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Wondering how to get into UC Berkeley? Look no further than this comprehensive guide! Read on to learn more about Berkeley’s admissions requirements, tips to get in, and more.
The University of California, Berkeley, is among the most prestigious public universities in the U.S. The school is located in the vibrant urban city of Berkeley and is one of the country’s most beautiful campuses.
Understanding how to get into college can be tough. To get into UC Berkeley, you’ll need to ensure your application sets you apart from the thousands of candidates who apply annually. To help you understand the application process, we’ve put together this guide to help you get into UC Berkeley.
The acceptance rate at UC Berkeley is 11.65%, making it highly selective.
UC Berkeley's yield rate is 46.00%, indicating that out of the 14,103 students who were offered admission, 6,487 chose to enroll.
Reports about the difficulty of getting into UC Berkeley are true. Only 15 out of every 100 applicants make it. To pass their first filters and show you're ready academically, meeting their GPA and SAT/ACT requirements is super important.
Take our interactive quiz below to find out how likely you are to get into UC Berkeley.
Getting into UC Berkeley means maintaining a minimum 4.0 GPA and standardized test scores in the 75th percentile. Your SAT score should be 1540 and your ACT score should be 35. You should also write strong supplemental essays that tell the admissions committee about your passions and motivations.
To apply, you must meet all UC Berkeley admissions requirements, including submitting your GPA and standardized test scores.
Berkeley expects California residents to complete 15 college-preparatory courses with a letter grade of C or better. The full list of A-G courses includes:
Source: UC Berkeley
Unlike most other colleges, the University of California, Berkeley has a GPA requirement. Freshmen must also have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the 10th and 11th grades; for non-residents, this minimum GPA requirement is 3.4.
Despite this minimum requirement, competitive candidates typically have academic profiles far exceeding UC Berkeley’s GPA requirement. The average unweighted GPA for admitted students is between 3.86 and 4.0, while the weighted GPA is between 4.27 and 4.62.
Many colleges have moved to test-optional policies; SAT scores at UC Berkeley aren’t considered for admission or scholarships. If you do choose to submit your SAT score to UC Berkeley, it may be used as an “alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll.”
UC Berkeley no longer requires the ACT or SAT for admission or scholarship consideration. However, you can still submit your ACT score to bolster your application.
There aren’t any specific requirements for extracurriculars at UC Berkeley, but Berkeley’s admissions officers like to see what you're passionate about outside of classes. Joining clubs, leading, or being part of community activities can make your application stronger. It's about showing who you are beyond academics.
The essays, or the personal insight questions, are arguably the most vital part of the UC Berkeley application process. Your responses to these questions help the admissions committee learn more about you and determine whether you’re a good fit for Berkeley.
The personal insight questions are your chance to tell your story and share who you hope to become by attending UC Berkeley. The admissions committee is looking for responses that demonstrate that candidates are well-rounded, creative, passionate, and personable.
Candidates must submit four short college admission essays, no more than 350 words each. There are eight UC Berkeley essay questions to choose from. All questions are weighted equally, so it doesn't matter which questions you choose to answer.
Let's take a look at the different questions you will be able to choose from when applying to UC Berkeley.
1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.”
2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem-solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.”
3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?”
4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.”
5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?”
6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.”
7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?”
8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?
Unlike other schools, UC Berkeley, unfortunately, doesn’t conduct college interviews.
Your application and the strength of your essay responses are the only opportunities you’ll have to demonstrate who you are as a student, learner, and community member.
Knowing how to get into UC Berkeley starts with learning how to apply. You can apply by completing the UC application, which you can start as early as August 1 and must submit between November 1 and November 30. You can apply to as many of the ten UC campuses as you like through this application.
Here’s a complete list of everything you will need to fill out the different sections of your application.
You’ll enter the courses and grades from all the schools you attended while in high school. When filling out this section, you'll want to have your transcripts, or unofficial academic records, close by.
Don't try to enter this information from memory; all your grades and courses should appear as they do on your transcripts. Your transcripts must reflect 15 complete A-G courses with a letter grade equivalent or higher than a C and a GPA of 3.0 or better.
If you still want to submit your SAT/ACT scores, you can. After you enroll, they’ll serve as another method of fulfilling the minimum eligibility requirements for course placement.
If you took AP or IB exams, TOEFL or IELTS, or other international exams, you need to report your scores on separate pages within the test score section of the application.
Like any other college application, the University of California requires you to list extracurricular activities and achievements. UC Berkeley has categorized all activities as either:
Quality is better than quantity here, so add activities and awards you feel the most passionately about.
You can select any scholarship categories that apply to you. If you’re interested, you can also select the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) that offers students support (in the form of mentorship, academic programs, financial assistance, counseling, etc.) while they're at UC.
This is where you answer the personal insight questions mentioned above. You can also discuss anything you didn't have the opportunity to address anywhere else in the application in the additional information section.
Nearly 90% of all UC Berkeley students are California residents. If you’re a resident of California, you’ll need to provide proof of residency for tuition purposes.
On the last page of the application, you can review your information. After applying, you’ll come to a confirmation page with important reminders and information, including your UC Application ID. Make a note of this ID number to access your admissions decision and allow you to access various student portals.
It's best to start working on your applications as early as possible; UC Berkeley allows you to start as early as August 1. All applications must be completed and submitted no earlier than November 1; the UC Berkeley application deadline is November 30.
To make sure you stay on track, here are the important dates and UC Berkeley application deadlines:
Source: UC Berkeley
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You can increase your chances of getting into UC Berkeley by having a good grasp of what the admissions committee looks for when they review applications.
Aside from participating in extracurricular activities that show your commitment to your community and academic excellence, here are some other tips you can use to help you stand out.
When the admissions committee reviews your application, there are several qualities they look for to make sure you would make a good fit for their community. These qualities include, but aren’t limited to:
While possessing these qualities is great, you still need to demonstrate them throughout your application. When answering essay questions and describing different extracurricular activities and achievements, mention how you embody some of these qualities.
By the time the admissions committee has finished reviewing your application, you want how you’ll fit into the Berkeley community to be clear.
Even if UC Berkeley is your first-choice school, applying to more than one school
in the UC system boosts your chances of acceptance. The best part? You can
transfer between schools in the UC system.
When trying to get into UC Berkeley, one of the most important things you can do is give yourself enough (or more than enough) time to complete your application. Remember, you won’t apply to UC Berkeley using the Common or Coalition Applications; give yourself more time to complete an entirely separate application.
Since there is no early decision pathway at UC Berkeley, the best way to show your eagerness to attend is by applying at the beginning of November without sacrificing your application’s quality.
You aren't alone if you’re second-guessing whether you should apply to UC Berkeley. It’s normal to have doubts when you’re narrowing down the list of colleges you’ll apply to.
Before you can answer this question yourself, take another look at Berkeley:
Answering questions like these can help you determine if UC Berkeley is right for you. It can't hurt to apply (even if you’re still unsure), especially when you've done all the necessary research to give yourself the best shot at success.
If you still have doubts even after exploring the different opportunities available at UC Berkeley, our advice is to go for it. It can't hurt to apply, especially when you've done all the necessary research to give yourself the best shot at success.
Still have questions about how to gain admission to UC Berkeley? Then check out these FAQs!
UC Berkeley wants students who are intelligent, passionate, and capable. The admissions committee looks for candidates who are also involved outside the classroom, have diverse extracurricular activities, and have great leadership potential.
Candidates who perform the best in the application process also come across as more than their academic or extracurricular achievements; they are personable and dynamic.
Yes, UC Berkeley does accept transfer credits.
Though UC Berkeley is a highly renowned university with stellar academics, it’s not an Ivy League school. The Ivy League contains eight Northeast private colleges: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, UPenn, and Yale.
Students who get accepted into UC Berkeley typically have a higher GPA coming out of high school; however, getting into UC Berkeley with a 3.5 GPA is not impossible. Even though grades and test scores are important, the admissions committee takes a holistic approach to reviewing applications.
You must demonstrate in your college application that you are a perfect fit for UC Berkeley and the candidate they are looking for. Your extracurricular activities should be diverse and show you’re committed to your community. Choose your essays carefully to highlight your most meaningful experiences and best traits.
Candidates will have access to the application portal as early as August 1, even though the final deadline isn't until November 30. Remember these dates when trying to gauge when you should start your application.
When you get rejected from UC Berkeley, there are a few options in front of you. You can take a gap year, accept an offer at another college, or try appealing the rejection, which is done on a case-by-case basis.
UC Berkeley’s acceptance rate has trended downward in recent years but is still in the double digits at 11.4%. Based purely on acceptance rate data alone, getting into UC Berkeley is easier than other top schools such as Yale, Harvard, MIT, and Stanford (all with single-digit acceptance rates). However, a stellar application boosts your chances!
If you’re a California resident, you must achieve a GPA of at least 3.0 in your 10th and 11th-grade classes. If you’re a non-resident, the GPA requirement is higher at 3.4. However, you should aim for a higher GPA (closer to 3.8 to 4.0, unweighted) for a better chance of acceptance.
UC Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California, USA.
Berkeley is famous for its 120+ graduate programs in 15 schools. Each year, they give out over 4,000 master's degrees and around 800 doctoral degrees. Their graduates become part of an impressive alumni group.
The tuition and fees for UC Berkeley amount to $15,602 for certain students starting in the 2023-24 academic year.
UC Berkeley is a prestigious university that can set you on a path toward success. With this prestige comes a highly competitive applicant pool, so you must ensure a strong application.
An exceptional academic history, a high GPA, and a diverse range of extracurricular activities you're passionate about are essential to building a compelling application.
Now that you know how to get into UC Berkeley, you should understand what the admissions committee is looking for.
Each part of your application should work together to convince the admissions committee you would make a great addition to the UC Berkeley community. If you need a helping hand, sign up for our expert UC Berkeley admissions counseling. Good luck!
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