<p>How important is it for UCs?</p>
<p>I read on CC that UCs don't take class rank into account. However, I've been looking through the stats thread on CC and almost all the people who got into UCLA or top tier UCs are in top 10% of their class.</p>
<p>If your stats are equal to/comparable with those of the top 10%, but youre not in the top 10% how much will this affect your admission? if at all..</p>
<p>It’s definitely a factor, but usually not too important.</p>
<p>For example, if you have a 4.0 GPA but you’re in the 50%ile, colleges including UC’s shouldn’t reject you because of that.</p>
<p>I agree with rspence. Basically, you’re competing with the people in your class.</p>
<p>Remember that the target of UC eligibility is the top 12.5% of graduating high school seniors (using GPA and test score benchmarks), but Berkeley and UCLA probably draw from the top sixth of that. This means that they take from the top 2.1% statewide (using GPA and test score benchmarks), so most high schools will likely have all admitted students to Berkeley and UCLA from their top 10%, even though rank is not considered in admissions.</p>
<p>Only in a few high schools will the top of the class be deep enough that students below the top 10% will have good enough courses, grades, test scores, essays, etc. to be admitted to Berkeley and UCLA as freshmen.</p>
<p>Note that Eligibility in Local Context compares your UC-calculated GPA against a benchmark UC-calculated GPA based on previous classes at your high school, not your current class rank.</p>
<p>You have two issues: (a) class rank for purpose of determining whether you can get into a any UC, and (b) thereafter consideration given to it for the purpose of determining admission to a particluar UC. </p>
<p>As to the first factor class rank is in fact determinative. To gualify for admission at all, you need to be either top 9% on a statewide basis or top 9% in a local context. The UCs detemrine whether you are top 9% based on their calculations and thus fact you may be top 9% according to your school cannot be relied upon. For doing it on a statewide basis, the UCs use a combination of your grades in a-g courses (and UCs drop all plusses and minuses in grades and do not consider freshman year grades) and your SAT or ACT score. For doing it in a local context, they use your grades in a-g courses as compared to others in your high school and ignore test scores. If you do not make top 9% either way, you have another opportunity to qualify: via high scoring SAT or ACT plus two SAT II exams. For a description of the admission process and what is needed start here [University</a> of California - California residents](<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/california-residents/index.html]University”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/california-residents/index.html) and here [University</a> of California - Admission by exam](<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/requirements/examination/index.html]University”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/requirements/examination/index.html)</p>
<p>Once you are deemed to qualify for admission to a UC, that means you will be offered admission to one UC (but make sure you apply to places like Riverside and Merced which usually accept many who cannot get into others) but not necessarily one of your choice. To be admitted to the higher level UCs, they then consider your entire file and class rank becomes only one factor.</p>
<p>Thus, if you are not in the top 9% on a statewide or local basis, you will not be offered admission to any UC unless you can separately qualify via test scores. (Above was mentioned top 12.5%; that was what it used to be in a statewide context but everything was changed to top 9% beginning last year).</p>