skip to main content
District
El Dorado High School Oak Ridge High School Ponderosa High School Union Mine High School EDUHSD Online Pacific Crest Academy Independence (Continuation) High School   Career Technical Education/ROP
Chinese Dutch English French German Greek Italian Japanese Korean Portuguese Russian Spanish Vietnamese Tagalog Khmer Farsi Hindi Punjabi
District
Portal
SITE SEARCH

Union Mine

High School
6530 Koki Lane
El Dorado, CA 95623
Phone: (530) 621-4003
QUICK LINKS & RESOURCES
Aeries Portal
Calendar
Bell Schedule
Staff Directory
Bulletin
Savvas

College Information
4-Year College/University Information

4-Year College/University Information

Basic College Information:
4-year colleges and universities generally have similar requirements:
    • Students must complete A - G requirements with grades of C or higher
    • Students must apply online
      • Applications usually open the Fall before the year you are applying to attend (example. apply in Fall of 2026 to attend in Fall of 2027)
      • There is usually a fee attached to applications
 

Four Year Colleges in California 

 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA (UCs)
 
The UC system has been around since 1868 and includes 9 undergraduate universities. UCs are highly competitive, have lower acceptance rates than CSUs, (see Ms. Coartney in the CCC for yearly admissions data) and enroll around 300,000 undergraduates arcoss their universities each year. UCs emphasize RESEARCH and theoretical concepts as well as preparing their students to continue their education (graduate degrees, masters and doctoral). Most UCs are based in major cities, meaning that the cost of living may be higher in addition to the higher cost of attendance compared to CSUs.
 
      • Other things to know & note:

    • Larger class sizes than CSUs
    • UCs use a comprehensive review of their applications, meaning that there are many factors that contribute to admissions, beyond grades and test scores
  • Apply Online - Students can begin their applications starting August 1st (applications open for submission October 1st - November 30th)
    • No letters of recommendation are needed for the UC
    • Do not submit a transcript at time of application
    • Visit each individual UC's website for list of majors and programs
 
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY (CSUs)
 
The CSU system has been around since 1960 and includes 23 undergraduate universities across the state. With the exception of Cal Poly SLO and San Diego State, the CSUs are not as selective as the UCs, meaning they have higher acceptance rates (see Ms. Coartney in the CCC for yearly admissions data). Across all of the CSUs, around 470,000 students are enrolled each year. CSUs put emphasis on technical and vocational  majors, focusing on career paths that prepare students for the WORKFORCE. Compared to UCs, CSUs have smaller student bodies and generally smaller class sizes per school. CSUs are located in both major cities and rural areas, generally having much lower cost of living and cost of attendance than UCs. 
 
Other things to know and note:
 
    • Less costly education
    • Easier access than UCs
  • Apply online - Applications open October 1st and are due November 30th
    • Self-report coursework and grades
    • No letters of rec or personal statements
    • No activities and award listings needed
    • Do not submit a transcript at time of application
 
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
 
Private schools vary widely in size, philosophy, academic standards, specialties, etc. They tend to be more expensive than public colleges (like CSUs and UCs) bu all tend to have more money to give away to students (scholarships). They often have smaller student to teacher ratios.
 
Other things to know and note:
 
  • Check out the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities at aiccu.edu for information about private schools in California.
  • Many private schools utilize the Common App for their application
    • Requires a listing of activities and awards
    • Requires a personal statement
    • Requires at least two letters of recommendation
    • Deadlines depend on the school you are applying to
  • For schools not utilizing the Common App, check the college website for an 'apply' section/link
 
OUT OF STATE SCHOOLS
Check out the amazing opportunities that abound outside of California!
 
  • The Western Undergraduate Exchange, or WUE, is the opportunity for students in the western states to receive a reduced out-of-state tuition at participating WUE colleges
    • Each school differs in the criteria for obtaining a WUE agreement, so check carefully
    • WUE usually brings tuition down to 1.5 times the normal in-state tuition for the selected college
    • Click HERE for a list of WUE schools
  • Cost of living may be cheaper out of state, so even though tuition may be higher, the total cost of attendance is usually between the cost of attending a UC and a CSU
  • Most out-of-state schools guarantee a four-year graduation rate
  • Apply online via Common App (see info above, under Private Schools), or via the application link on your college's website.
 

Websites

  • College Searches 
    • College Navigator - narrow your search by major, zip code, and many other factors when choosing colleges to apply to
    • Assist.org - useful in finding which CSUs and UCs have certain majors
    • BigFuture - Collegeboard's college search engine
    • College Scorecard - Government site that lists cost, retention, etc
  • Major exploration
    • Assist.org - useful in finding which CSUs and UCs have certain majors
    • College Majors 101
    • What can i do with a major in...
    • Check on your College's website and view their graduation requirements for your major - make sure it is heading in the direction you want.  Each school is different!
    • The Career Center has 'What can I do with a major in...' flyers - swing by and pick one up!