We have compiled a list of questions that are frequently asked by incoming students preparing for their first quarter at UC Davis. We strongly encourage that you read our FAQ prior to registering for classes. A lot of the questions that you have will be on this list. If you still have questions after reviewing the list, please contact your major advisor.
- Advanced Placement/ International Baccalaureate Credit
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What if I have Advanced Placement credit?
Students are allowed to use scores of 3, 4, or 5 on Advanced Placement (AP) exams for college credit. These courses may be comparable to lower division courses and therefore can be used to satisfy major requirements, university writing requirements, and the 180 minimum unit requirement to obtain a Bachelor’s degree. However, credit received from AP Exams cannot be used to satisfy UC Davis’ General Education requirements.
To see the courses or number of units corresponding to each exam or score, please refer to the College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examination Credit table. Please be sure to speak with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Science Dean's Office if you have questions regarding General Education Requirements.What if I have International Baccalaureate credit?
Higher Level exams presented with scores of 5, 6, or 7 receive 8 units of college credit and sometimes may be comparable to lower division courses. Students who complete and submit the IB diploma with a score of 30 or above will receive a maximum of 30 quarter units. College credit will apply towards the minimum 180 unit requirement to obtain a Bachelor’s degree. To learn how many units can be received for an IB examination, please refer to the International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher Level Examination Credit table.
While students generally will not earn university credit for college courses or Advanced Placement (AP) transfer credits that duplicate credit already earned through IB, there are a few exceptions. Additionally, courses for which IB credit has been granted cannot be used towards fulfilling the University’s General Education Requirements. Please be sure to speak with the College of Agricultural and Environmental Science Dean's Office if you have questions regarding General Education Requirements.
What if my Advanced Placement credit does not appear in OASIS?
If Advanced Placement credit does not appear in OASIS, students should check with both College Board and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean’s Office to make sure their scores were both sent and received. The Dean’s Office can be contacted at caesadvising@ucdavis.edu. Additionally, it is possible that the scores were sent and received, and they have yet to be processed and uploaded.
What if my International Baccalaureate credit does not appear in OASIS?
If Advanced Placement credit does not appear in OASIS, students should check with both College Board and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean’s Office to make sure their scores were both sent and received. The Dean’s Office can be contacted at caesadvising@ucdavis.edu. Additionally, it is possible that the scores were sent and received, and they have yet to be processed and uploaded. - Major-Related Questions
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What do I do if I want to change my major?
If you are planning on changing out of your current major, please contact the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean’s Office for more guidance on how to plan for your first quarter of classes. In order to change your major once you have started in the Fall, you will need to wait until you have completed one quarter at UC Davis and are in good academic standing. Once you are eligible to change majors, you will complete the “Change of Major” form which you can find in your Forms and Petitions tab in your Oasis.What if CHE 2A is full?
You may wait list for the section of CHE 2A that works best with your schedule during your Pass 1 Appointment. Be sure to arrive on time the first day of lecture and lab. Come prepared with your PPE, lab notebook, and lab manual a few minutes early. If you cannot get into CHE 2A, you can always take it the next quarter it is offered. Please note CHE 2A is offered fall and winter quarters.What if WLD 41C is full?
Students who are unable to get into WLD 41C, may wait list for the course during their Pass 1 Appointment. If they are still unable to get into WLD 41C for Fall, ALEKS is a great option. ALEKS Preparatory Chemistry is designed to test for individualized knowledge gaps and to fill the gaps through computerized adaptive learning software. Students take an initial assessment which the software uses to gauge your current content mastery level. Your mastery level may go up or down based on your subsequent interactions with the software. The goal of this preparatory course is to fill the "pie chart" to 100%, which is the mastery level.ALEKS Preparatory Chemistry is open to all students. In this way, ALEKS Preparatory Chemistry may also be used to refresh skill sets in general chemistry or supplement one's learning of general chemistry to prepare them for the Chemistry Placement Exam. You can register for ALEKS and get more information on dates and deadlines for the program here.
- Placement Tests
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What if I did not pass the Chemistry Placement Test?
Students who did not receive a passing score of 24 or above on the Chemistry Placement Exam are encouraged to either register for Workload Chemistry (WLD 41C) or take the ALEKS Preparatory Chemistry course in order to prepare to retake the exam. Please note that taking either of these will not satisfy the Chemistry Placement Requirement; scoring a 24 or above on the Chemistry Placement Exam is the only way to qualify for CHE 2A. Additionally, if students are unable to pass the exam on their second attempt, they will need to submit an online petition to the Department of Chemistry.What if I did not pass the Math Placement Test?
The Math Placement Exam is offered every quarter over two separate testing sessions. Students may only take the exam once per session. There are multiple options for students who did not pass the Math Placement Exam to prepare for another attempt. These options include enrolling in Workload Course (WLD 55M), another college-level mathematics course (MAT B or MAT C), or utilizing the practice questions provided by the Math Department online. To determine the best course of action, students should consult with an advisor.What is the Entry Level Writing Requirement?
The Entry Level Writing Requirement (ELWR) is a requirement for all students enrolled in a UC School. The ELWR serves to ensure that all first-year students have college-level proficiency in writing. Satisfaction of the ELWR is a prerequisite to the English Composition and Writing Experience Courses that are required for graduation.
You are required to take the UC Davis Writing Placement Survey, which you can access through your MyAdmissions portal, in order to determine if you have satisfied ELWR or not. This is not a test, but an assessment. You should complete this survey as soon as possible, but ideally at least three weeks before your college’s Aggie Advising time. You can find more information about the Writing Placement Survey here.
What if I do not pass the Analytical Writing Placement Exam?
Students may also fulfill the ELWR by passing the Analytical Writing Placement Exam (AWPE). The AWPE is offered to California high school students the May of their senior year. In early April, students are sent a letter directing them to the test center where they must take the exam in May. The May 2020 AWPE, coordinated by the UC Office of the President, has been cancelled due to COVID-19. If you are interested in fulfilling ELWR as an incoming student in the class of 2024, please check the Entry Level Writing webpage. - Registration
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What if I don’t get into the classes I want?
If you do not get into the classes that you want, we recommend you either waitlist for those courses or we can help you update your academic plan. Make sure you are registered for a minimum of 12 units, waitlisted units as you are not enrolled in those courses.
What is a waitlist?
If a class is full, students can place themselves on a waitlist using Schedule Builder. Waitlists are established on a first-come, first-serve basis. During the academic terms, waitlists begin during Pass 1 registration appointments and end after the last day to add classes, the 12th day of instruction. On the 12th day of instruction, waitlists will disappear and you will no longer see the course on your Schedule Builder.
The units of a waitlisted course count towards the maximum units allowed during registration periods. However, the units of a waitlisted course do not count when determining eligibility for financial aid. Students must be enrolled in 12 or more units for financial aid to disburse.How do waitlists work?
When you waitlist for a course you are assigned a number on that list. As people drop the course, you will move up on the waitlist. Waitlists are removed on the Last Day to Add Courses, which is the 12th day of instruction.
How many units should I register for?
You should be registered for at least 12 units in order to be considered as a full time student and to meet minimum progress requirements (at least 12 units per quarter). You also need 12 units to receive financial aid.What if I am at 10-11 units? What can I register for?
If you are at 10-11 units, then we recommend you register for additional courses such as a GE course, a non-major elective, or a first-year seminar in order to reach a minimum of 12 units for full time status.What is a Pass Time?
A Pass Time is an assigned date and time when you can enroll for your courses.
What if I miss my Pass Time?
Your Pass Time is four hours long from your assigned time noted on your Schedule Builder. If you happen to miss that registration window you can register during Open Hours. Open Registration is a time after hours and on weekends that allow students to edit their schedules and enroll in additional courses (given the unit cap). You can find out when open registration is by viewing the Registration Calendar.Upper-Division vs. Lower-Division courses?
Lower-division courses are numbered 0-99 and are appropriate for Freshman and Sophomore students (Juniors and Seniors may take them as well if desired). Upper-division courses are numbered 100-199 and are more rigorous than lower-division courses. Upper-division courses are more appropriate for Junior and Senior students and should not be taken during a student’s Freshman year. Any course numbered 200 or above is for graduate and professional students and should not be taken. - Transfer Student Questions
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Will my courses be evaluated before I register?
Yes, the Staff Advisors will be reviewing the transcripts that you have submitted to UC Davis prior to your meeting.What if I am waiting on my transcript from Spring or Summer?
Please follow the directions you receive from the UC Davis Admissions Office but please have an unofficial copy to your transcript on hand for your remote advising appointment for your Staff Advisor to view.What if I did not pass a class in Spring or Summer?
We recommend that you contact the UC Davis Office of Admissions as soon as possible as this can impact your status with UC Davis.What if I got a grade in a course at Community College that I would like to repeat at UC Davis?
Any course that you received a C- or higher in cannot be repeated at UC Davis. While it is possible to repeat a course that you received a D-, D, or D+ in at UC Davis, there may be issues with illegal repeats (https://registrar.ucdavis.edu/records/grades/repeat-illegal). Please talk to your Staff Advisor about this to receive information about next steps. If it is a course you received an F in, then you can retake that course here at UC Davis.What is an Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) certificate?
An IGETC certificate fulfills your College General Education requirement and possibly the College English requirement as well. If you have questions concerning your IGETC or College requirements, please contact the College of Agricultural and Environmental Science Dean’s Office.How do I know if I have IGETC?
In the Fall, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Science Dean’s Office will evaluate every transfer student’s record by the end of November. You will receive a notification through the Message Center on whether UC Davis has received your IGETC, if you have a partial IGETC, or if your IGETC has not been received. Further details will be provided in this message.What if my Official IGETC has not been submitted?
Please contact your Community College as soon as possible to have your IGETC submitted to UC Davis.
May I complete my IGETC requirements at UC Davis?
If you have a partial IGETC, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Science Dean’s Office will reach out to you and let you know what requirements you have left to fulfill at UC Davis. If you did not fulfill an IGETC, please check in with the CAES Dean’s Office during Fall 2020 to discuss your General Education requirements.