Admissions Difficulty for UC Riverside?

I'm working on my college list and I'm considering adding UC Riverside. Can anyone give me an idea of how hard it is to get into this school? Are there any important things I should know about the admissions process there?

UC Riverside is a moderately selective school, with an acceptance rate around 70%. However, the admissions process does vary depending on factors such as in-state vs. out-of-state residency, intended major, and other applicant-specific factors.

UC Riverside, like all University of California schools, uses a holistic review process when evaluating applicants. Here are a few important aspects to keep in mind for your application:

1. Academic performance: UC Riverside looks at your weighted GPA from 10th and 11th grades, which factors in the rigor of your coursework (e.g. Honors, AP, or IB courses). Strong grades in challenging courses are important.

2. Test-blind: As of the 2024-2025 application cycle, all UC schools, including UC Riverside, are test-blind, which means they will not consider SAT or ACT scores as part of their admissions process. While this policy can be a plus for some students, if you were hoping your test scores would boost your odds, you'll want to be sure your strengths come across in other areas of your application.

3. Personal insight essays: You will need to complete personal insight essays as part of the UC application. There are eight prompts to choose from, and you must select four to respond to. Use these essays to share who you are, discuss your interests and experiences, and to make your application stand out. You can read up on how to tackle each prompt on CollegeVine's blog: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-california-essays

4. Extracurricular activities: UC Riverside will also consider how you've utilized your time outside of school. High-quality extracurricular activities, community service, and leadership experiences can positively impact your application.

5. Applying as an in-state student is advantageous, as the UC system was founded to educate California residents, and thus prioritizes in-state applicants. Out-of-state and international students are still admitted, of course, but may face a more competitive applicant pool.

While there's no guaranteed formula for admission, focusing on strong academic performance, engaging in meaningful extracurriculars, and crafting compelling personal insight essays will increase your chances at UC Riverside.

If you want to get a sense of how your application as a whole stacks up at UC Riverside, I'd check out CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which accounts for all quantifiable elements of your application, including GPA, course rigor, residency status, and extracurriculars to give you personalized odds of acceptance at UC Riverside and hundreds of other colleges: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator/

This tool will also give you suggestions on how to improve your chances, for example by raising your GPA slightly or earning a leadership position in one of your extracurriculars. Best of luck with your application!