Unlocking the UC Application: 4 Tips to Help You Stand Out!

The University of California system includes nine campuses across the Golden State. Within it, you’ll find the two highest-ranked public universities in the country, UC Berkeley and UCLA, along with UC San Diego, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UC Merced, UC Riverside, and UC Santa Cruz. From sweeping coastlines and city lights to intellectual atmospheres and beautiful study spaces, there is something for everyone at the UCs. 

One key factor of the UC application is that it requires the completion of its own unique application portal, which gives you the opportunity to apply to up to nine campuses of varying levels of prestige and competitiveness—all in one go! 

Interested in completing the UC application and want to know how you can stand out? Here are four ways to set yourself up for success:

1. Organized and standardized activities list

Although the UCs don’t accept SAT/ACT scores, resumes, or letters of recommendation, they give students more space to highlight their achievements through an extended set of activity descriptions. In the UC portal, you will have space for up to 20 activities to list all of your extracurriculars, volunteering, awards and honors, and any other pursuits you’ve been involved in during high school. You’ll want to utilize all 20 of these spots—even if some are hobbies or interests you pursue in your free time like skateboarding or bird-watching, these are worth sharing! The UCs are curious about all the ways you spend your time and the unique contributions you’ll bring to campus. Additionally, it’s important to be strategic about the order of your activities, so make sure that you highlight major-related pursuits and leadership roles early in your list. 

Not only do the UCs have twice as many slots as the Common App, they also have over double the character count so applicants can provide a more detailed overview of their role and impact. With this in mind, it’s crucial that you maintain consistent formatting throughout all 20 entries and carefully ensure that your grammar and spelling is correct. Always highlight any official leadership positions and the corresponding grade levels at the beginning of your entries. Then, use the rest of the space to convey your efforts and accomplishments. Depending on your intended field of study and interests, include details about your community impact, major-related activities, and any certifications, honors, or awards. 

2. Verified & organized academic history section 

The UC application requires students to report all academic classes they’ve received credit for in high school, including class names, grades for each period, and schedule. Along with inputting all of this information correctly, students also need to be sure that they categorize each course according to UC’s A-G course labels. Check out this tool for help categorizing your classes! Unlike the Common App, the UCs will reorganize your courses and recalculate your GPA based on their specific grading system. Make sure there are no non-academic courses (e.g. physical education classes) in this section. 

Ultimately, it is key that you double (and triple!) check every class, grade, and schedule with your transcript to ensure there are no inconsistencies. 

3. Polished and compelling written responses

The UCs follow a slightly different standard for their writing requirements. Instead of calling them supplemental essays, the UCs refer to their required essays as Personal Insight Questions. Students are given eight prompts to choose from and they must respond to four in 350 words or less. As with all written responses, it’s crucial that you vary your topics and steer away from repeating any information. In terms of which prompts students should choose, B2A recommends against choosing the #8 open-ended question as these prompts can lead to broad responses, with even the strongest writers struggling to convey their impact when there are no guidelines to follow. 

While you should not mention campus-specific resources or organizations in these essays, you can still reference the UC system as a whole and demonstrate how you will continue to pursue your academic and extracurricular interests in college. 

**TIP: Refer to the questions listed underneath each prompt for additional guidance on what content to include in your responses. 

A boy plays a trumpet in a music class

4. Revise, revise, revise (with expert guidance)! 

It’s nearly impossible to get everything right on the first try! Receiving several rounds of expert feedback on each aspect of your UC application will ensure that you’re submitting the strongest materials possible and putting your best foot forward. B2A is here to help! Our experienced college admissions counselors are thoroughly versed in all the components of a stand-out UC application and are trained to review personal insight questions, activity descriptions, and the UC portal to ensure your materials are ready for submission. 

Applying this year? Contact Berkeley2 Academy to book College Admissions Services (CAS) hours and get started on your application today! For students who will be applying next year, check out our Gateway Program for rising seniors which will guide you through the process of completing applications to up to five schools (the UCs only count as one of these five). 

For students in grades 7-11 who want to be sure that they’re set up for success when applying to the UCs later on, our Steps Program is the perfect fit for you. In Steps, you’ll be matched with your best-fit college admissions counselor who will provide expert guidance on every aspect of your profile, including extracurriculars, courses, GPA management, and everything in between.

We can’t wait to help you succeed!