Hello folks! I would really love UC Irvine as a college choice. I've been working hard to maintain my GPA, trying to figure out what they are really looking for. Can anyone help clarify what the average accepted GPA is for UCI?
UC Irvine, like all UCs, requires applicants from California to have a GPA of at least 3.0, and out-of-state applicants to have a GPA of at least 3.4. That said, UC Irvine is quite selective, so to be a competitive applicant you'll want to do more than just clear the minimum.
As of 2023 data, UC Irvine reported the middle 50% range of enrolled freshmen high school GPAs was 4.07 to 4.28 on a weighted scale (and 3.86-4.00 on an unweighted scale). Being within this range or higher would likely strengthen your application. However, remember that the application review goes beyond just a GPA number.
UC schools tend to consider courses rigor, leadership, extracurriculars, essay responses, and other factors to evaluate applicants holistically. So, while maintaining a high GPA is crucial, don't forget to also focus on these other areas as they contribute significantly to your overall application.
If you want tips on how to strengthen these more intangible aspects of your application, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine, which contains detailed guidance on how to tackle the UC personal insight questions: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-california-essays
Overall, while a strong GPA is definitely a good starting point, you want to be sure you're putting your best foot forward in all aspects of your application. Best of luck!
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