Plenary Address
· $650M cut to the UC system as a whole over 2011-2012.
· Enrollment targets remain near those of Fall 2011.
· Most Recent Tuition and Fee Increase: 9%
· Freshman Application : Fee increase of $10 to $70
Application Numbers for Most Popular Campuses
· UCLA : 81,000
· UCSD: 70,000
· UCB: 69,000
Transfer Applicants via Community College Transfer
Number of transfers from California Community Colleges rose 10%
19,156 applications ; 17,754 offers of admission.
Rank Preference Given to Transfer Students
1. First-Time Freshmen
2. Community College Transfer
3. Transfer from a private school or CSU campus.
4. Transfer between UC campuses.
Averages across all 9 UC campuses (2011)
GPA: 3.86
SAT: 1782
ACT: 26
The average UC application receives an 8-minute read.
Financial Aid Highlight
The Blue & Gold Opportunity Plan : Very similar to Ivy-League sliding scale tuition and fee expectations for families making below $80,000.
Reporting SAT & ACT Scores
Student only needs to report scores to 1 UC campus, and all campuses will have access to the score. This is a change to previous years, where students were required to submit individually to each campus.
Directors Updates : Averages, Majors,
UC SAN DIEGO
Applications: Increase 11% Impacted Majors : Bioengineering
Admission: 34.8% Biotechnology
GPA: 4.08 Aerospace Engr.
SAT All above 600 Mechanical Engr.
ACT 29
*Campus will move to a “Single Score Review” for Comprehensive Review Process.
* Students offered waitlist space must opt-in with an essay, “Why UCSD?”
UC IRVINE
Overall SAT: 1840 GPA: 3.68 (uw) / 3.98 (w)
Verbal: 590 New Major: Biology & Education
Math: 642
Writing 609
UC Index: 211
· Revised Policy : No D or F grades in 12th grade. (Previous policy allowed 1)
· Moving to “Single Score Review” for Comprehensive Review Process.
UC RIVERSIDE
Application: Increase 8%
Admit Rate Decrease 10%
GPA 3.71
Waitlist: 1,000 offers made last year / 2,500 waitlisted students.
*Studio Art requires a portfolio submission.
* UCR continues to be a campus using “Fixed Weight” index, where grades and GPA receive the most weight.
UCLA
Overall SAT: 2025 GPA: 4.35 (w)
Admit Rate 26% New Major: Human Biology
· UCLA does not admit via major.
· SAT 2 (Math 2, Physics)
UC SANTA BARBARA
Application: Increase 7%
Admit Rate 46%
GPA 4.08
SAT 1916
*Strongest academic class admitted for Fall 2011.
* Waitlist was not activated in 2011.
* 2 year housing guarantee
* If a student has an interest in Engineering, s/he should declare. In Engineering, UCSB admits by major.
UC SANTA CRUZ
Application: Increase 11%
Waitlist: 2,000 students last year / Waitlist was not activated.
* New Major: Robotics Engineering.
* New Minor: Dance
* UCSC is in the pilot year of the UCSC Honors Program.
* Increased focus on Time-to-Degree : 4 years or less.
UC MERCED
Application: 22,000 (15,000 to Merced directly ; 7,000 referred from 1st choice
Admit Rate 75%
GPA 3.60
*Expanding recreation center this year.
* Most popular major: Biology
* Guarantee ELC admission to ELC candidates who apply.
UC BERKELEY
GPA 3.88 (uw)
SAT: 1960-2230 (Middle 50)
· Cal Summer is back
· New Major : Human Rights
· Increase in ability to seat students in math, science and engineering courses.
· New Engineering Major: Energy Engineering ( 5 year MS option)
UC DAVIS
GPA 3.86-4.22 Applications: Increase 5%
SAT: 620-690 (Reading)
667-740 (Math) Admit Rate: 46%
641-710 (Writing)
· Discontinued Majors
o Avian Science
o Optical Science
o Textile and Clothing
Cancelled Applications
Each year, the UC campuses cancel offers of admission due to false reporting, failure to maintain GPA expectations, or students receiving D or F grades. For Fall 2011, cancellation totals were:
San Diego 49
Irivine 111
Riverside 90
UCLA 80
UCSB 32
UCSC 159
Merced 230
Berkeley 9
Tips for UC Engineering Applicants
· Students are encouraged to explore the 4 UC campuses that offer COSMOS
· Google “Apprentice Researcher Program” for high school opportunities.
· Write about Engineering in application to demonstrate interest.
· Distinguish yourself via academic preparation (Calculus, Sciences)
· Students are strongly encouraged to take the Math 2 or Science SAT 2.
· The more lab science, the better ; Computer Engineering consider completing Computer Science.
· UC campuses hesitate to admit to a 2nd choice engineering major (Use 2nd major for Chemistry, Physics, Biology, etc.)
· Consider applying to larger campuses.
· Ask questions about Theory v. Practicum, and how the courses are taught.
· Consider whether or not the campus is Competitive or Collaborative.
· Consider campus size: Larger campuses tend to better accommodate alternate needs.