A few days ago
Anonymous

Does a more rigorous academic curriculum matter when applying to UCLA and Cal?

Do UC admissions consider the difference between a student applying with a 4.0 having taken lower level classes, vs. a student with a 3.5 who has taken 9 APs: Calulus, Foreign Language, Chem, Physics, Statistics etc.?

Top 3 Answers
A few days ago
Anonymous

Favorite Answer

Yes, a rigorous curriculum is favorable.
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A few days ago
NY33
First of all, this will depend on what type of school you are coming from. If your school is rigorous overall, with most regular classes being as difficult as APs and Honors at a less difficult public school, taking lower level classes is just as good as the really hard ones. If you’re going to a public school that isn’t too amazing and doesn’t have a good track record with sending kids to good schools, then you should be getting a 4.0 in the toughest schedule possible with extracurriculars. That’s how the system works.
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A few days ago
Ranto
Yes — it matters. That is why weighted GPAs are reported. Someone with a 3.5 unweighted but lots of AP classes will have a weighted GPA above 4.0.
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