UC ELC

State Forums
1

Is the UC ELC for the top 15% or top 9%? Or perhaps it varies by high school?

Am I correct that this program basically guarantees you a slot a UC Merced if you get shut out at all other UCs?

2

Eligibility in the Local Context refers to the top 9% of each high school class. It is based on GPA in UC-approved coursework completed in the 10th and 11th grades. As you’d imagine, the GPA threshold varies widely by school

There is also a Statewide context, which blends in SAT or ACT scores.

California high school students who are eligible in the statewide context or eligible in the local context and are not admitted to any campus to which they apply will be offered a spot at another campus if space is available.

I clipped some of that verbiage from the UC website … note the space available caveat.

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/california-residents/index.html

3

Hmm, the notice from my daughter’s HS said top 15%. She’s at a fairly competitive public HS, with 800+ kids in her class.

4

Top 9% as stated on the UC website at HS or local path:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/california-residents/local-path/index.html
Default campus has been UC Merced these past few years.

5

I had always seen 9% as well, not sure why the letter states 15%. Moot point anyway, as she’s not really interest in Merced.

6

The HS send their top 15% to the UC system at the end of Jr year. The UC winnows it from there.

7

Top 9% as noted above by previous posters.

8

Note that it is “top 9%” based on GPA recalculated by UC (using the usual 10th-11th grade a-g courses with up to 8 semesters of +1 honors points) compared to a top 9% threshold GPA based on recent previous classes at the high school.

This means that class rank calculated by the high school is not considered, and that current students are only trying to reach the previously-determined threshold GPA (as recalculated by UC) rather than competing for class rank places in a possibly-cutthroat manner.

9

Thanks all, I figured they might be sending extra so the UC can tweak down from 15% to their 9%.