Fall 2021 admissions evaluations may likely be more subjective since by court order, University of California (UC) admissions officers cannot consider more objective SAT or ACT scores. Thus, applicants would be prudent to understand the UC’s holistic admissions evaluation, guided by the 14 Comprehensive Review points.
UC admissions officers consider academic factors, such as GPA and any improvements in grades year to year, the overall four years of coursework, including taking rigorous, advanced classes, within the context of a student’s high school and performance in relation to peers. Additionally, special talents or academic interests will be noted, both in the classroom and extracurricular activities. Lastly, UC admissions officers will contextualize a student’s achievements within the unique regional character of where they attended high school and live.
The 14th Comprehensive Review point is:
Location of a student’s secondary school and residence
Not every locale is equal in economic opportunities, nor similar in social and political cultures, which can affect the funding and governance of schools. In a school profile that’s read with each UC application, a high school’s counselors outline the specific academic and extracurricular opportunities, including statewide testing information and demographics.
UC admissions officers seek to account for the diverse circumstances and region from which a student’s experience and character forms in order to understand the applicant, thus make an informed admissions decision.
Read more details about each of the UC’s 14 Comprehensive Review points in the Creative Marbles series, Put Down Your #2 Pencils: The University of California Eliminates SAT/ACT Scores by 2025
To learn more how experts at Creative Marbles Consultancy, a full service educational advisory, help families resolve complex college admissions concerns, click creativemarbles.com
