The University of California is a large public research university that consists of 9 undergraduate colleges with more than 38,000 students and 190,000 faculty and staff.
Teaching, Research, and Public Service are the 3 missions of the UC’s.
Due to COVID -19, the UC system of schools will go test-optional for all students who are applying for 2021 admissions.
The Colleges of University of California
UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley is a vibrant college town that is highly rated with an enrollment of 29,570 undergraduate students. Admissions are extremely competitive, and the acceptance rate is 15%. It has 14 schools and colleges. Some of the popular majors at Berkeley are Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, and Cellular Biology.
To know more about admission requirements, visit https://admissions.berkeley.edu/.
The most iconic tower of UC Berkeley is the Campanile which is the third tallest clock bell in the world and is 307 feet tall. It is also called the Sather Tower.
UCLA
UCLA is in Westwood which is an upscale area of LA and is a highly ranked university with an enrollment of 31,009 undergraduate students. Admissions are extremely competitive as the acceptance rate is 14%. They offer 130 undergraduate majors in 7 academic divisions.
To know more about admission requirements, visit https://www.ucla.edu/students/prospective-students.
In 1969 the Internet started at UCLA and the first Internet transmission was sent from UCLA to Stanford University.
UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Barbara is a highly rated large university with an enrollment of 22,601 undergraduate students. Admissions are fairly competitive as the UC Santa Barbara acceptance rate is 32%. Popular majors include Sociology, Economics, and Research, and Experimental Psychology.
To know more about admission requirements, visit http://admissions.sa.ucsb.edu/.
UCSB has SIX Nobel Prize winners working on campus.
UC San Diego
UC San Diego is a large institution with an enrollment of 29,491 undergraduate students. Admissions is fairly competitive as the acceptance rate is 30%. Popular majors include Computer Science, Economics, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
To know more about admission requirements, visit https://admissions.ucsd.edu/.
There are approximately 220,000 Eucalyptus Trees on the campus and the beach is a 5-minute walk from the campus.
UC Davis
UC Davis is a highly rated university located in Davis, in the Sacramento Area. It is a large institution with an enrollment of 29,967 undergraduate students. Admissions is competitive as the UC Davis acceptance rate is 41%. They offer 102 undergraduate majors.
To know more about admission requirements, visit https://www.ucdavis.edu/admissions/undergraduate.
UC Davis ranks 9th worldwide for sustainability and 29 percent of food bought for the dining commons is sustainably grown within the city. The biodigester was invented at UC Davis and turns waste into energy for the campus.
UC Irvine
It is a large highly rated university with an enrollment of 29,251 undergraduate students. Admissions are competitive as the UC Irvine acceptance rate is 29%. UCI offers 92 undergraduate degree programs, as well as 59 master’s programs.
To know more about admission requirements, visit https://admissions.uci.edu/.
The campus has its own pub Anteater Pub and Grill, which serves burritos, sandwiches, beer, and wine. Students must show a valid I.D. to order drinks.
UC Santa Cruz
It is a highly rated university with an acceptance rate of 47%. The popular majors are Computer Science, Psychology, and Economics. The student faculty ratio is 19:1.
To know more about admission requirements, visit https://admissions.ucsc.edu/.
The school is hidden in a forest. It has a calming effect on the mind and feels like living in the wilderness.
UC Riverside
It is a large institution with an enrollment of 20,210 undergraduate students. Admissions is fairly competitive as the UC Riverside acceptance rate is 51%. Popular majors include Business, Biology, and Research and Experimental Psychology.
To know more about admission requirements, visit https://admissions.ucr.edu/.
UC Riverside is listed as one of the top 50 green colleges. From compostable utensils to solar panels, sustainability is a way of life at UCR.
UC Merced
UC Merced is the first American research university of the 21st century. It is a mid-size institution with an enrollment of 7,813 undergraduate students with an acceptance rate of 66%. It has 3 schools: Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts.
To know more about admission requirements, visit https://admissions.ucmerced.edu/.
UC Merced is the only American university with every building on campus environmentally certified.
Application Process
UC’s have their own application platform and there is one application for all 9 campuses. The application opens on Nov 1st and the due date is Nov 30th. When applying one just needs to check the campus they are interested in.
To create an account and get started click on the University of California application portal.
UC’s require 4 out of 8 supplement essays.
The word limit is 350 words or less. The topics are:
- Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
- Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem-solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistic application, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
- What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
- Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
- 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?
- Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
- What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
- Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?
