! I just found this on the UC admissions site:

Test scores
ACT & SAT: UC will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admissions decisions or awarding scholarships. If you choose to submit test scores as part of your application, they may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll.

SAT Subject Tests: These tests have been discontinued as of 2021. If you have Subject Test scores from previous years, you may report them as an additional piece of information to consider during the review process, or as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility.

AP exams, IB exams, TOEFL or IELTS and International exams: You will be asked about each of these exams on separate pages in the test score section. 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.

Unclear whether they are looking at the scores evaluatively or just to see whether you took the test; some evidence from elsewhere on the internet that it’s the latter.

[Anonymous]

I think DS had something like a 3.8? Idk exactly. I would apply to UC Santa Cruz - he got in. Also, agree with the poster who said look into CU Boulder. I attended for my PhD and I think it’s similar in some ways, though less diverse. Also look into Oregon and Washington if okay with gray weather.

[Anonymous]

They also do not ask for freshman grades in application but I think they look at the transcript.

DC had 3.87 UW (Fr-Jr) in highest rigor courses - this included only one class formally deemed as AP (their private phasing out) but had taken three APs with a score of 5 and one with score of 4. 9 varsity seasons (but 12 team seasons) According to UC So/JR scoring where "A- = A", they had all As (including that one AP) so I think the UC GPA would be 4.05. Accepted UCSD WL UCLA Denied Berkeley.

[Anonymous]

According to my DD’s school (in state) admission results for UCs, it was very difficult.
Kids with 3.8-4.0 (not UC GPA, unweighted) only handful total got into UCLA, UCB, UCSD,UCSB.
These kids were top kids with very strong EC and also got into some Ivies and other T25 schools.
Can’t imagine how hard it’ll be for out-of- state.

There’s some things you need to know about UC schools. Perhaps many state flagship shares same problem but class registration is a battle ground.
Many kids who is majoring popular subjects end up change their major or delay graduation because they could not take desired classes on time.

My friend told me UCLA requires freshman to sign up 10 back-up classes for each class they register.
10 back ups?
I don’t know what kind of research opportunities there could be if you can’t even register for undergraduate classes. Research opportunities are mainly for graduate school students and PHDs.

School reputations are great, but with huge class sizes and registration war, I don’t know if it’s worth out-of -state tuition.
Better go to smaller private colleges if you want to really research as undergrad. Like Liberal Art Colleges.

[Anonymous]

Here is the last year they supplied data on out-of-state students. https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/freshman/freshman-profile/2019

[Anonymous]

Nearly all the UCs have higher out of state acceptance rates, often significantly higher. The extra tuition subsidizes financial aid for in state kids. Much more competitive in state. Pretty much the opposite of UVA, UNC, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the last year they supplied data on out-of-state students. https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/freshman/freshman-profile/2019

2019 is data too old!
This is pre-Covid and before they went test blind.
Please do not look at any data older than 2020 for college admission.
It’s a different world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the last year they supplied data on out-of-state students. https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/freshman/freshman-profile/2019

2019 is data too old!
This is pre-Covid and before they went test blind.
Please do not look at any data older than 2020 for college admission.
It’s a different world.

Can you read? This is the only data that has info for out-of-state students which is what the OP was looking for. It’s easy to extrapolate from there that the GPA requirement has gone up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They also do not ask for freshman grades in application but I think they look at the transcript.

DC had 3.87 UW (Fr-Jr) in highest rigor courses - this included only one class formally deemed as AP (their private phasing out) but had taken three APs with a score of 5 and one with score of 4. 9 varsity seasons (but 12 team seasons) According to UC So/JR scoring where "A- = A", they had all As (including that one AP) so I think the UC GPA would be 4.05. Accepted UCSD WL UCLA Denied Berkeley.

That's not a bad result, given the UC has a mandate to prioritize public school kids from California.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is the last year they supplied data on out-of-state students. https://admission.ucla.edu/apply/freshman/freshman-profile/2019

2019 is data too old!
This is pre-Covid and before they went test blind.
Please do not look at any data older than 2020 for college admission.
It’s a different world.

Can you read? This is the only data that has info for out-of-state students which is what the OP was looking for. It’s easy to extrapolate from there that the GPA requirement has gone up.

UCs have announced that they’ll increase in-state acceptances/enrollments from 22-23 cycle.
If they have, we don’t know how much, since the data is yet to come out.
Therefore, 2019 data is not very helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to my DD’s school (in state) admission results for UCs, it was very difficult.
Kids with 3.8-4.0 (not UC GPA, unweighted) only handful total got into UCLA, UCB, UCSD,UCSB.
These kids were top kids with very strong EC and also got into some Ivies and other T25 schools.
Can’t imagine how hard it’ll be for out-of- state.

There’s some things you need to know about UC schools. Perhaps many state flagship shares same problem but class registration is a battle ground.
Many kids who is majoring popular subjects end up change their major or delay graduation because they could not take desired classes on time.

My friend told me UCLA requires freshman to sign up 10 back-up classes for each class they register.
10 back ups?
I don’t know what kind of research opportunities there could be if you can’t even register for undergraduate classes. Research opportunities are mainly for graduate school students and PHDs.

School reputations are great, but with huge class sizes and registration war, I don’t know if it’s worth out-of -state tuition.
Better go to smaller private colleges if you want to really research as undergrad. Like Liberal Art Colleges.

Agree. We in CA residents and both kids are going to SLACs. Not worth the rat race there.

[Anonymous]

DD was accepted to UCSB. 10 APs, 4.39 W

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They also do not ask for freshman grades in application but I think they look at the transcript.

DC had 3.87 UW (Fr-Jr) in highest rigor courses - this included only one class formally deemed as AP (their private phasing out) but had taken three APs with a score of 5 and one with score of 4. 9 varsity seasons (but 12 team seasons) According to UC So/JR scoring where "A- = A", they had all As (including that one AP) so I think the UC GPA would be 4.05. Accepted UCSD WL UCLA Denied Berkeley.

That's not a bad result, given the UC has a mandate to prioritize public school kids from California.

I didn't say it was a bad result (so hope it didn't come across that way, as I was merely sharing stats for OP). However, this result was not on par with recent years where all others from their school in same GPA range (and same test range - even though test not considered) were accepted at UCLA. But things are changing (in UC admissions and elsewhere too) so....it is what it is and moving on.

[Anonymous]

Yes, application reviewers see freshman grades. They also see AP scores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to my DD’s school (in state) admission results for UCs, it was very difficult.
Kids with 3.8-4.0 (not UC GPA, unweighted) only handful total got into UCLA, UCB, UCSD,UCSB.
These kids were top kids with very strong EC and also got into some Ivies and other T25 schools.
Can’t imagine how hard it’ll be for out-of- state.

There’s some things you need to know about UC schools. Perhaps many state flagship shares same problem but class registration is a battle ground.
Many kids who is majoring popular subjects end up change their major or delay graduation because they could not take desired classes on time.

My friend told me UCLA requires freshman to sign up 10 back-up classes for each class they register.
10 back ups?
I don’t know what kind of research opportunities there could be if you can’t even register for undergraduate classes. Research opportunities are mainly for graduate school students and PHDs.

School reputations are great, but with huge class sizes and registration war, I don’t know if it’s worth out-of -state tuition.
Better go to smaller private colleges if you want to really research as undergrad. Like Liberal Art Colleges.

"My friend told me." Every time there is a thread on UCs, someone (usually from CA) pipes up about how nobody can graduate on time. As a parent who actually has a child who currently attends UCLA, this is an exaggeration. Have TEN BACK UP CLASSES!!?? They can't even do that. My DC will graduate next year, on time, with a double major and a minor. All of DCs friends are graduating in four years as well. Yes, sometimes they can't get the classes they want in popular majors right away, but in the end, they always do. Because the first two weeks of every quarter, there is a lot of movement with students dropping classes and wait lists moving quickly so DC has always gotten into the classes they needed. These kids are very smart and figure out how to work through whatever hurdles come their way. And there are plenty of research opportunities for undergrads. As an OOS family, UCLA has been totally worth it. DC has had amazing internship opportunities as well, as UCLA opens a lot of doors.

My sister is a professor in a popular major at Stanford and she has told me that she has had to advise students to take required courses over the summer because they are oversubscribed there as well. This happens at a lot of universities.

OP - talk to people who actually have students at the schools your DC is interested in. Don't listen to the noise.