uc application college prep electives

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College Prep Coursework

The University of Cincinnati requires that high school students applying for their first year of college at the Uptown (Main) campus have completed the following Ohio college-preparatory curriculum or their state's college preparatory curriculum:

Minimum requirements:

    4 units of English

    4 units of math*

    3 units of science

    3 units of social studies

    5 units of electives**

* Mathematics units must include 1 unit of algebra II or the equivalent of algebra II.

** Electives can include any combination of foreign language, additional core courses not otherwise required, fine arts, business, career-technical education, family and consumer sciences, technology, or agricultural education.

Please Note: 1 unit is defined as the equivalent to one full year of course instruction.

In partnership with a college-preparatory curriculum, students who are offered admission to the following majors have historically demonstrated academic preparedness by successfully completeing certain courses while in high school. 

Secondary Education - Integrated Mathematics

• Complete Math through Pre-calculus

Engineering (all majors)

• Complete Math at least through Pre-calculus and/or Calculus***
• Complete Physics and Chemistry***

Engineering Technology (all majors)

• Complete Math through Statistics, but highly recommend Pre-calculus***
• Complete either Physics or Chemistry***

Industrial Management

• Complete Chemistry

Architecture and Interior Design

• Complete Math through Pre-calculus, Calculus, or Advanced Math
• Complete Physics
• Complete Biology and Chemistry

*** Required for admission into these majors. 

Holistic Review Process

Applications submitted for the University of Cincinnati’s Uptown (main) Campus are reviewed holistically, considering every item provided in the application file.* Applications are read by admission team members, who are trained to use application information—both academic and personal—to more fully understand who the applicant is, how likely they are to be academically successful in an Uptown campus program, and what attributes the student will bring to our campus community. Consequently, there is not a “minimum” GPA or ACT/SAT test score, just as there is not a guaranteed admission based on a student’s profile.

Cincinnati admits students directly into their major. While the holistic review process outlined above is used for every college, some colleges or majors may be more competitive than others. Your selected major may provide us with a lens through which to view your application. For example, strong math and science skills are necessary to be successful in our engineering program and we will look for evidence of those skills before we offer admission to an engineering program.

*View our  application information  to see what is needed to complete your application file.

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UC College Application: All You Need to Know

• 5-minute read
• 9th December 2022

The University of California schools are considered some of the best public research institutions in the United States. By creating an environment focused on diversity, sustainability, and leadership, UC has become a popular destination for students.

Not only do more than 225,000 undergraduate students attend UC’s nine world-ranking campuses, but they also receive more than 200,000 applications each year. Admission to UC might be competitive, but we’re here to help with a complete guide on how to apply. Read on to learn more!

Admission Requirements

It’s important to consider college admission requirements early on in secondary school to ensure you have time to complete all of them.

The admission requirements for UC include completing at least 15 UC-approved college prep courses:

●  English: 4 years

●  Math: 3 years

●  History: 2 years

●  Science: 2 years

●  Foreign language: 2 years

●  Arts: 1 year

●  Elective: 1 year

UC applicants must achieve a grade of “C” or better in all of the required courses. Also, California residents need to have a GPA of at least 3.0 in these courses, while non-residents need to have a GPA of at least 3.4.

While these requirements are essential to your admission to UC, there are several other factors that will be taken into consideration when your application is reviewed:

●  Courses completed beyond the minimum requirements, including those at the honors, AP, and IB levels.

●  Number of academic courses taken during your senior year.

●  Your performance relative to the opportunities available at your school.

●  Achievements, awards, or skills in a particular field and special interests or experiences that demonstrate how you might contribute to the UC campuses.

●  Marked improvement or accomplishments related to any special circumstances (e.g., being a first-generation college student or experiencing a difficult personal situation).

All UC admissions committees review applications against the same set of factors, but some campuses might weigh the factors differently. You can find out more about each campus’s review process on its respective website .

Important Dates and Deadlines

Another crucial component of applying to college is meeting deadlines. Not all institutions will have the same deadlines, so make sure you research and keep track of all deadlines so you don’t miss out on admission or financial aid opportunities.

Here are some important dates and deadlines to note for your UC applications:

1. Admission

●  Early August: Admission applications open for the following year’s fall term.

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●  Early October through end of November: Filing period and submission deadline for fall term admission applications.

●  March: Admission decision notifications are sent throughout the month.

●  Early May: Submission deadline for notification of your intent to enroll in the fall term.

●  Early July: Submission deadline for the official transcripts from the final term of your senior year.

●  Mid-July: Submission deadline for AP and IB examination results.

2. Financial Aid

●  Early October: Financial aid applications open.

●  Early March: Submission deadline for financial aid applications.

The exact admission and financial aid dates and deadlines can vary from year to year, so remember to check UC’s website for the most up-to-date information.

How to Apply

Although UC does not use the Common Application like many institutions, it does have one application that allows you to apply to all nine of their campuses.

You’ll first need to create an account using a personal email address that you check regularly.

After you select the term you’re applying for (fall or spring) and your applicant level (first year or transfer), you’ll have access to all of the application sections that pertain to you. Here are a few of the most important:

●  Campuses and majors: Select any of the UC campuses you wish to apply to and your desired majors, including “undeclared” if you haven’t decided yet.

●  Academic history: Report all of your high school courses and the grades you earned, exactly as they appear on your transcripts.

●  Test scores: Although SAT and ACT scores aren’t considered for admission and financial aid decisions, they can be used to fulfill course requirements after you enroll. You should also report any AP, IB, TOEFL, or IELTS examinations that you’ve taken or plan to take.

●  Activities and awards: Share what you’re involved in outside of the classroom, including extracurricular activities, volunteer experience, and educational preparation programs.

●  Personal insight: Answer four of eight personal insight questions to tell the admissions committee more about yourself. These are similar to the admission essay or personal statement you’ll be asked to write for some of your other college applications.

After you’ve completed all of the required fields within each section, that page will be marked with a checkmark so you can see what you’ve completed. Once you reach the end, you’ll review your application before being prompted to provide the fee or waiver, and then you’ll submit your application.

Be sure to save the submission confirmation page, as it will provide you with important reminders for what to do after you apply and your student ID number, which you can use to track your application status and retrieve your admissions decision.

Proofreading and Editing

The application process and requirements can differ slightly if you’re applying as a transfer or international applicant, so be sure to check the UC website for more information based on your application type.

And, before you click “submit” on any of your applications, don’t forget to proofread! Our expert editors can help ensure your application responses and essays are clear, concise, and error-free, so you can make a better impression on admissions committees.

We can also be your partner for success throughout your academic career by proofreading anything from essays to dissertations. Try submitting a free trial document today to learn more!

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 5 uc application tips you need to get into university of california.

College Admissions , College Info

If you're applying to one or more of the UC schools, you want to make sure you get the application right. This step-by-step guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the UC application, from the time you decide to apply to a UC school to when you submit the final piece of the application.

Keep reading to learn when the most important UC application deadline is, which documents you need to submit to complete your application, if you need a separate application for each UC school, and how you can make sure every part of your application sets you apart from the crowd.

University of California Drops SAT/ACT Requirement

In May 2020, the University of California Board of Regents voted unanimously to stop requiring the ACT and SAT as part of admissions applications. The decision was made in part due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the changes will remain permanent, even after the pandemic is over. The decision has been in the works for years, and it's being done to make the admissions process fairer to all students.

For at least through 2025, all University of California schools will be test blind. This means that, even if you submit SAT or ACT scores, they won't be considered as part of your application. ;However, test scores may still be requested for non-admissions reasons, such as determining which classes a student should enroll in. There is a UC-specific standardized test that's currently in development that may replace ACT and SAT scores after 2025, but that hasn't been confirmed. You can learn more about the decision to ignore SAT/ACT scores for admission here .

Important Info About the University of California Application

It's key to know important information about the UC application early on so that you have enough time to gather and submit all the materials you need before the deadlines.

Where to Find the UC Application: You can find the UC application here. This is the application for all University of California schools, so regardless if you're looking for a UC Berkeley application, UC Davis application, etc., they all use this same application.

How to Submit the Application: When you've completed the application, you can submit it by hitting the "Submit" button at the end of the application.

When to Submit Your Application: It's extremely important to know when the UC application deadlines are because missing one could mean your application won't be looked at. Below are the key University of California application dates.

Looking at the above chart, it's clear that the most important date is November 30th . This is the last day you can submit your UC application. UC states right on the website that they almost never accept late applications, so don't miss this deadline!

You'll learn if you've been accepted as early as March 1st, and you'll have until May 1st to decide which school to attend.

How to Apply to the UC Schools

There are four main steps to applying to UC schools. The earlier you begin your application (as early as August 1st) the more time you'll have to complete all the steps and the less pressure you'll be under to meet the deadline. The steps are the same regardless of which UC school(s) you're applying to since all UC schools use the same application (and you only need to submit one application, even if you apply to multiple UC schools).

Step 1: Create an Account

Your step to applying to UC schools is to create an applicant account. This step will only take about a few minutes since you just need to fill out basic information like your email, name, which semester you want to start school, and if you're applying as a freshman or as a transfer student.

Step 2: Complete the UC Application

After creating your account, you'll be immediately sent to the beginning of the application. The University of California application contains eight sections:

You'll answer background and demographic questions, such as your birth date and contact information, which language(s) you grew up speaking, what your family's income is, if you qualify as a resident of California.

Campuses & Majors

You choose which school(s) you want to apply to. There are nine UC schools, listed below, and you can choose to apply to as many as you want, including all nine. Be aware though that each UC school you apply to requires its own $70 application fee ($80 for international students).  If you have a fee waiver, you can apply to up to four UC schools for free.

Here are the UC schools:

• UC Berkeley
• UC Los Angeles
• UC Riverside
• UC Santa Barbara
• UC Santa Cruz
• UC San Diego

You'll next select your major. If you're applying to multiple UC schools, you'll need to do this separately for each school since they all have slightly different majors. Some schools also offer the option of selecting an "alternate major" which is your second choice of major if you can't be placed in that campus in your top major.

Academic History

This is a lengthy section where you'll need to enter in information about the high school(s) you attended, all the classes you took in high school, if they were honors or AP, and the grade you got. It's basically like entering all the information on your transcript . (You don't need to submit your official transcript until the summer, after you've been accepted and have decided to attend a UC school.)

Test Scores

Here is where you'll enter information about the standardized test(s) you've taken. Again, SAT and ACT scores won't be looked at during the admissions process, even if you submit them. However, there are other test scores you can submit.

You'll be asked about AP exams, IB exams, TOEFL exams, and IELTS exams on separate pages in the test score section of your application. According to the UC system's application website , "You’ll need to report your scores if you’ve already taken an exam or indicate if you’re planning on taking an exam in the future." None of these exams are required (unless you're an international student needing to show English proficiency), but high AP or IB scores can help strengthen your application.

Activities & Awards

In this section, you'll discuss all the activities you participated in outside of the classroom. There are six categories:

• Award or honor
• Educational preparation programs
• Extracurricular activities
• Other coursework (classes outside UC's "a-g" core subject areas )
• Volunteering/community service
• Work experience

The application explains which activities fall into which category, and there's no need to feel like you need to have activities to put in all the categories, or even most of them. For each category, you can add up to five separate classes/activities/jobs/awards/etc.

Scholarships & Programs

In this section you'll select your eligibility for different scholarship categories, such as ethnicity, career plans, and work experience. There are ten categories, each with multiple characteristics you can select. You'll only select these characteristics once, regardless of how many UC schools you're applying to. This is also the section where you can apply for the Educational Opportunity Program, which is explained in the application.

Personal Insight

This is the section where you'll answer the personal statement questions. There are eight personal statement questions, and you'll need to answer four of them. Each response should be 250-350 words. We recommend that you write your essays in a word document first to make it easier to review them, then paste each essay into the application once you're done editing it.

Below are the eight essay prompts.

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. Things to consider:   A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities?

Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family? 2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. Things to consider:   What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career? 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider:   If there is a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it.You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider:   An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you; just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today? 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Things to consider:   A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family? 6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. Things to consider:  Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can't get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs and what you have gained from your involvement.

Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider:   Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? 8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider:  If there's anything you want us to know about you but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.

If you want tips on writing your personal statements, we have a guide on how to write a perfect UC essay for every prompt.

Step 3: Pay Admission Fees and Submit Your Application

Once you've finished each section your application, you can submit it, as long as it's between October 1 and November 30. When you submit your application, first you'll enter in some final demographic information as well as your state of legal residence. Then you'll review all the information you entered to make sure it's correct.

Once everything is set, you'll pay the necessary fees. The application fee is $70 ($80 if you're an international student) for each UC school you apply to. Then you'll click submit, and your application will officially be sent to the UC schools you're applying to!

Step 4: (Optional) Complete Additional Materials

Most students applying to UC schools won't need to submit additional materials, but some will. This will depend on both which schools you're applying to and what you plan on majoring in.

For example, some students planning to major in a fine arts discipline are requested to submit a portfolio. These additional materials are typically only recommended, not required, but doing these extra steps can help give your application a boost.

If you do need to complete additional materials, you will either get a notification in the application or receive an email outlining what you need to do, but it's also a good idea to research your intended major at each UC school you're applying to in order to make sure you're not missing any important recommendations.

University of California Application Checklist

To recap, below is everything you need to submit when you apply to a UC school. Your application won't be considered until the schools receive all the pieces below.

• UC Application
• Application Fee of $70 for each school you apply to
• (Optional) Supplemental Materials

5 Things UC Schools Look at in Applications and How to Impress Them

The UC schools are pretty open about what they look for in applicants and what an applicant needs to have to be accepted. They've listed the qualities they look for in every application , and we've organized those qualities into five categories. Below, we explain what you need to do to excel in each category to create a standout UC application.

#1: Classes You Took

When UC admissions officers look at the classes you took, they're looking at two things: the actual courses you took and how difficult they were.

For the first category, UC schools want to make sure you've taken the classes you need to succeed as a college student at one of their schools. Their minimum requirements are:

• History: 2 years
• English: 4 years
• Mathematics: 3 years
• Laboratory science: 2 years
• Language other than English: 2 years
• Visual and performing arts: 1 year
• College-preparatory elective: 1 year

(These courses are sometimes referred to as the "A-G subjects").

Note that this is the minimum UC schools require; most applicants will have gone well beyond these requirements. Some majors, especially those in math or science fields, require additional classes, so make sure to research the major you plan to take to make sure you're on track.

In general, it's best to take more classes in the fields you plan on majoring in. For example, if you want to major in biology, you should take four years of science and four years of math. If you want to be a history major, you should take four years of history. Doing this shows UC schools that you're committed to the subject and can handle higher-level classes on it.

UC also looks at the difficulty of the classes you took. They're specifically looking for honors, AP, or IB courses since these are more difficult than regular-level classes. If your school offers these classes, you should take as many as you can without overloading yourself and still maintaining a high GPA. Taking difficult classes shows UC schools that you're focused on your studies and can handle the challenge and workload of college classes.

Also, UC specifically mentions the "quality of your senior-year program" as one of the qualifications it looks at, so don't be tempted to slack off senior year with a bunch of easy classes!

It's not enough just to take the classes UC schools want; you also need to do well in them. Your grades and overall GPA are another critical component of your UC application. For all UC schools, you need to have at least a 3.0 GPA in your A-G classes if you're a California resident, or a 3.4 GPA if you're a non-resident. Additionally, you can't have gotten below a "C" in any of those classes.

There is no requirement for classes outside the A-G subjects, but you should still aim to do well in all your classes. UC states that "the strength of your high school record is the most important component in our review" so you want your transcript to be as strong as it can be with a high GPA and record of challenging classes.

Below is a table showing the middle 50% of weighted GPAs of accepted students for each of the UC schools during the 2023 admissions cycle:

To give yourself the best chance of getting in, you'll want to aim for the higher end of the GPA range for whichever school(s) you're applying to. For example, if you're applying to UC Davis, your goal should be to have a weighted GPA of 4.30. You can definitely still get in with a lower GPA (since that's the 75% marker, ¾ of students are getting in with a GPA lower than that), but if you reach that goal you'll have a great shot at being accepted.

#3: Standardized Test Scores

With UC schools becoming test blind, test scores are now less important than they were before. Again, even if you submit your SAT or ACT scores, they won't be reviewed, so they can't help or hurt your application. However, other test scores, such as AP or IB exams, can still give your application a boost, especially if your GPA isn't as high as you'd like it to be. Strong test scores show a mastery of course material and give UC schools further proof that you'd be a strong student.

#4: Extracurriculars

Your extracurriculars are another important part of your UC application. The key to strong extracurriculars is to emphasize your passion and leadership skills. You can do this by pursuing extracurriculars in a field related to your future major, sticking with them, and achieving leadership roles in them.

Some things UC states that are looking for in extracurriculars include:

• Special talents, awards, or achievements
• Leadership experience
• Significant experiences or achievements that demonstrate the student's promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of a campus.

They list the following examples of "strong" extracurriculars:

• Special talent in visual and performing arts, communication or sports
• Intensive study and exploration of other cultures
• Significant community service
• Significant participation in student government

Don't feel like you need to have all or even any of these experiences; they're just given so you can get an idea of what UC schools are looking for. Basically, any extracurricular that you're passionate about, skilled in, and have shown some leadership potential for is a great extracurricular to include on your UC application.

#5: Personal Statements

Your UC essays should show three main things:

• Who you are
• Why you want to attend a UC school
• What's important to you

Maybe you're a lifelong nature lover who wants to attend UC San Diego to take advantage of all the different ecosystems nearby that biology students can study. Perhaps you've always been obsessed with space and want to attend UC Berkeley and major in aeronautical engineering.

Whatever your story is, this is the place for UC to hear it, and it's the best place in your application to show them who you really are as a person. For a more in-depth look, read our guide on how to write outstanding UC essays.

Automatic Admission for California Residents

If you're a California resident, who meets at least one of the following two requirements, you will have a guaranteed spot at a UC school.

• You rank in the top 9% of California high school students, according to the UC admissions index .
• You rank in the top 9% of your graduating class at a participating high school. This is known as "Eligible in the Local Context" ( ELC ).

Be aware that this doesn't mean you'll get into every UC school; it just means you'll get into at least one, as long as space is available (which there typically is). If you're a California resident who has met the above requirements and aren't admitted to any of the UC schools you applied to, you'll be offered a spot at another campus as long as space is available.

Summary: UC Schools Application

If you're applying to a UC school, you want to make sure you know every application step you need to complete. The most important UC application deadline to be aware of is November 30th (or December 1st if you started your application by November 30th) . This is the last day you can submit your application.

In addition to completing the application, you also need to submit your transcript and any additional materials your specific school and major require. UC schools are test blind currently, so they won't review SAT or ACT scores, even if you do submit them. You only need to submit one application regardless of how many UC schools you're applying to, but you'll need to pay a $70 application fee for every school.

Regardless of whether you're working on a UC Davis application, UC San Diego application, UC Berkeley application, etc. all UC schools look for similar qualities in students. You'll need to complete the A-G courses, take difficult classes, have good grades, participate in extracurriculars, and have strong personal statements.

Work to make your application as strong as you can across each of these areas to give yourself the best shot of getting into your dream UC school.

What's Next?

Want to learn more about the University of California schools? We have an in-depth guide to the UC schools to make it easy for you to compare the schools and see which is best for you.

Working on your UC essays? Check out our guide on how to answer every UC essay prompt to get great writing ideas.

Want to know how to make your extracurriculars stand out even more? Check out this guide to four amazing extracurricular activities and learn why they're so impressive to colleges.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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College Prep Courses on the UC Approved A-G Course List

Louisiana TOPS Core Requirements

If you are a high school student planning to apply for undergraduate admission to one of the University of California's campuses you must fulfill "A-G" requirements, college preparatory coursework the university deems necessary for a successful first year of studies. Requirements fall into seven broad categories lettered A through G, respectively, and must be approved classes at an accredited school. California students must earn a 3.0 grade point average in these courses, with a 3.4 required for nonresident applicants. Requirements are measured in units, the equivalent of one year of study either as a full-year class or two separate semester classes.

History and Social Science

Two units of history or social sciences taken either as full-year or semester courses comprise the A requirement, including one unit of U.S. history or government and the other of world history or cultures. Examples include U.S. history, economics, Latin American studies and European history.

You must take four units of English for the B requirement, including both literature and composition. Core grade-level English classes meet this requirement, with other examples being American literature, poetry and creative writing.

Mathematics

Three full-year math classes are required to fulfill the C category, with the university recommending four. One must be geometry or an integrated math course that includes significant geometry. Algebra, statistics and calculus are other examples.

Laboratory Science

You must take two one-year classes that provide foundational instruction in at least two of three science categories: chemistry, physics or biology/life sciences. The university strongly recommends three units of these D category courses. Examples include physiology, medical chemistry and engineering physics.

Language Other than English

For the E category you must complete two, one-year foreign language courses such as French, Spanish, German or Chinese. Classical languages such as Latin and Greek meet the requirement, as does American Sign Language.

Visual and Performing Arts

Dance, drama, music or visual fine arts satisfy the one-year, F category requirement. Examples include theater arts, ballet, band, vocal music, painting and sculpture.

College Prep Elective

Satisfy the one-year G requirement by taking an additional advanced class from one of the A-F categories or by taking an approved elective in a career technical education area such as computer science or business.

Additional Information

California high schools maintain lists of their classes that satisfy A-G requirements, with this information also available online at the University of California's Doorways website. Classes taken by high school students at community colleges through dual enrollment programs count towards A-G requirements.

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• University of California: A-G Guide: Subject Area Requirements
• University of California: A-G Guide: General Requirements

Beth Campbell has more than 20 years of experience as an editor, journalist and writer. She has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in the Tulsa and Oklahoma City metro areas, including the "Tulsa World," the "Moore American" and the "Del City News" and has worked as a technical writer and proofreader. Campbell graduated from the University of Oklahoma's School of Journalism.

UC Application College Preparatory Electives

Which AP courses count as college preparatory electives (the g category)? I heard econ and psych do, but I’m not sure about the rest. My high school is outside of California

These are the AP courses I’ve taken/am taking: Human geography Biology Chinese Psychology Calculus AB Calculus BC Computer Science US History Physics 1 Physics C Lang&Comp Lit&Comp Micro/macroeconomics Statistics Comparative Government

Also, what subject area does pre-calc fall under?

If you are a California HS student, you can look up which HS courses at your school fit the category using this link:

https://hs-articulation.ucop.edu/agcourselist#/list/search/institution

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Freshman requirements

• Subject requirement (A-G)
• GPA requirement
• Admission by exception
• English language proficiency
• UC graduation requirements

Additional information for

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Get ready to start your journey to the best public university system in the world—with just one application.

Apply to more than one UC campus.

This will significantly increase your chances of being admitted to the UC system. While you may not receive an offer of admission from your first-choice campus, all of our campuses—without exception—provide outstanding opportunities for you to learn and grow.

Submit only one application per term.

Submitting multiple applications will cause a processing delay. Duplicate applications will be canceled. 

Apply on time.

You can fill out the application in as many sessions as you want. Just remember to submit it by November 30 (for the fall term).

The UC application

Here is a quick overview of the application. 

Starting the application

Create an account.

An email address and password are required in order to create an account. You should use the email account you use for all applications, just to make it easier to remember. We also recommend you use a non-school issued email account (e.g. Gmail, Yahoo). Campuses send important, time-sensitive correspondence to applicants, so you should check your email regularly (including your spam folders).

Selecting term & level

After you create an account, you’ll need to select the term you’re applying for (when you hope to start at UC) and your applicant level (e.g. freshman, transfer, etc.).

Please note: You're a freshman applicant if you're currently in high school OR have graduated from high school, but have not enrolled in a regular session (fall, winter or spring) at a college or university. (If you've completed college courses during high school, through the summer after graduation, you're still considered a freshman applicant.)

Saving information

You should click “Save & continue” at the bottom of each page to save any entered information (there is a 20-minute inactivity period after which the application will automatically sign you out). If you’ve successfully completed a page (answered all required questions), the page will be marked with a checkmark in the navigation bar on the right-hand side.

This first section has several pages asking for information about you and your family. You may need to ask your parents or legal guardians for help on these questions—that’s OK! 

Campuses & majors

This is where you’ll select which campuses you’re applying to and the majors you’re interested in. If you aren’t sure what you want to major in yet, you can choose “Undecided” or “Undeclared.”

Academic history

Here you'll enter the courses and grades from all schools you've attended while in high school. If you took high school-level math or language other than English in middle school (7th and 8th grades), you will have a chance to report those courses and grades in this section.

Make sure you refer to your transcripts (or academic records) as you fill out any information—don't enter information from your memory. It's important to report all of your schools, courses and grades exactly as they would appear on official transcripts or academic records.

Test scores

ACT & SAT: UC will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admissions decisions or awarding scholarships. They may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll. Note: SAT and ACT scores may only be reported in your application post-submission. 

SAT Subject Tests:   These tests have been discontinued as of 2021. If you have Subject Test scores from previous years, they maybe be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility. Note: SAT Subject Test scores may only be reported in your application post-submission. 

AP, IB , English proficiency and International exams: You will be asked about each of these exams on separate pages in the test score section. You’ll need to report your scores if you’ve already taken an exam or indicate if you’re planning on taking an exam in the future.

Activities & awards

This is your opportunity to tell us about what you're most proud of outside the classroom. We're looking for quality, not quantity—so make sure to focus on the activities and awards that are most important to you.

You’ll need to classify each activity/award as one of six categories: Award or honor, Educational preparation programs (any programs that have enriched your academic experiences or helped you prepare for college), Extracurricular activity, Other coursework (courses other than those required for UC admission/courses that do not fit in UC’s A-G subject areas), Volunteering/Community service and Work Experience.

Scholarships & programs

You should select any and all scholarship categories that apply to you (there’s no limit on the number of scholarships you can select). You can also indicate if you’re interested in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), which provides support services when you’re at UC.

Personal insight

This is the section where you’ll need to answer the personal insight questions. You’ll have 8 questions to choose from, and you must respond to only 4 of your choosing.

Learn more about the personal insight questions

Use the additional comments field if there are issues you'd like to address that you didn't have the opportunity to discuss elsewhere on the application. This shouldn't be an essay, but rather a place to note unusual circumstances or anything that might be unclear in other parts of the application. You're welcome to use this section to note extraordinary circumstances related to COVID-19, if necessary. 

Review & submit

This is the last page you’ll visit before you start submitting the application. If you have remaining items to complete, you will see a “To Do” next to that section. Don't forget to make sure your application is complete before you submit it; very few changes can be made after submission. 

Submitting the application 

You’ll go through a few pages asking you to confirm your academic information and whether you’d like to share your application information with certain people or groups (e.g. scholarship agencies, parents/guardians, counselors, etc.). You'll also need to pay your application fees (either by check/mail or credit card) and can apply for a fee waiver if you didn’t automatically qualify for one earlier in the application. The fee waiver will cover your application fees for up to four campuses. 

Confirmation

Once you’ve submitted your application, you’ll see a confirmation page with important reminders and your UC Application ID Number which is used to access the various campus student portals and, in many cases, to access your admission decisions. You can choose to print a receipt of your application fees or view and print the entire application.

Other student resources

Visit these other UC sites for more application tips:

• Undocumented student resource site
• Veterans resources site

Have a question about the application?

See options for contacting us »

Online program gives all students access to a college prep curriculum

Every year, thousands of California high school students are shut out of a public university education simply by virtue of where they attend school.

More than 40 public high schools don’t offer the basic curriculum required for admission to UC or the California State University (CSU) system. Many other schools offer those basics, but lack the college preparatory and honors classes that help students compete for college admission.

A new University of California program is looking to solve both those problems by creating state-of-the-art online learning to offer students a shot at the courses that will make them eligible and competitive for college.  

The program, called Scout, launched in September. It offers online high school courses that can be taken entirely over the Internet, or used by teachers to guide instruction and increase the offerings at their school.

Offering a catalog of 23 courses and growing, Scout offers the challenging Advanced Placement courses that can give students an edge in applying to the University of California. It also offers a roster of the core academic subjects, known as the “a-g” requirements, that are mandatory for admission to one of California’s public four-year universities.

The materials can be downloaded for free by California public school students and teachers. Out-of-state and private school users  also  may use the online materials for a small fee.

For $149, students can take the course directly from a Scout teacher, one of 20 classroom educators the program employs. Schools  also  can purchase and offer online instructor-led courses for groups of students, enabling them to easily add an a-g or Advanced Placement offering without having to hire additional staff.

“In a word, Scout is about access,” said Scout Dean Lynda Rogers. “This is about providing a high quality college-preparatory and Advanced Placement curriculum to anyone who wants it.”

Meeting with unexpected demand

In its inaugural year, Scout has 4,000 enrollments in approximately 20 courses — four times as many as officials expected. Thousands more have requested slots in upcoming classes, including for summer sessions, prime time for students looking to catch up on or build academic credit.

Scout builds on earlier efforts by UC to make course material available over the Internet. Unlike prior programs, which made the content available online without instructional or technical support, Scout works with schools, students and instructors to provide credit-bearing instruction.

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Scout partners with leading technology suppliers to produce its courses, each of which is created by a team of classroom educators, academics, animators, multimedia producers and online course designers.

To connect the courses to the kids who need them, UC has sent representatives across the state to meet with schools with limited resources.

As of now, more than 340 schools — mostly public high schools, but also middle and alternative schools — use the program to offer their students access to college-prep courses they  otherwise  would not be able to provide.

A new option for meeting students’ needs

One such school is Walnutwood High School in Rancho Cordova, an alternative school of 171 kids who, for a variety reasons, require more flexibility than a typical high school allows.

Students’ abilities range from well above grade level to far below it, said instructor Jessica Cisneros-Elliott. And she has struggled to find challenging material for her highest achieving students.

Using the free, College Board-approved curriculum from Scout, Cisneros-Elliott was able, for the first time, to offer one of her students an Advanced Placement class in U.S. History. She is now considering using additional Scout courses in macroeconomics, psychology and government history. “There’s a lot that’s tickling our fancy,” Cisneros-Elliott said.

Those kinds of AP courses are important for students who hope to attend a research university. Because they are so rigorous, students earn weighted academic credit for taking them, which means that even straight-A students without access to AP classes can be at a grade disadvantage to peers from better-resourced schools.

“In a rural district, say, you may only have one to two students who are interested in taking an AP course,” said Scout representative Kevin Heller. “It’s financially impossible to hire a teacher to teach that. But if you take three students in Compton and two in Fort Bragg, and you add another who is at home on medical leave, suddenly it makes sense."

Making the most of summer break

Scout also serves students on the other end of the spectrum — those who are in danger of not being able to meet the requirements for admission to a public four-year university because they missed taking key courses or failed to pass them the first time around. The scheduling flexibility of online classes makes it possible for those students to get back on track in the evenings or weekends, and catch up with their classmates.

This summer, UC will reach out to students in underperforming schools who are one course short in meeting California’s college entry requirements. Called Summer Up, the program will offer Scout’s online Algebra II class to eligible students who need to complete the advanced math course to get on a path to college.

“There’s not a high school student in the state who’s going to raise their hand every five minutes in a classroom and say, “That was too fast,” or “Can you explain that again?” Heller said. “If they can learn at their own pace, it works a lot better.”

For Cisneros-Elliott, Scout has offered her new capacity to help students make up critical credits they’ve missed — and to challenge others with college-level coursework.

“We had no ability to give this to them before, period,” she said. “And now we do.”

Keep reading

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$7 million grant advances Indigenous and academic partnership.

‘The UC Effect’: Shaping the future of AI

UC’s first systemwide Congress on AI delved into the technology’s promise and perils — and the unique role the university can play in leading the way forward.

Visual & Performing Arts

Course criteria & guidance.

All courses approved for the visual and performing arts (VPA, F) subject requirement will provide students with a meaningful experience with both depth and breadth of knowledge in the arts, so that students may apply their newly gained understanding to the appreciation and creation of art in its diverse forms. Courses must be directed at acquiring concepts, comprehensions, and skills in the arts disciplines, rather than using artistic activities to fulfill non-artistic course objectives. Fundamentally, they will  address the major components of the  California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (Arts Standards) .

Course Content Guidelines

Courses meeting the VPA (F) subject requirement will:

• Provide opportunities for students to participate in all aspects of the artistic process, including creation, presenting, producing, performing, responding, critiquing, and connecting.
• They will also, as relevant, offer opportunities to discuss artistic ideas with other students, read texts within the art discipline studied (including art works but also written critiques, etc.), and write clearly and coherently on artistic topics.
• Include activities or assignments that ask students to document and summarize their work in an appropriate written format, especially if the course is teaching a specific set of skills that must be developed outside of class time (e.g., portfolio/performance preparation, instrument practice, research projects, and/or critical listening/viewing).
• Include a variety of assessments of conceptual artistic understanding as well as mastery of creative practices, skills, and artistic literacies. These measures could include, but are not limited to:
• Authentic performance and/or exhibition opportunities, discipline-appropriate creative projects, collaborative projects, student portfolios, written exams, research and written projects, and multimedia presentations.
• Incorporate culturally relevant topics and activities, real-world problems, and applications that are appropriate for the context of the school community and the course content. Maintaining a balance of theoretical and historical/cultural context with skills-based content is essential, especially in production courses that primarily serve school events (e.g., newspaper, yearbook, broadcast).

One year of college-preparatory visual & performing arts required, chosen from one of the following disciplines: dance, music, theater, visual arts (e.g., painting, web/graphic design, film/video, inter/multimedia arts), or interdisciplinary arts.

For information on how a student can fulfill UC A-G admissions requirements, please visit the UC Admissions website .

Skills Guidelines

Engagement in the arts includes the creative process of persisting, envisioning, observing, analyzing, reflecting, and exploring new ways of working or thinking. As such, courses that fulfill the VPA (F) subject requirement will support students to:

• Develop and refine artistic techniques and methods in order to interpret, analyze, and conceptualize artwork.
• Acquire and use written, verbal, or nonverbal communication skills in a variety of forms and contexts to convey meaning through the production, performance, presentation, and/or exhibition of works of art through active practice, rehearsal, and/or creation.
• Study and gain an understanding of the social, cultural, and historical contributions and dimensions of the arts.
• Use artistic processes and a variety of theoretical perspectives to analyze and share formal critiques on the aesthetic choices, impact, and purpose of works of art.
• Apply theories, artistic processes, technologies, and methodologies from within one art form to another arts/media form or academic disciplines.

Honors Course Criteria & Guidance

Honors-level VPA courses will be demonstrably more challenging than non-honors courses, and will fulfill the following criteria:

• General  A-G  honors-level course criteria .
• Will have as a prerequisite at least one year of college-preparatory work in the discipline or comparable (alternative) experience that includes the California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (Arts Standards) .
• Or, the course may be open to students who have not completed the prerequisite college-preparatory work but whose preparation in the art form is at a high artistic level and who can demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in all five component strands of the art form.
• Alternative entrance into the honors-level course shall be by audition/demonstration and a standards-based content exam (oral, written, or portfolio/performance).
• Require in-depth written assignments that demonstrate student knowledge across the component strands and related arts standards.
• Will include a written analytical or historical research document that may be presented to peers in either a classroom or public forum.
• May include, but are not limited to, sophisticated choreography, advanced written and oral research and analysis, advanced kinesthetic mastery, and historical and/or performance knowledge of many genres of dance.  
• Given that some musical traditions do not support solo and/or small ensemble performance, an alternative capstone would be a more in-depth paper and presentation detailing elements of their specific cultural tradition.
• Include a classroom or public presentation of a document related to the project, with content either analytical and/or historical in nature and demonstrating the student’s engagement with music they are creating and/or performing.
• Require students to demonstrate artistic leadership. Collaborative skills continue to be essential in students’ work, but the honors distinction is that the individual is responsible for organizing others to complete a theatrical performance project (e.g., by serving as producer of the project or chief of a major area of production).
• Include a post-performance analysis.
• May include, but are not limited to, compiling a body of work at the mastery level in a particular arts medium (e.g., produce an artist website, produce a film salon, curate a gallery exhibition), or written research and analysis of a particular genre, style, or historical period.
• Will include critical self-analysis through portfolio development, solo exhibition of original work and post-exhibition classroom or public presentation about the exhibition experience, or a presentation of the research and analysis project.

Core Competencies

All approved courses will be designed with the explicit intention of developing and encouraging artistic habits and dispositions important for university-level studies.

Moreover, in the California of the 21st century, a focus on the arts may better prepare students to participate in the social, cultural, and intellectual interplay among people of differing cultural backgrounds and national origins.

The core competencies students gain from their VPA courses are aligned with the  California Arts Standards for Public Schools, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (Arts Standards) .