Applying to UC Davis: What Do They Look For?

Hi all, I'm a junior looking at UC Davis as one of my options for college next year, and I'm trying to get a sense of their admissions process. Could anyone shed some light on what they look at in an application or any particular requirements they have?

Sure, I'd be happy to clarify the UC Davis admissions process for you!

UC Davis, like all the University of California schools, uses a holistic admissions process. This means that rather than focusing solely on one or two criteria such as grades or SAT scores, the admissions officers consider a wide range of factors. These factors include academics, personal insight questions, extracurricular activities, and additional comments about personal circumstances that have affected your academic performance.

Academics-wise, they consider your coursework rigor, GPA, and any honors or AP/IB/A-level courses you've taken during high school. However, remember that as of the 2024-2025 application cycle, UC Davis is test-blind, which means they do not consider SAT or ACT scores at all during the application review.

For personal insights, you'll answer four of eight personal insight questions, where you will share more about your life experiences, including your background, opportunities, and challenges. These might include personal aspects, community involvement, leadership roles, creative outlets, or other relevant experiences that have shaped your perspective.

Regarding extracurricular activities, UC Davis values students who contribute to their community in significant ways, such as through leadership roles, volunteering, internships, jobs, or research work in a field of interest. They look for students who have made most of the opportunities available to them, regardless of the circumstances.

Lastly, you can use the 'additional comments' section to explain any extraneous circumstances that might have impacted your academic performance. For instance, significant disruptions due to family, school, or community circumstances.

One more important point: UC Davis does not consider demonstrated interest in the admissions process, so you won't get an edge in admissions by visiting the campus or attending events.

So, overall, UC Davis looks for students with strong academic records who also demonstrate a high level of engagement and commitment in other areas of their life. It's about who you are, what you’ve achieved, and what you bring to the community. Hope this helps! Best of luck with your application.