Presenting Yourself on the UC Application & Personal Statement Freshman Applicants Fall 2012

Overview Student Preparation Comprehensive Review of the Application Filling Out the Application Basics The Importance of Accurate Details The Personal Statement Submitting the Application

Student Preparation Prepare early Research campuses Gather materials Use the checklist in the Applying to the University brochure communication is important! Apply broadly Brainstorm specific concrete examples that you are proud of throughout high school Get reviews of your personal statement and revise, revise, revise

Application Time Line Date/DeadlineTask October 1-31UC Application Opens November 1-30 Submit online UC Application Late JanuaryUpdate December Test Results March Notification of Admission May 1 SIR (Statement of Intent to Register) Deadline – Freshman To access the UC online application, visit:

Requirements vs. Selection Every UC campus gets the same application Every UC campus you apply to will evaluate if you have met minimum admissions requirements with the same GPA and test scores Each UC campus will review your application for admission individually using the information in the application Each UC campus places a different value on each section of the UC application

Comprehensive Review of the Application What do the UC campuses look for? Good grades & test scores Well-rounded students Assess the student within his/her context Not just the personal statement; the full applicant and the full application are important Take the time to fill out all of the application completely and accurately

Comprehensive Review Grade-Point Average Test Scores Courses Completed/Planned Honors Courses Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) Quality of Senior-Year Program of Study Academic Opportunities in California High Schools Performance in Academic Subject Areas Achievements in Special Projects Improvement in Academic Performance Special Talents, Achievements, and Awards Participation in Educational Preparation Programs Academic Accomplishment Within Life Experiences Geographic Location

Filling Out the Application Basics Contact Information – so campuses can communicate with you Campus Selection Major Selection SAVE as you go!

ALL first-time applicants start here! Getting Started… Deadline The filing deadline for fall 2012 is 11:59 p.m. PST Nov. 30, Returning users sign in above.

Use the progress bar to navigate to different sections of the application. Navigating Read commonly asked questions for helpful information. Update your or other account information using “my account.” Learn what is in each section. Use the buttons on the bottom to move from page to page. Save/Logout at any time.

Start Application We strongly recommend providing an SSN for matching official test scores.

Choosing a Major Select a major, alternate major or no alternate major. Click on a college to expand the list of majors available and make your selection.

Ranking San Diego Colleges Rank the San Diego colleges in order of preference. This will NOT affect your chances of admission to UC San Diego. You must click on this link before ranking SD colleges.

Scholarships Be sure to open and review each category of scholarships! Select scholarships that match your interests or characteristics (up to 16 total).

Biographical Students applying for EOP will be required to provide information on parent education, income and family size in the next steps of the Biographical section.

Biographical

Questions & Help! UC Home Page: Admission Requirements: Online Application: UC Application Processing Service – General Help Desk (800) toll-free in California (925) outside California (925) TDD/TTY Online Application – Technical Help Desk (800) toll-free in California (925) outside California

The Importance of Accurate Details Personal Information Academic History Examination Scores Activities Outside of School

Academic History 7/8

Academic History The application will search for your high school as you type. You MUST list every school you’ve attended since ninth grade.

Academic History (high school) Easy-to-fix errors

Academic History (coursework) Self-enter courses not on the UC-approved course list

Academic History Remember to list community colleges – even if you took only one class.

Academic History UC transferable courses are pulled from the ASSIST database Calif. community college nontransferable courses can be self- entered.

Test Results Fall applicants must complete ALL required exams by December test date. Make sure OFFICIAL scores are sent to at least one UC campus.

Activities and Awards Other categories include Educational Preparation Programs, Work Experience, Awards & Honors, and Extracurricular Activities. Applicants are limited to five entries for each, so select the ones that are most meaningful.

The Personal Statement 2 Prompts, students must address both 1,000 words total or less View as personal interview on paper statement/index.html Click on the “Tips” box

Statement #1: 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. Statement #2: 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? Additional Comments: Use this space to tell us anything else you want us to know about you and your academic record that you have not had the opportunity to describe elsewhere in the application. Limit your response to 550 words or less. The Personal Statement

The Personal Statement: Final Thoughts Start early, get feedback, and REVISE! Define your motivation/momentum in topics you are passionate about Decisions are never made on the personal statement alone Avoid some common mistakes

Submitting the application and next steps Include additional comments where appropriate Don’t forget to hit “Submit” Go back into the application when you have updates

Review and Submit Before starting submit process, carefully review information on summary page.

Review and Submit

After You Submit Update your test scores Update your account information

Questions?