UCSB Regents Scholars

Are there any parents of UCSB Regents Scholars here? My incoming freshman has been awarded a Regents Scholarship, and I would appreciate hearing about what’s involved from students (or their parents) in the program. We have the basic information from the website about what it’s all about, but am curious and would like to hear people’s experiences. Thank you.

I didn’t know they accept students already. Student athlete ?

I’m sorry, I don’t understand your question, do you mind clarifying? My student got accepted to UCSB for this coming fall, and she got awarded a Regents Scholarship. It’s not an athletic scholarship–I believe it’s based mostly on academics. I just want to know more about the scholarship beyond what’s on the website from parents of Regents Scholars.

It seems a little late to be making a decision or did she make a decision already for Fall.
If she will be a freshman then she gets whats on the website. Not sure what else you want to know. Plus she can list the Scholar on her resume, so that should be a plus.

Priority registration is a valuable thing. Is that what you wanted to know?

Also: http://osl.sa.ucsb.edu/show_profile/42194-regents-and-chancellors-scholars-association

@windypoplars One of my kids is a Regent Scholar, but not at Santa Barbara. Just by looking at the website, it looks like both campuses offer similar perks. Priority registration has been a blessing as was guaranteed housing, and wearing the Regent medallion at graduation is an honor. The mandatory GPA can be tough to maintain the first year for some majors, particularly if the student is an engineering major. If your child ever has any concerns about maintaining the required GPA, encourage them to talk asap with their scholarship adviser. The advisers are there to offer guidance to the Scholars, and it is important for the students to nurture that relationship. At my child’s campus, there were a few mandatory meetings each year. As a parent, we never had to do anything other than submit the FAFSA on time.

http://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/docs/default-source/PDFs/regents-scholars-program-2015.pdf?sfvrsn=20

Minimum GPA is 3.20, so it’s not too hard.
My daughter’s friend there has almost 4.0

My son is a Regents Scholar at Berkeley. He gets priority registration, which was a very nice perk, first choice for housing, and a few other things. He was supposed to get a faculty advisor, but that didn’t work out so well. There is a club for Regents Scholars at Berkeley, but he hasn’t really been involved in that. Also for financial aid they “meet need”. If there isn’t “need” it is $2500 I think.

You also GE research for freshman year which my daughter did. I think priority registration is the best perk and the extra money.

It appears that Berkeley Regents’ scholarship money is the replacement of the typical student contribution (loans and work study, usually around $8,000 or so for high-need students) with additional grant/scholarship. No-need students get $2,500. See http://financialaid.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/docs/forms/2014-15_RC_Tenure_Contract_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf .

For non-residents (who normally pay about $24,000 additional tuition, with no financial aid coverage for that amount), the Regents’ scholarship includes that amount for those with financial need; no-need non-residents get $25,000 per year (approximately the non-resident additional tuition plus about $1,000). See http://financialaid.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/docs/forms/2014-15_RC_Domestic_Nonresident_Tenure_Contract_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf .

UCSB Regents’ scholarship is $6,000. Other campuses have their own award amounts.

Each campus also determines its own additional perks and the renewal GPA.

I just finished up my first year at UCSB and my roommate was a Regent’s Scholar. She picked UCSB Regents over UCLA and hasn’t looked back. Getting priority registration at a UC is not something to take for granted, seeing as students at even the top-tier UCs like UCLA and Berkeley struggle to get required courses and have resorted to sitting on the floors of lecture halls. My roommate (and I, because I’m in the honors program), registered for classes before literally any person in the school, and I’ve gotten coveted spots in 20-person literature lectures and the classes of the most sought-after professors solely because of this privilege. There’s no question you can graduate on time with this benefit, and graduating in 3 years is also very viable. Other than that, I know she received first pick for Honors housing, a couple luncheons with the Chancellor and the other Regents scholars, and I’d imagine an advantage in conducting research as she enters her second and third years.