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What should I do to increase my chances of getting into a UC as a potential stem major, considering the plummeting acceptance rates?
I noticed the acceptance rates for stem majors across the board dropping and I am lost
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Brian’s Answer
Hi Anthony,
Great to hear you are considering higher education. My perspectives, as a UCB (undergrad) and UCLA (graduate) alumnus.
1). Acceptance to any UC is an accomplishment given current demand, whether it is UCB, UCLA, or UC Merced. Of course, if you don't get in, don't take it as a sign of failure or disadvantage. There are many great schools in California (especially in the CSU system like SJSU, Cal Poly SLO, Cal Poly Pomona, Chico, etc.) that offer equivalent education to a UC. It is great you are aiming high and stretching yourself, but don't worry if it doesn't work out - you will still have a great experience in another school and have a fulfilling career.
2). Acceptance rate is a giant black hole now (it was when I was applying, but only worse now). Thus, there is no magic formula. However, to give yourself the best chance:
a). Grades, grades, grades: A 4.0 unweighted GPA is not a pre-requisite, but as close to it as possible is ideal. What is important is to take the most challenging courses available at your HS. It is better to have a 3.7 but take ALL the Honors/AP courses you can FEASIBLY (do take care of yourself physically/mentally instead of overloading) take vs. a 4.0 but take only easy courses. Admissions will place heavier emphasis on your "degree of difficulty" in coursework subject to feasible (you do NOT need to take 7 AP courses in a single year). You can take community college courses to show aptitude and readiness for collegiate level coursework.
b). Related to grades, don't worry if your school doesn't have a lot of AP/Honors courses; admissions knows this and takes it into account for students who applied.
c). If you want to do STEM, it is a pre-req to do AP Calculus BC, AP Physics B (or C - Electricity/Magnetism + Mechanics),
AP Chemistry, AP Comp Sci AB, AP Statistics, AP Biology (I did all of these except AP Physics B). Reason is this shows admissions you can handle the rigors of college level STEM courses, which, regardless of major, you will have to take Physics, Chemistry, Biology (usually 2 of 3), Calculus/Stats/Comp Sci (usually 2 of 3, Calculus is required) to graduate.
d). If you take AP courses, do study for the test and get 4's or 5's (I got all 5's except CS, which was a 3). Reason is, STEM departments won't grant credit for 3's so you'll have to take the course again.
3). Extracurriculars are a hard thing to calibrate. My philosophy in HS was to pursue what interested me and focus ONLY on those topics ("depth over breadth"). Thus, I did athletics, debate, and volunteering (on average, 10 hrs a week of sports, 5 a week on debate, 2 a week on volunteering). While my list was "thin" relative to others, it showed dedication and interest, which I think admissions places more value on than breadth (0.5 hr per week across 10 activities).
4). I read college scholarship essays for UCB and UCLA, and I do notice a lot of STEM admits doing lab research. I don't know if this is a baseline requirement, but if it is, do inquire with your HS guidance counselor on potential research opportunities at UCSF, local hospital system, or local university professor. You DON'T need to be published, but getting first hand experience on academic research may be helpful.
Great to hear you are considering higher education. My perspectives, as a UCB (undergrad) and UCLA (graduate) alumnus.
1). Acceptance to any UC is an accomplishment given current demand, whether it is UCB, UCLA, or UC Merced. Of course, if you don't get in, don't take it as a sign of failure or disadvantage. There are many great schools in California (especially in the CSU system like SJSU, Cal Poly SLO, Cal Poly Pomona, Chico, etc.) that offer equivalent education to a UC. It is great you are aiming high and stretching yourself, but don't worry if it doesn't work out - you will still have a great experience in another school and have a fulfilling career.
2). Acceptance rate is a giant black hole now (it was when I was applying, but only worse now). Thus, there is no magic formula. However, to give yourself the best chance:
a). Grades, grades, grades: A 4.0 unweighted GPA is not a pre-requisite, but as close to it as possible is ideal. What is important is to take the most challenging courses available at your HS. It is better to have a 3.7 but take ALL the Honors/AP courses you can FEASIBLY (do take care of yourself physically/mentally instead of overloading) take vs. a 4.0 but take only easy courses. Admissions will place heavier emphasis on your "degree of difficulty" in coursework subject to feasible (you do NOT need to take 7 AP courses in a single year). You can take community college courses to show aptitude and readiness for collegiate level coursework.
b). Related to grades, don't worry if your school doesn't have a lot of AP/Honors courses; admissions knows this and takes it into account for students who applied.
c). If you want to do STEM, it is a pre-req to do AP Calculus BC, AP Physics B (or C - Electricity/Magnetism + Mechanics),
AP Chemistry, AP Comp Sci AB, AP Statistics, AP Biology (I did all of these except AP Physics B). Reason is this shows admissions you can handle the rigors of college level STEM courses, which, regardless of major, you will have to take Physics, Chemistry, Biology (usually 2 of 3), Calculus/Stats/Comp Sci (usually 2 of 3, Calculus is required) to graduate.
d). If you take AP courses, do study for the test and get 4's or 5's (I got all 5's except CS, which was a 3). Reason is, STEM departments won't grant credit for 3's so you'll have to take the course again.
3). Extracurriculars are a hard thing to calibrate. My philosophy in HS was to pursue what interested me and focus ONLY on those topics ("depth over breadth"). Thus, I did athletics, debate, and volunteering (on average, 10 hrs a week of sports, 5 a week on debate, 2 a week on volunteering). While my list was "thin" relative to others, it showed dedication and interest, which I think admissions places more value on than breadth (0.5 hr per week across 10 activities).
4). I read college scholarship essays for UCB and UCLA, and I do notice a lot of STEM admits doing lab research. I don't know if this is a baseline requirement, but if it is, do inquire with your HS guidance counselor on potential research opportunities at UCSF, local hospital system, or local university professor. You DON'T need to be published, but getting first hand experience on academic research may be helpful.
Shirley Orille Brazis
College Educator & Workforce Development Specialist
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Updated
Shirley’s Answer
Hi Anthony,
As a UC Berkeley alumnus who was a biological sciences major, I know how increasingly competitive it has become to gain admission. To show UC admissions reps that you're the type of student they want to admit, you should aim to take some difficult courses such as AP or IB classes and get good grades in them (need mostly A's) to show your preparation at a college level.
Applying to college as a STEM major can be very competitive, but if you start building your STEM story early by taking the right courses, getting involved, and making an impact inside and outside of the classroom, you'll be in the best position to gain admission to your top-choice colleges.
Here's a helpful site to check out which covers the topic - What Do Admissions Officers Look for in STEM Applicants?
https://www.ivywise.com/ivywise-knowledgebase/resources/article/what-do-admissions-officers-look-for-in-stem-applicants/
Another informative site:
https://www.teenlife.com/blog/acing-the-stem-application-process/
It addresses the topic of "Acing the STEM Application Process"
Good luck to you in your journey!
As a UC Berkeley alumnus who was a biological sciences major, I know how increasingly competitive it has become to gain admission. To show UC admissions reps that you're the type of student they want to admit, you should aim to take some difficult courses such as AP or IB classes and get good grades in them (need mostly A's) to show your preparation at a college level.
Applying to college as a STEM major can be very competitive, but if you start building your STEM story early by taking the right courses, getting involved, and making an impact inside and outside of the classroom, you'll be in the best position to gain admission to your top-choice colleges.
Here's a helpful site to check out which covers the topic - What Do Admissions Officers Look for in STEM Applicants?
https://www.ivywise.com/ivywise-knowledgebase/resources/article/what-do-admissions-officers-look-for-in-stem-applicants/
Another informative site:
https://www.teenlife.com/blog/acing-the-stem-application-process/
It addresses the topic of "Acing the STEM Application Process"
Good luck to you in your journey!
Updated
Karim’s Answer
I would recommend taking steps to show maturity in the field you are trying to get into. As an example for myself, during high school in my last year, I didn't need to take a full course load to graduate, so rather than just go home/normal extracurriculars, I took an internship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. I had decent SAT scores and the extracurriculars most people have, but I think it was that internship that demonstrated that "extra" Universities are looking for. It doesn't even have to be some government institution, it can be volunteering on the weekends at a manufacturing site/laboratory who has a history with mentoring high school students. Some high schools have relationships with local employers so you can begin there and branch out as needed, even making cold calls to employers to see if they have a program available. The more experience you gain from real-world employers early on, the better you'll look to a university as you now have some "practical" experience that school just doesn't teach you.
I would also recommend having a great relationship with your teachers as they relate to STEM, e.g. your physics, calculus, statistics, biology teachers. I'd say a good measure to whether this relationship exists is if you return after a year of having graduated, and they remember your name and your (hopefully positive) behavior in class, this is a teacher who will write a solid recommendation letter versus your cookie cutter recommendation. I'd recommend having this mentality at your University/College as well, as their recommendations can help with job hunts/post-graduate studies as well. Related to the above, a great recommendation from your internship will be very useful as well.
I would also recommend having a great relationship with your teachers as they relate to STEM, e.g. your physics, calculus, statistics, biology teachers. I'd say a good measure to whether this relationship exists is if you return after a year of having graduated, and they remember your name and your (hopefully positive) behavior in class, this is a teacher who will write a solid recommendation letter versus your cookie cutter recommendation. I'd recommend having this mentality at your University/College as well, as their recommendations can help with job hunts/post-graduate studies as well. Related to the above, a great recommendation from your internship will be very useful as well.