Hi,
I’m from New York and I’m looking to apply to several UC schools. Recently I have heard that getting accepted to UC schools is much more difficult if you are out of state. Though I easily exceed average GPA and SAT scores for the UC schools I am interested in, will my chances of being accepted still be slim?
Also, would my opportunity for merit based scholarships be hindered by the fact that I am out of state?
If your UC-recalculated-weighted-capped GPA is below 3.4, then you will not be admitted as an out-of-state student (California residents need at least a 3.0).
However, it is unlikely that residency makes much of a difference otherwise, other than the slight disadvantage that out-of-state students have in UC recalculation of GPA (honors high school courses that are not AP or IB courses do not get +1 like some (not all) such courses in California high schools do).
Perhaps more significant would be a reduced chance of admission if you choose a more popular major (e.g. engineering majors or CS at most campuses).
There is also no need-based financial aid for out-of-state students. Large merit scholarships that may cover the out-of-state extra tuition or more are highly competitive and should be considered reaches.
For the majority of the UC’s, OOS applicants have a higher acceptance rate due to a lower yield. OOS applicants get little to no financial aid, so $65K/year can be cost prohibitive for most applicants. Also OOS applicants require higher stats are in general than in-state applicants.
UCLA for example had a 11.8% acceptance rate for in-state applicants this year but for OOS it was 16.5%.
So what are your UC capped weighted and Fully weighted GPA’s?
https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
SAT/ACT scores? Intended major? EC’s?
The majority of FA given by the UC’s is need-based for in-state applicants. There are some merit scholarships but are highly competitive with no guaranteed merit. I would run the Net Price Calculator to get an estimate of your costs.
Out-of-state applicants may also self-select stronger applicants with higher grades and test scores. For example, http://www.admission.ucla.edu/Prospect/Adm_fr/Frosh_Prof18.htm shows that in-state applicants to UCLA have significantly lower GPA than out-of-state or international applicants. But the GPA difference is minimal between them for those who are admitted and enrolled (however, the less emphasized test scores are higher for out-of-state and international students for all of applicants, admits, and enrollees).
Sorry for not including more info about my GPA and scores. I have an unweighted 4.0 GPA with mostly honors/AP classes (my school doesn’t do weighted at all), and a 35 ACT. Probably a Biology/Chemisty/Biochemistry major. Also I have decent volunteer work and 3 clubs with leadership in all of them.
As for financial aid, I receive little to none at most schools anyway, so on paper the UC schools look slightly better cost-wise than most private universities. Therefore, my decision is probably going to come down to merit based aid if I can get any. Otherwise, my only really affordable option is a few SUNYs.
If that’s the case USC may be a better option then the UC’s. Merit aid at UC schools is tough to come by. Most really good merit aid from public universities comes from outside the top 100 as they are actively looking to attract top students.
If you are a pre-med, better to go to a lower cost undergraduate school so that you can save your money for medical school. It will also be easier to get to in-state medical school interviews from your in-state public universities.
Ummmm. Large merit at UCs , I’ve not heard. I know of some merit, but it sure as heck isn’t going to compare to what SUNY school costs are going to be. Especially with the STEM award which pretty much covers tuition that you look like you’ll qualify for. I cannot see the UCs coughing up $40k+ in merit money for an OOSer.
What can your family afford? Look at Cornell schools , the State Contract schools that run about $55k full freight. If you can find a life sciences type major in CALS or Human ecology, you would get about $7k from the NY STEM Incentive. That and loans and summer work/ part time work can bring the cost down to the $40k. Do read the conditions of the STEM Initiative. You would, of course, have to get into Cornell, but you do have the numbers and a bit of an advantage being in state. . ED would boost the advantage even more band if you apply for financial aid, if the package is little or none, you can be released from the ED contract.
There are also a number of other state schools that have much surer merit that the UCs. Arizona, Alabama, New Mexico, to name a few.