Admission policy change for 2012
Will UC-approved courses in language other than English and mathematics completed in seventh and eighth grades count toward the 11 courses required for a review of a student's application?
Yes. UC's admission application requests that students provide information (course title and number of semesters completed) on approved language other than English and mathematics courses completed in seventh and eighth grades. Provided that a student earned grades of C or higher in these courses, they can be applied to the 11-course minimum requirement.
How do UC's course validation rules apply to the completion of the 11 courses required for review?
Proficiency in language other than English: Students who have met their language other than English requirement (two units) through principal certification will be considered as having completed two courses of the 11-course minimum requirement.
Clearing D or F grades in language other than English or mathematics courses through higher level coursework: Under UC's admission policy, when an applicant has successfully completed advanced work in language other than English or mathematics with a grade of C or higher, the student is presumed to have completed the earlier coursework even if he or she earned a grade of D or F in an earlier course, or the earlier courses do not appear on the student's transcript. In these cases, the applicant will be awarded unit credit for both courses.
Examples include:
- A grade of C or higher in Algebra II validates a D or F grade in Algebra I. In this scenario, UC will grant a student two units — one unit each for Algebra I and Algebra II — toward the 11 courses required for an application to be reviewed.
- A grade of C or higher in Spanish II validates the Spanish I and Spanish II requirement even if Spanish I does not appear on the student's transcript. In this example, UC will grant a student two units — one unit each for Spanish I and Spanish II — toward the 11 courses required for an application to be reviewed.
If a course that serves as a repeat of a D or F grade or that would validate language other than English or mathematics is in progress or planned for the current academic year (i.e., senior year), does that count toward the minimum 11 "a-g" courses required for an applicant to be entitled to review?
In order to be entitled to a review of one's application, the student must have successfully completed 11 or more of UC's "a-g" subject requirements with grades of C or higher prior to the beginning of 12th grade.
Important note: Completing the minimum number of courses to be entitled to an application review (11 courses by the end of the junior year) should not be confused with being competitive for admission on most campuses. The average number of yearlong UC-approved academic courses completed by students admitted for the fall 2010 term was 23.
For which majors and at which campuses will the SAT Subject Tests be required?
Beginning with students applying for the fall 2012 term, SAT Subject Tests no longer will be required and students who do not submit subject test scores will not be penalized during the review process.
Some majors at some campuses, however, recommend particular tests, and applicants may submit subject test scores for consideration during the comprehensive review process much the way they do now with Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate scores. Additionally, subject exams still may be used to satisfy "a-g" subject requirements.
If a student graduated in 2011 but waits and applies to UC in fall 2012, will that student need to take the subject tests?
The new requirements go into effect with students who apply for admission to the fall 2012 term. A student who graduates in spring 2011, takes a gap year and applies for admission for the fall 2012 term will not be required to submit SAT Subject Test scores.