I recently realized that I need a full year of visual/performing arts to apply to UCs—I’ve only taken a half year of art. All my other courses are APs/honors classes that contribute to a rigorous courseload.
Could I theoretically still submit my app and possibly be admitted? I’m an out-of-state student.
I’m a current junior, so I could still fit in a VPA course senior year. I’d prefer that I not take one in the first semester, as taking arts classes has a huge hit on our GPA (doesn’t matter for college apps but it can send you out of the valedictorian race—second semester isn’t taken into consideration). Would I be able to indicate that I will be taking an arts class second semester?
Another thing I could do is take AP Art History next year, but I’m already taking 6 other APs so I’d rather not. Or I could cram for the AP Art History exam this year or next year.
You can still apply, but any offer would be contingent on fulfilling the VPA requirement before you enroll.
And the race for valedictorian is a waste of effort. Nobody cares other than you and your parents.
You biggest issue is that you will be full-pay.
@skieurope Yes. I really don’t care about valedictorian but my mom is obsessed with it.
Could you elaborate on why being full-pay is an issue when applying to UCs? Or are you talking about how UCs offer little aid to OOS students and thus any OOS admit will be full-pay?
I meant the impact on the family bank account since OOS students receive little or no aid.
OOS students can be, and are, accepted every year without fulfilling the VPA requirement. But, if you can fit it in, you should, because admissions chances are likely better having fulfilled the requirement.
A one semester CC class will fulfill the one year VPA requirement…is that an option in the summer, or concurrently during second semester junior year, or senior year? There are online purveyors of classes that satisfy the VPA requirement as well (check UC system websites for links). Perhaps @Gumbymom can weigh in as well.
Good luck.
The UC’s stance on the VPA requirement is that is a “Requirement” so unless you have extenuating circumstances such as VPA courses are not offered at your HS which makes it impossible to take a year of VPA, your application will be impacted during the application review.
The UC’s give you several options to fulfill the requirement:
1 Semester 3-4 unit course at a community college or
Score of 3, 4 or 5 on the AP History of Art, Studio Art or Music Theory Exam or
score of 5, 6 or 7 on any one IB HL exam in Dance, Film, Music, Theatre Arts or Visual Arts
If you want to be a competitive applicant, then you as a student need to make it happen and fulfill the requirement. I personally would take a summer Art course at your local CC.
Here is UCLA’s stance on the VPA requirement:
“While the University of California has a set pattern of academic courses that are required for admission, we understand that these subject requirements may be difficult for some applicants to meet due to differences in school curriculum.
All applications for admission are reviewed within the context of courses available to them; if a particular required subject is not available, we will consider the application without it. We would not deny an applicant due to any one single criteria, therefore if the applicant is otherwise a strong competitive applicant but they are missing the VPA course (1 semester or the entire year) we can still admit that student.
There is no single academic path that we expect all students to follow, but the strongest applicants take the most rigorous high school curriculum available to them including a VPA course.
So I could technically self-study AP Art History senior year? There is no local cc near me to take courses—dual enrollment is basically non-existent in my state.
I will have taken 15 AP courses by the time I graduate—I don’t think missing a semester of art is really going to impact my course rigor…?
Yes, you can self study and take the AP exam to fulfill the requirement or replace one of your AP classes with an Art course. Up to you and how much you are willing to risk applying and not meeting the requirement. Remember there are plenty of OOS applicants that are able to fulfill the requirement. You have plenty of HS rigor that dropping 1 AP will not make a huge difference.
Nor would taking a semester of art negatively impact your course rigor. But yes, you could fulfill the requirements by self-studying art history and passing the AP exam. Of course, if you fail the AP exam, you’re likely screwed. Personally, it’s a lot of work for little return, where a basic drawing course Is relatively little work. But you do what you need to do.
You need 2 HS semesters or 1 college semester.
OP stated that they had a semester already. So now is a good time to emphasize that if they go the 2nd semester in HS, it needs to be the same field. So it cannot be music or theater or dance. But it can be any visual discipline - drawing or painting or ceramics or photography, etc
Sorry missed that 1 semester was fulfilled.