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Information for First-Year Students Not Offered Admission
(March 15, 2009)
Overview of UC Santa Cruz's Selection Process
UC Santa Cruz received over 27,000 freshman applications for fall 2009. The freshman enrollment target for fall 2009 is 3,500 students. This enrollment target is 200 less than that of the previous year. This year, UC Santa Cruz was more selective in its admissions process.

Admission offers were made to students based on a comprehensive evaluation of their application, as set forth by the UC Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools, and our campus Academic Senate Committee on Admissions and Financial Aid. Applicants were selected following an extensive review process that evaluated the applicants' academic achievement, accomplishments, and other information contained in their undergraduate application. Applications were reviewed for UC-eligibility, completion of required college preparatory course work (a-g pattern of courses), required test scores, and demonstrated academic and non-academic achievements. The following faculty-approved criteria were taken into consideration.
Computation of the Freshman Comprehensive Review Score - Fall 2009
As stated in the Freshman Admission and Selection guide, UC Santa Cruz calculated a comprehensive review score on all UC-eligible freshman applicants. A total of 10,000 points was possible based on the 14 Academic Senate-approved criteria. Below is the formula for each criterion:
  1. Grade Point Average (GPA) - multiplied by 1,000 and capped at 4,400 points.
  2. Test Scores - added together the individual components of the SAT-R or ACT exam (from one sitting) plus the two highest SAT-S exam scores (from two different subject areas), and doubling the best individual exam score from those five scores, and then dividing by two for a maximum of 2,400 points.
  3. Courses Completed/Planned - if total UC-approved courses is between 52 and 56 semesters, award 100 points; if total UC-approved courses is 57 semesters or greater, award 200 points.
  4. Honors Courses - if senior-year honors courses are 7 or 8 semesters, award 100 points; if senior-year honors courses are 9 or greater, award 200 points.
  5. Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) - if identified as ELC-eligible, award 200 points.
  6. Quality of Senior Year Program of Study - if total UC-approved, senior-year courses is 14 semesters, award 100 points; if total UC-approved, senior-year courses is 15 semesters or greater, award 200 points.
  7. Academic Opportunities in California High Schools - if student is attending a California high school that is in the lower two quintiles of the Academic Performance Index (API), award 400 points (if points are awarded under this criterion, no points can be awarded under criterion #14).
  8. Performance in Academic Subject Areas - if student has excelled in one or more specific subject areas (minimum of four years, demonstrated progression to the highest level available, only A grades), award 250 points.
  9. Achievements in Special Projects - if student has earned significant recognition on an academic special project (must be recognized at levels beyond the high school), award 125 or 250 points, with the higher points awarded when the recognition is national or international.
  10. Improvement in Academic Performance - if student has an increase of at least one full grade point between the sophomore and the junior year, award 100 points.
  11. Special Talents, Achievements, and Awards - if student has earned significant recognition of a special talent, achievement, or award (must be recognized at levels beyond the high school), award 250 or 500 points, with the higher points awarded when the recognition is national or international.
  12. Participation in Educational Preparation Programs - if the student indicated participation in educational preparation programs that were listed in the UC application (or programs of a similar nature to those programs), award 200 points.
  13. Academic Accomplishments Within Life Experiences - if student has demonstrated academic accomplishment despite some personal circumstances or life experiences (as discussed in the personal statement), award 100, 200, 300, or 400 points, with higher points awarded for the achievement attained weighed against the significance of the information presented. Additionally, 300 points are awarded if the student’s parents are not university/college graduates.
  14. Geographic Location - if student comes from designated counties in California (as determined by the faculty), award 100 points (if points were awarded under criterion #7, no points will be awarded under this criterion).
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Frequently Asked Questions About the Admissions Process
How many freshman applications did you receive this year?
27,247, approximately 600 fewer than last year.

How many freshmen did you offer admission to this year?
We admitted 17,249 students to enroll a class of 3,500 students. Our enrollment target is lower than the number of freshmen who enrolled for fall 2008.

How many freshmen did you deny admission to this year?
9,998 freshman applicants were denied admission.

Were UC-eligible students denied admission?
Since we are a selective campus, the majority of our denied freshmen were UC-eligible.

How did you make your admissions decisions?
We employed a faculty-approved comprehensive review of the freshman applicants. Our selection guide is on the web if you'd like to review the different factors that we take into consideration. The guide is available as a link through the my.ucsc.edu web site, or on www.admissions.ucsc.edu/apply/freshman_guide.cfm.

In addition to the selection criteria noted above, if an applicant had notified our campus of receiving a grade of D or F in any 'a-g' course, that student would not have been selected for admission by UC Santa Cruz.
What was the cutoff of your Comprehensive Review Score (CRS)?
UC-eligible applicants needed to earn a CRS of 5,425 to be selected for admission. The highest CRS this year was 7,755 on our 10,000-point scale.

What was the average GPA of your admits?
Our mean GPA for freshman admits was 3.76, although the GPA is only one component of our Comprehensive Review Score.

What were the average test scores of your admits?
Our mean SAT Reasoning scores were: Critical Reading 591, Mathematics 596, Writing 609, and Total 1797. Our mean ACT scores were: Reading 27, Mathematics 26, and English/Writing 25, Comprehensive 26. Our mean SAT Subject scores varied depending on the examinations taken by the applicant. Test scores comprise only one component of our Comprehensive Review score.

If I was not selected, may I appeal the decision?
UC Santa Cruz does not set aside space in our class for students who appeal admissions decisions. Every application has been reviewed using our selection process. Although few appeals will likely be granted due to enrollment constraints, students who choose to appeal should follow the procedure listed below. The appeal deadline will be strictly enforced.

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Options for Applicants Not Offered Admission
Applicants who have not been offered admission at UC Santa Cruz may wish to consider the following options:
  1. All UC campuses offer a quality education. If you applied to another UC campus and have been offered admission, we strongly encourage you to consider this offer. Many of our applicants also have admission offers at a number of other excellent public and private colleges and universities.
  2. UC Santa Cruz is committed to assisting students in transferring from a California Community College. At the transfer level, we give the highest priority for admission to community college students who present a well-planned course of study and a competitive grade point average, and who apply at the junior level. If, after considering all of your options for higher education, you decide to enroll at a California community college, we urge you to contact the Transfer Center at that college for assistance in planning a course of study that will lead to successful transfer in the future. UC Santa Cruz maintains a transfer admission guarantee program (TAG) with nearly every community college within the state to ensure that you can earn your degree at our campus.

    The University of California maintains a strong relationship of advising and articulated course agreements with the California community college system. A listing of transfer centers within the state can be found at www.cccco.edu/CommunityColleges/tabid/830/Default.aspx.

    A transfer center adviser or community college counselor can help you plan an appropriate transfer program that will allow you to complete your studies at the University of California.

    UC Santa Cruz offers transfer advising services in-house at the UC Santa Cruz admissions office as well as at many California Community Colleges throughout the state. Please visit our advising services page to learn more about the planning assistance services we offer.
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Appeal Information - Fall 2009
To appeal our denial you must present new information that was not contained in your original application and personal statement. If there is nothing new or compelling, an appeal may not be appropriate. If your senior year grades have gone down, or if you have already earned a grade of D or F in any 'a-g' course in your senior year, an appeal will not be granted. To appeal you must submit the following:
  1. A letter of appeal addressed to:

    Michael McCawley, Associate Director of Admissions
    Office of Admissions-Hahn
    UC Santa Cruz
    1156 High Street
    Santa Cruz, CA 95064

    ATTN: Appeals

    The letter must come from you (not a parent or counselor) and should contain the reason(s) why you feel an exception should be made on your case. The letter must also note the courses in which you are currently enrolled (8th semester). If you are proposing summer session course work to fulfill any requirement, please include this information in the letter.
  2. A complete transcript including 7th semester grades. An unofficial transcript is acceptable. A complete set of required test scores is also needed to review an appeal. Check the my.ucsc.edu portal to see if all your official test scores are on file with UCSC.
  3. A single letter of recommendation (optional) from a source who can speak to your academic strengths.

    All information must be received in one packet, postmarked by March 31, 2009. Faxed appeals or e-mail appeals will not be given consideration. Appeals filed by someone other than the student, or appeals that are incomplete, will not be given consideration.

    Decisions will be communicated no later than the week of April 13, 2009. Students whose appeals are successful will be required to meet the May 1 Statement of Intent to Register deadline.
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