How to Prepare for the UC Applications (California)

The UC Application is an all-in-one application that allows you to apply to 9 University of California Campuses:

1. UC Berkeley
2. UC Davis
3. UC Irvine
4. UC Los Angeles
5. UC Merced
6. UC Riverside
7. UC San Diego
8. UC Santa Barbara
9. UC Santa Cruz

NOTE: It costs $70 per campus you apply to. For example, if you applied to 5 campuses, you would need to pay $350.

📝 Application Components

About You

• Personal information
• Contact information
• Citizenship and residency (Social Security Number, if applicable)
• Demographic information
• Background (languages, military dependant, etc.)
• Household information (income, number of household members, etc.)
• Parent Information

Choosing Campuses

You will need to choose which UC Campuses you want to apply to. Ultimately, create a list of needs/wants that you want your future college to cover. This will help with creating your overall college. Here are some questions to get you started:

1. Consider which majors you are interested in and which of these colleges have the best programs for these majors
2. What type of weather do you like?
3. What type of campus environment do you enjoy? (Big city or small college town)
4. Think about extracurriculars, clubs, and organizations you want to join.
5. How far away do you want to be from home?
6. Consider the type of housing available.

Choosing Majors

• You will be picking one major and one alternate major for each UC Campus you have selected to apply for.
• UC Berkeley doesn't have an alternate major, so you can only pick one major.

Academic History

• Courses and grades
• Grading System (ex: A/B/C/D/F)
• Term System (ex: semester, quarter)
• Dual Enrollment courses and grades
• The system will determine if you meet the A-G requirements (if you are a California high school graduate)

Test Scores

• This is a place for your AP/IB scores as well as English language proficiency tests and international exams.
• Reminder: The University of California system will no longer use the ACT or SAT in its admissions process.

Activities and Awards

• There's lots of info to keep in mind, so we've put together a separate doc on filling out the UC Application: Activities and Awards Sec.

Scholarships and Programs

• You will be asked to check off any descriptions that apply to you (these may determine possible scholarships and program eligibility).

Personal Insight Questions

• The UC Application uses Personal Insight Questions (PIQ) as their form of essay writing. The page on UC Application: Personal Insight Questions includes tips for all 8 PIQs, but keep in mind that you will only have to write about 4 of them.

Verified Information

• Whether you have met all Subject (A-G) requirements
• State of legal residence
• Release authorizations, electronic signature, etc.

➕ Additional Requirements for UC San Diego

UC San Diego College Rankings

You will be asked to rank the 7 colleges at UCSD. They each have their own general education requirements, themes, and traditions. The 7 colleges are:

1. Revelle
2. Muir
3. Marshall
4. Warren
5. Roosevelt
6. Sixth
7. Seventh

Comparing the 7 Colleges

• Use the Compare UCSD Colleges page to compare the general education requirements, residential area, and dining.
• Use this Undergraduate Colleges page to learn about the history and theme behind each college.
• Reminder: You will be directly applying for a college within the university. Therefore, you need to pick a major you would be interested in pursuing, or come in undeclared in a field of your interest.

‍