Presenting Yourself on the
UC Application for
Undergraduate Admission –
Freshmen
August 2015
Overview
Before Beginning
How Applications are Reviewed
Completing the Application
The Personal Insight Questions
Submitting the Application
August 2015
2
Application Timeline
Freshman
Date/Deadline
Task
August 1
UC Application Opens
November 1-30
Submit UC Application Online
Mid-January
Self-Report December Test Results
February - March
E
D
Notification of Admission
May 1
Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
B
Deadline
Mid-May to July
Waitlist Admission Notification
C
A
August 2015
4
Student Preparation
Research Campuses Early
Gather Materials
Brainstorm
Apply Broadly
Ask for Advice and Feedback
Email Communication is Critical
August 2015
5
Requirements vs. Selection
Every UC Campus
• Receives the same application from you
• Reviews for minimum requirements
• Reviews for admission individually using
content of the application
August 2015
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Comprehensive Review
Campuses Look For
• Strong grades, test scores & course preparation
• An inclusive educational experience
Assess Student Within Context
• Educational environment
• Available resources and opportunities
The Full Application
Not just the personal statement
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Comprehensive Review
• Grade-Point Average
• Test Scores
• Courses
Completed/Planned
• Honors Courses
• Top 9% 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
August 2015
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Importance of Accurate Details
Statement of Application Integrity
Academic History
Examination Scores
Activities Outside of School
Verification of Application Information
August 2015
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The Basics
Contact Information
So campuses can contact you
Family Information
Campus/Major Selection
Apply broadly
Fee Waiver
30-Minute Time Out
“Next” or “Logout” to save
August 2015
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Getting Started
First time users
start here!
Application Deadline: November 30, 11:59 p.m. PST
Apply Online at universityofcalifornia.edu/apply
August 2015
13
Navigating
•
•
•
•
Use the progress bar above to navigate
Use sections on the right for guidance
Use buttons below to move from page to page
Note ‘my uc application’, ‘help’, and ‘sign out’
14
Starting Your Application
15
Starting Your Application
All students must enter a social security
number if they have one
August 2015
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Selecting a Major
Click to expand
the list of majors
August 2015
17
Ranking San Diego Colleges
You must click here
before ranking the
colleges
August 2015
18
Scholarships
Review and select up to 16 scholarships that match
your characteristics, interests, and background!
August 2015
19
Biographical Information
August 2015
20
7th/8th Grade Courses
Advanced math and language other than English
courses in middle school can be used to meet A-G
requirements
August 2015
22
High School Attendance
Must list every school attended since 9th grade
August 2015
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High School Attendance
Provide basic information
about your high school
August 2015
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High School Coursework
Enter academic courses taken and grades earned at each
school as they appear on your official academic record
August 2015
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High School Coursework
Enter academic courses that do not appear on the
UC-approved course list
August 2015
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College Courses Taken in High School
August 2015
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Academic History Comments
Use this space to explain unusual circumstances, not
as an extension of the personal statement
August 2015
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Activities & Awards
•
•
•
•
•
•
Non a-g Coursework
Educational Preparation Programs
Community Service
Work Experience
Awards & Honors
Extra Curricular Activities
Choose up to 5 of your most
meaningful experiences for each
category.
August 2015
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ACT & SAT Test Scores
Self-report scores here and order official scores to be
sent to at least one UC campus
August 2015
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Advanced Placement Test Scores
Passing AP & IB exam scores can be used to show
subject mastery
August 2015
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Why are we changing the questions?
• Prompts were last changed in 2008.
• First time UC is departing from a longer format to a shortanswer, multiple question format.
• For about two years, based on feedback, the Admission
Directors decided a new format which would not only help our
applicants, but also help us with admissions decisions.
• Admission Directors felt it critical to ensure that the written
responses received from our applicants truly provides the type
of reflective and personal insights we value.
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Why we changed the format
I have 3 younger brothers, an older sister, my mother, and my
father. Which means I live in a family of 7 and 1/2 people, if you
want to include my dog.
Why we changed the format
The first year of being born I don't remember anything at all.
Why we changed the format
Earlier this year, I reached the epiphany of my life as I entered
the Emergency Room from eating too many spicy foods
Why we changed the format
You might not believe me, but I'm pretty much Batman.
The Personal Insight Questions
Eight Questions
• Must address exactly four
• 350 words maximum for each question
View as a personal interview on paper
Compose outside of application
• Request feedback
• Paste responses in plain text
August 2015
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What are the freshmen
questions?
1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you
have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or
contributed to group efforts over time.
2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many
ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically,
to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you
developed and demonstrated that talent over time?
4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational
opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have
faced.
34
What are the freshmen
questions? (cont’d)
5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and
the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has
this challenge affected your academic achievement?
6. Describe your favorite academic subject and explain how it has
influenced you.
7. What have you done to make your school or your community a
better place?
8. What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other
candidates applying to the University of California?
35
What does UC expect to learn from
the answers?
• The new format gives applicants a greater say in the kind of
information they want to share.
• Students can express who they are and what matters to them
not only in how they respond to the questions, but also
through the questions they choose to answer.
• Option over which questions to answer gives students greater
flexibility and control by selecting questions that are most
relevant to their experiences and that best reflect their
individual circumstances.
• Questions provide students with better direction and focus on
topics that are important to campuses. Each new question
aligns to one or more of the 14 comprehensive review factors
(nine factors for transfer students).
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Personal Insight – Final Thoughts
Start early, get feedback, and revise
Define your motivation in topics that you are
passionate about
Decisions are never made on the personal insight
questions alone
Avoid common mistakes
August 2015
36
What not to do
• Don’t write what you think the admissions committee wants
to hear
• Don’t overwrite or overstress a minor point about yourself
• Don’t repeat information directly from the application form,
unless you use it to illustrate a point
• Don’t try to be funny
• Don’t make up hardships
• Don’t use clichés and generalizations if you can avoid them
• Don’t treat it as creative writing
• Don’t focus on others, while ignoring yourself
• Don’t write the statement the night before!
What not to do
Every morning, I sat next to Susie in history class, and she helped
me slay the dictatorial dragon known as Ms. Keane. Our epic
quests started with the mundane memorization of historical
terms, and ultimately concluded with the construction of a
formidable castle, which received a B+. Studying Chinese was by
far one of my most rewarding intellectual dalliances. When I was
a freshman, my high school's draconian administration wouldn't
let me take Japanese IV, and I was instead placed in Chinese.
After two years, my crowning utilitarian achievement was telling
an old man who asked in Chinese for help that I don't speak
Chinese.
What not to do
in junior year second semester i went through some really hard
stuff, and it made me loose my focus a little
The point: Don’t be general. Be more specific.
What not to do
My Sat and Act scores might not be as high as other applicants
but I feel that numbers don't define who I am.
The point: Lots of people say this. It doesn’t do you any good.
What not to do
*Boom* *Boom, boom, boom* Ears open and breathing slowly, I
can no longer tell where the beats are coming from. *Boom*
*Boom, Boom* My fingers are itching on my golden instrument
as adrenaline rushes through me like a tsunami.
The point: Students want to grab attention, but please don’t do
this.
What not to do
I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock- BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP
The point: Students try to fill space to meet an imagined word
count minimum, but there is none, so please don’t do this.
What not to do
A week later we was rolling.
What not to do
I despised the necessity of going to go to school every Sunday
from 10:30am to 12pm when instead I could rather be doing
much more productive things with my time: for instance, beating
the final level of Mario Kart.
What not to do
Please don't judge me for the two D's I got in my AP US History
class I got in my junior year.
What not to do
If I were to descrbie myself in a few short adjecives to someone
from another planet I would use the words American, Funny,
Loving, Tall, and above alll flawed. I am flawed.
What not to do
When people ask if I like being in Girl Scouts, I nonchalantly say,
"I'm in it because my mom makes me, and it looks good on
college applications."
Bonus Quotes
Growing up, I never had to worry about food on the table or a
roof over my head. Like other teenagers, I never considered the
needs of others. My life consisted of being served so when my
parents signed me up for a service project in Thailand, I was
furious.
Bonus Quotes
I love photography for example, and my parents hate that I love
photography. They want me to love math. Math. God bless
people who love math. I am not one of those people.
AFFORDING UC MERCED
› Apply for admission in November
› FAFSA (or CA Dream Act)
› Submit application and GPA
verification between January 1st
and March 2nd
› Complete and return any
documents requested by the Office
of Financial Aid and Scholarships
Use last years
with note
COST OF ATTENDANCE
On-Campus
ITEM
Off-Campus
COST
ITEM
COST
Tuition/Fees*
$13,208
Tuition/Fees*
$13,208
Room & Board
$15,646
Room & Board
$6,943
Books & Supplies
$1,429
Books & Supplies
$1,429
Transportation
$588
Transportation
$1,433
Personal Expenses
$1,864
Personal Expenses
$1,904
Health Insurance
$2,097
Health Insurance
$2,097
TOTAL COST
$27,014
TOTAL COST
$34,832
2
EXPLORE
› Schedule a tour with our Visitor
Center
›
›
›
›
›
›
› tours.ucmerced.edu
Merced Community
Yosemite Lake
Yosemite National Park
Sacramento
San Francisco
Sequoia Kings Canyon
CONTACT US
Matthew Schellenberg
Admissions Officer
[email protected]
@GO2UCMerced
University of California, Merced
Office of Admissions and Outreach
5200 N. Lake Road
Merced, CA 95343
Submitting the Application
Additional Comments
Include when appropriate
Don’t Forget to Click Submit
Updates
Return to the application to make updates
August 2015
38
Submitting the Application
Disabled until all circles
are solid.
August 2015
39
Completeness Check
August 2015
40
Release & Signature
August 2015
41
Fees, Payment & Waivers
August 2015
42
Submit
Click here
and expect this
Check your email
for a submission
confirmation
August 2015
43
After Submission
August 2015
44
Resources
UC Admissions Home Page
admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/
How to Apply
admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/index.html
Online Application
admissions.universityofcalifornia.edu/applicant/login.htm
Help Desk
[email protected]
1-800-207-1710 (U.S. only)
1-310-513-2715 (outside U.S.)
UC Application Center
P. O. Box 1432
Bakersfield, CA 93302
August 2015
45
Matthew Schellenberg
Admissions Officer
UC Merced
[email protected]
The University of California
www.universityofcalifornia.edu