Admissions Blog

Undergraduate Admissions Uncensored

UC Berkeley Announces Fall 2022 Admissions Updates

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As we head into a new admissions cycle, University of California, Berkeley is announcing some changes in how it will consider applicants.

UC Berkeley is joining the rest of the UC campuses in allowing students to select an alternative major on the UC application. The university encourages students to take advantage of this option, especially if they have a second-choice major they’re interested in. UC Berkeley’s advice remains that students should select the major they are most interested in as their primary major because the university will only guarantee a review of the primary major, while alternative majors will only be used if space is available, for example, as the university considers available space during the wait list process.

In addition, first-year applicants admitted to one of the twelve high-demand majors in the College of Letters and Science will be guaranteed a space in the major. While this will not be a direct admission to the major, the process to declare will be simplified and space will be held for them contingent on certain requirements. Students interested in a high-demand major are encouraged to apply for it on the application, which gives them the best chance of declaring that major. Students who do not select a high-demand major can apply to declare after enrolling at Berkeley, but it will be through a comprehensive review process directly with the major department.

Meanwhile, any student interested in completing a double major will be limited to one high-demand major in the College of Letters and Science. Students who are interested in more than one major are encouraged to add the high-demand major as their primary major on their UC application. More information related to these changes will be posted on this page in the coming weeks.

This news comes as students are encouraged to start their UC application for fall 2022 this month (August), including entering personal information, self-reporting their courses and grades, and drafting their Personal Insight Questions (PIQs).

Like other UC campuses, starting this cycle, the application submission period for UC Berkeley begins on October 1, and the deadline is November 30. This gives students a larger window to submit their applications, as in previous years the application submission window only lasted for the entire month of November. Once the application is submitted students cannot make changes to the application, so they should plan accordingly, and of course, the UC system does not offer Early Action or Early Decision.

Finally, UC Berkeley also has shared news for prospective transfer students. Starting fall of 2023, participating UC Berkeley academic departments will pilot a direct admit to major program in Berkeley’s College of Letters and Science for transfer admits. There will be twenty-seven departments participating in the program including four high-demand majors: Art Practice, Computer Science, Data Science, and Social Welfare.

On the UC application, when selecting the major, the portal will inform students that they are applying directly to the chosen major. If an applicant is admitted to a major participating in this program they will not have to go through the process of applying to or officially declaring their major during their first semester on campus. Transfer admission and major declaration procedures will not change for majors who are not participating in this pilot program. More information will be posted on this page in the coming weeks as details are finalized.

All of these updates come on the heels of an unprecedented year that included a record number of freshmen applicants to UC Berkeley (over 128,000 applicants) and a court ruling that threatened to cap its enrollment numbers. Even so, the selective Bay Area university offered over 19,700 freshmen and transfer students admission.

Common App Goes Live, Adds Clemson, Auburn, and 40 Others

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Clemson University

The Common Application, colloquially referred to as the Common App, goes live for the 2020-2021 application cycle on August 1, 2020, and in the process is adding forty-two new members, including big name southern public universities such as Clemson, Auburn, and Virginia Tech.

The Amazon of the American undergraduate admissions process, the Common App is user-friendly and entirely uninspiring. Yet, it keeps growing because colleges yearn for more applications year after year in a manner similar to a drug addict yearning for a greater hit high after high. The Common App’s ease of use is very good at delivering the application numbers colleges crave, which in turn helps colleges appear far more selective than they otherwise would appear if students had to actually take the time and energy to apply to each college one at a time using college-specific applications.

In any case, there are still some big-name holdouts that refuse to go Common App. These include University of Maryland (one of only two remaining colleges that accept first-year applications exclusively through to the failed and ever-ghoulish Coalition for College app), MIT, Georgetown, the UCs, and University of Texas among others.

Here are the colleges that couldn’t hold out any longer and were seduced by the Common App for the application season ahead:

Mid-Atlantic

Bryn Athyn College (PA)

Carlow University (PA)

Holy Family University (PA)

Medaille College (NY)

Mid-West

Baker College (MI)

Buena Vista University (IA)

Bethel University (MN)

Cornerstone University (MI)

Lake Superior State University (MI)

Indiana Wesleyan University (IN)

Loyola University Chicago (IL)

Northern Illinois University (IL)

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (WI)

Wilmington College (OH)

South

Arkansas Baptist College (AR)

Auburn University (AL)

Augusta University (GA)

Clemson University (SC)

Coastal Carolina University (SC)

Lees-McRae College (NC)

Milligan University (TN)

Norfolk State University (VA)

Palm Beach Atlantic University (FL)

Richard Bland College of William and Mary (VA)

Spalding University (KY)

Texas Tech University (TX)

Trevecca Nazarene University (TN)

Tuskegee University (AL)

University of Georgia (GA)

University of Louisville (KY)

University of Texas at Dallas (TX)

University of Texas at San Antonio (TX)

University of South Florida (FL)

Virginia Tech (VA)

Winthrop University (SC)

West

Fresno Pacific University (CA)

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (CO)

International

New College of the Humanities, London

With plague sure to shutter a growing number of colleges over the coming years, expect more – particularly small – colleges to join the Common App sooner rather than later.

August 12, 2020 Update: University of Maryland College Park, the land grant university of the northern-most southern state, Maryland, also joined the Common App for the 2020-2021 admissions cycle just twelve days into the official application season.

University of California: Restrictions for Out-of-State Students Seeking Resident Tuition

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UC Berkeley

The nine University of California campuses, featuring top programs in sunny locales, attract many out-of-state students. UCLA, for example, processed 113,761 applications last fall — the highest in the nation – with 22,822 from out-of-state.

Those numbers make admission very competitive, but out-of-state students can take heart: they are admitted at a higher rate (22% of out-of state applicants to UCLA were admitted in 2018, versus 12% of in-state), because fewer will ultimately enroll (24% of admitted out-of-state students to UCLA enrolled, versus 50% of in-state). The nonresident tuition, however, can sting – it’s an additional $28,992 per year.

Hoping to offset this, nonresidents frequently explore possible routes to resident tuition. In truth, there are many restrictions for out-of-state students seeking to qualify.

UC says:

“Obtaining California residency for the purposes of tuition and fees is extremely difficult for undergraduates with nonresident parents (this includes transfer students from community colleges and other postsecondary institutions within California).     

Virtually all nonresident undergraduates with nonresident parents remain nonresidents for the duration of their undergraduate career at UC.”

Still, many out-of-state students will continue their quest to qualify. The following provides some guidance for their typical questions.

Can I qualify for residency if I get a California driver’s license and register to vote, and/or my parents buy property in California?

No.

UC says:

“Residence can be established only by the union of physical presence and intent. Physical presence alone is insufficient; intent alone is insufficient.”

This means that to establish residency, the student and family must relocate to California (physical presence), and establish legal ties in California while severing ties to their former place of residence (intent).

Furthermore, you must be continuously physically present in California for more than one year (366 days) immediately prior to the term start date. Also note that any reclassification of residency is not retroactive.

Aren’t there any exceptions?

Yes.

The list of exceptions, however, is very specific, such as:

  • a nonresident student who is the dependent of a California resident parent
  • a student member of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty in California
  • an amateur student athlete training at a U.S. Olympic Training Center in California

What if I am financially independent and I move to California and work there for 366 days before starting school — will I qualify?

Maybe. 

In addition to establishing residency in California for 366 days prior to the start of the term, a self-supporting student must also “be able to verify financial independence for the two full years immediately preceding the term” they plan to enroll.

UC says:

“This requirement makes it extremely difficult for most undergraduates who are not financially dependent on a California-resident parent to qualify for classification as a California resident.”

My neighbor’s son attends a California State University and he doesn’t pay out-of-state tuition. How can I do that at a UC?

The circumstances may be different, so you will need more information.

UC says:

“Residency for purposes of UC tuition is specific to the University of California and separate from the California Community Colleges and California State University systems and may be different from residency for purposes of UC admission and other state rules or regulations governing residency for other purposes.”

My aunt lives in California. Can I just use her address to show that I am a resident?

No.

If a student conceals facts or makes untruthful statements regarding their residency, they are subject to penalty of perjury.

UC says:

“A student must sign the Statement of Legal Residence even if the Student has yet to reach the age of majority; pursuant to State of California law, a Minor may be prosecuted for perjury.”

What about the Nonresident Supplemental Tuition (NRST) exempt classification — how can I qualify?

You may qualify if you meet specific criteria, such as:

Who is the right person to contact for accurate information?

UC says:

“Inquiries regarding UC residency for purposes of tuition should be directed to a campus Residence Deputy in the campus Registrar’s Office or to a Residency Analyst in the Office of the General Counsel of The Regents of the University of California, Office of the President.”

The information provided above is applicable only to nonresident U.S. citizens; and is not comprehensive or all-inclusive. Find out more about residency requirements on the UC website at the Board of Regents Policy 3105 on Residency and Payment or Waiver of Tuition, Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition and Mandatory Systemwide Fees; the UC Residence Policy and Guidelines 2019/2020; and Understanding Residency.

All About UC Berkeley’s Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology (M.E.T.) Dual Degree

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In the past, aspiring entrepreneurs with interests in both engineering and business gained their expertise “in a silo,” says Chris Dito, Executive Director of the Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology (M.E.T.) program at the University of California, Berkeley. They might typically earn an engineering degree, and then learn the business management and leadership side later, either on the job or by earning another degree.

UC Berkeley

That was old way. The new way is the streamlined M.E.T program: a dual degree from Berkeley’s College of Engineering and Haas School of Business, earned in four years, integrating the knowledge, experience and career development of the intersecting fields. Students gain “a comprehensive understanding of technology innovation, ready to start their own company, lead innovation inside an established firm or contribute to a social-impact venture.”

The first cohort of fifty students began in the fall of 2017. Current high school seniors admitted as freshmen in 2019 will be just the third cohort, but already can benefit from enhancements to the program. One is the new addition of Bioengineering and Civil Engineering to the current engineering choices of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science; Industrial Engineering & Operations Research; and Mechanical Engineering. “I think that is the best kept secret we have about the program,” says Dito.

To spread the news, Berkeley is heavily marketing M.E.T. right now to reach students from around the nation and around the globe. Assembling a diverse group of candidates is essential to developing a unique cohort and international students are very much encouraged to apply.

The M.E.T. program is rigorous. A typical course load is five or six classes and 20 units each semester, versus four classes and 16 units for a typical Cal Berkeley undergraduate. M.E.T. freshmen, for example, take math, natural science, computer science, business administration, and M.E.T. special topics their first semester; by senior year, they’ll be completing their required upper division engineering, business and computer science courses, as well as M.E.T. special topics and elective business courses. By the time they graduate, they will have earned 150 course units.

How can students manage this? The answer, says Dito, is a carefully curated academic experience, with a built-in support system of advisors to help students select their courses and manage their schedules. M.E.T. students also receive multiple advantages, such as priority access to classes, special programming, information sessions, and a speaker series, as well as being part of a tight-knit community of peers.

To help keep stress in check, there is an enhanced student services team dedicated to M.E.T. students, in addition to regular campus resources. They have access to complimentary wellness services, mindfulness resources, and their own collaboration space with TVs and snacks. “M.E.T. students are well-resourced and well-served,” says Dito.

Berkeley’s proximity to Silicon Valley and San Francisco enriches the M.E.T. experience. “We have companies on campus almost every day,” says Dito, either specifically for M.E.T. students or for the campus at large. Many companies are interested in hiring summer interns the fall before, so students are securing those internships right now. If M.E.T. students are interested in companies Berkeley is not already working with, staff will reach out to them on the students’ behalf.

Part of the M.E.T. curriculum includes helping students maximize their career potential. They receive ongoing career development to increase their self awareness and boost their professional confidence; and participate in industry meet-ups and presentations to gain occupational awareness. “When they know both themselves and the world of work better, they can make better career-based decisions,” says Dito.

If it sounds as if this program was created just for you, consider a campus visit and tour. It won’t give you an admission advantage, but it can help you gain more clarity about your fit for the program.  M.E.T. staff are available by appointment and every Friday afternoon to speak with prospective students.

To apply, you’ll select the engineering major, and choose the M.E.T. track. The University of California application is open August 1 to November 30, so you can start on the supplemental essay now; submission runs from November 1 to November 30. Potential candidates will be offered a 20-minute SKYPE interview with faculty by the end of January. Students who are not selected for the M.E.T. program will be automatically considered for admission to the College of Engineering; if they are admitted for the regular engineering program, they will be automatically added to the M.E.T. wait list.

University of California Application: 10 Rules about the Arts Requirement Out-of-State Students Don’t Know

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UC Berkeley

Applicants to the University of California (UC) must complete fifteen college-prep courses for admission to any UC campus. One of those courses must be from Visual and Performing Arts (VPA).

The VPA requirement can be confusing to out-of-state students, because many high schools do not require completion of an arts course to graduate; and many students were not planning to take one.

But UC’s “overarching goal is to ensure incoming freshmen are adequately prepared to undertake university study.” The UC criteria for completion of the requirement are specific. Make sure you understand these rules as early as possible during high school if you are planning to apply.

1.The grade in the course must be a C or better to meet the requirement. (A grade of C- would be counted as a C, since pluses and minuses are not considered.)

2. The course must be a full high school year; or two one-semester courses from the same discipline of  dance, drama/theater, music, visual art or interdisciplinary arts.  (Neither both semesters of the yearlong course nor the two one-semester courses need to be taken in the same academic year.)

3. If the choice is two one-semester courses, they not only must be from the same discipline, but also must “demonstrate a sequential relationship of some sort,” whether  because one is a stated prerequisite to another, or because one reasonably serves as a good foundation to another. (For example, Drawing 1 and 2, not Drawing 1 and Ceramics 1.)

However, if the high school does not offer more than one semester of VPA courses, the student may mix and match two one-semester VPA courses. Nonetheless, the two courses must still be from the same discipline.  (For example, two Fine Arts courses or two Dance courses.)

4. Private competition, instruction, or learning, does not count.

5. A course the student’s high school counts as PE (such as Marching Band), does not count.

On the other hand, a course the student’s high school counts as fulfilling an arts course requirement, even if it is not considered as such at other schools (an example might be computer graphics), will satisfy the requirement. Your school counselor can verify this for you with the UC admission office.

6. Concurrent courses will satisfy the requirement. (For example, Drawing 1 and Drawing 2, taken during the same semester.)

7. New for 2017-18: UC approved VPA online courses will satisfy the requirement! Current approved courses are listed on UC’s Online Publishers page. For example, Arts Anywhere, LLC offers six UC-approved survey courses in music, media arts, studio arts or theatre; and iCEV offers one: Art and the History of Floral Design. These specific courses are annotated with UC approved through 2020-21.

8. A score of 3, 4 or 5 on the AP History of Art, Studio Art or Music Theory Exam; or a score of 5, 6 or 7 on any one IB HL exam in Dance, Film, Music, Theatre Arts or Visual Arts will satisfy the requirement.

9. A 3-semester or 4-quarter transferable college course, that “clearly falls within one of four visual/performing arts disciplines: dance, drama/theater, music or visual art,” will satisfy the requirement.

10. Admission by Exception is an option for unusual circumstances in lieu of meeting the requirement.  Examples of who might qualify include home-schooled students and those who’ve experienced hardships. UC suggests that students who believe they qualify “use the personal insight questions or additional comments section of the admission application to explain (their) unique story.”

There is still one more way a student can be considered for admission without meeting the UC minimum requirements, and that’s through Admission by Exam. Unique circumstances that may qualify a student for this option include non-traditional education or long-term illness.  The student must achieve minimum scores on either the SAT with essay or the ACT with writing, as well as two subject exams. A chart on the UC website can provide the information necessary to determine if your scores, totaled and converted to UC Scores, will qualify you.

The most important point is to review the rules as early as possible in your high school career. If you check in regularly with your school counselor or college advisor and carefully follow the UC website guidelines, you can plan ahead to avoid a last minute scramble to meet UC admission requirements when you are ready to apply!

Bonus: Read Sandy Clingman’s University of California Application: 10 Requirements Out-of-State Students Don’t Expect to learn more about the UCs unique admissions requirements. 

University of California Application: 10 Requirements Out-of-State Students Don’t Expect

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UCLA

Are you California dreaming? Do you want to spend your undergraduate years on a University of California (UC) campus?

The news is good — in spite of growing protests in recent years from many Californians (who believe resident students are being squeezed out), the percentage of out-of-state (and international) freshmen across all UC campuses is at an all-time high.

Out-of-state applicants, in fact, are now admitted at a higher rate than in-state applicants — to any UC campus, including flagship UC Berkeley. (In 2017 UC Berkeley admitted 22.1 % of out-of-state applicants versus 19.7% of in-state. At UC Davis,  72.2 % of out-of-state applicants were admitted, versus 35.9% of in-state!)

And although the UC Board of Regents has approved a policy to now limit nonresident enrollment to 18% on five of the UC campuses, more latitude will be given to UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, UCLA and UC San Diego, which “will be grandfathered in”  per 2017-18 enrollment results. (Considering last year’s numbers, these percentages will likely be between 20 and 25%.)

If you’d like to take advantage of the opportunity and apply to be a part of next year’s University of California freshmen class, there are some specific UC requirements you’ll need to know about.

1. You will complete the unique UC application, which allows you to apply to more than one UC campus. And no matter how many campuses you choose, you will only need to submit one official test score. Each campus you apply to, however, will require a separate application fee — $70 per school for 2017-18 applicants.

2. The only time you can submit the application is between November 1 and November 30. It’s available as of August 1, so you can carefully complete each section well before the submission window opens.

3. You will NOT send an official transcript at application, but instead, will self-report your grades. Make sure to report them directly from your transcript — if you later accept an offer of admission, your official high school transcript will be required… and must match up!

4. Do not include letters of recommendation with your application. They are not required and will not be considered.

However, some applicants to any campus this year may be given the option  — or, as the UC website states, invited — via email to send up to two letters of recommendation, due by January 15. (Note: For the past two admission cycles, UC Berkeley alone has invited letters from some applicants; those who chose to take advantage of the opportunity were admitted at a slightly higher rate than those who did not.)

5. You will need to take the additional writing section of standardized tests — that’s the SAT with essay or the ACT with writing. You will select this option when you register for the exam. (Subject tests are not required, but certain programs on some campuses recommend them, so be sure to check your desired program on each school’s website.)

6. There is a minimum GPA requirement for application — and it’s higher for non-residents at 3.4, versus 3.0 for residents. (For the most selective UC campuses, both residents and nonresidents must have a GPA well above 3.4 in order to be truly competitive for admission.)

7. This minimum GPA is calculated using only your high school grades from the summer before your sophomore year to the summer after your junior year; and only your grades from any of fifteen specified college-prep courses. Grades in AP and IB courses will be weighted. GPAs are not rounded up; and pluses and minuses are not counted.

8. Completion of the fifteen college-prep courses, with a grade of C or better, are required for admission. Eleven of the fifteen courses must be taken prior to your senior year.

9. There are alternate ways to meet the college-prep courses requirement, such as taking a one-semester community college course (equivalent to a year-long high school course); earning certain scores on SAT, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exams; admission by exam; or admission by exception.

10. Instead of writing an essay, you will select four of eight possible personal insight questions; each response is limited to 350 words. The admissions website provides writing tips and techniques, as well as a worksheet with suggestions for each question.

There is also a step-by-step guide for completing the entire application; the guide takes you through each question to help you understand how best to present yourself.

Considering the favorable odds, the time is right for out-of-state applicants who meet the academic criteria. If you can manage the additional nonresident tuition and want to apply, California (still) wants you, too!

Bonus: Read Sandy Clingman’s University of California Application: 10 Rules about the Visual and Performing Arts Requirement Out-of-State Students Don’t Know to learn more about the UCs unique admissions requirements.