Seeking advice on UC Irvine acceptance

Hi all, I'm keen on applying to UC Irvine but am a bit confused about their acceptance process. Can anyone who's gone through it provide some tips or share their experience?

Response: Sure, I'd be happy to provide some insight into UC Irvine's application process! Keep in mind, the University of California system has a unified application, which means you submit one application to all of the UC campuses you're interested in, including UC Irvine.

Before you begin your UC application, I recommend thinking about your Personal Insight Questions. These are a crucial part of the application, and you need to select and respond to 4 out of the 8 prompts. They're essentially mini-essays at 350 words each, and this is where you get to showcase your personality, experiences, and growth.

Furthermore, UC Irvine, like all UC campuses, uses holistic review, meaning they take multiple factors into account, not just grades and test scores. They'll look at your extracurricular involvement, your leadership roles, and how you've challenged yourself academically during high school.

Because UC Irvine is test-blind for the 2024-2025 application cycle, they won't consider SAT or ACT scores in their review of your application. Instead, they'll focus on factors like GPA, course rigor, and the aforementioned other aspects.

Don't forget to include all of your academic and extracurricular achievements in the Activities & Awards section. Be strategic in how you list them and put the activities that are more significant or pertinent to you up top.

Lastly, always double-check your application before submitting. You want to avoid any mistakes or omissions that could potentially harm your chances. Remember, the application filing period for the UC system, including UC Irvine, is October 1st to November 30th. Best of luck with your application to UC Irvine!