College admissions consulting for students applying to University of California (UC) schools
Receive personalized UC admissions consulting and craft a standout application. Get expert guidance on course rigor, PIQs, and school selection to improve your chances at top UC campuses like UCLA, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego.
What makes the University of California (UC) schools different from other colleges?
The University of California (UC) system includes nine undergraduate campuses, all of which use a single UC application. Instead of traditional supplemental essays, students respond to Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) to share about themselves and their goals. The UC system also has specific A–G course requirements and follows a holistic admissions process that looks beyond grades.
Knowing how to calculate your UC GPA, meet application deadlines, and write strong PIQs gives you a competitive edge.
What makes the University of California (UC) schools different from other colleges?
The University of California (UC) system includes nine undergraduate campuses, all of which use a single UC application. Instead of traditional supplemental essays, students respond to Personal Insight Questions (PIQs) to share about themselves and their goals. The UC system also has specific A–G course requirements and follows a holistic admissions process that looks beyond grades.
Knowing how to calculate your UC GPA, meet application deadlines, and write strong PIQs gives you a competitive edge.
Elevate your UC application
Work one-on-one with your Prepory UC admissions coach to build a custom application strategy tailored to the University of California system. From choosing the right campuses to preparing each part of your application, you'll receive expert guidance every step of the way.
Get a comprehensive evaluation of your academic record, activities, and personal background through the lens of holistic UC admissions. Identify opportunities to strengthen your profile and align it with what UC schools are looking for.
There are nine UC undergraduate campuses, including UC Davis, UC Irvine, and UC Santa Barbara. Your coach will assist you in researching and selecting campuses that fit your goals and campus culture preferences.
Receive guidance on meeting A-G requirements, calculating your UC GPA, and building a rigorous course schedule that aligns with UC expectations. Your coach will also help you understand the role of AP/IB classes in the admissions process.
Get expert help crafting strong responses to the UC PIQs, which are a key part of the UC application. Work through brainstorming, drafting, and revising responses that highlight your values, experiences, and goals.
Build a polished, UC-ready resume that clearly outlines your academic, extracurricular, and volunteer accomplishments. With guidance from your coach, you will learn how to frame your experiences in a way that complements your PIQs and strengthens your overall application.
UC Mock Committee Review
We replicate a real University of California Committee Review experience to maximize your chances of UC admissions success. Submit your complete UC application to be carefully reviewed by our team of seasoned college admissions coaches.
Our reviewers include graduates from UC Riverside, UC Irvine, and UC Berkeley, as well as elite schools like Harvard and UPenn. The team also features former Admissions Officers, Writing Specialists, and the Program Director working together to give you thorough and insightful feedback.
Thousands of families trust Prepory
I started with Prepory the summer going into my sophomore year. As a first-generation college student and no older siblings who went through the college admissions process, I was clueless where to even start regarding college admission. From the start, Prepory immediately eased all concerns through helping me build my extracurriculars, create a high school schedule that best fit my desired majors, improve my writing skills, and become more confident in myself as a prospective college student. I started with my primary coach Tala my junior year of high school. Tala proved invaluable as a resource in the process of making my college list, brainstorming essay material, and application creation, but also as a source of reassurance. Tala became a mentor to me and I will carry all the lessons she taught me into college.
Prepory helped our daughter navigate the strenuous application process by breaking it down into manageable tasks, on a set timeline, in order to make it to the finish line - without last minute cramming!
Rya Muller has been a consistent source of providing guidance, timely feedback, and any and all help my daughter has needed. I would 1000% recommend Prepory for dedicated coaches like her. She has undoubtedly been an indispensable person in the college application process throughout my daughter's junior and senior year.
From the early days of exploring his options, building his college list, to the final stages of navigating applications and personal statement, we always felt relieved that we had the benefit of Prepory's insights, advice, and encouragement. Your support had a profound impact on his journey, and we couldn't be happier that it has culminated with getting him accepted to one of the best universities in the world! More than just offering guidance on academics, your support has been a source of encouragement and reassurance during what can often be a stressful time for students and parents alike. Your willingness to listen, empathize, and offer constructive feedback has made a lasting impact not only on Shlok but also on all of us.
The Prepory advantage
| University | General Admit Rate | Prepory Admit Rate | Prepory Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Los Angeles | 8.5% | 36.3% | 4.26x |
| University of California, Berkeley | 11.5% | 30.1% | 2.62x |
| University of California, San Diego | 24.76% | 70% | 2.83x |
| University of California, Irvine | 25.0% | 74.5% | 2.98x |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 25.9% | 65.5% | 2.54x |
| Stanford University | 3.68% | 9.5% | 2.58x |
| California Institute of Technology | 3.9% | 25.0% | 6.41x |
| Princeton University | 3.9% | 19.0% | 4.87x |
| University of Pennsylvania | 4.1% | 10.8% | 2.63x |
| Duke University | 5.1% | 16.1% | 3.16x |
| Brown University | 5.1% | 25.9% | 5.08x |
| Northwestern University | 5.6% | 50.0% | 8.93x |
| University of Chicago | 5.9% | 40.0% | 6.78x |
| Johns Hopkins University | 6.0% | 27.6% | 4.60x |
| Boston University | 10.8% | 53.8% | 4.99x |
Featured acceptance rates from Prepory’s internal college admissions data.
Frequently asked questions for
UC applicants
The UC GPA includes only A–G courses from 10th and 11th grade, with up to 8 honors points added for approved AP, IB, or honors classes. It’s a weighted and capped GPA used by all UC campuses. Our UC admissions consultants can help you calculate it correctly and plan courses to boost your academic profile.
UC schools are highly competitive, with admissions based on more than just GPA. Since PIQs are a key part of the holistic review, use them to share your unique experiences and strengths.
UC applications open August 1, and are due November 30 for fall admission. All UC campuses use the same deadline, so whether you’re applying to UCLA, UC Berkeley, or other UC schools, your UC application must be submitted by November 30.
UC schools are highly competitive, with admissions based on more than just GPA. The holistic review process means your academics, activities, and PIQ responses all play a role. That’s why having a strong UC application strategy is essential.
Students can submit any essay for comprehensive feedback from our team of essay review experts. Our Writing Team will review their materials and provide grammatical, structural, organizational, and content feedback within three (3) business days. The written materials can be submitted as many times as needed.
Through one-on-one advising sessions, students meet with their graduate admissions coach to receive individualized counseling following their personalized syllabus and program milestones. Students work together with their coach to brainstorm, curate, and form their application collateral. These one-on-one advising sessions occur through Zoom video conferences and are 60 minutes long.
Meet with one of our college admissions experts
Meet with a University of California admissions expert
Our UC admissions experts are ready to help you secure admission to your ideal University of California campus. With application guidance, personalized PIQ coaching, and feedback from a team of Writing Specialists, you will be set for success the moment we connect.
Once you book your initial consultation, here’s what you can look forward to:
Profile assessment:
Assess your student’s academic profile and higher education goals with an expert from our enrollment team.
Program overview:
Our team will provide you with detailed information about our program and how it works.
Tips and resources:
Our experts will share tips and resources on how to navigate the U.S. college admissions process.
Get answers:
We’ll address your application worries and answer questions about how we can make a difference.
Please note that a parent or guardian must be on the consultation for high school students.
Please note that a parent or guardian must be on the consultation for high school students.
