I got this on my UC application once I submitted it, and was hoping for more clarification:
Congratulations! According to UC calculations, you rank in the top 9 percent of students from your high school. If you also meet the minimum admissions requirements, we will make every effort to offer you admission to at least one UC campus.
How much weight does this carry on my application?
If I do not get into UC Davis, what UC will they put me in?
What major will they put me under because the major I applied for (Biotechnology) is only at Davis and UCSD (which is out of my reach)?
That is your “ELC letter” that your school typically receives regarding your qualifications for the UCs.
It means that your grades and coursework qualified you to be admitted to a UC in case you are rejected from your top UC choice. For now, that university is Merced.
It means that you are ELC eligible which basically guarantees (if room is available) that if you do not get into your choice UC’s, then you will be accepted into either UC Riverside or Merced. UC Merced has been the default campus these past few years. You do not get to pick the default campus and the major will depend upon where there is room.
Will this give me a better chance at getting into the UC I applied or since many applicants have this designation it will not help me at all?
All three of my children got their “permission to give high school records to the UCs” in the mail and then a copy of their ELC letters on campus. They had the students come pick up their letters when they had their meetings with their counselors.
It is not going to really change anything.
Being in the top 9% of your HS will help but again no guarantees. It will all come down to how competitive of an applicant you are for the UC’s you applied along with intended major. Both my son’s were ELC eligible and one son got into 5 of 7 UC’s he applied with good grades, EC’s, essays and average test scores but a less competitive major. Other son got into 1 of 4 UC’s he applied with good test scores, EC’s and decent grades and a competitive major. Also my niece last year was ELC eligible, but did not get into any of her choice UC’s with a competitive but was given a place at UC Merced but opted to attend else where.