<p>I mean, is there a lot of competition? I am thinking of switching majors from chemistry to biology because biology seems easier, but I’m guessing that because it’s easier, it will probably be more difficult to get in with it.</p>
<p>Also, since I’m a science major, do I really need to take a foreign language? I never took any in high school, and I was wondering if it’s a mandatory prerequisite to be accepted into the UCs.</p>
<p>For IGETC its mandatory, which UC you trying to go to?</p>
<p>I’m going to apply to UCSC, UCR, and maybe UCD.</p>
<p>Then I suggest completing IGETC! If you have never taken a foreign language in high school, its fine. There are beginner classes.</p>
<p>Generally, Biology tends to be one of the more popular, if not the most popular science major, so admissions can be competitive and the major can be impacted at some of the UCs. Typically though, that’s for the UCs with the more well-established Biology departments like UCLA and UCSD. I would include Berkeley (which likely has the best Biology department of all of the UCs), but Berkeley doesn’t have “impacted” majors and the selection criteria is so demanding for admittance to any major in there that it’s as if they’re all impacted. At the UC’s you listed: UCR, UCSC, and UCD, the latter two having respectable departments, their departments aren’t so highly applied to that the major is impacted there. Biology shouldn’t be any harder to get into than any other science major at those three and because it’s not impacted you can TAG (if you choose to finish IGETC) as a Biology major to any one thus guaranteeing you’ll get in. If you TAG, Biology won’t be any harder to get into than any other major (save maybe the amount of pre-reqs) even compared to the humanities, social science, or arts majors because it’s the same admission criteria through TAG. Comparing it to chemistry, which is also non-impacted at the three schools you listed the selection criteria is going to be the same. The only difference is that you have to complete a slightly different set of pre-reqs. Usually Biology majors are expected to complete the same pre-reqs as Chemistry majors, except for a few more Biology classes and less math classes, generally only 2-3 Calc courses compared to 3-5 for Chemistry. Otherwise for both you’re expected to complete pre-requisite classes in Gen Chem, OChem, Physics, some Calc, and some Bio for both. </p>
<p>As far as the foreign language, you don’t “have” to take it. But you’re more competitive if you complete IGETC which also enables you to TAG (Transfer Articulation Guarantee), which is a guarantee you’ll get in if you meet the requirements. So your chances of being admitted are higher if you complete IGETC, and 100% if you quality to TAG. For the three UCs you named if your GPA is sufficiently high around 3.5+ and you’ve completed a significant amount of pre-reqs, I’d imagine not having completed IGETC would be an afterthought and shouldn’t affect your admission decision. IGETC isn’t mandatory it’s just a way to meet similar GE requirements that you’d be taking if you spent your first two years at a UC to ensure when you transfer you’ll graduate on time. If you’re competitive enough with your pre-reqs and take at least a few classes that meet their GE requirements, you really shouldn’t need IGETC.</p>