Side effects may include imposter syndrome, burnout, and pressure to perform. If you're interested in applying to or have already been accepted to UCLA or UC Berkeley, congratulations! This is an incredible accomplishment, and you should definitely be proud of yourself. However, there are a few things you should prepare for during the transition to your new school that don't get mentioned in the admitted students packet. Imposter Syndrome According to Stanford's Center for T

Most students go into college with a "Plan A" major, but the UCs give you the chance to have a "Plan B" major with an alternate major, and even a "Plan C" with the undeclared option. Today, we'll be discussing how to maximize your chances of admission with an alternate major and breaking down which schools allow undeclared majors for first years. What is an alternate major and which UCs consider them? An alternate major is a secondary major listed on your application that mos

Image Courtesy of NPR Are you a community college student looking for a university home, or are you a university student looking for a more challenging curriculum? Transferring to the UC system might be the right choice for you. Why Transfer? Some common reasons students transfer after one or two years at a community college or other small institution are to earn a university degree. Others want access to more specialized majors or programs, while some prefer a larger school

When you imagine a well-rounded student, you're probably picturing a Disney-channel style "popular kid" who's student body president, has A's in every subject, and is in every activity from archery to the school paper. The good news is that you don't have to be well-rounded to get into a good school, including the UC system. The bad news is that you have to do something else to be the kind of student top universities are looking for. Image Courtesy of BBC Glasgow What makes a

Image Courtesy of Highland Park High School The UC activities list is particularly generous, with a 350 character description for each activity, and 6 categories with up to 20 total activities. Today, we'll learn how to maximize this space on your application to give you the best shot at your dream UC. Categories The UC extracurricular and activities list includes several drop-down options to specify what kind of activity you did. These include: coursework other than A-G , ed

The UCs are rather transparent about the type of students they look for, laid out in the system website. However, some of these criteria are somewhat vague or seem subjective. Today, we'll find out what they criteria really mean and how you can meet them in your application. Here's the full list of the criteria: Academic grade point average in all completed A-G courses, including additional points for completed UC-certified honors courses. Number of, content of and performanc

Image courtesy of Unsplash The best UC for engineering really does depend on your engineering specialty and this is actually great news! It means there's a UC out there that's a perfect fit for whatever you want to study. Whether you already know exactly which branch of engineering you want to pursue, or you're still figuring it out, the UC system has something for everyone. Here's a breakdown of where specific campuses shines so you can find your best match. UC Berkeley: The

Trying to decide between the University of California and California State University systems? While both offer strong academics and valuable resources, their admissions requirements, costs, campus environments, and long-term opportunities differ in important ways. This guide breaks down GPA thresholds, A-G requirements, competitiveness, and key factors to help you choose the right fit.