College
Higher Education
There are 4 main California systems of education you can attend after high school. Depending on your goals, you will choose one system over the other. The 4 main systems are:
- The University of California (UC)
- The California Sate University (CSU)
- Private Universities
- Community College
The CSU and UC Systems
Each system has it's own set of requirements for admission. There are two major admission requirements that are common among the UC and the CSU systems.
- Complete A-G requirements (For a more in depth look at the A-G requirements and the validations click here)
- Take the SAT or ACT (Waived for Fall 2021 admission)
Each university in the CSU and UC system will have different standards in who they will accept. They will base their acceptance of applicants on a Eligibility Index. The index is a combination of the SAT or ACT score and GPA. You can find more information about the Eligibility Index by clicking on one of the links below:
CSU (Cal. State University)
The California State University system is a leader in high-quality, accessible, student-focused higher education.With 23 campuses, almost 447,000 students, and 45,000 faculty and staff, the CSU system is one of the largest, most diverse, and affordable university systems in the country.
- For a list of CSU campuses click here
UC (University of California)
The University of California is a part of California’s three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University system and the California Community College System. The UC system has 10 campuses. Today, the UC system includes more than 233,000 students and more than 190,000 faculty and staff, with more than 1.7 million alumni living and working around the world. You can explore the University of California system’s website at:
- For a list of UC campuses click here
- UC Freshman Application Data - click here
Community College
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, with 2.1 million students attending 112 colleges. Community colleges offer a wide range of educational offerings and many students attend community college as a transfer pathway to a CSU or UC, for workforce and career training, and to complete a certificate or degree program.
- For a list of all California Community Colleges click here.
College Application Chart
College Application Chart
College Application Chart
Keeping track of the minimum requirements for each system can be confusing. Below you will find a comparison chart that can help:
CSU's |
UC's |
Private Colleges |
Community College |
|
| Application | Cal State Apply | UC Application | Common App | CCC Apply |
|
Admission Type
|
Regular Decision | Regular Decision |
Varies
|
Rolling admission |
|
Minimum Application Requirements
|
|
|
|
|
| Application Opens | October 1st | August 1st | August 1st | February |
| Submission Period | Oct 1st - Nov 30th | Nov 1st - Nov 30th | Varies | Rolling |
- Send official SAT and/or ACT scores to the University you are applying to. The counseling office does not have a record of your SAT/ACT scores. You will have to go through college board.
- An official transcript will be required at some point during the Spring semester of your senior year
