I'm stressing out a tad bit, guys! I'm a junior, and I've been eying UCLA as one of my dream schools since forever. Do you guys have any specifics on what they require for their application? Essays, recommendations, etc? I wanna make sure I'm not missing anything.
Not to worry, you definitely have the right idea by planning ahead!
UCLA uses the University of California (UC) application, which requires you to fill out basic information about yourself, your school, and your family, similar to what you would find on the Common Application.
Regarding your academics, you will need to manually input all of your high school coursework and grades. The UC application does not use the Common App's system of inviting your counselor to submit your transcript.
For test scores, as of the 2024-2025 application cycle, UCLA is test-blind. This means UCLA will not consider SAT or ACT scores in admissions decisions.
As for essays, the UC application requires four personal insight questions out of eight possible choices. Each answer has a 350-word limit. These serve a similar role to the main essay or personal statement on the Common Application–giving more insight into who you are as a person, rather than solely as a student. Just make sure that each essay represents a different aspect of your experiences, personality or aspirations. Remember to check CollegeVine’s essay guides for some advice on how to approach these prompts.
For letters of recommendation, UCLA, like other UC schools, does not demand them in their application. However, in some cases, they might request letters of recommendation for a certain group of applicants only. So, you'll need to check your application portal often to see if UCLA has requested any additional information.
Finally, the application fee for the UC application is $80 per UC campus, but fee waivers are available for students who qualify.
Just remember that while requirements are important, they're a starting point—meeting them makes you eligible to apply, but doesn't guarantee admission. Make sure to effectively communicate your qualifications and enthusiasm for the school in your application, especially in your essays.
Best of luck to you!
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