UC Freshman Application Toolkit
Information in this section is organized based on the application time line outlined below.
October
- UC Online Application Becomes Available
- Complete Your Brag Sheet
- Personal Statement Writing Guidelines
November
December
- Last Chance to Take the SAT/ACT Tests
- Making Changes to Your Application (through the application processing service)
- Application Evaluation Begins
January
February
- Report Changes to the UCs (Fall schedule changes or D/F grades)
March
- UC Decisions Become Available
- Waitlist Information
- Provisional Admission Contract/Conditions of Admission
- Deferring Your Acceptance
April
May
June
- Report Changes to Your UC Campus (Spring schedule changes or D/F grades)
July
August & September
October
UC Online Application Becomes Available
The online application usually becomes available during the first week of October. I recommend you start on the application as soon as possible so you can fill in the general information and look at what other data you need to gather to complete the application. Make sure you use a respectable sounding email address. Email addresses like "foxylady47" or "deathmetaldude" do not reflect well on you. Whatever email account you use, check it on the regular basis. Most UCs have moved a majority of the application and enrollment communication online, so questions about your application and invitations to apply for housing or orientation will likely come through email. UCs also send snail mail if there is no response by email, but that will usually add another couple of weeks of delay.
I developed this brag sheet to help you think about how to write your UC personal statement. You can also use it to help you fill out the UC application.
Brag sheet is mandatory if you want me to work with you on your personal statement. Please visit Application & Personal Statement for the service packages I offer.
To prepare your Freshman Applicant Brag Sheet, you will need:
- List and describe everything you do outside of school starting from your freshman year in high school to what you project you will be doing to the end of senior year. Please denote 1) summer activities; 2) which activities you enjoy the most; and 3) which activities take the most time (number of hours).
Include things like:
- sports
- church/mosque/temple activities
- Sunday/Chinese/Hebrew school
- school clubs or student government
- music/dance/art lessons
- volunteering or community service
- competitions of any kind
- awards/honors or recognition by any organization
- jobs (even if you work "under the table")
- internships
- camps/conferences/workshops
- hefty chores (caring for your siblings for more than 4-5 hours per day, having to cook for the family, having to pay bills and balance household finances, etc.)
- The name of your high school and the city where it is located (for CA only; this enables me to look up the UC-approved curriculum of your high school online in order to evaluate the rigor of your course schedule).
- Transcripts from every high school and community college you have attended, and your planned 12th grade schedule.
- All of your SAT, ACT Plus Writing, SAT Subject, and/or AP scores.
- List and explain the two proudest things you achieved in high school and two most disappointing things that happened in high school (and not about the Homecoming Dance or your significant other).
- Any medical/family/personal situations or problems you intend to discuss in your personal statement.
I strongly encourage you to disclose situations such as learning differences, deaths in the family (during high school), divorce, working illegally (under the table), legal/financial problems, and/or abuse in your personal statement and how they affected your academic performance and/or extracurricular participation.
- List all of the colleges to which you are interested in applying. Please denote which colleges are your top choices and which are your backup choices.
- What you expect to major in college and what you want to do with that major when you graduate. If you don't know what you want to major, then what fields do you think you may be interested in pursuing and what do you think you might want to do in those fields?
- What legacy do you want to leave behind? What is the one thing you want people to remember about you?
- The UCSB Personal Statement Worksheet
Please answer the questions on page 2 of the PDF form.
Personal Statement Writing Guidelines
The UC personal statement prompts change every few years; if they were to change, it will usually happen by late summer, before September. Make sure you check the current personal statement prompts before you start writing.
I strongly encourage you to follow some kind of a writing process. While a personal statement is not your regular English paper, it should, at the very least, have a central idea, evidence to support that idea, and transition from paragraph to paragraph. Please do NOT use essays you write for your English class as your personal statement. English teachers tend to dissuade students from using first-person perspective, narrating, or getting into descriptive details, and these are precisely the kind of tools that make a personal statement successful.
You may download a PDF version of the guidelines here.
Prompt 1 for Freshman Applicants
The way Prompt 1 is worded can be a bit misleading. According to what I heard from Berkeley admissions (and Irvine, according to a student who attended a workshop there), application evaluators want you to discuss your dreams and aspirations, and what you have done so far to achieve those dreams and aspirations. While it is important for you to define your world, you should NOT use your personal statement to describe your family, school or community.
I recommend approaching the first prompt by figuring out what your world is, what your dreams/aspirations are, and what you have done in the context of your world to achieve those dreams/aspirations.
Your world can have physical boundaries (for example, your bedroom, the church prayer room, or the community center) or mental boundaries (for example, your upbringing or cultural tradition). Another way to think about your world is by imagining yourself as a fish; are you in a fishbowl, a stream, a pond, or an ocean?
Your dreams and aspirations can be broad or specific; perhaps you aspire to help people (broad) or maybe your dream is to be a TB specialist serving with Doctors Without Borders in Somalia (specific). Either way, you should discuss how your achievements (academic and/or extracurricular, within the context of your world) have helped you move toward achieving that dream/aspiration. You also want to consider talking about how you plan to continue these achievements in college.
Whatever you choose to discuss in this prompt, remember that the main focus should be on YOU; what you have accomplished, what your goals are for the future, and why you will succeed (in college and/or in life).
Prompt 2 is a way for you to showcase something about yourself that makes you stand out from your peers. You can do that by discussing a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience (pq/t/a/c/e for short). Make sure you cover 1) why this pq/t/a/c/e is important to you; 2) why you are proud of this pq/t/a/c/e; and 3) what the pq/t/a/c/e says about you as an individual. You may also consider discussing how this pq/t/a/c/e will help you succeed in college.
Again, the main focus of your essay should be on YOU; what makes you different from other applicants, who you are as a person (beyond your grades and test scores), and what interests you have. You can also think of Prompt 2 as a commercial spot for yourself. What would be the theme of the commercial? What clips from your life would be featured in the commercial?
How Do I Know If My Personal Statement Is Good?
Swap personal statement with friends or put away your personal statement draft for couple days so you can read it with fresh eyes. Then evaluate the personal statement using this rule from Collegewise founder, Kevin McMullin: pretend you are reading the personal statement to pick your college roommate.
After reading the personal statement, ask yourself if you have a good idea of what the person is like and whether you would want to be friends with that person. Revise the personal statement if anything sounds cliché, obnoxious, or intellectually-challenged. Your personal statement should leave a positive impression even if you are discussing hardships (the focus should be on how you overcame the hardships). Avoid famous quotes (one of the worst kind of clichés), racially charged comments (even self-deprecating ones, because they are just not cool), and grandiose life lessons you didn't actually learn (yes, people can tell when you are being insincere).
There is a plethora of books on writing college essays (well over 7,000 if you search "college essays" on Amazon). These are good sources to flip through if you want to see essay samples and get a general idea on the different ways you can organize your personal statement. You can also find them at your local library or bookstores.
Allen Grove of About.com offers some great tips about the UC Personal Statement in his articles UC Personal Statement Prompt #1 and UC Personal Statement Prompt #2.
An all-purpose guideline on how to write good college essays from the New York Times - Tip Sheet: An Admissions Dean Offers Advice on Writing a College Essay
In the article Holding College Chiefs to Their Words (May 6, 2009), the Wall Street Journal "turned the tables on the presidents of 10 top colleges and universities with an unusual assignment: answer an essay question from their own school's application."
Below are direct links to the essays:
- Debora Spar of Barnard College (daily routines)
- Robert A. Oden Jr. of Carleton College (getting lost and found)
- Russell K. Osgood of Grinnell College (influential historical figure)
- Marvin Krislov of Oberlin College (influential historical figure)
- David Oxtoby of Pomona College (an experience that was 'just plain fun')
- Colin Diver of Reed College (experience in diversity)
- Robert J. Zimmer of University of Chicago ("Living the Question")
- Amy Gutmann of University of Pennsylvania (autobiography)
- Catharine Hill of Vassar College (influential person)
- Michael S. Roth of Wesleyan University (influential person)
As you read the article and the essays, consider the choices the writers made. Are the essays more interesting when writers choose more personal topics? Do you get a good sense of who the writers are as individuals after reading their essays? Learn from their example and apply these thought processes to your own application essay writing.
November
UC Online Application Filing Period
You can begin submitting your completed online application starting November 1. The deadline is at the end of the day (before midnight) on November 30. There is no advantage to submitting your application at the beginning of the application cycle as all applications are thoroughly reviewed before the admission decisions are made. While there is no disadvantage to submitting your application on the last day, the server may become slow or time out periodically due to high volume of users trying to access the online application; the last 3 days of November can be especially bad. So I suggest trying to complete and submit your application before Thanksgiving weekend.
You only need to complete one online application for all UC campuses; simply check off the campuses you wish to apply in the application. Each UC campus makes its own admission decisions and the campuses do not "compare notes" so you don't have to worry about one campus not accepting you because you applied to others. The application fee is $70 per campus ($80 for international applicants).
It is extremely important for you to accurately complete the Academic History section. Be sure to have your transcripts in front of you when you fill out this section. Errors and omissions in this section can affect your acceptance when your official, final transcripts are evaluated. Any gaps in education should be explained in detail. Vague or missing explanations can prompt an inquiry from the UCs.
The Activities section has 6 categories: Awards/Honors, Extracurricular Activities, Community Service, Educational Preparation Programs, Work Experience, and Coursework Other Than A-G. You are limited to 5 entries per category. Make sure you put your top 5 activities in each category and you may list other IMPORTANT activities in the Additional Comments section. Any activities you discuss in your personal statement should be listed on the application. Inconsistency between activities listed in the application and personal statement may raise questions.
The online application will not submit if your personal statement is over the 1,000-word limit. Remember, contractions are your friend; while your personal statement should be well written and presentable, you do not need to use a formal writing style.
UC Application Fee Waiver
You apply for the UC application fee waiver at the end of the application before you pay and the system uses the information you enter to determine if you qualify for a fee waiver right on the spot. The fee waiver allows you to apply to 4 UC campuses for free. Additional campuses are $70 each.
Fee waiver determination is based on income information from the prior year. If you did not qualify for a fee waiver but your family's income has changed due to job loss or other extenuating circumstances, choose "Bill Later" as the payment option and send a letter with a copy of the bill to appeal the fee waiver decision.
Using Additional Comments Section
The Additional Comments section is not an opportunity for you to continue the personal statement or write another essay. You should ONLY use this section if you have something you need to tell the admissions office that you didn't mention anywhere else on the application. Typically this include things like other names you have used (that may be on official records you need to submit), citizenship/visa issues, or anything that does not appear anywhere else on the application. I recommend using the Additional Comments section to describe the following if they are not already mentioned somewhere on the application or your personal statement:
When you have a bad semester or bad year in terms of grades or extracurricular activities, you need to clarify what happened and explain what actions you took to correct the situation.
Discuss what you did during your gap year if you took one. UCs want to know 1) why you took a gap year, and 2) what you did during the gap year.
If you couldn't take summer school at your high school or the local community college due to budget cuts and that prevented you from achieving academically (for example, you were unable to repeat a course in which you received a D or your fall schedule was scrambled because you were not able to take a prerequisite course during summer), you need to explain that and include actions you have taken to correct the situation (for example, you tried to enroll at 2 other community colleges when the first community college you enrolled in canceled the class you needed).
December
Last Chance to Take the SAT/ACT Tests
The December test dates are the last ones the UCs will accept for admission. See Test Score Submission Requirement and Deadline for information on timely submission of your test scores.
Making Changes to Your Application (through the application processing service)
You submitted your application right before the deadline and as you review your receipt, you realized there were some mistakes. Panic sets in and you are not sure what to do. Well, don't freak out.
You can update your personal information, test scores, or apply to an additional UC campus by logging back into the online application. For anything else, you can send a written request for correction to:
UC Undergraduate Application Processing Service
P.O. Box 4010
Concord, CA 94524-4010
Your request should include your full name, UC Application ID, date of birth, a full description of the mistakes and your corrections. I recommend printing out the sections of the application that contain the mistakes and mark your corrections on the printout for easy reference.
Application evaluation starts in the middle of December. Applications with self-reported December test scores are held until official scores arrive (or they are reviewed in January without the December test scores).
January
The UC system conducts random audits on approximately 10% of the applicants. Each UC campus may also conduct its own random audits and sometimes targeted audits (if the applicant seems a little too perfect or anything on the application raised serious questions). If you receive a request to provide information for an audit, respond promptly; not responding will disqualify you for admission. If you are caught lying on your application, the UCs will ban you from all admission consideration present or future (yes, I do mean you will be banned for life from all UC campuses).
See the Los Angeles Times article UC wants the truth on student applications (February 22, 2009) for a detailed description of auditing time line, examples of the audit request, and stories of successful/failed audits.
Application Evaluation Completed
Most UCs complete application evaluation by the end of January. Competitive UCs use February to conduct further review of some applicants from whom additional information were requested (Supplemental Questionnaire).
Supplemental Questionnaire
Berkeley, Irvine, UCLA, and San Diego employ an augmented review process for a selected pool of applicants. Berkeley may issue supplemental questionnaires to applicants who have mentioned special talent (including athletics), learning differences, or those applicants who are considered borderline. Irvine, UCLA, and San Diego generally issue a short supplemental questionnaire only to applicants who are considered borderline. If you receive a request to complete a Supplemental Questionnaire between January and February, it means you are selected for the augmented review. Please respond to the request promptly and thoroughly; how you answer these questions can strongly influence whether or not you get into that particular UC. Please visit Supplemental Questionnaire or Free Service for additional service options.
February
Report Changes to the UCs (Fall schedule changes or D/F grades)
If you made any changes to your course schedule (added or dropped a-g or AP courses), you need to contact the individual campuses to submit the changes for consideration. Below are the change instruction and website for each campus:
Berkeley - Freshman applicants should submit changes through myBerkeleyApplication
Davis - Freshman applicants should submit changes through MyAdmissions
Irvine - Freshman applicants should submit changes through MyAdmissions Application@UCI
UCLA - Freshman applicants should follow these instructions to submit changes
Merced - Freshman applicants should submit changes through MyUCMerced
Riverside - Freshman applicants should submit changes through MyUCR
San Diego - Freshman applicants should submit changes through MyApplication
Santa Barbara - Freshman applicants should submit course/schedule changes through email, be sure to include your full name and UC Application ID, to admissions@sa.ucsb.edu; personal information changes should be submitted through the application status site
Santa Cruz - Freshman applicants should email myapplication@ucsc.edu or call (831) 459-2131
If you just have no idea what you are supposed to do, politely ask one of the overworked admissions staff to help you figure out your next step:
NOTE: Some campuses use elaborate automated phone systems that are difficult to navigate; if you encounter one of those, just stay on the line without making any selection or press 0 to force the system to transfer you to a real person.
Berkeley - (510) 642-3175, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Davis - (530) 752-2971, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Irvine - (949) 824-6703, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
UCLA - (310) 825-3101, Monday-Friday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Merced - (209) 228-4682, Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Riverside - (951) 827-3411, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
San Diego - (858) 534-4831, Monday-Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Santa Barbara - (805) 893-2881, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Santa Cruz - (831) 459-2131, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
March
Each UC campus releases the decision on its own online system and on different dates throughout March:
Berkeley - all decisions will be available at myBerkeleyApplication on March 29
Davis - all decisions become available at MyAdmissions around mid-March
Irvine - decisions for students admitted to the Honors Program came out February 1; the rest of the decisions will come out in batches at MyAdmissions Application between late February and the last day of March
UCLA - all decisions become available at Admission Decisions on March 23
Merced - decisions come out in batches at MyUCMerced from the end of February to mid-March
Riverside - decisions come out in batches at MyUCR between February 1 and the last day of March
San Diego - decisions come out in batches at MyApplication between March 17 and the last day of March
Santa Barbara - all decisions become available at application status on March 19
Santa Cruz - all decisions become available at MyUCSC on March 15
Berkeley - check myBerkeleyApplication to see if you were offered waitlist option
Davis - Waitlist FAQ
Irvine - check MyAdmissions Application to see if you were offered waitlist option
UCLA - check Admission Decisions to see if you were offered waitlist option
Merced - NO waitlist
Riverside - check MyUCR to see if you were offered waitlist option
San Diego - check MyApplication to see if you were offered waitlist option
Santa Barbara - Freshman Waitlist FAQ
Santa Cruz - Freshman Waitlist FAQs
Provisional Admission Contract/Conditions of Admission
Remember that the UC admission offer is provisional and you must meet ALL requirements specified in your Provisional Admission Contract or Conditions of Admission to remain eligible for admission. The UC campus may revoke your acceptance for any violation of the contract or conditions.
Berkeley - log into myBerkeleyApplication to view your Conditions of Admission
Davis - log into MyAdmissions to view your Conditions of Admission
Irvine - generic UC Irvine Freshman Contract for Provisional Admission
UCLA - check Admission Provisions - Freshmen for instructions on how to view your Provisional Admission Contract
Merced - generic Conditions of Admission
Riverside - check MyUCR
San Diego - log into MyApplication to view your Provisional Admission Contract
Santa Barbara - generic Conditions of Admission
Santa Cruz - generic Conditions of Admission
Deferring Your Acceptance
UCs do not defer acceptance for freshman applicants. Extenuating circumstances are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Contact the campus to find out how to file a request for deferment.
April
Campus Visits
You should try to visit every college that has accepted you. Go while classes are in session so you can see what a normal day looks like on campus. Take a tour and see if you feel at home when you walk around. Go with your gut feeling; you'll know if the school is right for you. If a personal visit is not feasible, consider viewing college videos or virtual tours to get a feel for the campus environment.
Berkeley - Tour the Berkeley Campus or Online Tour
Davis - Campus Tours or Virtual Tour
Irvine - Campus Tours or Virtual UCI
UCLA - Walking Tour or Online Tour
Merced - Tour UC Merced or Admissions Virtual Tour
Riverside - Campus Tour or Virtual Tour
San Diego - The Triton Tour or Interactive Walking Tour
Santa Barbara - Visitor Center or Virtual Tour
Santa Cruz - Campus Tours or Virtual Tour
UC Appeal Process
Not all UC campuses will have an answer for your appeal before the May 1 SIR deadline, so be sure to file an SIR with a backup school in case the appeal doesn't pan out. There is no penalty for you to withdraw the SIR if you are accepted on appeal somewhere else; the only thing you lose is the $100 deposit.
Each UC campus offers a set of instructions on how to submit an appeal. You MUST follow the instructions to ensure proper and expedited processing of your appeal submission. Failure to comply with the instructions may result in dismissal of your appeal.
Berkeley - The Freshman Selection Process (postal mail appeal only)
Scroll down to Can I appeal my admission decision?
For additional appeals help, visit Pilipino Academic Student Services: Letter of Appeal
Davis - Non-Admitted Freshman Applicants (online appeal only)
Scroll down to May I appeal my denial of admission?
Irvine - Appeal to Selection Decision (postal mail appeal only)
Scroll down to Freshmen Selection Appeals
UCLA - Appeals to Admission Decisions - Freshmen (online appeal only)
Merced - Appeals (postal mail or online appeal)
Riverside - How do I appeal my admission decision? (online appeal only)
San Diego - Freshman Applicants Not Offered Admission
Scroll down to Can I appeal the application decision? (online appeal only)
Santa Barbara - Appeal Process (postal mail appeal only)
Santa Cruz - Appeal Information (postal mail appeal only)
Remember, telling the admissions office that they made a huge mistake is not going to help your case. For your appeal to be considered, you must prove that you are a much stronger candidate than what was presented in your application. Specifically, you must provide new and compelling information that was not previously available to the admissions office.
Your need to stay in a particular geographical area, in itself, does not constitute grounds for an appeal. Any hardship in relocating must be accompanied by other new and compelling information for your appeal to be considered. Similarly, changing your major, in itself, is not sufficient grounds for an appeal; additional new and compelling information must be present for your appeal to be considered.
Examples of new and compelling information may include extraordinary hardship or exceptional talent. You can discuss these things on your appeal as reasons for the UCs to reconsider you. Make sure you describe exactly how the exceptional talent qualifies you for UC admissions or how the hardship prevented you from achieving academically. The focus of your appeal should be on why you are an excellent candidate for the UCs and why the UCs should be interested in you, not why your hardship is horrible or how much you love a particular UC campus and must go there. State your case concisely (one page appeal is ideal but two pages are acceptable) and don't exaggerate or try to be dramatic. Keep in mind that the acceptance rate on appeal is less than 10% for most UCs and less than 3% for Berkeley and UCLA. Please visit Appeal or Free Service for additional service options.
May
Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
You must decide by May 1 which UC campus you wish to attend. Because of budget constraints, most UCs will not accept late SIRs. Submission of multiple SIRs is not tolerated and may affect your acceptance across the UC system. Make sure you visit the campuses and consult your family to reach a decision before the deadline.
Analytical Writing Placement Exam
All incoming UC freshmen must take the required Analytical Writing Placement Exam unless they have met the Entry Level Writing Requirement by April 1. The exam is usually administered on the first Saturday in May following the SIR deadline. Check the UC Entry Level Writing Requirement for exam details, ways to meet the requirement, and other information.
June
Report Changes to Your UC Campus (Spring schedule changes or D/F grades)
The UCs like to be kept abreast of what is going on with your academic performance. You should always report any changes to your schedule or if you are performing poorly in school. Reporting early allows the UC campus time to evaluate the new information and to work out something with you if necessary. This is much better than getting your acceptance revoked in August when the UC sees your final transcript.
If you changed your schedule or performed poorly in school because of extenuating circumstances (family crisis, medical emergency, death in the family, etc.), make sure you explain the situation to the UCs and indicate how you will make-up for the missing courses or your poor performance.
Some UCs will accept information over email or online submission, others expect snail mail. Check the online instructions or call to find out the best way to get the information to the campus.
July
Official Transcripts/Score Reports Due at Your UC Campus
Final official transcripts from all high schools and/or community colleges you have attended and official AP/IB exam scores are due at your UC campus on July 15. Put in the requests early and check online to make sure the UC campus received your transcripts/scores. Most UCs are flexible if you are a little late as the process of verifying the transcripts against the application of accepted students can take a while. But this also means that the UC may raise questions about your academic record right before school starts. If there is any discrepancy between your application and your transcript, I recommend that you report the change to the UC before final official transcripts are sent.
August & September
Follow the advice below to ensure you have a smooth transition:
Take the minimum number of required units (usually around 12 or 13 units) your first semester or quarter; UC courses will likely go at a faster pace compared to high school (this is true for most 4-year colleges) so give yourself some time to acclimate.
Take the time to get to know your roommate/floormate/suitemate and make friends with people in your classes; having a good social network is an important part of your college experience. Explore the different extracurricular activities available to you on and off campus to gain new experiences and expand your network.
Show up at your professors' office hours to talk to them. Find out about what kind of research they are doing or ask questions about the course materials. If you can't think of anything to say, stick to simple inquiries like 1) recommendations for other reading materials that will help you in your courses (be prepared to actually read whatever the professors recommend so you can have thoughtful discussions of the materials with them the next time you go to office hours), and 2) how to prepare for the midterm or final. Once the professors put your face to your name, you will likely do better in the courses (brownie points for showing up to talk to them during office hours).
This page was last updated on Thursday, May 10, 2012 11:49:01 AM PDT
DISCLAIMER: This website is not in any way affiliated with, or endorsed by, the University of California. I am not employed by the University of California or any of its campuses nor am I a licensed counselor. My advice is based on my research and experience, but it is not sanctioned by the University of California or any of its campuses.
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