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UC Merced Offers Application Tips for Prospective Students

November 25, 2008

The Students First Center and Office of Admissions have helpful
points for people considering attending the newest UC campus.

The first step, of course, is to apply. That can be done online
by visiting the
Admissions Web
siteand following the appropriate links. The UC system makes
the process easier on students by allowing them to apply to
multiple campuses with a single application. This means less work
for the student and a greater range of admission opportunities.

The University of California priority filing period for Fall
2009 admission ends Nov. 30, so there is no time to waste. For
information, contacts and assistance, the Admissions site is the
place to go.

  • Take the required examinations:
  1. SAT Reasoning and/or ACT Assessment plus writing along with the
    SAT II Subject Examinations
  2. Check out the Web sites for the

    SAT    and
    ACTtest dates, and plan to
    complete them by December.
  3. You may self-report your SAT and/or ACT results in the
    application; however, you are also required to submit official test
    scores. Please order score reports from the testing agency no later
    than December 2008 for fall 2009 admission.
  4. Please note: “;Rush Scores”; are not required.
  • Get an unofficial copy of your high school transcript to help
    in filling out your application. You’ll also need a list of
    courses in progress and courses planned to complete your application.
  • Prepare a list of your extracurricular activities along with
    dates of participation.
  • Familiarize yourself with the personal statement prompts.
  • Draft your personal statement on a computer so you can easily
    copy and paste the text into the online application.
  • There is a $60 application fee. If you need financial
    assistance for the application, just fill in your family income
    information where it’s indicated, and you will be considered
    for a fee waiver.
  • Verify that all the information you entered is correct.
  • For additional help,
    tour the
    online application    .
  • Bookmark the
    Students First Center
    Web site    and refer to it as your one-stop online resource for
    information about UC Merced and its services.

You should also:

  • Review the list of

    majors and minors    available at UC Merced.
  • Visit UC Merced. Come see our campus for yourself. We offer
    weekday tours throughout the year. Check out our
    tour pagefor more information.
  • Remember that the priority filing period ends Nov. 30.
  • Apply for
    financial aid. To
    be considered for financial assistance, all students must file the
    Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which will be
    available online starting Jan. 1.

    -
    Read more about the affordabililty of an education
    at UC Merced.

  • Remember that by completing the UC Undergraduate Application
    for Admission and Scholarships, you are also applying for scholarships.
  • Find more tips on how to apply at the

    University of California Web site.
  • Contact UC Merced directly by calling (866) 270-7301 (toll-free
    in California), or you can send an e-mail to

    studentsfirst@ucmerced.edu    . For more information on the UC
    Merced experience, check out our pages on

    Facebook    and

    MySpace.