Those applying to the University of California can probably feel the pressure of the approaching deadline. It is this Friday, November 30th .at midnight. Many of you have heard horror stories from past years: a big blackout, the server going down, and, of course, The Windstorm from last year. So be warned not to chance it with disaster; send early.
Once you have your two UC essays written, proofread, and ready to go, allow about two hours for the rest of the application. You’ll need to have a resume handy so that you can input: all your service hours, extra curricular activities, honors, awards, and work experience. You’ll need to have your transcript handy to input all your classes and grades. And lastly, you’ll need your SAT or ACT score report so that you can record the scores from your best sitting of a single test. (Note: The UC system does not allow you to mix and match individual subject reports as many private schools do.)
All that done and ready, you’ll still need to request that official score reports and transcripts be sent to each of the campuses you are applying to. And for each campus, you’ll need to answer questions about your intended major, or in the case of UCSD, which college in the university you’d like to attend. (Start early on this one. There are six colleges to research!)
We are frequently asked about the two additional essay opportunities that the UC application offers. These can be very useful for some applicants and skipped completely by others. The first extra essay allows you to give any additional information about your educational experience. This might be an opportunity to talk about an illness that you suffered, a divorce in the family, a period of homelessness, or other situation that resulted in a temporary distraction from your studies. Use this space well. It is designed for your benefit.
The last opportunity to add additional information is at the end of application. This is considered the third essay. If after writing about “the world you come from” and “a special talent or accomplishment,” you’d like to include something that you think will make a difference—your summers in Africa working to help combat leprosy, for example—use this space. Many students have extraordinary experiences that will ultimately add to their overall application. Just because the UC system is big doesn’t mean they don’t care about who you really are. Go for it and good luck!
-- Happy Application Season from PerfectFitCollege.Net
