does uc irvine require an essay

Your application questions, answered

Find answers to your questions about admission to UCI.

The application process made easy

Applying to college doesn't have to be stressful once you've done the research. Explore the most frequently asked questions about applying to UCI before you start.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you wanted to know about applying to UCI — and more.

What is the selection criteria for UCI second baccalaureate candidates?

You may be considered for admission to a program for a second degree if your educational objective changed substantially after you received your bachelor’s degree. All second baccalaureate admissions are subject to the approval of the dean or director of the UCI school or program in which the second degree will be earned.

Admission as a candidate for a second bachelor’s degree requires that the applicant:

Is fully eligible for admission to the university
Has strong promise of academic success in the new major

Learn more about UCI Undergraduate Admissions supplemental application/audition registration .

Note: UCI is open to all admission applications during the traditional UC application period, October 1 - November 30.

Students who have not attended UCI as undergraduates during a regular academic quarter must complete a UC Application for undergraduate admission.

Students who have received an undergraduate degree from UCI and are interested in pursuing an additional undergraduate degree must apply for readmission as a second baccalaureate.

Students who have completed a degree at another institution, but have attended UCI as an undergraduate during a regular academic quarter may apply as a second baccalaureate.

(The deadline for second baccalaureate candidates to submit all of their official transcripts is February 15.)

View the list of majors available for second baccalaureate candidates by selecting "2nd Baccalaureate" as the applicant level here .

Can I apply as a readmission or re-entry applicant?

An applicant for readmission is a student who was formerly registered and enrolled at UCI and who has interrupted the completion of consecutive quarters of enrollment. Visit the Office of the Registrar for information on how to apply for readmission. For additional information about readmission, call 949-824-6124.

You may be considered for admission to UCI as a re-entry applicant if you are an adult aged 25 years or older and have either experienced a significant break in your education, or decided to earn a university degree for the first time. For information about specific majors and programs, contact a counselor in your academic unit of interest.

Does UCI require the SAT or ACT?

UCI will not consider SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarship purposes. After enrollment, exams may be used for class placement or some graduation requirements.

When will UCI send out fall quarter admission decisions?

Admissions decisions regarding first-year applications will be posted in the Applicant Portal by March 31. Decisions regarding transfer applications will be posted in the Applicant Portal by April 30. Admitted students also receive a formal letter of notification sent to their current mailing address. Do not contact UCI Admissions until AFTER March 31 for first-year or April 30 for transfers regarding admission decisions and/or your status.

How do I obtain my UCI ID number?

If you have your Application ID number, you may have your UCI ID number emailed to the address on your application form. Visit your Applicant Portal and submit your request for your ID number.

How do I correct my name, Social Security number, or release information?

You must make any corrections on your UC Application, which will update your information on our campus. Check your Applicant Portal one week after you make the changes to verify the correction.

How do I change my major?

The Office of Admissions is not able to change your major once you have applied. Once admitted, students can work directly with academic units to apply for a change of major.

How do I notify UCI that I received a D or F in my high school senior year?

First-year applicants are responsible for reporting all D or F grades earned in the seventh semester as soon as possible. Notify us using the Message Center in your Applicant Portal . In some cases we may be able to advise you of options that will enable you to remain UC-eligible.

If you do not use the Message Center, be sure to include your UCI Student ID Number and mail your letter to:

How do I notify UCI of a course schedule change during my high school senior year?

You are responsible for reporting any schedule changes to your class schedule. This is important because course changes may affect your eligibility in certain majors. Either use the Message Center in your Applicant Portal or send a letter, being sure to include your UCI Student ID Number, and mail your letter to:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions Attn: Official Documents 260 Aldrich Hall Irvine CA, 92697-1075

How much does it cost to attend UCI?

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships website provides a sample budget for approximating the cost of attending UCI. Their website can be found at ofas.uci.edu .

Does UCI offer services to disabled students?

The UCI Disability Services Center provides effective and reasonable academic accommodations and related disability services to UCI students, Extension/Continuing Education and Summer Session students, and other program participants. Specific information about these services can be found at disability.uci.edu or by contacting their office:

Can high school students take classes at UCI? (concurrent enrollment)

High school students can take classes at UCI:

UCI Division of Continuing Education's Concurrent Enrollment Program - This option is ideal for either (1) well-prepared high school seniors who have exhausted the curriculum available in high school and who are looking for advanced level coursework, or (2) students who are seeking an enrichment course or coursework not available at their high school. For information, call (949) 824-5414; email: [email protected] ; Concurrent Enrollment website: https://ce.uci.edu/courses/concurrent/ .
UCI's Summer Session Program - This option enables highly qualified high school seniors to enroll in regular UCI courses. For further information, contact the UCI Summer Session Office at (949) 824-5493; email: [email protected] ; or visit the Summer Session website at www.summer.uci.edu .
Admission and enrollment in courses either through Concurrent Enrollment or Summer Session does not also mean admission to UCI as an entering first-year. To enter as first-years, high school seniors are required to complete and submit the official University of California Application for Undergraduate Admission and Scholarships during November of the year prior to the fall quarter in which they seek to enroll.

About the Waitlist

What is the waitlist do i have to do anything .

Applicants that have accepted a waitlist offer may potentially be admitted to UCI if there is space available. To accept your spot in our waitlist pool, please submit the Statement of Intent to Participate (SIP). We do not require a Letter of Continued Interest. We encourage you to accept an offer from another university while you await a status update from us.

How do I contact UCI Admissions to demonstrate my interest in being accepted off the waitlist?

Contacting our office by email or sending a letter of demonstrated interest will have no impact on your chances of being admitted from the waitlist. We highly encourage you to accept an offer from another university while you await a status update from us.

How can I know my spot on the waitlist? How do you determine the order of the waitlist?

The waitlist is not an actual list or ranking - it is a pool of highly qualified applicants. There is nothing further an applicant can do to increase their chances of being admitted. To be considered, applicants must accept the waitlist by submitting the Statement of Intent to Participate.

How many applicants will you be admitting off the waitlist?

Admitting applicants from the waitlist is entirely dependent on how many applicants accept their offer of admission. That said, the waitlist varies year-to-year. Our history with admitting off the waitlist does not affect whether we will admit off the waitlist this year.

When will I hear back from the waitlist?

All applicants who have submitted their Statement of Intent to Participate in our waitlist will be notified through the Applicant Portal. While waiting on the waitlist decision, students are highly encouraged to accept an admission offer at another university to ensure they have somewhere to attend in the fall.

Am I allowed to submit an appeal to my waitlist decision?

Applicants must decline their offer for the waitlist to be able to appeal their selection decision. Applicants who accept a waitlist decision will not have the opportunity to submit an Appeal to Selection Decision.

What do I do if I have been admitted off the waitlist?

You will have a predetermined timeframe to submit a positive Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) to UCI. In addition, you will need to decline any other offers from another university (including one you may have previously accepted).

If I'm unable to be admitted off the waitlist, what other routes can I take to attend UCI?

If attending UCI remains your ambition, please consider applying to UCI as a transfer student. We offer a variety of resources throughout the year for students who are planning to transfer. For more information about transfer requirements, please visit our Transfer Admission website .

Appeals to Selection

What is the deadline to submit an appeal to selection .

The following deadline for applicants to submit an Appeal to Selection are:

First-year applicants: April 15, 2024
Transfer applicants: May 15, 2024

What is the Appeal to Selection?

The Appeal to Selection is an opportunity for you to submit new and compelling information not included in your original application that might bring to light new academic and personal information, as well as information pertaining to extenuating circumstances that were not previously presented in the application. Please note: high grades received in the senior year, recently acquired awards, or an increase in activities are not a basis for the reversal of a decision.

How can I submit an Appeal to Selection?

For instructions on submitting an Appeal to Selection, please visit this page .

What is considered "new and compelling" information?

New and compelling information should bring to light new academic and personal information that would cause us to review your application differently. Please note: high grades received during your senior year/last term, recently acquired awards, or an increase in activities are not basis for the reversal of a decision.

When will I hear back on the status of my appeal?

Appeal decisions will be released by June 1 for first-year applicants and July 1 for transfer applicants. We highly encourage students to explore other plans and not miss the deadlines at other colleges or universities.

If I'm unable to be admitted off the appeal as a first-year, what other routes can I take to attend UCI?

If attending UCI remains your ambition, please consider applying to UCI as a transfer student. We offer a variety of resources throughout the year for students who are planning to transfer. For more information about our transfer requirements, please visit our Transfer Admission website .

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UC Irvine Requirements for Admission

What are UC Irvine's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

GPA requirements
Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into UC Irvine and build a strong application.

School location: Irvine, CA

This school is also known as: University of California, Irvine, UC Irvine, UCI

Admissions Rate: 25.8%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at UC Irvine is 25.8% . For every 100 applicants, 26 are admitted.

This means the school is very selective . If you meet UC Irvine's requirements for GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and other components of the application, you have a great shot at getting in. But if you fall short on GPA or your SAT/ACT scores, you'll have a very low chance of being admitted, even if you meet the other admissions requirements.

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UC Irvine GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 4

The average GPA at UC Irvine is 4 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 4, UC Irvine requires you to be at the top of your class . You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes - AP or IB courses - to show that college-level academics is a breeze.

If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate . This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

UC Irvine hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."

Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to UC Irvine will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.

UC Irvine SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1310

The average SAT score composite at UC Irvine is a 1310 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes UC Irvine Moderately Competitive for SAT test scores.

UC Irvine SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1180, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1440. In other words, a 1180 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1440 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

UC Irvine has the Score Choice policy of "All Scores."

This means that UC Irvine requires you to send all SAT scores you've ever taken to their office.

This sounds daunting, but most schools don't actually consider all your scores equally. For example, if you scored an 1300 on one test and a 1500 on another, they won't actually average the two tests.

More commonly, the school will take your highest score on a single test date. Even better, some schools form a Superscore - that is, they take your highest section score across all your test dates and combine them.

Some students are still worried about submitting too many test scores. They're afraid that UC Irvine will look down on too many attempts to raise your score. But how many is too many?

From our research and talking to admissions officers, we've learned that 4-6 tests is a safe number to submit . The college understands that you want to have the best chance of admission, and retaking the test is a good way to do this. Within a reasonable number of tests, they honestly don't care how many times you've taken it. They'll just focus on your score.

If you take it more than 6 times, colleges start wondering why you're not improving with each test. They'll question your study skills and ability to improve.

But below 6 tests, we strongly encourage retaking the test to maximize your chances. If your SAT score is currently below a 1440, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it . You don't have much to lose, and you can potentially raise your score and significantly boost your chances of getting in.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

UC Irvine ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, UC Irvine likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 29

The average ACT score at UC Irvine is 29. This score makes UC Irvine Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 25, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 33.

Even though UC Irvine likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 25 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 29 and above that a 25 will look academically weak.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 33 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to UC Irvine, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 33.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

UC Irvine considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require or recommend it.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is very selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission . If you're able to score a 1440 SAT or a 33 ACT or above, you'll have a very strong chance at getting in.

For a school as selective as UC Irvine, rounding out the rest of your application will also help. We'll cover those details next.

But if you apply with a score below a 1440 SAT or a 33 ACT, you unfortunately have a low chance of getting in. There are just too many other applicants with high SAT/ACT scores and strong applications, and you need to compete against them.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
50-80%: More likely than not getting in
20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program . We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
We've gotten tremendous results with thousands of students across the country. Read about our score results and reviews from our happy customers .

There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program , or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:

Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of UC Irvine here.

Application Requirements Overview

Common Application Not accepted
Electronic Application Available
Essay or Personal Statement Required for all freshmen
Letters of Recommendation
Interview Not required
Application Fee $80
Fee Waiver Available? Available
Other Notes

Testing Requirements

SAT or ACT Not used if submitted
Scores Due in Office December

Coursework Requirements

Subject Required Years
Foreign Language 2
Social Studies 2
Electives 1

Deadlines and Early Admissions

Offered? Deadline Notification
Yes November 30 March 31

Admissions Office Information

Address: 260 Irvine, CA 92697
Phone: (949) 824-5011
Fax: (949) 824-2951

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in UC Irvine, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to UC Irvine.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than UC Irvine. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for UC Irvine, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for UC Irvine, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If UC Irvine is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

1920 SAT Score Standings

Here's how you compare to other students and how many colleges you are competitive for:

Out of the 1.67 million test-takers, 181974 scored the same or higher than you.

You can apply to 1213 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted.

If you apply to these schools, with this score, you have a very low chance of getting in.

Top Choice Colleges Chances

We've collected data from millions of students and thousands of colleges to figure out your chances at getting admitted with a 1920 SAT score. You'll also see how your chances improve with a higher SAT score.

To add a school to your list, type in part of the school name, choose from the dropdown, and click the button.

be competitive for 67 more schools in the country
raise your chances of getting into target schools from 64.15% to 67.69%

Check Out a Different Score

Curious about what your profile is with a different score? Choose any score from the entire SAT score range to see what you'd be able to do!

If You Liked Our Advice...

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First-year requirements

Subject requirement (A-G)
GPA requirement
Admission by exception
English language proficiency
UC graduation requirements

Additional information for

California residents
Out-of-state students
Home-schooled students

Transfer requirements

Understanding UC transfer
Preparing to transfer
UC transfer programs
Transfer planning tools

International applicants

Applying for admission
English language proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS)
Passports & visas
Living accommodations
Health care & insurance

AP & Exam credits

Applying as a first year

Filling out the application
Dates & deadlines

Personal insight questions

How applications are reviewed
After you apply

Applying as a transfer

Types of aid

Grants & scholarships
Jobs & work-study
California DREAM Loan Program
Middle Class Scholarship Program
Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan
Native American Opportunity Plan
Who can get financial aid
How aid works
Estimate your aid

Apply for financial aid

Tuition & cost of attendance
Glossary & resources
Santa Barbara
Campus program & support services
Check majors
Freshman admit data
Transfer admit data
Native American Opportunity Plan
Apply for aid
You will have 8 questions to choose from. You must respond to only 4 of the 8 questions.
Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.
Which questions you choose to answer is entirely up to you. However, you should select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.

Keep in mind

All questions are equal. All are given equal consideration in the application review process, which means there is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain questions over others.
There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions. It’s about getting to know your personality, background, interests and achievements in your own unique voice.
Use the additional comments field if there are issues you'd like to address that you didn't have the opportunity to discuss elsewhere on the application. This shouldn't be an essay, but rather a place to note unusual circumstances or anything that might be unclear in other parts of the application.

Questions & guidance

Remember, the personal insight questions are just that—personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help. The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC.

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. Things to consider: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities?

Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family? 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. Things to consider: What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career? 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider: If there is a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it.You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about it, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider: An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you; just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today? 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? Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends or with my family? 6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. Things to consider: Many students have a passion for one specific academic subject area, something that they just can't get enough of. If that applies to you, what have you done to further that interest? Discuss how your interest in the subject developed and describe any experience you have had inside and outside the classroom such as volunteer work, internships, employment, summer programs, participation in student organizations and/or clubs and what you have gained from your involvement.

Has your interest in the subject influenced you in choosing a major and/or future career? Have you been able to pursue coursework at a higher level in this subject (honors, AP, IB, college or university work)? Are you inspired to pursue this subject further at UC, and how might you do that?

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? 8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider: If there's anything you want us to know about you but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.

Writing tips

Start early..

Give yourself plenty of time for preparation, careful composition and revisions.

Write persuasively.

Making a list of accomplishments, activities, awards or work will lessen the impact of your words. Expand on a topic by using specific, concrete examples to support the points you want to make.

Use “I” statements.

Talk about yourself so that we can get to know your personality, talents, accomplishments and potential for success on a UC campus. Use “I” and “my” statements in your responses.

Proofread and edit.

Although you will not be evaluated on grammar, spelling or sentence structure, you should proofread your work and make sure your writing is clear. Grammatical and spelling errors can be distracting to the reader and get in the way of what you’re trying to communicate.

Solicit feedback.

Your answers should reflect your own ideas and be written by you alone, but others — family, teachers and friends can offer valuable suggestions. Ask advice of whomever you like, but do not plagiarize from sources in print or online and do not use anyone's words, published or unpublished, but your own.

Copy and paste.

Once you are satisfied with your answers, save them in plain text (ASCII) and paste them into the space provided in the application. Proofread once more to make sure no odd characters or line breaks have appeared.

This is one of many pieces of information we consider in reviewing your application. Your responses can only add value to the application. An admission decision will not be based on this section alone.

Need more help?

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