Comprehensive Review Factors for Freshman Applicants

When campuses receive applications from more prospective freshman students than they can admit, they draw on the 14 criteria below to select among qualified applicants. This process is called comprehensive review.

Keep in mind that the pool of students who apply to UC is different every year. The level of academic performance necessary for admission to a particular campus or major will vary, depending on the number of applicants and their academic qualifications, as well as the number of available spaces.

Comprehensive Review Factors for Freshman Applicants

1. Academic grade point average in all completed "a-g" courses, including additional points for completed University-certified honors courses.
2. Scores on the  ACT Assessment plus Writing or SAT Reasoning Test, and two SAT Subject Tests.
3. Number of, content of and performance in academic courses beyond the minimum "a-g" requirements.
4. Number of and performance in University-approved honors courses and Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and transferable college courses.
5. Identification by UC as being ranked in the top 4 percent of the student's high school class at the end of his or her junior year ("eligible in the local context" or ELC).
6. Quality of the student's senior-year program, as measured by the type and number of academic courses in progress or planned.
7. Quality of the student's academic performance relative to the educational opportunities available in his or her high school.
8. Outstanding performance in one or more academic subject areas.
9. Outstanding work in one or more special projects in any academic field of study.
10. Recent, marked improvement in academic performance, as demonstrated by academic GPA and the quality of coursework completed or in progress.
11. Special talents, achievements and awards in a particular field, such as visual and performing arts, communication or athletic endeavors; special skills, such as demonstrated written and oral proficiency in other languages; special interests, such as intensive study and exploration of other cultures; experiences that demonstrate unusual promise for leadership, such as significant community service or significant participation in student government; or other significant experiences or achievements that demonstrate the student's promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of a campus.
12. Completion of special projects undertaken in the context of the student's high school curriculum or in conjunction with special school events, projects or programs.
13. Academic accomplishments in light of the student's life experiences and special circumstances.
14. Location of the student's secondary school and residence.

Freshman Selection by Campus
Each UC campus designs its own method for evaluating the factors considered in
comprehensive review. For the most current information on how each campus selects its freshmen, visit these websites:

Berkeley | Freshman Admission
Davis | Application Criteria for Freshman Selection Processs
Irvine | Freshman Selection Criteria at UC Irvine
Los Angeles | Freshman Selection
Merced | Freshman Selection at UC Merced
Riverside | Admission as a Freshman
San Diego | The UCSD Comprehensive Review Process
Santa Barbara | Admissions
Santa Cruz | Freshman Admission and Selection