Tips for Out-of-State Students Applying to the University of California Schools
It is important for students (especially out-of-state students) to understand how to apply to the University of California schools (UCs).
How to Apply to the UCs
The UCs are not on the Common App and require completion of the UC Application. This one application allows students to choose between 9 campuses. The deadline for the UC Application is November 30th and requires an extended activities list and short essay answers to 4 of 8 Personal Insight Questions. The word limit for each essay is 350 words. Students will also be asked to indicate a choice of major and alternate major. Some of the UC campuses admit students by major, so it is important to choose both the major and alternate wisely.
Some UCs are Increasing their Acceptance of Out-of-State Applicants
UCLA remains the most selective school, but out-of-state admissions saw the highest increase from 11.2% to 14.9%.
Out-of-state admissions for UC Davis had the greatest advantage at 71.0%, well above the average acceptance rate at 45.8%.
UC Irvine increased their admissions from 47.6% to 49.4%.
UC Santa Barbara admissions increased significantly from 54.8% to 63.9%.
UC Santa Cruz has put additional focus on increasing all domestic admissions. Their out-of-state admissions increased from 86.4% to 87.2%.
UC Riverside increased its admissions from 95.2% to 96.6%.
UCs with Steady or Decreased Out-of-State Admissions Rates
UC Berkeley was fairly steady in their admissions at 10.0%, making it the one campus where out-of-state applicants face worse odds than in-state applicants.
UC Merced decreased their admissions from 87.1% to 85.7%.
UC San Diego saw a small decrease in admissions from 39.4% to 37.2%.
UC Irvine saw a slight decrease in admissions from 49.9% to 47.6%.
UCs with Higher Admission Rates for Out-of-State than Resident Applicants
UCLA, San Diego, Irvine, Santa Barbara, Davis, Santa Cruz, and Riverside had a higher admission rate for out-of-state applicants.
If you have questions or would like to learn more about college admissions, please visit Excelsioradmissions.com or click here to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to learn how I can help with your college admissions process.
