Freshman Q&A With UC Evaluators

1. Freshman Q&A With UC Evaluators UC Counselor Conference 2011

2. This workshop will cover: Clarifying 2012 Admissions Requirements New ELC Process Campus selection using Comprehensive Review Online Courses Frequently asked evaluation questions

3. 2012 Freshman Admission Requirements • Coursework • Complete any 11 UC-approved “a-g” courses prior to senior year • Complete all 15-course “a-g” subject pattern by the end of senior year • Courses must be completed with a grade of C or better • Grade point average • Minimum 3.00 weighted GPA (for CA Residents) • Minimum 3.40 weighted GPA (for Non-CA Residents) • Based on “a-g” courses completed in 10th and 11th grades, including summer courses • Examinations • ACT with Writing or SAT Reasoning Test by December of senior year

4. Additional Identifiers for CA Residents For CA Residents: Students who meet the general path requirements AND additional criteria will be identified in one (or both) of two groups: Statewide path • Top 9% statewide using UC’s admissions index Local path (ELC) • Top 9% of their high school class as determined by UC

5. Statewide Top 9% Applicants in the Statewide path are in the top 9% of all high school graduates in California, according to the UC admissions index. To meet statewide qualifications, applicants must meet the general admission requirements AND: • Have an appropriate UC Score on the admissions index The admissions index is a sliding scale based on applicant’s UC “a-g” GPA and UC Score. http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/california-residents/admissions-index/

6. Local (ELC) Top 9% Local path (ELC) applicants are in the top 9% of their class, of their participating high school. To meet local qualifications, applicants must meet the general admission requirements AND: • Complete a specific pattern of 11 UC-approved “a-g” courses prior to senior year --- minimum 3.00 weighted gpa (1 year of history/social studies, 2 years of English, 2 years of math, 1 year of lab science, 1 year of a language other than English, 4 years of additional “a-g” courses) • Have a GPA that meets or exceeds the 9% benchmark GPA that UC established for the high school

7. The Applicant Pool 12.5% Master Plan Commitment

8. New ELC Process The local path (ELC) has expanded to include students in the top 9% of their class, up from 4%, at each participating high school. The new ELC process works by comparing the GPA (weighted, uncapped from the application) to a benchmark 9% GPA that UC has established for the high school. Benchmark GPAs were determined using historical ELC data.

9. Process & Changes for Schools • Schools must still obtain parent permission to release student data to UC. • By June 30 every year, all participating schools will submit contact information (not transcripts) for the top 15% of rising seniors. • A school will submit the transcripts of their top 15% of rising seniors every three years for UC to reset its benchmark GPA. • UC will set the school’s 9% benchmark GPA using weighted, uncapped grades from “a-g” courses in 10th and 11th grade, including summer coursework.

10. ELC Process for Students • Self-reported “a-g” coursework and grades (not the actual transcript) will be used to determine the UC GPA. • The application system will verify that the applicant has met the specific 11-course pattern and a minimum (weighted, capped) 3.00 UC GPA. • Student is ELC if their UC GPA (weighted, uncapped) meets or exceeds the 9% benchmark GPA of their 11th grade high school.

11. ELC Communications to Students • An outreach letter will be sent in September to students identified by their high school as being in the top 15% of the rising senior class. • Students will no longer receive an ELC number and the outreach letter will not identify them as ELC. • The top 15% will be invited to register for UC4You fall recruitment activities and to receive campus communications. • ELC designation will be determined after students apply to UC. • A positive ELC status will be reflected on the “My UC Application” website within 6 weeks of application processing.

12. Comprehensive Review • UC has been using comprehensive review since 2002. • All 9 UC campuses use comprehensive review. • Consists of 14 academic and personal factors • Comprehensive review is the process used to evaluate an applicant for admission using multiple measures of achievement and promise within the context of educational opportunities and life experiences. • This allows UC to go beyond grades and test scores and review each applicant fully based on everything in their application.

13. Comprehensive Review Factors • Campuses draw from 14 academic and personal factors approved by University faculty, including: Grades and test scores and: • Quality of senior year program • Special talents, achievements & awards • Promise for leadership • Recent, marked improvement in academic performance • Significant community service • Participation in student government • Intensive study and exploration of other cultures Full list of factors: www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/how-applications-reviewed/

14. Questions? Admissions Requirements Applicant paths New ELC Process Comprehensive review

15. Online Courses The faculty have approved an online course policy to allow for partnerships: • An online provider must apply to UC for "program status” • Once provider is granted "program status," it must submit online courses to UC for "a-g" approval • As courses are granted approval, a program course list will be created on the Doorways website See “a-g” Guide website for detailed information: www.ucop.edu/a-gGuide/ag/online_course.html

16. Can students take online courses to satisfy “a-g” Subject Requirements? • APEX Learning Virtual School • Aventa Learning • Brigham Young University Independent Study (BYU) • Connections Academy • Education Program for Gifted Youth Online High School at Stanford University (EPGY) • Education2020 • Florida Virtual School • K12, Inc. • Kaplan Virtual Education • Laurel Springs Online • National University Virtual High School • PASS Program / Cyber High • Riverside Virtual School • UC College Prep Online (UCCP) • UC Irvine Extension • VHS, Inc. Virtual High School Global Consortium • Yes. Currently, the University has approved some online courses from 16 online course providers:

17. Tips for Using Online Courses to Satisfy Requirements UC will honor online courses offered by other providers IF: • The high school principal certifies that the course is comparable to other college preparatory courses offered at the school site • Lists the course on the student's transcript and includes the institution/provider through which the course was taken, the number of units, and the grade(s) received Online courses in laboratory science and visual and performing arts do not satisfy UC requirements. Students must self-report all online courses on their application.

18. Frequently Asked Evaluation Questions

19. Should a student submit their test scores to more than one UC campus? Freshman applicants for fall 2012 must arrange to have official score reports sent to us by December 2011. If you report your scores to one campus, they will be shared with every campus to which you have applied.

20. Can a student take time off prior to applying? Requirements for admission are determined by the year of application. The online application has added a question that addresses any gap in education for freshmen applicants. Offer of admission is valid for term of application only.

21. Are AP and IB exams granted the same credit at each UC campus? • AP and IB unit credit is standard across the campuses. • If subject content is duplicative, the University will award credit for only one to the student’s advantage. • Satisfaction of college and/or major requirements varies by campus.

22. Meeting the “b” Requirement A student lived in Germany through the 10th grade. He took English in his foreign school and got A’s and took two years of English here. Has he met the four-year “b” requirement? • Student would fulfill the language of instruction “b” requirement with: • German courses in Germany • English courses completed in the U.S. • The English courses in Germany would satisfy the two years of the (“e”) subject area.

23. Laboratory Science Requirement If a student satisfactorily completes a year of Biology and a year of AP Environmental Science, has the student satisfied the laboratory science requirement? • Yes, the student has satisfied the two-year laboratory science requirement: • Biology is considered to be a biological science; AP Environmental Science is considered to be an interdisciplinary science. • An interdisciplinary science course that is in the “d” subject area can be combined with biology, chemistry or physics to satisfy the laboratory science requirement.

24. Repeating vs. Validating What is the difference between repeating and validating a course?

25. Repeating Repeating a course occurs when a student earns a D or F grade and then a course with the same curriculum is taken to clear the grade. The new grade earned will be used in the GPA calculation. All “a-g” coursework (original and repeats) should be reported on the application.

26. Validating • Occurs when student successfully completes an advanced course (C grade or higher) in area of sequential knowledge; student is presumed to have completed the lower-level coursework. • Example: Spanish 2 is completed with a C grade; Spanish 1 is validated by Spanish 2. • Can also be used to clear subject deficiency in which a grade of D or F was earned • Example: Algebra 1 is completed with a D grade; Algebra II is completed with a C grade; Algebra I is validated by Algebra II • Grade of D or F remains in the GPA calculation. • Applies to courses in mathematics and languages other than English

27. Questions?

28. Resources • UC Admissions website:www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/ • Comprehensive review: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/how-applications-reviewed • Admissions index: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/california-residents/admissions-index/ • ELC student and parent information: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/california-residents/local-path/ • Recommended Subject Tests: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/requirements/examination-requirement/SAT-subject-tests/ • “a-g” Guide website for detailed information on online courses: www.ucop.edu/a-gGuide/ag/online_course.html • Doorways “a-g” website: http://www.ucop.edu/doorways/