Increasing Chances of Admission to UCSC

Hi everyone, I'm really hoping to get into UC Santa Cruz. Does anyone have suggestions on what I should do to increase my chances or any tips that helped you get in? Thanks!

Hello! I'm happy to give you some advice on how to increase your chances of admission to UC Santa Cruz. Keep in mind that UCSC, like other UC schools, is test-blind for the 2024-2025 application cycle, so they won't consider SAT or ACT scores, so if you were hoping your standardized test score would help your case, that unfortunately isn't an option.

On the bright side, there are plenty of other areas you can strengthen, such as the following:

1. Grades and Course Rigor: Focus on maintaining a strong GPA and taking a challenging course load, which includes AP or IB classes (if offered at your school), to show UCSC that you're academically prepared for college-level coursework.

2. Extracurricular Activities: Participate in a variety of extracurricular activities such as clubs, sports, community service, or internships. Focus on depth rather than breadth - it's better to be highly involved and demonstrate leadership in a few activities than to join numerous clubs without making an impact.

3. Essays: The UC application includes Personal Insight Questions (PIQs), where you'll need to respond to four out of eight prompts, with a 350-word limit each. Spend time crafting well-written and meaningful PIQ responses that showcase your personal experiences, strengths, and interests. Make sure you show your unique story and demonstrate how you could contribute to UCSC's community.

For comprehensive guidance on how to approach each of the PIQ options, check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-california-essays

4. Major Selection: UCSC offers numerous majors and programs. Consider choosing a major that aligns with your strengths and interests, as a cohesive, unified application usually stands out more than one than one with different pieces that don't clearly fit together. Remember, you can always change your major once you're at UCSC if you discover something you would prefer to study.

5. Academic Achievements: Seek out awards, competitions, or other academic achievements relevant to your interests and abilities, that demonstrate exceptional talent in your chosen field and could set you apart from other applicants.

6. Community Service and Volunteering: Engaging in community service and volunteering can show your commitment to helping others and making a difference in your community, which in turn demonstrates your character and values to UCSC.

7. Letters of Recommendation (if requested): UCSC typically does not consider letters of recommendation for most applicants. However, if you're asked to provide them as part of a supplementary review, ask teachers, counselors, or supervisors who know you well and can speak to your strengths and growth over time, both academically and personally.

By focusing on these areas, you can work to strengthen your application and improve your chances of being admitted to UC Santa Cruz. Best of luck!