From January and Mid-March can be re-named, “The Waiting Season” for Seniors and their parents. While Early Admissions applicants may know admissions decisions by now (end of February), which can lead to rampant speculation amongst regular decision applicants, the admissions decision waiting will soon be over for University of California (UC) applicants. Then, comes a “good” problem…making a final decision from amongst the variety of college acceptances, as well as contending with possible disappointments from admissions denials.
The following is a list of the expected response dates by University of California campus, as well as their featured open house for students newly admitted to gain more information. Unless indicated, the UC campus will respond to applicants online through the applicant accounts established by each student:
|
Campus Name |
Response Date |
Open House Name & Date
|
| UC Berkeley | End of March, 2013 | Cal Day, April 20 |
| UC Davis | Mid-March, 2013 | Picnic Day, April 20 |
| UC Irvine | March 1-31, 2013 | Celebrate UCI, April 20 |
| UC Los Angeles | Late March, 2013 | UCLA Bruin Day, April 13 |
| UC Merced | Starting February, 2013 | Bobcat Day, April 13 |
| UC Riverside | Beginning February 1, 2013 | Highlander Day, April 13 |
| UC San Diego | Mid-March – End of March, 2013 | Triton Day, April 6 |
| UC Santa Barbara | March 17-31, 2013 | Spring Insight Open House, April 13 |
| UC Santa Cruz | March 15, 2013 | Spring Spotlight, April 5-13, 2013 |
The open house events are showcases for the entire campus, so students can experience the campus culture and variety of opportunities that will be available to them once enrolling. Students and their parents can also walk through the neighborhoods and surrounding area to gain a fuller picture of their possible environment. Since the open houses overlap at multiple campuses, students will need to be judicious in choosing which events to attend. Choosing a campus that either wasn’t visited before or one where the student needs greater understanding can help in weighing the final decision before the May 1st national response deadline. Plus, since school will be in session during the Open Houses, contact old friends and alumni from your high school to ask for a candid opinion of their experiences. The more students and their parents can learn before committing to enroll, the more confidence gained that a six-figure investment for the next 4-5 years will be fruitful.
Note: UC campuses send the admissions decision separately from a financial aid award letter. The Financial Aid award usually comes a few weeks after the admissions decisions.
