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Why UC Irvine Might Be Your Perfect Fit

4 minutes ago

2 min read

Picture a sunny campus wrapped around a 21-acre park, minutes from the beach, with Disneyland just down the road. After my recent information session with Executive Admissions Director Bryan Jue, I see why UC Irvine is not just for California students.

Something for everyone

Sports fans cheer on Division I Anteater teams, including 7'9'' basketball center Oliver Rioux, gamers join one of the country’s biggest esports scenes, and future scientists dive into research. In fact, nearly three-quarters of undergraduates do research. UCI is diverse and safe, and its community celebrates students being themselves.

Endless options

With 85 majors, 70 minors, and 14 schools, there’s room to explore. Not sure what to study? Applying undeclared is welcome, and UCI’s fun majors quiz can spark ideas.

A school with purpose

UCI is a top UC for health sciences and has been a sustainability leader since its founding in the 1960s. Its researchers even won a Nobel Prize for discovering damage to the ozone layer. Students can also intern in Washington, DC, or Sacramento, stud

y sustainability in Costa Rica, or perform in New York.

Smart application tips

Applicants should remember that the UC colleges admissions offices are test-blind, focus on a specific recalculated GPA, and the 4 essays (personal inquiry questions) required in the UC application. Applications are open until November 30, with no advantage to applying early, and decisions arrive in March. Out-of-state students need at least a 3.4 unweighted GPA, and the FAFSA is required for merit aid. Popular majors like pre-med, biology, nursing, criminology, business, engineering, computer science, and psychology fill fast, so show your passion through related activities or keep your options open by applying undeclared. The vast majority of students are from California, but 2026 out of state admit rates were higher than the overall admit rate of 30.3%.

Understand how the UC college system calculates GPA

The UC system recalculates every applicant’s GPA using its own rules:

Grades counted: Only 10th and 11th grade count, including the summers after 9th and 11th grade.
Courses counted: Only academic courses in UC’s required subject areas count. PE, health, and most electives are dropped.
Grade scale: Each semester grade counts separately, with no plus or minus values: A = 4, B = 3, C = 2.
Honors points: AP, IB, and college courses earn an extra point, but only for up to 8 semesters, and no more than 2 of them from 10th grade. For out-of-state students, school-designated honors courses don’t earn the extra point.
Minimum: Out-of-state applicants need at least a 3.4 UC GPA; California residents need at least a 3.0.