Demystifying the UC Admissions Process

Documenting from multiple lenses: from a UC, going to a UC, and prospectively transferring to a UC.

[beyond-the-app]

Four Tips From An Upcoming Sophomore At Stanford

1) No crazy story ever starts with, “So I stayed in…”. 2) It is better to ask for forgiveness than for permission. 3) Avoid mixing alcohols. 4) Do not be close minded, and stray away from cliques. College is a time to make new friends and connections. Do not limit yourself to only one circle.

[askmssun-deactivated20180314]

UC Transfer Admission Guarantee Fall 2015 Filing Period Opens Today

For tips and resources to help you apply, check http://askmssun.com/home/uc-transfer-admission-guarantee-fall-2015-filing-period-opens-today/.

[sciencesoup]

How does one find internships? Unfortunately, many of my peers are having trouble finding science-related internships, mainly ones relating to lab work, and I myself don't know where to start.

Google is your friend. Get intimate with it. There are a lot of databases/lists of internships floating around, but you usually have to dig a bit to find them.

Here’s an incomplete list of ones I’ve personally taken note of. Most are in the US or the UK, and they’re mostly available to international students. There are MANY more programs open to US and EU citizens; you guys have a lot more options.

LISTS of STEM internships/programs in all fields:

Berkeley (geared towards Medical/Health Sciences but with lots of general links too)

DAAD RISE (in Germany)

Database at Pathways to Science (HEAPS of stuff to search through)

NASA

National Science Foundation’s list of REUs (Research Experience for Undergraduates)

Nature (science writing AND general STEM)

New Scientist

Smithsonian (SO MANY)

Stanford

Specific STEM fields:

Astronomy and Physics

ASTRON/JIVE Summer Student Programme 2013

Center for Research and Exploration in Space Science and Technology (CRESST)

Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) Summer Intern in Planetary Science

Space Telescope Science Institute: Research Space Astronomy Summer Program

University of Colorado, Boulder - 2014 REU Program in Solar and Space Physics

University of Arkansas: Summer Research Internships for Undergraduates with the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences

LIST at APS Physics

LIST at AstroBetter

LIST at University of Iowa

REALLY LONG LIST at Carleton University 

Environmental Science

Alaska Sealife Center

Natural History Research Experiences

SERC INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

LIST at UC Davis

LIST at U Iillinois

ARCHIVES at Ecolog

Australian Programs

AAO Student Fellowship Program

Australian Gemini Undergraduate Summer Studentships

CASS Undergraduate Vacation Scholarship Program 2013

CSIRO vacation scholarships

International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research

Macquarie University - Summer Vacation Research Scholarships

University of New South Wales

UNSW Exoplanetary Science Vacation Scholarships

UQ Summer Research Scholarship Program

Vacation Scholarships in Astronomy at CAS

LISTS of Science Writing Internships:

American Association for the Advancement of Science (including an internship for minorities)

Nature

Nature (science writing AND general STEM)

Washington & Jefferson College

Specific Science Writing Internships

AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship

Australian Geographic

Brookhaven National Laboratory

European Southern Observatory

Fermilab

New Scientist (2013 link, but keep an eye on it for 2014 openings)

Wellcome Trust

Wired Magazine

Basically, do your research, because this is a hugely incomplete list, but hopefully this gets you started.

Spread this around! My extensive Googling skills have to be good for something.

[ucresearch]

This is a great list of resources and we wanted to add the list of research opportunities available across the University of California system (although there are a few listed above.)

*Research opportunities cover both STEM fields as well as the social sciences and humanities:

UC Berkeley undergraduate research 

UC Davis undergraduate research & summer research

UC Irvine undergraduate research

UCLA summer research programs

UC Merced grad-prep programs

UC Riverside undergraduate research & mentoring summer research program

UCSD undergraduate research & summer research

UCSF summer research program

UCSB undergraduate research

UC Santa Cruz undergraduate research

Another way to go about it would be to identify research topics that interest you and then find faculty members at a university who are conducting research in those areas. After familiarizing yourself a bit with their work, send them an email or schedule a meeting to learn more about what they do.  They may be able to offer you more specific guidance in your field of interest or have research projects that you could potentially work on.

Or there may be more informal ways to gain research experience. You may be able to work under the guidance of a faculty member, even if the professor is not an official research program mentor. Some professors may be willing to supervise an independent research project.

[oneyeartransfer]

Go ucresearch! Thanks for adding the links to the research programs at each of the UC campuses. Our STEM readers will be thrilled to hear about this.

[beyond-the-app]

Pro-tip: Personal Statement

Two helpful tips that I have learned from observation in writing the personal statement are:

Think of the essay as a cohesive free-flowing speech, that when read, is easy to follow. Pretend you're delivering your essay to an audience (admissions officers); this helps you approach the essay in the correct approach.

In reading stories, the most successful novels exhibit character development. How did Character A change throughout the story? It is more interesting to hear how Character A changed and developed to who he/she is now, rather than explicity being told: "Character A is helpful, nice, and proactive." Doing this sets the stage for showing, and not telling.

[beyond-the-app]

Woah! Given the number of AP exams you took, how come you didn't go straight to a UC? 9 APs??

I was only accepted to UC Riverside out of the schools I applied to. I mean, I was waitlisted to UC Davis & UCSD (after I had appealed my rejection). But, those didn’t work out.My last option was a private school … that’s 10 hours away from my home. My parents & I visited the school to see if it was a right fit for me, and quite frankly, I forced myself to like it. But, I couldn’t. The cost, the fact the school would not take 90% of my APs, knowing I would grow homesick, realizing I couldn’t drive, were all factors along with many more that constantly pushed me away from attending.

And after learning about CCC transferring, I gained hope.

Here I am now.

— Aaron

[beyond-the-app]

Which schools are you applying to, Aaron?

Mainly UC schools! I’m planning to apply to UCB, UCLA, UCSD, UCI, UCD, & UCR (the same schools I applied to for freshmen admission this past year). I am crossing my fingers for a successful season!

[beyond-the-app]

Aaron's First CCC Summer Experience

I teetered between CCC & an expensive private school for quite some time. After, reading and researching both, I decided that CCC proved to be the best option. After stumbling upon oneyeartransfer.tumblr.com (a blog that inspired me to begin this blog actually), I knew what I wanted to do. 

I decided to get ahead by taking a summer course at my CCC: Art 101. I needed it for a transfer requirement, so why not?

I was bewildered coming into class (and even the campus itself). The atmosphere is completely different: no bells, students of various ages, and addressing instructors as "professor" instead of "Mr./Ms./Mrs."

My professor's name is Professor Park. She began class by going over her syllabus -- in what appeared to take 15 minutes -- and then dove into the first lecture. 

I didn't know the format, so I found it imperative to be as attentive as possible. I studied material every night; I was on top of all my assignments.

Soon enough, Professor Park announced an extra credit assignment, an essay that would give me points towards my first exam. I took this opportunity, and began to write.

I didn't know how to write an "Art Analysis" paper. So, I did what I felt was right & e-mailed my paper for feedback. 

And after multiple drafts, I sent the final product at 2 AM in the morning.

When I walked into class: "Are you Aaron?"

Yes, I am.

"Your paper is perfect. I loved it. You write really well."

She proceeded to talk about my paper in class half-way into the lecture. It felt great having older students ask me for advice on how to succeed on the paper. One student, even attempted to bribe me for a copy of my own paper (to which I declined, but offered to help).

I got to know my professor one-on-one. Once a CCC student herself, Park transferred to UCLA, and later got her PhD at UCSD.

I told her about my ambitions: wanting to study Public Health and prospectively transferring to UC Berkeley or UCSD.

"Berkeley? My little sister just finished her first year there."

"Her friend just transferred in as a junior, and he says the transition was not difficult at all."

We talked for 20 minutes, walking out of the classroom and into the center of the campus.

You know, that conversation was really eye-opening to me.

It was easy to confide in her.

At the last class meeting -- right after I finished my final exam -- I told her:

"Bye Professor Park, I really enjoyed your class."

She called me over & said,

Aaron, I teach argumentative writing at UCSD. If you ever need a recommendation letter, you can e-mail me anytime. Please really take my offer on this!

That was the best thing any teacher, instructor, or mentor has offered me. Having been it my first CCC class & college, it meant a lot to me.

I'll be just fine here at Mesa, and I thank Park for making me realize that everyone has different paths. 

Perhaps, I underestimated myself.

But, you know what?

I realized that I made the right choice.

And just like Park, there are many more people that I'll meet along my journey to the UCs.

-- Aaron

[oneyeartransfer]

Do you have any tips in excelling in community college?

Do go to class. Unless that class is so freakin’ easy, going to class would be a waste of your time (and the instructor doesn’t care)

Do extra credit. The only reason to skip out on it is if you’re cruising with 95% or higher. This thing called ‘math’ says that they’re worth more than you think they are. In some classes, “extra credit” is actually required if you want to get a solid A, the instructor just doesn’t tell you.

Don’t buy textbooks first thing, ESPECIALLY from the overpriced school bookstore, unless your professor demands physical copies or it’s not available anywhere else. Search for them online first, especially if content is public domain. If you are concerned about the legal ramifications of PDF hunting, buy a used copy of the textbook or reading.

Don’t choose your project partners at random. People are not to be trusted. Some of them will drop the class, in fact, so they won’t even be there to cuss out. Create a pre-screening application if you have to. (Half joking on the last one.)

Don’t take more than 7 classes/22 units in any one semester, you’ll mess yourself up, even if the classes are easy.

Do take advantage of summer and winter sessions. They’re great ways to either get ahead on your coursework, or to lighten the load during fall and spring semesters.

Do cross-enroll between community colleges, especially if it’s a class you really need, enjoy, or have to take for completing major preparation.

Do be proactive. Pay a visit to the transfer center and meet a college representative. Meet deadlines. Stay on top of your game while you’re at community college.

Do visit your professor during office hours. They can clarify in-class materials. If you just want to talk about interests or other things, that works too! Highly recommended if you want to ask for a solid letter of recommendation.

There are at least 91 more tips, but you can probably look for some of them online; additions to this list are welcome and accepted.

[beyond-the-app]

Update: Blog Administrators

Because the amount of information is so vast, I decided to split the sections into two parts: Freshmen & Transfer.

It is for this reason, I've asked my good friend, Courtney to help me manage this blog. She will be generally discussing freshmen admission, while she is attending UCSD (to which she begins in the fall). She will formally introduce herself in a separate post soon.

I myself will continue to blog about the transfer admissions process, but will cross-over onto freshmen admission at some points.

Ask a question if you have one! One of us (or both) will be more than happy to answer it.

We have so many ideas about the future of this blog, so don't mind it now. It's still in its developmental stage.

Coming up....

* (Freshmen) Studying independently for AP classes.

* (General) How many college units is too much?

* (Transfer) How do AP classes compare to CCC?

* (Freshmen) Courtney's UCSD Summer Experience 

* (General) Advice for an eventful senior year.

* (General) How my summer class made me look forward to transferring.

-- Aaron

[beyond-the-app]

Introduction: Freshmen - UC Personal Statement

The personal statement can make you or break you. Depending on whether you are applying for freshmen admission or transfer admission, the personal statement is a vital component of a successful UC application. For freshmen, the personal statement makes up about half of the application. There are two prompts; one for all applicants, and one exclusively for freshmen -- both of which must not exceed 1,000 words.

Freshman applicant prompt:

Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

Prompt for all applicants:

Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

So, how does one write an effective personal statement? Aside from the givens -- be yourself, be honest, give yourself time to edit, and the other "no duh" pieces of advice -- here are some other helpful tips.

Tips:

Remember the personal statement... should be personal. If it makes you uncomfortable to share it with others, then you're on the right track. You are the main topic, not somebody else. But this shouldn't hold you back from allowing others (definitely those close to you) to give you feedback.

From my experience, those around me viewed the personal statement as an autobiographical essay. Don't look at it from these lens. I always thought of the personal statement as an argumentative essay. So, instead of writing from the perspective of "What do they want to hear? What will impress them?" -- show them.

Deliberately think about what your UC Personal Statements will discuss. Write about what you believe is the most important thing that admissions officers should know about you. Not what you think admissions officers want to hear.

Pretend the personal statement is an admissions interview. That is really what it is. You're portraying yourself through words to your hiring manager (the UCs) while hoping you get the job (admission). With that being said, your personal statement should be cohesive. It should flow freely while painting a mental picture of yourself for your audience. 

Extending number four, the personal statement is not your average essay. Avoid generalizations. Stop using your "gargantuan" (big)  vocabulary. Your essay is your voice. You do not speak like that in normal life (or at least I hope you don't). You want to portray yourself as a genuine, likable applicant.Do you seem like someone that they would want to meet in real life?

Think about how you got to where you are today and what experiences, individuals, etc. had the most impact on the development of your educational and career goals. What are the significant experiences that brought you here? How are they related? How did one experience lead to the next stage of your journey? By writing from this perspective, you demonstrate self-awareness. Self-awareness is a key indicator of intelligence.

How you write your statement makes the difference between a strong and weak essay. I mean, let's take a look at these two sentences: 1. "The cat is big. The cat went to the store. The cat went home." 2. The giant cat could not move, but he finally got up and went to the store. But, he was immediately bewildered; there were aliens everywhere -- humans. Unaware of who these aliens were, he finally scurried home.  What I'm trying to say is, mix up your sentences. Schools stopped teaching grammar, but they really shouldn't have. Varying your syntax is imperative. When was the last time you used a semicolon (;) or a long dash (--)? Do you integrate telegraphic sentences in your writing? How about, parantheses? Varying your sentences, makes someone natural engaging. People who talk like sentence #1 can often be boring and monotone. There is dynamism in sentence #2, and a successful personal statement eloquently weaves sentences in this balanced manner.

The strongest Personal Statements are those that clearly demonstrate who you are as an individual. They are written from both the mind and the heart. Write from the authenticity of who you are and the truth of your life experiences. Consider the following for topics or ideas:

• Personal triumphs or challenges – If you decide to talk about a challenge or triumph, do not forget to explain what you learned from the experience. • Leadership opportunities – UCs value leadership at many levels (e.g. family, school, or community). • Experiences outside the classroom – Consider experiences that have made an impact on your life (e.g., travels, church/temple, work, youth groups, or your family). • Disabilities – If you are living with a disability, feel free to talk about it in the context of your ability to succeed. • Culture – If your culture has influenced who you are, talk about it. Let it add to the picture the UCs form of you.

Stay focused. Avoid common mistakes such as: • Inappropriate use of humor. • Creative writing (poems, scene setting, or clichés). • Quotations –They want to know your thoughts and words, not someone else’s. • Generalities – Stick to facts and specifics you want UCs to know about yourself. • Repetition – Do not talk about the same topic in each response. Give them new information we cannot find in other sections of the application. • Lists of accomplishments or activities. • Philosophy – Do describe your world in facts and examples. Don’t ask questions without answers. • Don’t be campus specific. You’re talking to all the UC campuses in your response.

The strongest Personal Statements are those that clearly demonstrate who you are as an individual. They are written from both the mind and the heart. Write from the authenticity of who you are and the truth of your life experiences.

All UC campuses use the Personal Statement responses for scholarship consideration. * The Personal Statement will never be the sole criteria for determining the admission decision.

*Good luck! I am writing my personal statements this season for transfer, so if you have any questions -- please ask! 

-- Aaron

[beyond-the-app]

Transfer - The IGETC

The IGETC (Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum) is a lower-division education pattern that fulfills all GE requirements at ALL CSUs (California State Universities) & MOST UC (University of California) campuses.

While some private schools accept it, it's recommended for students who intend to transfer to a UC campus, but are unsure of which one.

*Disclaimer: The IGETC is not an admissions requirement, rather it is an alternative to fulfill lower division GE requirements prior to transfer.

* IGETC is not recommended for the following transfer destinations: 1. UCSD Eleanor Roosevelt College 2. UCB College of Businesss, Chemistry, Environmental Design, Engineering, Natural Resources, and Optometry 3. UC Davis Colleges of Engineering 4. UCI Schools of Engineering, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences 5. UCR Colleges of Engineering, Natural and Agricultural Sciences 6. UCSB Colleges of Engineering, Creative Studies 7. UCLA Los Angeles Schools of Engineering and Applied Science, Nursing

* I highly recommend the IGETC pattern as it allows AP/IB coursework to satisfy IGETC subject areas.

There are 6 Areas in the IGETC pattern.

Area 1 - English/Communication - Group A: English 101 or 105 - Group B: English 205 or Philosophy 205 -*Group C: Communications (required only for CSU transfers)

Area 2 - Mathematical & Quantitative Reasoning - One UC transferable math course with Intermediate Algebra as a prerequisite.

Area 3 -  Arts & Humanties - Three courses, with at least one from the arts and one from the humanities. - Group 3A - Art course - Group 3B - Humanities course - Group 3C - Additional Art OR Humanity

Area 4 - Social and Behavioral Sciences - Just three courses; courses from at least two disciplines or an interdisciplinary sequence. - Group 4A: Anthropology and Archaelogy  - Group 4B: Economics Courses - Group 4C: Ethnic Studies Courses - Group 4D: Gender Studies - Group 4E: Geography Courses - Group 4F: History Courses - Group 4G: Interdisciplinary, Social, & Behavioral Sciences - Group 4H: Political Science/Government Courses - Group 4I: Psychology Courses - Group 4J: Sociology & Criminology Courses

Area 5 - Physical & Biological Sciences - At least two courses required, one physical science and one biological science. One must include a laboratory. - Group 5A - Physical Sciences - Group 5B - Biological Sciences - Group 5C - Science Laboratory

Area 6 - Languages other than English (Not required for CSUs). - There are many ways to fulfill this requirement.  - Passing an AP foreign language exam with a 3+ - Satisfactory SAT LOTE Subject Test score - Studying the equivalent of two years of a LOTE - Look online for additional conditions                -----------------------------------------------

Because of all my AP exams, I have completed 95% of the IGETC pattern already.

It is important to note that only one AP English can be used for the English 101 requirement. English 205 cannot be cleared by AP Tests.

What I got out of AP Tests: 

Area 1: English - 50% Complete * Group A: English 101 - AP English Language ** Group B: Still need: English 205

Area 2: Math - 100% complete * AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC.

Area 3: Arts/Humanities - 100% complete * Group A: Art 100 (I took a summer course in 2014) * Group B:  AP World History * Group C: AP US History (extra humanity)

Area 4: Social/Behavioral Sciences - 100% Complete * Group 4E (Geography): AP Human Geography * Group 4H (Poli Sci): AP US Government & Politics * Group 4I (Psych): AP Psychology 

Area 5: Physical/Biological Sciences - 75% Complete ** Group 5A: Still need Physical Science * Group 5B (Biological Science): AP Biology * Group 5C (Laboratory): AP Biology

Area 6: Foreign Language - 100% Complete * Middle school Spanish (1-2, 3-4).

  [Note]:

* AP Art History is the only AP that completes Area 3A. * Maximum credit of 8 Units from both AP Calculus exams. * AP Biology/Physics/AP Chemistry meet Area 5A AND 5C. * Maximum credit of 8 Units from both AP English Exams. * 4 semester units granted for each AP US Gov't & Politics & AP Comparative Government.

Final note: The IGETC is complicated, but I hope this crash course helped. Research more online about it, what APs can be applied to what areas, or ask me a question about it!

-- Aaron

[beyond-the-app]

Author's Note (2014)

Who Am I?

My name is Aaron, and I am entering my first year at a CCC. I researched the UC freshmen admissions process throughout my time in high school, and now am learning the ropes as an aspiring transfer student. I am currently set on studying Public Health, and am considering completing a one-year college counseling certification program sometime in the future.

What is Beyond-the-App?

I created Beyond the App to help clarify, answer, and advise students through the UC application process. Though counselors are readily available for professional experience, I feel that a student perspective allows applicants to relate to one another (more than adults), and help alleviate stress during application season.

What will you be posting?

Mostly my experience in CCC to UC transfer experience. I hope to post weekly (in a perfect world -- daily) updates as to how I am doing. I hope it gives insight to those who are considering going this route and empowers them to do well. I will be posting dates to remember, study tips, class reviews -- generic standard blog stuff. But, I hope my personal updates shine light on the life of a transfer student.

Questions? Comments? 

Don't be a stranger, the ask box is open!

** This blog is dedicated to Laura, Adrian, Fernanda, Kim, Jean John, Carmel, Courtney, Celeste, Paola, Jamie, and my parents (among many more) for their undying love and support.