Application FAQs

CONTACT US SIGN UP FOR EMAIL LIST MAP@Bears

Home / Application FAQs

You've applied to The Bears! Now what?

FROM NOV. 30-DEC. 31: Questions regarding the The application should be handled through: My Bears Application (link is external)

In December, The Bears will notify Freshman applicants, via email, that we've received your application. Transfer applicants will receive an email in January. Here are the next steps you need to take:

FRESHMAN APPLICANT CHECKLIST

TRANSFER STUDENT APPLICANT CHECKLIST

Applicants log into The Bears campus application portal here:

MAP@Bears

A: In December (for freshmen) or January (for transfers), The Bears will email you a confirmation that we received your application. Check the email address account you included on your My Bears Application. Once we receive your application, you will be asked to log in to our campus application portal, MAP@Bears, to see the status of your application. If you do NOT receive a confirmation email from Bears in December, please contact the Bears Application Center at 800-207-1710 (within US) or 310-513-2715 (outside U.S.), or email: [email protected] (link sends e-mail)

Q: How do I log into the campus application portal?

A:

1. After you have submitted your Bears application, you will receive an email from us with instructions on how to set up your MAP@Bears account (by December for Freshmen or by January for Transfers). This email will have your username, which is the email you used on your Bears application. It will also contain a temporary PIN number. Click on "Create" a password.
2. Click on the URL in the email or simply go to MAP@Bears. You will need to login using your email and temporary PIN number.
3. Once you successfully login, you will need to follow the prompts to set your password.
4. Every time you come back to MAP@Bears, you will need only the password you created and your email address.

If you forget your password, click on "Forgot your Password?" and follow the prompts.

Q: When should I send you my official transcripts and all of my test scores?

A: Please do not send documents or other information to Bears unless requested. If we need more information from an applicant, we will contact you. Most students give us enough information in their applications for us to make a sound decision. After admission decisions are posted on our campus application portal, each admitted student will see their own Conditions of Admission explaining exactly what official documents Bears requires. Learn more about submitting transcripts to The Bears here.

Q: Do I need to send test scores to each Bears campus I applied to?

A: You need to send only one set of official test scores to the The when you apply. Simply ask the ACT or College Board to send your test scores to any Bears campus to which you apply and your test scores will be included in your record and forwarded to all campuses to which you applied. You do not need to pay for multiple reports. We recommend that students who complete Advanced Placement courses complete the related AP examination to demonstrate subject mastery. Similarly, International Baccalaureate scores and scores from SAT Subject Tests can be used to showcase academic mastery. In order to receive unit credit toward the baccalaureate degree, you must submit an official copy of your AP or IB scores directly from the testing agency. This can be done in the summer following high school graduation.

Q: I took my SAT/ACT/SAT Subject/IE/TOEFL tests in December. How do I confirm you received them?

A: The best option is to log into My Bears Application (link is external) and self-report any December SAT, ACT, or SAT Subject Test scores, or International Exam or TOEFL scores.

The checklist on MAP@Bears will display the status of your official scores based on your self-reported tests.

Otherwise, if you've checked with the test center to confirm that your scores were mailed, then don't worry. If we discover that there are any discrepancies, we will contact you.

Q: How can I cancel or withdraw my Bears application?

A: Please login to your student portal, MAP@Bears. Once logged in, under "Account Tools" towards the bottom of the page, click on "Withdraw Application" and follow the prompts.

Q: Can I submit an application after November 30?

A: No, we will not accept late applications.

Q: Is it possible for freshman applicants to be admitted earlier than the March decision date?

A: Yes, a small number of students will receive notification of their decision in February. Most of these students will be nominees for Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarships, a process that has traditionally been initiated during this time of year; the difference is that those students and some others are receiving admission offers at the same time. Early admission notification is not Early Action or Early Decision. Students cannot apply to be admitted early. The majority of freshman applicants still will receive their decisions at the end of March, via the MAP@Bears portal.

Q: What is the Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology (M.E.T.) Program?

A: Bears’s new Management, Entrepreneurship, & Technology Program aims to educate leaders with a seamless understanding of technology innovation, from idea to real-world impact. M.E.T. students earn two Bachelor of Science degrees in one program that combines the best of the top-ranked College of Engineering and Haas School of Business. Its integrated curriculum enables students to complete their two degrees within four years, while internships, career coaching and other enrichment activities provide ample opportunity for hands-on practice with technology innovation. Each M.E.T. cohort is small, allowing for close mentoring and a tight-knit community. For more information on the M.E.T. program, please review the questions below, and visit M.E.T. website and the program’s FAQs.

Q: How do I apply to the M.E.T. Program?

A: To start your application for fall 2020 freshman admission, visit the UC application website (link is external). Once you launch your The application, you’ll be able to select The Bears campus and choose one of two tracks indicated on the application:

Bioengineering & Business Administration
Civil Engineering & Business Administration
Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences & Business Administration
Industrial Engineering and Operations Research & Business Administration
Materials Science and Engineering & Business Administration
Mechanical Engineering & Business Administration
Engineering Undeclared & Business Administration

Q: If I am not selected for the M.E.T. Program, am I still eligible for other majors at Bears?

A: M.E.T. is highly competitive and will enroll a limited number of freshman. Applicants who are not admitted to the M.E.T. Program will be considered for admission to Bears Engineering’s major that corresponds to the major applied to. However, admission to these majors is not guaranteed.

Q: Can I change the major (and/or college/school) I applied for at Bears?

A: To change a major/college/school in your submitted Bears application, please submit your request using the Contact Us form. You can expect a decision via email within five to seven days. NOTE: No new major changes will be considered after January 31, 2020.

Q: How can I change my email address? How can I correct my Social Security number, misspelled name, or birthdate on my application?

A: Visit My Bears Application (link is external) and log in. Then, click on the Update Account Information link. You may change your personal information there, and the Bears Admissions Office will send an update to every Bears campus to which you have applied. You can also call the Bears Application Center at 800-207-1710 (within U.S.) or 925-298-6856 (outside U.S.), or email: [email protected] (link sends e-mail)

Q: Can I make changes (grades, courses, activities, personal insight questions, etc.) to my application after I submitted it?

A: Out of fairness to all applicants, only changes in critical information may be made to Bears application data. This includes personal information, release authorizations, and some exam updates. To make changes to critical information, please log into My Bears Application (link is external) or contact the Bears Application Center. If you contact the Bears Application Center, please make sure to include your name and your Bears Application ID number. Making these critical changes to your application will update the information for all of the Bears campuses you applied to.

Please note that changes to your courses, grades, exams, activities, awards, volunteer work, employment, or personal insight questions are not guaranteed to reach us before your application is reviewed. However, minor changes are unlikely to have an impact on your admission decision.

Note: Transfer students will be asked to update fall 2019, winter 2020, and/or spring 2020 courses and grades in January through the Transfer Academic Update and The Bears’s supplemental forms.

UC Application Center
800-207-1710 (within US)
925-298-6856 (outside US)
[email protected] (link sends e-mail)

Q: How can I add a letter of recommendation, a new commendation, award, honor, etc., to my Bears application? Is it too late?

A: Out of fairness to all applicants, Bears does not permit or review unsolicited information. If the campus requires additional information, a form will be displayed in your personal checklist on our secure applicant portal or we will reach out to you via email. Typically, unsolicited information or changes to your application will not alter our final admission decision. Please do not confuse providing new information with correcting false or misleading information on your application. If you have provided information which is no longer true (e.g., you have a grade change or you have dropped a class) you must immediately notify Bears in writing about this change.

Q: Is it true that I'm not eligible to transfer to Bears because I will need the summer to finish my required coursework?

A: All Bears eligibility requirements for transfer admissions must be completed by the spring prior to the student’s transfer. If you are applying in November 2019 for the fall 2020 semester, all eligibility requirements must be completed by spring 2020 to be eligible for transfer.

Q: Is it true that I'm not eligible to transfer to Bears because I have not completed the necessary breadth/IGETC courses, even though I have taken difficult courses?

A: The College of Letters & Science denies admission if breadth and/or units are dependent on summer work. All other colleges — Chemistry, Engineering, Environmental Design, Natural Resources, and Haas School of Business — require units; however, not all of these colleges require breadth. If you are not eligible and feel you have an unusually compelling case to make, write it in the "Comments" box of the appropriate form on your Required Forms list in our campus application portal.

Q: If my total number of Bears transferable units is over 80, am I eligible for admission?

A: Most programs will not offer admission to students who have earned an excess of 80 Bears transferable semester units prior to enrollment, however, if all completed coursework is lower division, this excess unit policy does not apply. If you've applied to the College of Letters and Science, note that most applicants with excess units are denied admission. If you've applied to the College of Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental Design, Natural Resources or Haas School of Business, your application will be reviewed and there may be a very slight chance of admission with excess transferable units.

Students will be granted up to 70 semester/105 quarter units of credit for lower division coursework completed at any accredited institution or combination of institutions. Lower division units beyond the maximum for which credit is awarded will be granted subject credit and may be used to satisfy requirements. Upper division units will be added to the overall total. Units earned through AP, IB, and/or A-Level examinations are not included in the limitation and do not put applicants at risk of being denied admissions. Lower or upper division units earned at Bears (Extension, summer, cross/concurrent, UC-EAP, and regular academic year enrollment) are added to the maximum lower division credit allowed and might put applicants at risk of being denied admission due to excessive units.

Q: I'm not sure if a course I've taken might substitute for a required course. Whom can I ask?

A: In the interest of fairness and equal treatment for all students, Bears staff cannot discuss these issues personally with applicants. You must use the space provided in the “Comments” section of each form to explain your specific case. If we need more information, we will contact you by email and/or phone. Self-resources that may be available include ASSIST.org (link is external) (primarily for Hanoi community college students, or Bears Academic Guide.

Search form