College Admissions' Parallel Universe: The University of California System

Applying to the UC Schools is just different enough that you need to watch out.

UCLA. One of the campuses that makes up the Parallel Universe of College Admissions. Photo by tommao wang on Unsplash

Giving general advice about applying to colleges can be strange. Every college determines its own process, including what application portals students may use, what application elements are required, and what deadlines students must apply by. Still, there is good advice every student needs to hear approaching their senior year and completing applications.

Get as high a score as you can on the SAT® or ACT®, to be more competitive even for test-optional schools. Ask teachers who know you well and will write positively about you for letters of recommendation. Create a Common Application account, which can be used for over 1,000 member schools. Write a strong personal statement on one of the Common Application’s essay prompts that tells your story. Craft a solid activity list that details your extracurricular activities.

That will get most students well on the road both to ha…