Comprehensive Review

The University makes every effort to find a place on one of its campuses for all California residents who meet the minimum admission requirements and apply on time. In recent years, however, the number of applicants to many campuses and majors has greatly exceeded the spaces available. When a campus has to choose among qualified students, it applies standards that are more demanding than the minimum requirements. Using a process called comprehensive review, admissions officers look beyond the required coursework and grades to evaluate applicants’ academic achievements in light of the opportunities available to them and the capacity each student demonstrates to contribute to the intellectual life of the campus.

Factors Considered in Comprehensive Review

To guide the campuses in their comprehensive review of applicants, UC faculty developed the factors listed below. All campuses place the highest importance on academic achievement in evaluating applications. However, the specific evaluation process and weight given to each factor differs from campus to campus and year to year. The most current descriptions of how each campus applies these factors can be found on the campus websites.

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

Comprehensive Review Factors for Transfer Applicants

To be eligible for admission, applicants must meet the University's undergraduate admission requirements. The following guidelines provide the framework within which the campuses establish procedures for selecting applicants when the number of eligible applicants exceeds the places available.

Each campus, in consultation with the Office of the President, develops enrollment targets that specify the number of new freshman and advanced standing students expected to enroll. Campuses that receive more applications than the number required to meet their enrollment target admit students using the criteria described below.

Primary emphasis in the selection of advanced standing applicants will be given to the criteria related to academic performance (first four bulleted items). Consideration also will be given to other criteria to assess applicants' overall promise of success and to achieve strength and diversity in campuses’ advanced-standing student body (last four bullets). Priority consideration for admission of advanced standing applicants will be given to upper division junior transfers from California community colleges.

• Completion of a specified pattern or number of courses that meet breadth or general education requirements.
• Completion of a specified pattern or number of courses that provide continuity with upper division courses in the major.
• Grade point average in all transferable courses.
• Participation in academically selective honors courses or programs.
• Special talents, achievements and awards in a particular field, such as in the visual and performing arts or in 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 applicant’s promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of a campus.
• Completion of special projects, undertaken either in the context of the college/university curriculum or in conjunction with special school events, projects or programs cosponsored by the college/university, community organizations, post-secondary educational institutions, other agencies or private firms, that offer significant evidence of an applicant's special effort and determination or that may indicate special suitability to an academic program on a specific campus.
• Academic accomplishments in light of the applicant’s life experiences and special circumstances. These experiences and circumstances may include, but are not limited to, disabilities, low family income, first generation to attend college, need to work, disadvantaged social or educational environment, difficult personal and family situations or circumstances, refugee status or veteran status.
• Location of the applicant's college and residence. These factors shall be considered to provide for geographic diversity in the student population and also to account for the wide variety of educational environments existing in California.

Transfer Selection by Campus

For the most detailed, up-to-date information about each campus's transfer selection criteria, visit these websites:

Berkeley | Transfer Admission
Davis | Transfer Student Selection Process
Irvine | Transfer Admission to UC Irvine
Los Angeles | Transfer Admission
Merced | UC Merced Student Affairs
Riverside | Admission as a Transfer
San Diego | Transfer Student Services
Santa Barbara | Prospective Transfer
Santa Cruz | Transfer Admission and Selection

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