Is it possible to get into a top UC (UCSB for instance) if not ranked in the top 9 percent of your class? My child is at a competitive public HS and ranked in top 15 percent. Hoping to go to UCSB, Davis or Santa Cruz.
Yes it is possible.
ELC (top 9%) is one of the 13 areas of criteria used in the UC application review. How applications are reviewed | UC Admissions
GPA, HS course rigor, PIQ, EC’s and even intended major will all contribute to an applicant’s chances at admission.
Calculate the 3 UC GPA’s: GPA Calculator for the University of California – RogerHub
Compare the Capped weighted UC GPA to the follow admit rates from 2021. Just be aware that highly competitive majors will have lower admit rates. I do have some information on UC admit rates by major depending upon campus so please post the student’s profile for more feedback.
| Campus | 4.20+ | 3.80-4.19 | 3.40-3.79 | 3.00-3.39 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley | 30% | 11% | 2% | 1% |
| Davis | 85% | 55% | 23% | 10% |
| Irvine | 60% | 31% | 14% | 1% |
| Los Angeles | 29% | 6% | 1% | 0% |
| Merced | 97% | 98% | 96% | 89% |
| Riverside | 97% | 92% | 62% | 23% |
| San Diego | 72% | 25% | 2% | 0% |
| Santa Barbara | 73% | 28% | 4% | 1% |
| Santa Cruz | 91% | 81% | 46% | 9% |
Hee weighted UC GPA is 4.18 and she has three community college classes, good ECs and PIQs. Major is not a popular one either. I’m just worried they will use class rank to disqualify her.
UC’s only consider ELC and not class rank see Common Dataset for each campus. Example link is for UCSC section C7
She will not be rejected based just one area of criteria. If her overall profile is strong, then she definitely has a chance at the UC’s listed.
Each UC considers the 13 areas of criteria, but each campus determines the weight they give to each area which can make the UC’s unpredictable. GPA, HS course rigor, PIQ’s are considered Very Important for all campuses. ELC is usually considered but not Very Important or Important.
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More UC admission review information:
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DAVIS
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Very important: Academic GPA, Personal Insight essay, Rigor of secondary school record
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Important: Character/personal qualities, Extracurricular activities, Talent/ability, Volunteer work
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Considered: First generation college student, Geographical residence, State residency, Work experience
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Note: Scholastic achievement most important, followed
by school and community activities, academic interests, special talents *
SANTA BARBARA
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Very important: Academic GPA, Application essay
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Important: Rigor of secondary school record
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Considered: Character/personal qualities, Extracurricular activities, First generation college student, State residency, Talent/ability, Volunteer work, Work experience
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SANTA CRUZ
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Very important: Academic GPA, Application essay, Rigor of secondary school record, State residency
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Important: Character/personal qualities, Extracurricular activities, First generation college student, Geographical residence, Talent/ability
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Considered: Volunteer work, Work experience
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Note: GPA in required subjects most important. Personal statement very important.
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Note: Special consideration for disadvantaged students.
circumstances, special achievements and awards
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You can also look up admission statistics for your high school here. The most recent data is only for fall 2021 but it can still give you an idea. Admissions by source school | University of California
Click on the tab “FR GPA by HS” and search for your school name, this will tell you the average capped weighted UC GPA of accepted students from your school at each campus.
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