By Nisha Bhilave

SAN JOSE, CALIF.–– It is finally college decision season, when students all over the country find out which universities they have been accepted to. 

For many seniors at Silver Creek and across the nation, the University of California schools are what dreams are made of. Referred to as the “UC’s,” they are listed as UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Merced. The difficulty of getting into these universities stems from the fact that they have high rankings and academic quality. Additionally, the UC system offers a wide range of majors and extracurriculars  as well as ideal locations, making it some of the most desirable universities in the country. A senior at SCHS claims, “[I] would love to go to any of the UCs. All of them have unique but outstanding qualities that make them worth looking into.”

The difficulty of getting into a UC mostly depends on which school one applies to. The easiest UC schools to get into include UC Santa Cruz, with a 65.2% acceptance rate, UC Riverside, with a 66.2% acceptance rate, and UC Merced, with a 84.8% acceptance rate. UC Santa Cruz is the perfect place for nature lovers, as the campus is filled with trees and wildlife. A very progressive school, Santa Cruz has small class sizes and an overall community feel. Similarly, UC Riverside has an acceptance rate over 50%, making it more accessible and affordable for students who want to attend UC. Lastly, UC Merced is a newer campus, making it the perfect environment for students who are still finding their identity.

Conversely, the hardest UCs to get accepted to are UCLA and UC Berkeley at rates of 14.3% and 17.6%. At UCLA, students are immersed in a large campus with plenty of activities and extracurriculars. Located in Los Angeles, the school allows students to attain amazing internships and work opportunities. The oldest of all the UCs, UC Berkeley is famous for its political activism culture, student body diversity, and never ending research opportunities. 

The rest of the UCs fall in the middle, with rates of 29.0% for UC Irvine, 36.6% for UC Santa Barbara, 31.3% for UC San Diego, and 38.3% for UC Davis. UC Irvine is well known as being a trailblazer in several fields as well as having diverse academic opportunities with amazing leadership. UCSB is a leading center for teaching and research located on the coast known for its amazing social scene. Located in the neighborhood of La Jolla, San Diego, UCSD is divided into 6 residential colleges, 5 academic divisions, and 5 graduate and professional schools in which students can get involved in a variety of clubs and activities. Lastly, UC Davis is the ultimate college town. The campus is green, laid back, and famous for their programs in biological and agricultural sciences.