Things to Consider for Your UC Application (Including Essay Tips!)

If you’ve ever imagined attending a University of California college, here are a few tips to boosting your UC application.

#1 Pay attention to the deadline

 You’ve probably heard or know of someone who experienced the UC website crash on the deadline. So, how do you go about that?

Starting this year UC applications open October 1st and close November 30th so, we urge our students to complete their applications early on to avoid unwanted stress. 

There are cases where online portals are slow or crash unexpectedly when there is a large influx of unexpected users, with the most recent case in 2020.  One thing to note is that you need to make sure you are beginning and ending your application within the time frame. In the case that the website does crash, know that the UC will extend a grace period for you to submit your application. This also means that you should plan your time accordingly, so as not to miss anything on the application. We do not recommend our students hurriedly fill out their application. Take the time to read through everything and answer to the best of your abilities.

#2 UCs are not accepting SAT/ACTs 

The UCs specifically have stated that they have eliminated the SAT/UC requirement. What started out as a method to aid those who could not take the exams during the pandemic, has continued to be permanent. This means that even if you boast competitive scores, the UCs will not consider them for your application.

#3 Choose your UC personal insight questions wisely

There are 8 personal insight questions for you to choose from and each one gives the colleges a snippet to who you are as a person, your experiences, and your perspectives on things. Choosing the best experience that highlights each aspect about yourself can be a difficult task, but you do not have to limit yourself to talking about just one experience per prompt. Your activities and experiences are likely interconnected by a greater theme that may line up perfectly into one of the prompts.

Although there are 8 prompts, there are 3 main categories. Generally speaking, we recommend our students to pick one essay from each category to ensure that they are highlighting themselves in every aspect. 

• Leadership & Community Impact: Prompts 1 & 7 are similar in that they are about what you did for a group of people and the impacts this has had on you and that community. 
• Self-Reflection: Prompts 2 & 6 represent a time for you to self-reflect upon what makes you uniquely you.
• Accomplishments: Prompts 3, 4, 5, & 8 are about accomplishments you are proud of and how you have shown growth over time. Remember, these are your accomplishments, even if it is a seemingly insignificant event to someone else.

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.  

2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. 
3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.
7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? 
8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

         Key Takeaways

• Submit your application within the deadline.
• Your SAT/ACT scores will not affect your application.
• Choose your UC prompts to best reflect your experiences.