How to get into a UC School ??!?? (Scared to death)

Question

Hi there,

I really am engaged towards a UC school. First off i'll just give a brief introduction for my academic life..

- I am a rising senior

- Currently I have a 3.4 GPA.. I can raise it to 3.6 by the end of first semester Senior year

- Played piano for 7 years, won numerous international competitions

Aside from that, What about residency? (I am not living in California)

How hard is it to get into a UC? Any recommendations?

Thanks so much~

Answer 1

The UC system is great, one of the best values in the country. They're widely known, and highly competitive. But, some are much easier to get into than others. If you're looking at Berkeley or LA, you're going to have a much harder time than if you're looking at Riverside or Merced. Overall, you want a solid GPA (you'll definitely want to get that up as high as you can to be more competitive), good SAT/ACT scores, and maybe even some AP classes under your belt. You definitely want to list your instrumental awards/recognitions and whatnot, but don't neglect any other activities or organizations that you were/are involved in. The UCs are looking for well-rounded students that will be an asset to their programs. They don't want someone who is focused on just one thing; you want to be well-rounded, with a few different specialty areas.

The most challenging part of the UC application is the personal statement. They just changed the questions this past year, and so the prompts are a little more straightforward, but this is the part where you will want to spend some serious time. The goal of the personal statement is to complete the application. You want to make yourself into a person, not just a piece of paper with a bunch of awards and test scores. You want to corroborate what you've already told them in the form, but also fill yourself out and actually COMPLETE the application. That means some repetition may be necessary, but don't just talk about your high GPA; they can already see that. Get a counselor or adult with experience in the whole UC deal to read it over and offer some critiques or advice.

The UCs for out-of-state residents will be harder to get into than a California private school might. But get (or stay) involved, score well on your major tests, and raise your GPA as high as you can. Look at specific school requirements and averages and see where you stand (collegeboard can help you out here, if you make an account you can compare yourself to currently admitted students). Also, keep in mind that the UCs are not your only option.

Good luck with everything. Hope this helps you some.