How I Got Into UCLA: My Personal Experience

Introduction to the Journey

• Caitlyn introduces herself and outlines the video’s focus on her personal experience applying to UCLA, including stats, extracurriculars, application tips, and insights about the supplemental application process.

Academic Stats Overview

• Caitlyn shares her academic statistics: an unweighted GPA of 3.91 and a weighted GPA of 4.47 from a public high school in California.

• She mentions taking only four AP classes throughout high school, emphasizing that quality over quantity is crucial in applications.

• Although she reported her SAT score of 1260 (610 in English Literature and 650 in Mathematics), she notes that UC schools are test-blind, making this less impactful.

Extracurricular Activities and Awards

• Caitlyn lists 16 total activities on her application; she advises applicants to showcase diverse interests to present themselves as well-rounded individuals.

• She highlights the importance of leadership roles and community involvement alongside academic achievements for standing out among many applicants.

Specific Achievements

• Caitlyn details her awards: tutoring award, English Department award, scholar athlete recognition all four years, and vice president role in National Honor Society during senior year.

• Her extracurricular activities include varsity lacrosse (captain senior year), varsity field hockey (two years), founding a club called "Girl Gains," club volleyball participation, and various community service roles.

Community Service Involvement

• She discusses her extensive involvement in community service through Key Club (vice president junior/senior year), California Scholarship Federation representative, Red Cross Club secretary, and Interact Club member.

Work Experience

• Caitlyn mentions having one job at Nectar Juice Bar as a line worker where she helped with orders and food preparation.

Application Tips

• Emphasizing the significance of extracurricular activities on the UC application process, she encourages detailed descriptions under each listed item without needing complete sentences.

• She suggests noting specific metrics like hours volunteered or number of participants involved to enhance clarity.

Personal Insight Questions (PIQs)

Application Insights: Crafting Your UC PIQs

Choosing Your Prompts

• The UC application provides eight prompts, from which applicants select four to respond to. The speaker chose prompts related to creativity, special talents or skills, significant challenges faced, and community contributions.

• While some advise maintaining a common theme across responses, the speaker opted for distinct topics that reflect different aspects of their identity.

Starting Early and Seeking Feedback

• It’s recommended to begin brainstorming ideas early in the summer rather than waiting until the last minute. This allows ample time for reflection on personal experiences.

• Having peers or mentors review your responses can enhance quality. Suggestions include seeking help from teachers, counselors, or friends if other resources are unavailable.

Demonstrating Growth Through Experiences

• A crucial aspect of writing PIQs is illustrating personal growth or change over time through shared experiences rather than merely recounting events.

• For example, discussing how overcoming challenges (like parental divorce) led to personal development and a desire to help others can create a compelling narrative.

Understanding Supplemental Applications

• UCLA may request additional information after submitting applications. This typically indicates that an applicant is being considered but needs further elaboration on their PIQs.

• The optional supplemental essays allow candidates to provide more context about their experiences and demonstrate how they would contribute positively at UCLA.

Final Thoughts on Application Strategy

• Completing supplemental essays is highly encouraged as it can significantly impact admission chances; many who submitted these ended up attending UCLA.