As the University of California (UC) admissions officers evaluate every applicant according to 14 Comprehensive Review points, understanding each criteria is useful for applicants to prepare accordingly, knowing that the totality of their high school experience will be considered when determining their admissions.
The UC admissions evaluators seek a thorough understanding of an applicant’s high school academic performance, including GPA, challenging coursework beyond the minimum eligibility requirements, in comparison with their classmates, as continued into the senior year and within the context of their high school.
Additionally, to gauge an applicant’s inherent intellectual interests they review:
Outstanding performance in one or more academic subject areas.
The definition of “Outstanding” can include the academic letter grade, which can further be contextualized in Personal Insight Questions, the UC’s title for college essays. Additionally, the academic major selection marked in an application can also validate acumen in a particular subject area, for which students have enhanced their knowledge by taking multiple courses over multiple years.
As numerous applicants share a similar numerical GPA, when students choose coursework that aligns with their interests and aptitude, they’ll naturally distinguish themselves from others. Furthermore, “performance” can also be demonstrated through participation in extracurricular activities after school and during summer, not limited to just formal courses.
For more information about how Jill Yoshikawa EdM can help your family navigate the complex college admissions process, contact her at Creative Marbles Consultancy
