For nearly 20 years, Hillhouse Education Consulting has been guiding students in meeting the admission requirements of universities in the United States, Canada, and beyond through a comprehensive goal-oriented approach. By ensuring both academic rigor and strong performance, the company also tailors extracurricular planning to develop students’ unique talents. Working closely with parents, Hillhouse supports the healthy growth and development of its students. Today, our focus is on discussing the admission requirements of the University of California.
1. Introduction to the University of California
The University of California (UC), a renowned public university system in California, is highly popular among students. The system comprises nine comprehensive campuses, including Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, Irvine, Davis, Santa Barbara, and others, each offering a diverse range of academic and extracurricular opportunities.
2. The Thirteen Admission Requirements on the University of California’s Official Website
We spend time evaluating your academic achievements in light of the opportunities available to you and your demonstrated capacity to contribute to the intellectual life at UC. Some factors we may consider are:
- Academic grade point average in all completed A-G courses, including additional points for completed UC-certified honors courses.
The A-G courses refer to the core subjects offered by schools (detailed explanation at the end of the article). GPA, or Grade Point Average, is determined by course difficulty and grades, with weighted GPAs granting extra points for advanced courses such as AP and IB, allowing them to exceed a 4.0 scale.
- Number of, content of and performance in all A-G subject areas beyond the minimum requirements.
- Number of and performance in UC-approved honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate Higher Level and transferable college courses.
- Identification by UC as being ranked in the top 9 percent of your high school class at the end of your junior year (Eligible in the Local Context, or ELC).
——GPA ranking in the top 9% only qualifies students for eligibility.
- Quality of your senior-year program as measured by the type and number of academic courses in any A-G subject area in progress or planned.
- Quality of your academic performance relative to the educational opportunities available in your high school.
- Outstanding performance in one or more specific subject areas. ——Academic competitions
- Outstanding work in one or more special projects in any academic field of study. ——Academic research
- Recent, marked improvement in academic performance as demonstrated by academic GPA and the quality of coursework completed or in progress. ——Trend of GPA
- Special talents, achievements and awards in a particular field, such as visual and performing arts, communication or 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 student's promise for contributing to the intellectual vitality of a campus.
- Completion of special projects undertaken in the context of your high school curriculum or in conjunction with special school events, projects or programs.
- Academic accomplishments in light of your life experiences and special circumstances, including but 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 your secondary school and residence.
The above requirements are from the official website: https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/applying-as-a-freshman/how-applications-are-reviewed.html
*AG courses include:
2 years of history (home country history may substitute for U.S. history)
4 years of English language and literature
3 years (4 years recommended) of mathematics, including algebra and geometry
2 years of science, biology, chemistry or physics (choose 2 from 3)
2 years of second language
1 year of visual and performing arts
1 additional course in any of the above disciplines
We can see that among the 13 admission criteria, items 1 through 9 are directly tied to the rigor of school coursework and academic performance. Criterion 4 specifically quantifies this by requiring students to rank within the top 9% of their school, as assessed by UC at the end of 11th grade, emphasizing the principle of ‘academics first.’ Strong academic performance in school is also a fundamental requirement for university admissions in countries like Canada, the UK, and Singapore.
3. Some admission data of the University of California
The above data is collected and translated from the official website: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/freshman-admission-discipline
4. Admissions data analysis
Over the past three years, overall acceptance rates at the University of California (UC) campuses have shown slight changes. The acceptance rates at the two flagship campuses, UC Berkeley and UCLA, have remained relatively stable, while other campuses have seen a modest increase. However, acceptance rates vary significantly by major. Highly competitive applied majors, such as computer science and engineering, have notably low acceptance rates, reflecting intense demand. In contrast, foundational disciplines, public administration, and life sciences generally have higher acceptance rates. Regardless of the major, all UC campuses maintain rigorous academic standards for high school performance. Among admitted students, those in the middle 50% have a weighted GPA exceeding 4.0, indicating that most admitted students achieved grades above 90% in nearly all subjects, with many scoring 95% or higher.
5. Key Features of Hillhouse’s consulting service
From the University of California’s admission requirements, it is clear that strong high school academic performance is a top priority for college acceptance. This emphasis is also reflected in Hillhouse’s approach to college planning and applications. With over 20 years of North American teaching experience, Hillhouse not only guides students toward the right, personalized academic pathways but also helps them achieve the highest possible grades in each subject.
In addition to academics, Hillhouse advises students to engage in a variety of school clubs and volunteer activities, nurturing compassion and responsibility from everyday actions, following the principle of ‘no act of kindness is too small.’ For exceptionally capable students, the focus is on encouraging active participation in impactful social initiatives.
Thanks to this structured and holistic approach, Hillhouse students make steady progress, with many gaining admission each year to UC Berkeley, UCLA, and even Ivy League institutions such as Harvard, Yale, and Columbia.
Parents are welcome to add WeChat for consultation
Inquiry Email: info@hillhouseeducation.com
Contact number: (604) 738 - 2353
Official｜ https://www.hillhouseeducation.com
Address｜ (39th Street Campus) 5549 Dunbar St, Vancouver
(19th Street Campus) 110-3479 Dunbar Street, Vancouver
