UC Merced Freshman Class of 2026 Discussion

Welcome prospective Bobcats. It’s that time of year again as the UC application has now opened and submission starts November 1. I am @Gumbymom one of the two UC Forum Champions/Moderators. My Co-Forum Champion is @lkg4answers and we are knowledgeable on the increasingly complicated UC admissions process and hopefully we can help any prospective UC applicants with their questions.

UC Merced like all the UC’s are test blind this admission cycle and will use 13 areas of criteria to review Freshman applicants. Each campus will weight the various areas of criteria differently so one size does not fit all. The UC application website has plenty of information that can help determine if UC Merced is a good option when applying. Below is some admit information specific to the school. Best of Luck.

2020 Capped Weighted UC GPA Middle 25-75 percentile for admitted students: 3.40-3.96

Application review:

  • Very important : Academic GPA, Personal Insight questions, Rigor of secondary school record
  • Important : Extracurricular activities, Talent/ability
  • Considered : Character/personal qualities, First generation college student, Geographical residence, State residency, Volunteer work, Work experience
  • Note : UC Merced is the default campus for ELC eligible applicants (top 9% of CA HS’s).

UC Merced admits into the major but will consider alternate majors if first choice is not available. UC Merced is the default campus for ELC eligible referral applicants if room is available.

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Now that your UC applications have been submitted, here are some items on your “to do list” as you wait for your decisions.

  1. Setup your student portal: Portal information will be emailed during December. Always check your Spam folder in case you do not receive your portal email.

  2. Check your emails from all applied schools regularly for updates. Again check the Spam folder if necessary.

  3. Look into housing options and usually the Housing application opens March 1, 2022

  4. Remember to file your FASFA if applying for financial aid. Deadline is March 2, 2022 but get it in early.

Admission decisions for UC Merced:
Regular Decisions are rolling batches starting March 1, 2022

UC Merced Bobcat Day open house will be held on April 23, 2022.

More information about the events and activities can be found at Saturday, April 22, 2023 | Undergraduate Admissions

If you are planning on attending, book your hotel room now.

Anyone seeing admitted status update on portal?

Not yet

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Will they be sending decision notifications through email?

Yes but portals see the updates first

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Seems like UCM decisions are coming out

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Got in!

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My S22 got in! This Morning!

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I just got in!

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My DS got in to CS. 4.18 weighted GPA. Lots of ECs. Good luck to everyone!

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My DS22 got in. Congrats to all who got in and good luck to all waiting.

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S22 in for CSE
Top 9%
3.9, 4.35, 4.55

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Congrats

DS got in: OOS, we think around 4.2 UC GPA, CSE. Congrats to everyone that got in and good luck to those still waiting!

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DS22 got in for CS, no email, had to check portal.
4.26 weighted GPA.

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Congrats to all!! Were you all notified by email as well? I received a " Updates while you wait for Fall 2022 admission decisions to post" email from UC Merced yesterday, but I haven’t gotten any emails after that.

I got that email about the updates but I did not receive any email after that alerting me that I had a status update or that I got accepted so I would keep checking the portal.

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