Hi @lkg4answers! UCLA updated their Bruin Day website. It’s set for April 9th.
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Thanks for the heads up! That’s a lot of UC open houses on the same day.
I’m getting notified of a potential security risk from both Chrome and Firefox when I try to open the website.
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Question on GPA used for admissions - is it just based on 10th and 11th grade coursework in A-G subjects? Weighted or unweighted? Are they both used? Thanks in advance!
The UC ‘s consider grades from a-g courses taken the summer prior to 10th through the summer prior to 12th for their GPA calculation. 9th course grades are reviewed for completion of the a-g requirements and rigor while 12th in-progress classes are also reviewed for the continuation of rigor and final completion of the a-g requirements.
UC’s consider unweighted, capped weighted and fully weighted GPA. Applicants get 1 Honors point for each semester of UC approved Honors course (CA HS students only), AP, IB or UC transferable DE courses taken 10-11th grades.
Unweighted UC GPA maximum 4.0
Capped weighted UC GPA maximum 4.4 with 8 semesters of Honors classes taken 10-11th grades (maximum 4 semesters 10th grade)
Fully weighted UC GPA maximum 5.0 with an unlimited of Honors points for approved classes taken 10-11th.
The capped weighted UC GPA is the most common GPA listed on the UC websites but UCLA and UCB will also list their Fully weighted UC GPA’s on their Freshman profile.
Here is the UC GPA calculator: GPA Calculator for the University of California – RogerHub
Thank you! Out-of-state student. I didn’t realize that they use all 3 GPAs. Is a 4.23 weighted and capped weighted and 4.0 unweighted strong? This was based on the RogerHub calculator.
My son is limited to only having his 3 AP classes during junior year given the added GPA bump although he has always taken an honors load/most rigorous allowed.
Below are the overall admit rates based on the Capped weighted UC GPA, not major specific so highly competitive majors will have much lower admit rates. These are from 2020 since 2021 admit rates have not yet been posted. Many schools limit the # of AP classes which will be taken into consideration.
2020 Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 4.20 or above capped weighted and not major specific:
UCB: 37%
UCLA: 38%
UCSD: 78%
UCSB: 81%
UCD: 86%
UCI: 60%
UCSC: 92%
UCR: 97%
UCM: 98%
@Gumbymom, apologies if you have already answered this already.
Do you know how the UCs recalculate GPAs if a certain category of courses is missing?
My daughter’s HS is STEM focused and does not offer courses in visual and performing arts (“F” courses). How would this change the way UC calculates her GPA?
Thanks in advance!
I don’t have an answer to your question, but I feel like we are following each other around! Wishing your daughter success during this nerve-wracking process!
Category F is a UC requirement so there would have to be an explanation on why she could not take a VPA course on the UC application. Her GPA calculation would not change but her application would be flagged indicating her lack of the class.
Even if a VPA course is not available at her HS, there are other ways to fulfill that requirements.
AP or IB Examination
Score of 3, 4 or 5 on the AP History of Art, Studio Art or Music Theory Exam;
score of 5, 6 or 7 on any one IB HL exam in Dance, Film, Music, Theatre Arts or Visual Arts
College courses
Grade of C or better in any transferable course of 3 semester (4 quarter) units that clearly falls within one of four visual/performing arts disciplines: dance, drama/theater, music or visual art
Here is a response by UCLA to an applicant that did not fulfill the VPA requirement:
While the University of California have 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.
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My S22 applied to be a Japanese major but because our school doesn’t offer Japanese (only Spanish and French) he will have only one year of independent study of Japanese. Do you think this will really hurt his chances when many other applicants will have had 4 years and possibly AP Japanese? We are OOS. Will a PIQ essay explaining his interest in the major help?
He applied to UCB, UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Davis and UCSD.
Explaining that Japanese was not available in one of the PIQ’s or the additional comments section should be fine. The UC’s require 2 years FL, recommend 3 years but it should not hurt his chances since he did show interest in his subject by doing Independent study.
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Thank you @Gumbymom. In her application, my daughter included a blurb provided by her GC explaining the lack of VPA classes. Her high school is known to the UCs and 5-6 kids get accepted every year to UCB and UCLA so I think that in itself won’t be an issue but I was wondering if the GPA gets calculated differently. Sounds like not.
Thank you again for taking the time to answer all our questions here on this forum. You’ve helped us all so much!
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Please remember that oos honors classes do not receive the +1 gpa boost in calculating UC gpas. Only AP and dual enrollment courses.
@Gumbymom can elaborate…
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Are you sure those other 5-6 kids didn’t take an arts class at a community college or online?
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Thanks! He actually completed 4 years of Spanish already but was worried that AOs wouldn’t take his interest in the Japanese major seriously without more extensive classes in Japanese. He mentions in his PIQ studying Japanese on his own junior year, then finding an accredited virtual program for senior year so he can get HS credit for it.
Do the schools he’s applying to admit directly to the requested major or only into the larger liberal arts colleges/departments?
I did specify in my post on how the UC GPA is calculated that UC approved Honors classes are for in-state CA HS students only.
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Since the UC’s have the VPA as a requirement and they offer other ways of fulfilling it with either AP/IB tests or 1 community college course, I as a student applicant would error in the side of caution and try to meet the requirement even if the HS does not offer the class. When you have over 100,000+ applicants with the majority of students meeting the VPA requirement, your student may stand out not in a good way in not trying to take that extra step to meet the requirement. This is my opinion only.
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@gumbymom above was from the UCLA thread but thought I should ask it here. I know you’ve told us before but can’t find the info, can you please remind me which UC’s accept into the campus first, and then the major/alternate?
Is it just UCSD and UCI, or any other UC’s too? (My D applied comp sci but wondering generally for all kids). Thanks!
ETA: Sorry I was trying to post this in UC General thread but posted here and can’t move it 
I moved your post to the General UC Discussion.
UCI and UCSD are the only 2 UC campuses which admit into the University first then into the major. They also consider 1st choice major, alternate major and sometimes admit into Undeclared.
I will post the complete UC admissions policies below:
UCB:
Division (L&S, CNR, CoC, CED, CoE) matters for admission selectivity.
Within CoE (but not the other divisions), major matters for admission selectivity. Changing majors within the CoE after enrolling is not guaranteed, unless one is CoE undeclared.
Note that L&S admits students as undeclared; admission to capped majors (e.g. CS, economics, psychology, ORMS, statistics, art practice, and a few others) is by college GPA in prerequisite courses (and portfolio for art practice) after attending for a few semesters.
The business major is in a separate division and admits students in a competitive holistic process. Frosh intending business majors begin in another division (usually L&S), take the business major prerequisites, and apply (usually in their second years). They also need to take prerequisites for a backup major in case they are not admitted to the business major.
All students who apply to UC Berkeley and select a major within the College of Natural Resources are evaluated based on their application, not on the particular major they select.
Alternate majors not considered. Exception are GMP applicants which may be considered for an alternate major.
UCD:
Admission decisions are made based upon the qualifications of the applicant pool and the number of available spaces within each academic area:
• College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences admits by college
• College of Biological Sciences admits by college
• College of Letters and Science admits by College but within specific academic departments: ie. (Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies; Mathematics and Physical Sciences; Social Sciences)
• College of Engineering admits by academic department
Students applying as “undeclared” or “undeclared/exploratory” are considered within the college/academic department to which they applied.
Applicants are encouraged to list an alternate major, but not in the same area as the primary major (e.g., Computer Science Engineering with alternate Computer Science in the College of L&S). Occasionally, we admit to the alternate major.
UCI:
UCI admits into the University first and then into the major. In the case that UCI is unable to accommodate all qualified applicants in their first-choice major, those students who indicate a valid alternate major may be offered admission in that major or Undeclared.
UCLA:
For the College of Letters and Science, the applicant’s major is not considered during the review process.
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science admits students by declared major, with more emphasis on science and math programs.
The School of Nursing also places more emphasis on science and math programs and requires the submission of an additional supplemental application.
The School of the Arts and Architecture; Herb Alpert School of Music; and the School of Theater, Film and Television admit students by declared major (within the school), and put more emphasis on special talents through a review of portfolios and/or auditions, which are the most significant admission factors for these schools.
UCLA only guarantees review of an applicant’s first-choice major. They typically do not admit to the alternate major.
UCSD:
The campus does not admit students on the basis of academic major or choice of UC San Diego undergraduate college. Alternate majors are considered and capped majors are highly competitive. Also note: Capped majors require additional pre-req courses and specific GPA to be able to qualify if changing majors. Also if applying to a capped major, select an non-capped major as an alternate.
UCSB:
College of Letters and Sciences: Choice of major is not considered in selection to the College of Letters and Science. The exceptions to this rule are dance and music performance majors. Both majors require applicants to complete an audition in late January or early February.
College of Engineering: Students are selected by major for all engineering and computer science majors. Only applicants with a solid background in advanced high school mathematics will be considered for admission to engineering. This includes high grades in all math courses through grade 11 and enrollment in pre-calculus or higher in grade 12. A student not selected for their first choice major will be reviewed for admission to an alternate major outside of the College of Engineering if one was selected.
College of Creative Studies:
Applicants to the College of Creative Studies submit a supplementary application in addition to the general UC Application, which is reviewed by Creative Studies faculty. Students are selected within Creative Studies majors only. Applicants not selected for Creative Studies will automatically be considered for admission to the College of Letters and Science.
UCSC:
Important Note for Prospective Engineering Students: Choice of major does not influence the selection of first-year students, except for those applicants interested in a major offered by the Jack Baskin School of Engineering (BSOE).
Freshmen who are interested in a BSOE program should be sure to indicate a BSOE proposed major. Students who do not indicate a BSOE program or who apply as undeclared might not be able to pursue a BSOE program.
UCR:
Admission by major but alternate/2nd choice major will be considered if applicant does not meet their first choice admission standards.
For Business: Freshmen students must apply to Pre-Business under the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS). The College breadth requirements and the prerequisites for a Business major are completed during the freshman and sophomore years. An application is submitted at the end of the sophomore year. Upon acceptance, students become Business majors and are then advised in the Business Department. Students from any academic major may also complete a Business minor.
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Thank you!! 