Application Grades

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

Hey everyone,

I have a few questions relating to the reporting of grades on the UC application (applying only to Berkeley). I am out of state btw.

  1. My school's system is A B C D F for most classes (4.0 scale), but for school-specified honors course, a grade of H (honors) can be earned, which is a 5.0. Additionally, all grades in honors courses are shifted up by .5, so an A is 4.5, a B is 3.5, etc. I understand I cannot list them as honors courses on the application since they are not honors-level approved. So I've been writing the course names as, for example, "Honors biology 1", and then selecting the "not honors" box in the next column. Is that acceptable? Also, for classes that I earned an H in, should I list them as A's, or will that raise eyes when they look at my transcript?
  2. What is considered an academic course? For example, I took an intro to engineering class, which I believe is academic, but it does not fall into any of the course categories on the grade listing page. What about for health, personal finance, etc.? Marketing?

Thanks in advance!

2

You need to list the grades exactly as listed on your transcripts since your self-reported grades will be checked against your final transcript if accepted and enrolled. You should write the course names again exactly as they appear on your transcript and yes, since they are not UC approved Honors course, you do not mark the Honors box.

The academic courses are the a-g courses: Lab Science/History&Social Science/English/Foreign Language/Math /Visual&Performing Arts and College Prep Electives.

Health does not qualify for any a-g category so you could report in the non a-g course section. Marketing if it includes Entrepreneurship and Personal Finance could go under the “g” category for college prep electives.

3

@Gumbymom Thanks! So should I listed my grading system as “other” and then explain the 5.0 system at the end?

4

That should be fine. I am sure the UC admission officers are familar with all kinds of grading systems.

Good Luck.