UC Irvine Class of 2027 Official Thread

If I can make a small comment while I add my daughter’s stats–somehow these holistic admissions WORK for some people, because after applying, we visited lots of schools and talked to students etc, and she decided she really did not like UCI and UCSD. Low and behold, she was rejected at both. She knew she was not a fit, and they somehow knew it, too. She SIR’d to UCLA this weekend and is over the moon!

Decision: Denied (Daughter)
Major: Neurobiology something but I can’t remember the exact wording at this school
Stats: UW UC 3.94; W-capped 4.41; W-uncapped 4.68

Comments about course load (including senior year):
26 dual enrollment courses and 10 high school courses. Math through Linear Algebra and Differential Equations, calculus-based physics, lots of biology, electives in music and 4 years foreign language.

Extracurriculars: nationally ranked at her sport with 8 years of competition; club secretary, other club related to her major, competitive research internship 4 years at the same one, certificate of merit, honor society.

Job/Work Experience: tutoring chemistry at the college level

Volunteer/Community service: volunteering with her sporting community

Personal Insight essays (details): Written with little outside input. Showed her passions and desire to make positive changes in the world. Highlighted her work ethic and perseverance in the face of adversity.

Supplemental/Augmented Review: No

Accepted: Cal State LA, CSULB, UCSC, UCD, UCR, Cal Poly SLO, UCLA
Rejected: UCSD, UCI
Waiting: UCSB, UCB

I don’t really know how more qualified applicants than her are getting rejected or waitlisted … this whole holistic application process is baffling . We are grateful and know that my daughter is incredibly lucky to be accepted at all these great schools

D23 accepted with merit scholarship
Major: neurobiology
UC unweighted : 4.0
UC capped weighted 4.3
Completely weighted ( her own high school) 4.6
Rank 16 out of > 400
8 AP ( AP world freshman yr, Ap bio sophomore year, AB calc, AP Chem, Apush junior year, BC calc, AP physics + 1 more I can’t remember for senior year- submitted all AP grades …. Not fantastic all 4’s except 3 in APush
Currently taking BC Calc, AP physics

Extracurricular- were ok but showed a strong interest in neuro pts… worked with memory care pts and best buddies / coached special Olympics for snowboarding .
President environmental club , NHS, Spanish NHS
Part time job

I honestly think her PIQ were catchy and really showed her personality .

We are OOS so an obvious advantage

accepted: UCR UCSC,UCD,UCSD, UCLA

Deferred/awaiting: USC , UCSB, UCB

Rejected : Stanford ( :joy: I don’t think she was serious)

Friday was a good day for her!

Good luck everyone !

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Has UCI released financial aid package?

DD23 admitted Environmental Engineering, 4.19 capped, 4.26 uncapped, 9 APs/College Honors. Waitlisted UCD UCSD. Accepted SLO, SDSU, CSULB.
If she decides to transfer out of COE, is there a process for this?

Transfer to which major? Yes, there is a process to change majors once enrolled at UCI.

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Missed posting this earlier, doing my part as I’ve found so much useful info in CC…

Decision: Accepted, CHC (honors)
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Environmental Science and Policy

ACADEMIC STATS::
UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.4
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.7
ELC (top 9% CA HS): Yes

Comments about course load (including senior year):
Number of a-g courses: 24 years
Number of UC Approved Honors courses: 12 years
Number of AP courses/exams (scores in parentheses): 11 (5 tests taken, all 5’s, 6 courses senior year)
Number of IB courses/exams (score in parentheses): 0

SUBJECTIVE::

Extracurriculars: environmental clubs/activities, speech & debate (nationally ranked, many awards), varsity athlete (for fun, not ranked or recruited), all ECs included leadership roles
Volunteer/Community service: 200+ hours
Summer Activities: environmental research, community service, debate camp
Supplemental/Augmented Review: No

DEMOGRAPHICS::

State/location of HS (if domestic applicant): CA Public
Country (if international applicant): US
First Generation? No

REFLECTION::

Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/denied:
accepted: UCSC, UCD, UCSD, UCLA, Northeastern, UMD College Park, UMN Twin Cities
waitlisted: Pomona
deferred to RD: Stanford
denied: none so far

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What are people’s opinions on Irvine’s Collegewide Honors Collegium program? Was accepted to it, and the links that are provided alongside the acceptance rave about the honors housing and community. However, much of it seems kind of vague.

A lot of students on the UCI subreddit are saying its not worth it, especially for my intended premed track, since it takes up unnecessary time due to the required extra core courses, and that it’s not actually that prestigious since any regular student can apply to get into the program during their later years attending UCI.

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In my opinion, the biggest benefit is priority enrollment. Sometimes students do CHC for the first year (or two) for priority enrollment and then drop out of the program.

Enrollment windows for UCI are assigned in the following order:

  1. Disabled
  2. Academic Programs
    * Regent Scholars
    * Campuswide Honors Collegium (CHC)
    * Summer Bridge
  3. Athletes
  4. Military
  5. Foster Youth/Former Foster Youth
  6. Student Parents

Following priority enrollment windows, students enroll based upon their class level in the following order:

Graduate/Limited
Seniors
Juniors
Sophomores
Freshmen

you have to take extra courses to be in the Honors program? My daughter got accepted as well

From what I see online, it looks like the courses overlap with General Ed requirements (for the Classic Track, not clear they all do for the Sustainable Societies Track). See requirements for students entering as freshman on the CHC site. But I don’t know anyone who is/was at UCI and has done it.

Any idea when uci would send financial aid packages. Ucla already sent me thiers

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Is there anyone from Seattle area ? Is housing a concern at UCI ? Is it not easy to get the housing ? And it is more of a commuter school because of this ?

UCI may have once been considered a commuter school way before it shot up in the national ranks, but it’s hardly like that now.

I know that there have been significant increase in housing being built over the last 10 years or so. I don’t think there’s a shortage. There are also close, off-campus apartments that are also a very popular option.

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Are those apartment options expensive ? Do they cost more than dorms ?

Here’s one of the apartment complexes that is close to the university: Stanford Court Apartments in Irvine

You can find UCI Housing for first year here to compare.
https://housing.uci.edu/first-year/

I think most kids move to apartments once they are juniors and seniors, though.

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UCI would be considered a suitcase school. In 2022, 17K of the 23K enrolled undergrads came from neighboring southern California counties. https://datahub.oapir.uci.edu/Enrollment-By-Dashboard.php

UCI students are guaranteed two years of on campus housing IF their application is received by May 2.

Many second years apply to live in ACC apartments. There is not enough room for everyone so many end up living in other neighboring apartments. The Irvine Company is the largest landlord of apartment complexes around UCI. In our experience, rent with Irvine Co is not cheap but is extremely negotiable.

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UCI has a 2 year housing guarantee for first years (as long as you apply by May 2nd). For off-campus rates (junior & senior year if you don’t get on-campus), you could probably check out UCI’s off-campus housing web site.

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We are in OC. My son picked to live at home, but is considering moving to student housing for his first year for the “experience.” Do you know if that’s easy enough to change?

I don’t think it is difficult to change. Housing is separate from admissions. Since you work there, you should be able to contact someone in housing and verify.

Will you have one at UCI and one at another school?

Sorry, yes, I know I could ask someone at school. Just since we were on this active thread, thought I’d ask you.

It looks like my other son will be at another school as he was waitlisted from UCI, although, truth be told, it wasn’t his top or second choice. That may change once the financial aid packets come in, LOL!

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