The UC system is one of the largest in the nation, and that comes with many opportunities for students, but also many pitfalls. Today, we will discuss how to maximize the benefits of a huge university and avoid the common traps first-year students often fall into. Align with Your Needs & Goals Going to a massive university can be overwhelming, so getting clear on your goals and what you need to accomplish is essential. First, work out any classes or credit-bearing programs yo

Top universities want their students to be leaders, but what does that really mean? Unfortunately, many high school students fall into the trap of thinking that leadership is just a title. If you become president of some club, or founder of some random project, you're in! This is actually not the case, and admissions officers are trained in sniffing out these hollow leadership roles and eliminating students who try to fluff up their resume with them. Today we will be discussi

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

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