UC System

For information on any UC campus, please visit:

http://universityofcalifornia.edu/

A-G REQUIREMENTS

To be considered for admission, you must complete 15 yearlong high school courses with a grade of C or better — at least 11 of them prior to your senior year.

Check the UC Doorways page for a list of Burbank High School’s approved a-g https://doorways.ucop.edu/list

 

  • History/social science (“a”)– Two years, including one year of world history, cultures and historical geography and one year of U.S. history, or one-half year of U.S. history and one-half year of  American government or civics.
  • English (“b”)– Four years of college preparatory English that includes frequent and regular writing, reading of classic and modern literature, and practice listening and speaking.
  • Mathematics (“c”)– Three years of college-preparatory mathematics that include the topics covered in elementary and advanced algebra and two- and three-dimensional geometry.
  • Laboratory science (“d”)– Two years of laboratory science providing fundamental knowledge in at least two of the three disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics.
  • Language other than English (“e”)– Two years of the same language other than English or equivalent to the second-level of high school instruction.
  • Visual and performing arts (“f”)– One year, including dance, drama/theater, music or visual art.
  • College-preparatory elective (“g”)– One year chosen from the “a-f” courses beyond those used to satisfy the requirements above, or courses that have been approved solely for use as “g” electives.

How to Make Up Missing Courses

If you didn’t take all the required high school courses or earned D grades in some of them, you have several options to make up these courses and qualify for CSU admission.

  1. You can complete appropriate high school courses with a grade of Cor better either in summer school
  2. You can complete appropriate high school courses with a grade of Cor better in adult school. Courses in this category must be those found on the high school or adult school UC “a-g” course lists. Some adult schools may not have a-gcourse lists. See your high school counselor for an application.
  3. You may also complete college courseswith a grade of Cor better in the missing subject areas.
  4. You can earn an acceptable score on examinations such as the SAT, ACT, SAT Subject examinations, and/or Advanced Placement examinations.

 

Minimum GPA

Earn a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better in the a-g courses with no grade lower than a C.

SAT/ACT

All prospective freshmen must submit scores from either the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT Reasoning Test.

SAT Subject Test(s) are not required, but they’re recommended for certain selective majors.

 If you report your scores to one campus, they will be shared with every campus to which you've applied.

  • If you're applying for admission to the fall term, be sure to take your admissions tests no later than December of your senior year/last year prior to high school/secondary school graduation — preferably earlier — to ensure that your application receives prompt and full consideration. It is unlikely that scores from tests taken after our December deadline will be received in time for the review process.
  • Report ACT and/or SAT scores on your admissions application, then request that an official copy of the scores be sent from the testing agency. You can have your official score report sent to one UC campus, and all campuses you apply to will receive it.
  • In the College Board's Score Choice module, ensure that all scores are sent to UC. UCs require all scores and will use the highest scores from a single administration.
  • For the ACT Plus Writing test, UCs will focus on the highest combined score from the same test administration.
  • For the SAT Reasoning Test, UCs will focus on the highest total score from a single test date.

Cost of Attendance

California resident undergraduates at all UC campuses pay the same $12,192 in systemwide tuition and fees for 2013-14.

The fees figure below includes the average cost of additional campus-based fees. Your total costs will vary depending on your personal expenses and the campus you attend.

 

Estimated average costs for California residents, 2013-14

 

Living
on campus

Living
off campus

Tuition and fees*

$13,200

$13,200

Books and supplies

$1,500

$1,500

Health insurance allowance/fee

$1,700

$1,700

Room and board

$13,800

$9,800

Personal/transportation

$2,200

$3,000

TOTAL

$32,400

$29,200

 

UC's Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan will cover your educational and student services fees if you are a California resident whose family earns less than $80,000 a year and you qualify for financial aid — and that's just for starters. Blue + Gold students with sufficient financial need can qualify for even more grant aid to help reduce the cost of attending. All you need to do is submit the FAFSA between January 1 and March 2, along with the Cal Grant Verification Form (available at the college/career center). If you’re an eligible non-citizen, submit a California Dream Act application instead along with the Cal Grant Verification F

 

How UCs Review Applications

In general campuses look for:

  • Strong grades & examination scores, and in some cases, course preparation
  • Involvement & leadership – “Well-rounded” doesn’t mean a student has to do everything, but they like to see evidence of students being involved outside of the classroom in activities students are passionate about
  • Evidence of hard work – Campuses want to know if an applicant can be a successful University student
  • UC looks for students who have challenged themselves in many ways: Students are most successful at UC campuses if they have shown academic promise through their courses/grades, test scores and other academic pursuits.
  • Each applicant is reviewed within the context of his or her available opportunities: If a student does well compared to peers within the same situation (school, environment, etc.) and uses the application to explain that context, the applicant will provide UC readers with a better understanding of the relative difficulty or ease in which they achieved/completed what is presented on the application.
  • UCs ask many questions as part of the application process so that they can get to know each student. Since there is no opportunity for an interview and because UCs don’t consider recommendation letters, their goal is get a sense of the applicant’s life, interests and personality through their application.

 

Comprehensive Review

  • Process each campus uses to consider applicants
  • ALL campuses use Comprehensive Review and have since 2002
  • The faculty at each campus can determine how to implement Comprehensive Review on their campus
  • Meeting minimum requirements/qualifications does not guarantee admission to a specific campus

 

Comprehensive Review: Campuses may place a different emphasis or value on the information in the application in the Comprehensive Review process.

 

  • UC evaluates applicants based upon more than GPA and test scores. Each applicant’s academic achievements are considered in light of the opportunities and resources available to them as well as their potential to contribute to a campus
  • Each campus may differ on the relative weight (if any) accorded to any criterion
  • Students should visit each campus’ website for the specific selection process

 

Comprehensive Review Factors: UC faculty have established 14 factors that can be considered; these factors not listed in any priority order

 

  • “a-g” GPA including additional points for UC-approved AP and IB course, and college/university courses; and for California residents only, UC approved school-based honors courses
  • Examination scores: SAT Reasoning Exam or ACT w/ Writing (SAT Subject Exams are optional, but may be recommended by some majors on some campuses-for more information, go to: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/requirements/examination-requirement/SAT-subject-tests/index.html
  • Number and content of “a-g” courses beyond the minimum
  • Number of UC-approved AP and IB course, and college/university courses; and for California residents only, UC approved school-based honors courses
  • For California Residents only: if the applicant is in the Top 9% Local Context (ELC) of their high school class
  • Quality (rigor and number) of senior year schedule (both classes in progress at the time of application and courses planned for 2nd semester)
  • Quality of academic performance relative to educational opportunities available at the high school
  • Outstanding performance in one or more academic subjects
  • Outstanding performance in one or more special projects in any academic field of study
  • Recent marked improvement in academic performance demonstrated by GPA and quality of coursework
  • Talents, achievements and awards in a particular field, i.e. visual and performing arts, communication, athletics;

- Special skills i.e. demonstrated written & oral proficiency in other languages

- Special interests i.e. intensive study & exploration of other cultures

- Experiences that demonstrate leadership i.e. student government, significant community service, level of responsibility in paid employment

  • Completion of a special project in context of high school curriculum or in conjunction with special school events, projects or programs
  • Academic accomplishments in light of life experiences & circumstances
  • Location of secondary school and residence

 

Application Timeline

  • Applicants can access the application beginning October 1.
  • Applications can only be submitted between November 1 and 30. It is very important to meet the deadline. Late applications are rarely accepted.
  • If students take the SAT Reasoning, ACT Plus Writing and/or SAT Subject Test in December, they must update UC with December test scores by logging back into their submitted application as soon as possible but preferably no later than January 15.
  • In early to mid-January, each campus the student applied to will email them to create a login username and password for access to the campus’ applicant portal. This is the site at which the admission decision will be posted along with other important information—check each campus’ applicant portal frequently. Be sure to safeguard your passwords.
  • Campuses may begin to admit students as early as February 1, but most students will receive notification of admission via the campus’ applicant portal during the month of March.
  • Some students may receive an offer to be placed on a waitlist at one or more campuses. If applicants receive such a message they must be sure to respond by the stated deadline. UC campuses very rarely make exceptions for a late response.
  • In mid to late April, applicants who were identified as being in the Top 9% Statewide or Top 9% Local Context (ELC) and met/will meet all admission requirements, but were not offered admission to any campus at which they applied, will be sent an email message if another campus has available space to offer them a place.
  • May 1 is the deadline to submit the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) (accept an offer of admission) to ONLY ONE UC campus for all freshman admits who received an offer by April 1. Admit offers received after April 1 will included the SIR deadline.

In mid-May to early June, campuses will notify applicants who accepted a place on the waitlist of the final decision on their application.