Easier UC schools to get into?

Hi everyone! I'm planning to apply to some UC schools and I was wondering if you guys could help me identify which UCs are easier to get into compared to others? I don't want to set my expectations too high if some of them are more competitive. Thanks in advance!

Hello! While every UC campus has its own unique character and charm, some of them are considered to be less competitive compared to schools such as UC Berkeley and UCLA.

Here's a list of the UCs, ordered from generally less competitive to more competitive based on their acceptance rates and the academic profiles of accepted students. The acceptance rate as of the 2023-2024 application cycle will also be noted.

1. UC Merced (88.6%)

2. UC Riverside (70.4%)

3. UC Santa Cruz (61.3%)

4. UC Irvine (25.8%)

5. UC Santa Barbara (27.8%)

6. UC Davis (41.6%)

7. UC San Diego (24.8%)

8. UC Los Angeles (8.7%)

9. UC Berkeley (11.7%)

Keep in mind, though, that 'easier to get into' is subjective, and the level of competitiveness can vary depending on your interests and major choice. It's also important to consider factors like location, campus environment, and specific programs beyond just admissions competitiveness. I recommend researching each school to find the best fit for you academically and socially, rather than focusing solely on acceptance rate, although it's definitely not a bad idea to have a general sense of the competitiveness of each UC.

Do remember that, even at a selective institution, your personal odds of acceptance may be higher than the overall rate, depending on the strength of your profile. If you want to get a concrete sense of how you personally stack up, check out CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which accounts for your grades, course rigor, extracurriculars, and so on, to give you personalized chances of acceptance at each UC, as well as hundreds of other colleges around the country.

You can access the engine here: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator/. The engine also gives you suggestions for how to improve your odds at a particular school, for example by enrolling in more challenging courses or holding a leadership position in one of your extracurriculars.

Another, more subjective way you can boost your odds at the UCs is by writing excellent responses to the Personal Insight Questions (PIQs). You can read more about how to tackle each one on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-california-essays/.

Good luck with your UC applications!