We’re excited to have you reading with us again this year. As experienced readers, you already understand the foundation of our holistic review process. These modules are designed to refresh your scoring approach, highlight key updates for Fall 2025, and provide calibration around more nuanced reads.

Readers assigned to international files do not need to complete the “Complicated Out-of-State Files” video.

Please complete all required modules by Friday, November 7, 2025 to remain eligible for the read cycle. 

You can access each individually (links found below) or access the full playlist here. When accessing training materials or videos, you will be prompted to log in using your UC San Diego Active Directory (AD) credentials. Please make sure you can access your AD account before beginning the modules. 

While returning readers are not required to complete the New Reader modules, they are welcome to revisit them if they’d like a refresher on the foundations of holistic review, Slate navigation, or scoring basics. 

Kick off the training with a quick overview of what’s new this year.

This video includes:

• Updates for the Fall 2026 read cycle

• Key reminders about deadlines, communication, and expectations

• A brief look ahead at the topics covered in this training sequence

Revisit the principles behind UC San Diego’s holistic scoring system and what makes a score defensible.

This video reinforces:

• Grounding your score in verifiable evidence (rigor, grades, trends, PIQs)

• Balancing academic strength and personal factors

• How to maintain consistency and confidence across reads

Learn how to navigate applications that don’t fit neatly into California norms.

Out-of-state students often report courses differently and may attend schools with unique grading systems or incomplete percentile data.

This module covers:

• How to interpret course rigor and grading scales from non-California schools

• How to read fairly when percentiles are missing or limited

• Examples of nuanced files that require contextual judgment

Deepen your calibration around the middle of our scale where most applications fall.

This session focuses on:

• Distinguishing between a 3 and 4 within UC San Diego’s scoring framework

• Recognizing “edge cases” and what warrants a 3 vs 4

• Using consistency and evidence to support your final score