Undergraduate Admission

Application Filing Periods | High School Preparation for University Work | High School Proficiency Examination | Transfer Credit | Credit for Courses Taken Elsewhere

To read an updated copy of this page with strikeouts and additions highlighted, see 2007-08 Undergraduate Admission, highlighted copy.

Please note that sections under this topic that contained no changes from the General Catalog 2006-08 are not included. For the complete section, go to 2006-08 Undergraduate Admission.

 * Editor's note: The Office of Admissions has discontinued offering Transfer Workshops since the 2006-08 Catalog was published. Please disregard references to the workshops in the following section.

Admission

Undergraduate admission to the University of California is based on two principles: that the best predictor of a student’s success in the university is high scholarship in previous work and that the study of certain subjects gives a student good preparation for ­university work. Minimum admission re­quire­ments are the same for each UC campus, but each sets additional standards when the number of qualified applicants exceeds capacity. In 2007, UCSC received nearly 30,000 applications for 3,325 places in the freshman class and 925 in the transfer class.

If you are considering applying to UC Santa Cruz, the Office of Admissions wants to help you learn more about the campus and its distinctive educational programs. Admissions counselors from UCSC visit many high schools and community colleges throughout California and are available to answer your questions about Santa Cruz.

If you are able to visit the campus, you may wish to take a student-led tour or attend a transfer workshop. The Office of Admissions offers tours on weekdays and selected Saturdays, and reservations are required. Visit our web site at admissions.ucsc.edu/campustours for information and reservations for campus tours and transfer workshops. If you do not have Internet access, please call (831) 459-4008.

The University of California, Santa Cruz, continues to take positive steps to increase the diversity of the student population, including applicants coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds, students with disabilities, veterans, and non-traditionally aged students. The university does not discriminate on the basis of , race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy (pregnancy, childbirth and medical conditions related to childbirth), disability, age, medical condition (cancer-related), ancestry, martial status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era veteran or special disabled veteran in admission to or participation in its programs, activities, or services.

Educational Opportunity Programs at UCSC are designed to encourage students from educationally and/or economically disadvantaged backgrounds to prepare for and enter the university. For a description of these programs, see the Educational Opportunity Programs section.

Admission by Exception. Special consideration may be given to a limited number of applicants who do not meet standard admission requirements. Admission by Exception is granted to a very small percentage of those considered for admission each quarter. Such factors as academic accomplishments in light of a person’s life experiences and/or special circumstances, socioeconomic background, special talents and/or achievements, contributions to the community, and the quality of the applicant’s personal statement are taken into consideration when reviewing applicants seeking Admission by Exception.

Graduation rates. The following graduation-rate information is listed in compliance with the 1990 Title I: Federal Right-to-Know Act, Section 103. Fifty percent of the students who entered as first-year students in 2002 graduated in four years; 64 percent of those who entered in 2001 graduated in five years; and 70 percent of those who entered in 2000 graduated in six years. In recent years, students who entered as first-year students took an average of 4.15 years to graduate, and students transferring to UCSC as juniors averaged 2.18 years. These graduation rates are well above the national averages.

In accord with the Education Amendments of 1976, Section 493A, more detailed information regarding retention is available on the Institutional Research web site at planning.ucsc.edu/irps/retengrad.asp.

Application Filing Periods

You should submit an application for admission during the filing period for the quarter
in which you want to attend the university. Enrollment opportunities for winter are more limited than for fall. Check with the Office of Admissions to see if UCSC is accepting applications for winter quarter.

High School Preparation for University Work

A carefully planned program of high school study provides you with the best preparation for university work. It can give you a definite edge in your undergraduate course work and the opportunity to do advanced preparation for your chosen field of study . Most important, students who master certain basic knowledge and skills in high school substantially increase your chances of success at the university. (Requirements for transfer students are explained in the Admission as a Transfer Student section.)

Prospective university students should give priority to completing the high school courses required for admission—the “a–g” requirements section.

You should understand, however, that the “a–g” requirements are minimum admission standards. Demonstrating proficiency in these subjects will not automatically prepare you for first-year work in every discipline, much less in your major or program of study. The university strongly recommends, but does not require, that you complete advanced study in many of the "a-g" subjects.

A student who is well-prepared for univeresity work will have mastered the equivalent of four years of English; four years of mathematics, including a course in the senior year; two to three years of laboratory science; two or more years of history and social sciences; and one or more years of visual or performing arts.

You should also give careful thought to the general field of study, and perhaps the specific major, you want to pursue at the university. If you are able to make this decision in advance, plan to take additional courses in high school related to the field.

You should take courses beyond the minimum levels in reading, writing, and mathematics in order to be adequately prepared for basic university courses, such as English composition and calculus, that you may be expected to take in the freshman year. A lack of basic preparation can cause problems for students who do not choose a major until after they enroll or for those who prepare for one major and then decide to change to another.

A lack of basic preparation can cause problems for students who do not choose a major until after they enroll or for those who prepare for one major and then decide to change to another.

Good study habits and skills are also essential for success at the university. These are often developed in more advanced courses in high school, but can also be gained in self-directed learning methods. University students are expected to know how to read a textbook effectively and master background material, how to take notes, and how to plan a proper study schedule.

Senior-Year Program. The more challenging your high school program, the better prepared you will be for university work. Prospective students should take particular care in planning the senior-year program. The senior year should be used to prepare students for their first year at the university and should include honors and advanced courses as well as courses that will strengthen overall preparation. A challenging senior-year program successfully completed is a natural bridge between high school and university course work in the intended major. A strong senior program will also strengthen your chances for admission to UC Santa Cruz.

Reading. Prospective university students need to develop the ability to read and understand scholarly publications. You will have to do more reading and more writing than in high school and will be required to learn more material in shorter periods of time. You should be able to analyze what you read and question yourself about an author’s intentions, viewpoint, arguments, and conclusions. You should have experience reading commentaries and essays as well as textbooks. You should read a wide variety of other material—including literature, biography, nonfiction, and criticism—in addition to what you are required to read in class. You should become familiar and comfortable with the conventions of standard English and with various writing strategies and techniques.

Writing. Prospective university students must learn to write clearly and skillfully. You will be expected to write papers for many university classes, and many examinations will include essays. You will have to think critically and analyze what you learn in class and in your outside reading, and present your ideas in a clear and persuasive manner.

By university standards, a student proficient in composition is able to understand the assigned topic; select and develop a theme by argument and example; use words and sentences that clearly and precisely express what he or she means, demonstrate an understanding of the rules of standard English, and punctuate and spell correctly.

Students who plan to attend UC Santa Cruz, must take English courses in high school that require the development and practice of these skills. You must take at least four years of English composition and literature with a focus on expository writing—the development of persuasive critical thinking on the written page.

Mathematics. Many students are unaware of the large number of fields that require preparation in mathematics beyond the three years necessary for admission to UCSC. Courses in calculus are included in all majors in engineering and the physical, mathematical, and life sciences, as well as in programs leading to professional degrees in fields such as medicine, dentistry, optometry, and pharmacy. Moreover, many majors in the social sciences and economics require statistics or calculus, and sometimes both.

The university highly recommends that students take four years of mathematics in high school, including precalculus in the senior year. Courses in mathematics should include basic operations with numerical and algebraic functions; operations with exponents and radicals; linear equations and inequalities; polynomials and polynomial equations; functions and their graphs; trigonometry, logarithms, and exponential functions; and applications and word problems.

High School Proficiency Examination

While the University of California expects freshman applicants to have graduated from high school, in lieu of the regular high school diploma, the university will accept the following:

• Certificate of Proficiency, awarded by the State Board of Education upon successful completion of the California High School Proficiency Examination
• Proficiency tests from other states
• General Educational Development (GED) Certificate

Transfer Credit
Transfer credit may be granted to a freshman applicant for an acceptable college course taken while still in high school if an official transcript is received from the college that conducted the course.

Transfer credit is granted for specified College Board Advanced Placement Examinations completed with a score of 3, 4, or 5 and for specified International Baccalaureate Higher Level Exams completed with a score of 5, 6, or 7. A score of 30 or higher on the International Baccalaureate Diploma is also accepted for transfer credit.


Credit for Courses Taken Elsewhere

The university gives unit credit to transfer students for courses they have completed at other accredited colleges and universities, including courses taken at recognized institutions outside of the U.S. To be accepted for credit, your courses must be comparable to those offered at the university, as determined by the UC Santa Cruz Admissions Office. The UC Santa Cruz department sponsoring your major decides which transfer courses may be used to satisfy major requirements.

Because a total of 70 semester units (105 quarter units) of credit toward a university degree may be earned at a community (two-year) college, only subject credit will be granted for courses taken in excess of these amounts.

Applicants will not be considered for admission if they have completed 90 semester units (135 quarter units) or more of UC–transferable credit because it is not usually possible for these students to complete a bachelor’s degree within UC Santa Cruz graduation requirements. Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate Higher Level (IBH) credit is permitted to exceed the 90 semester unit maximum by the number of AP or IBH units granted.

Opportunities to take courses at UC Santa Cruz as a nonmatriculated student are available through Summer Session, Concurrent Enrollment through UC Extension, and Intersegmental Cross-Enrollment (see the Intersegmental Cross-Enrollment section for more information).