<p>I met with a UCB adviser at the transfer center yesterday and explained that I was worried because my math requirement (Intro to Stat - IGETC) would be completed in Spring and this forum always states that that is unfavorable when admissions officers consider acceptance.</p>
<p>She told me that my acceptance is conditional anyway, and they really don't care when I complete my math as long as it is completed by the Spring semester.</p>
<p>I am sure some of you are in a similar situation, I have to imagine they feel the same about the English requirement as well.</p>
<p>agree.
yea since admission is conditional so they only care if you would finish them by requirement (by spring) or not.
this is just how they work, our worries are sometimes even more than their concerns when they evaluating our application, just take it easy man since after we submitted our application whatever happen happened.</p>
<p>It’s something that varies between the UCs. I’m sure if you’re concerned about taking one of the core requirements in spring, you’ve likely read some of my posts in which I encourage people to start those requirements in the Fall. I’m always particular to say “SOME” of the UC’s look unfavorably on those that leave them until their last term in CC. That doesn’t apply to ALL of the UCs. UCSB is one that seems to be strict in that regard; however, I usually almost always state that it’s not an automatic rejection or a mandatory policy, it’s usually something that can be overlooked if you have a strong GPA or if you have AP credit in that subject that proves you’re a capable in it. Again it doesn’t APPLY to all the UCs. If you’re really concerned call each UC admission department that you applied to and ask what their policy is, although at this point it’d be a little late to do anything about it.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: Everything said past this point is SPECULATIVE. This is my rationalization of why SOME of the UCs can be strict about starting the core requirements in Spring.
Also, if you think about it logically it makes sense that Berkeley wouldn’t have such a strict policy. Most of the students that apply and that are qualified to gain admission into UC Berkeley are going to be relatively proven students already. I’m sure Berkeley admissions is more than comfortable extending some leniency to those students that are likely to be admitted regardless of when they start their core requirements. They likely will give them the benefit of the doubt that if they’re capable of getting admitted to Berkeley that then they probably won’t have any trouble fulfilling those requirements and aren’t at risk of being ineligible in their last term. Berkeley also has a VERY high enroll rate, so they know the majority of the people they offer admission to are going to accept and enroll so they’re not really worried about extending offers that are going to be taken. </p>
<p>That being said at somewhere like a mid or lower “tier” UC the students being admitted aren’t going to be at the same par academically as those being admitted to Berkeley and there probably is more risk of being ineligible because the students are not as sure of a thing comparatively. That and the lower / mid tier UC’s don’t have as high an enroll rate. They often extend admission offers to maybe 3 or 4 times more applicants than actually end up at the school because many applicants use them as safeties and won’t accept if they get into a higher priority school for them. Naturally, these mid / lower tier UCs are going to be more cautious in who they extend admission offers too because they don’t want to risk offering spaces to students that could potentially be ineligible. They have enough on their plate trying to predict how many offers to extend to meet their target enrollment for the year. Naturally, they’d want to extend offers to students that are the most likely to be eligible. And those students are the ones that are confirmed to have finished those core requirements or at least have show competency in those core requirements. End disclaimer</p>
<p>All of that said, there is plenty of anecdotal information from previous admission cycles that have shown that there are instances where students have been rejected to a particular UC (not ALL of them) and the primary reason is because some of the core requirements were started in the spring. This ESPECIALLY happens if you have attempted and not passed (received a NP, W, D, F etc) in one of the core requirements and are attempting to finish it in your last quarter. If you’re retaking a previously failed core requirement in spring, it can be a big red flag for them. As someone that’s been through the transfer process twice now, I’d encourage EVERYONE to get the core requirements out of the way (or at least start them) by Fall not because it’s MANDATORY, but just because it’s one less formality you have to worry about in the application process and it can only serve to help you if they don’t have to speculate about your application. It’s not a very complex notion. The earlier your finish your core requirements, major pre-reqs, or GE requirements the more appealing your app will look to the UCs.</p>
<p>I believe if it’s for IGETC certification then it doesn’t really matter when that course is completed, but if it is a major prep course then it would complicate things more a bit.</p>