UC Transfer Application Process
Information in this section is organized based on the application time line outlined below.
September
October
- UC Online Application Becomes Available
- Complete Your Transfer Brag Sheet
- Personal Statement Writing Guidelines
November
December
- Making Changes to Your Application (through application processing service)
January
February
- Report Changes to the UCs (at each UC campus)
March
- Not a Good Time to Call the UCs (freshman admission decisions released)
April
- UC Decisions Become Available
- Provisional Admission Contract/Conditions of Admission
- Deferring Your Acceptance
May
June
- Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
- Report Changes to Your UC Campus (Spring schedule changes or D/F grades)
July
August & September
September
Transfer Admission Guarantee Filing Period Begins
See the Transfer Admission Guarantee program information for restrictions, filing deadlines, major limitations, applicability to international applicants, and the form you need to complete and submit to qualify for the program.
October
UC Online Application Becomes Available
The online application usually becomes available during the first week of October. I recommend you start on the application as soon as possible so you can fill in the general information and look at what other data that you will need to gather to complete the application. Make sure you use a "respectable" email address. Email addresses like "foxylady47" or "deathmetaldude" do raise some questions. Whatever email account you use, check it on the regular basis. Most UCs have moved a majority of the application and enrollment communication online, so questions about your application and invitations to apply for housing or orientation will likely come through email. UCs also send snail mail if there is no response by email, but that will usually add another couple of weeks of delay.
Complete Your Transfer Brag Sheet
I developed this brag sheet to help you think about how to write your UC personal statement. You can also use it to help you fill out the Activities section of the application.
Brag sheet is mandatory if you want me to work with you on your personal statement. Please visit Services for the service packages I offer.
Please make sure to verify that you are meeting UC admission requirements (general education/IGETC and major prerequisites). You can list extracurricular activities you did in high school on your transfer application, so you will need to jog your memory on that.
To prepare a Ms. Sun's Special Home Made Brag Sheet for Transfer Applicants, you need to answer the following:
- How did you come to choose your field of study (major)?
- Was it something you always wanted to do?
- Did someone or some event in your life inspired you to study this field?
- Was it something you always wanted to do?
- What have you done in high school and/or community college to pursue your interest in your field of study?
- Did you take lots of classes in that field?
- Did you participate in clubs or extracurricular activities in that field?
- Did you get a job in that field?
- Did you receive any recognition or win any awards in that field?
- Did you take lots of classes in that field?
- List other extracurricular activities you have not already mentioned above; include things like:
- sports
- church or temple activities
- school clubs or student government
- music/dance/art lessons
- volunteering or community service
- competitions of any kind
- awards/honors or recognition by any organization
- jobs (even if you work "under the table")
- hefty chores (caring for your parents, your family, your kids, etc.)
- sports
- List
and explain the two proudest things you achieved in high school and/or
community college and two most disappointing things that happened in
high school and/or community college
- Any medical/family/personal situations or problems you intend to discuss in your personal statement
I strongly encourage you to disclose situations such as learning disabilities, deaths in the family (during community college), divorce, working illegally (under the table) and/or abuse in your personal statement and how they impacted your academic performance and/or extracurricular participation
- A list of all the colleges you are interested in applying
- What do you expect to do with your major when you graduate college?
- What legacy do you want to leave behind? What is the one thing you want people to remember about you?
Personal Statement Writing Guidelines
The UC personal statement prompts change every few years; if they were to change, it will usually happen by late summer, before September. Make sure you check the current personal statement prompts before starting your personal statement.
I strongly encourage you to follow some kind of writing process. While a personal statement is not your regular English paper, it should, at the very least, have a central idea, evidence to support the idea, and transition from paragraph to paragraph.
Prompt 1 for Transfer Applicants
UCs expect you to have good grades and demonstrate interest in your field of study. There are three places on the application for you to tell the UCs how you have pursued your field of study with a passion: Academic History (coursework in your field of study), Activities & Awards (extracurricular activities in your field of study), and the Personal Statement. Your job is to use the Personal Statement to paint a picture for the application evaluators on how you have progressively pursued your interest through your coursework and extracurricular activities and that you are well prepared for advanced studies in your field at the UC level.
Make sure you respond to the prompt fully and address 1) your intended major (if you are choosing very different majors at different UC campuses, indicate the majors and be sure to address the reason behind your choices, as well as the relationship you see between those majors), 2) how you became interested in the field, 3) any experience you had in that field (academic coursework, research, student clubs, internships, work experience, etc.), and 4) what you have learned from those experiences.
While it is extremely important for you to demonstrate some sort of involvement in your field of study, what happens if you have few or no extracurriculars to show? Well, what the UCs really want to know from Prompt 1 is that you have a full understanding of the field you are getting into and that there aren't any surprises when you start your upper division study. So even if you have few or no "real world" experience in your field of study, you need to make a compelling case to the application evaluators as to why you want to study your field, what you want to do with a degree in that field, and why you know the field is the right for you.
Prompt 2 is a way for you to showcase something about yourself that makes you stand out from your peers. You can do that by discussing a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience (pq/t/a/c/e for short). Make sure you cover 1) why this pq/t/a/c/e is important to you, 2) why you are proud of this pq/t/a/c/e, and 3) what the pq/t/a/c/e says about you as an individual. You may also consider discussing how this pq/t/a/c/e will help you succeed in college. Again, the main focus of your essay should be on YOU; what makes you different from other applicants, who you are as a person (beyond your grades and test scores), and what interests you have. You can also think of Prompt 2 as a commercial spot for yourself. What would be the theme of the commercial? What clips from your life would be featured in the commercial?
How Do I Know If My Personal Statement Is Good?
Swap personal statement with friends or put away your personal statement draft for couple days so you can read it with fresh eyes. Then evaluate the personal statement using this rule from Collegewise founder, Kevin McMullin: pretend you are reading the personal statement to pick your college roommate.
After reading the personal statement, ask yourself if you have a good idea of what the person is like and whether you would want to be friends with that person. Revise the personal statement if anything sounds cliché, obnoxious, or intellectually-challenged. Your personal statement should leave a positive impression even if you are discussing hardships (the focus should be on how you overcame the hardships). Avoid famous quotes (one of the worst kind of clichés), racially charged comments (even self-deprecating ones, because that's just not cool), and grandiose life lessons you didn't actually learn (yes, people can tell when you are being insincere).
There is a plethora of books on writing college essays (over 10,000 if you search "college essay" on Amazon). These are good sources to flip through if you want to see essay samples and get a general idea on the different ways you can organize your personal statement. You can also find them at your local library or bookstores.
All-purpose guideline on how to write good college essays from the New York Times - Tip Sheet: An Admissions Dean Offers Advice on Writing a College Essay
In the article Holding College Chiefs to Their Words (May 6, 2009), the Wall Street Journal "turned the tables on the presidents of 10 top colleges and universities with an unusual assignment: answer an essay question from their own school's application."
Below are direct links to the essays:
- Barnard College's Debora Spar on daily routines
- Carleton College's Robert A. Oden Jr. on getting lost -- and found -- in Cairo
- Grinnell College's Russell K. Osgood on a historical figure that has influenced him
- Oberlin College's Marvin Krislov on a historical figure that has influenced him
- Pomona College's David Oxtoby on an experience that was 'just plain fun'
- Reed College's Colin Diver on an experience in diversity
- The University of Chicago's Robert J. Zimmer on "Living the Question"
- University of Pennsylvania's Amy Gutmann on her autobiography
- Vassar College's Catharine Hill on an influential person in her life
- Wesleyan University's Michael S. Roth on an influential person in his life
As you read the article and the essays, consider the choices the writers made. Are the essays more interesting when writers choose more personal topics? Do you get a good sense of who the writers are as individuals after reading their essays? Learn from their example and apply these thought processes to your own application essay writing.
November
UC Online Application Filing Period
You can begin submitting your completed online application starting November 1. The deadline is at the end of the day (before midnight) on November 30. There is no advantage to submitting your application at the beginning of the application cycle as all applications are thoroughly reviewed before the admission decisions are made. While there is no disadvantage to submitting your application on the last day, the server does time out regularly due to high volume of users trying to access the online application; the last 3 days of November are especially bad. So I suggest trying to complete and submit your application before Thanksgiving weekend.
You complete one online application for all UC campuses; simply check off the campuses you wish to apply in the application. Each UC campus makes its own admission decisions and the campuses do not "compare notes" so you don't have to worry about one campus not accepting you because you applied to others. The application fee is $60 per campus.
It is extremely important for you to accurately complete the Academic History section. The UC system is very serious about this and gives the following advice:
It is important that applicants complete the Academic History thoroughly and accurately. Students should use grade reports, transcripts and the high school's UC-certified course list; they should not work from memory. Any information that changes after the application is submitted should be reported immediately to the admissions office at each campus to which the student has applied.
Applicants should be reminded that the information on the record will be verified following receipt of the official high school transcript and required test scores. If the University finds any information to be incomplete or inaccurate, the student’s admission to or enrollment in the University may be jeopardized (source: Helping Students Apply).
The Activities section has 5 categories: Awards/Honors, Extracurricular Activities, Community Service, Educational Preparation Programs, and Work Experience. You are limited to 5 entries per category and you can include activities you did in high school. Make sure you put your top 5 activities in each category and you may list other IMPORTANT activities in the Additional Comments section. Any activities you discuss in your personal statement should be listed on the application. Inconsistency between activities listed in the application and personal statement will raise questions.
The online application does occasionally prevent you from submitting if your personal statement is too long (way over the 1,000 word limit). Remember, contractions are your friend; while your personal statement should be well written and presentable, you do not need to use a formal writing style.
UC Application Fee Waiver
You apply for the UC application fee waiver at the end of the application before you pay and the system uses the information you enter to determine if you qualify for a fee waiver on the spot. The fee waiver allows you to apply to 4 UC campuses for free. Additional campuses are $60 each.
Fee waiver determination is based on income information from the prior year. If you did not qualify for a fee waiver but your family's income has changed due to job loss or other extenuating circumstances, choose the "Bill Later" option when you pay the fees and write a letter to appeal the fee waiver decision.
Using Additional Comments Section
Additional Comments section is not an opportunity for you to write another essay. You should ONLY use this section if you have something you need to tell the admissions office that you didn't mention anywhere else on the application. Typically this include things like other names you have used (that may be on official records you need to submit), citizenship/visa issues, or reasons for applying to EOP. I recommend using the Additional Comments section to describe the following if they are not already mentioned somewhere on the application or your personal statement:
When you have a bad semester or bad year in terms of grades or extracurricular activities, you need to clarify what happened and explain what actions you took to correct the situation.
Discuss what you did during your gap year if you took one. UCs want to know 1) why you took a gap year and 2) what you did during the gap year.
If you couldn't take courses during the summer term at your community college due to budget cuts and that prevented you from achieving academically (for example, your fall schedule was scrambled because you were not able to take a prerequisite course during summer), you need to explain that and include actions you have taken to correct the situation (for example, you tried to enroll at other community colleges).
December
Making Changes to Your Application (through application processing service)
You submitted your application right before the deadline and as you review your receipt, you realized there were some mistakes. Panic sets in and you are not sure what to do. Well, don't freak out. Depending what the mistake is, you may or may not need to make changes to your application.
Things you should NOT to worry about:
- Misspelled words (the UCs will not reject you just because you misspelled a few words)
- Minor calculation errors on your community service hours (you are fine if you are off by a few hours here and there)
- Listing your extracurriculars in the wrong category (not a big deal at all)
- Listing the wrong dates for honors/awards (as long as you actually received the honor/award, incorrect date is not a big deal)
You can make some changes to your personal/background information through the Application Status website about four to five weeks after you submit your application (source: UC Application FAQ). If you made a bigger mistake (left an entire section blank or made mistakes in the Academic History section) on your submitted application, you will need to submit changes to each UC campus to which you have applied.
I don't recommend changing your major after you submit your application; especially since you will not have the opportunity to revise your personal statement. Changing the major will not increase your chance of acceptance and will more likely cause your application to slip through the cracks. You will likely have the opportunity to change majors after you arrive at the UC campus; most noncompetitive majors will still be available to transfer students. You could request to change your major on the application if you have an incredibly good reason to; each UC campus handles the request a little differently, so you will need to contact the campus to find out what you should do.
January
The UCs require transfer applicants to update their final Fall grades and in-progress coursework for Winter and/or Spring terms through the Update Transfer Application website in January. The website generally becomes available during the first week of January and the priority deadline is January 31. Contact the individual campuses if you need to update your application after the deadline.
February
Report Changes to the UCs (at each UC campus)
If you made any changes to your course schedule, you need to contact the individual campuses to submit the changes for consideration. Below are the change instruction and website for each campus:
Berkeley - Transfer applicants should submit changes via fax to (510) 642-7333; be sure to include you full name and UC Application ID
Davis - Transfer applicants should submit changes through MyAdmissions
Irvine - Transfer applicants should follow these instructions to submit changes
UCLA - Transfer applicants should follow these instructions to submit changes
Merced - Transfer applicants should submit changes through MyUCMerced
Riverside - Transfer applicants should submit changes through MyUCR
San Diego - Transfer applicants should submit changes through MyApplication
Santa Barbara - Transfer applicants should submit course/schedule changes through email, be sure to include your full name and application ID number, to admissions@sa.ucsb.edu; personal information changes should be submitted through the application status site
Santa Cruz - Transfer applicants should email myapplication@ucsc.edu or call (831) 459-2131 for questions regarding their application or admission status
If you just have no idea what you are supposed to do, politely ask one of the overworked admissions staff to help you figure out your next step:
NOTE: Some campuses use elaborate automated phone systems that are difficult to navigate; if you encounter one of those, just stay on the line without making any selection or press zero repeatedly to force the system to transfer you to a live person.
Berkeley - (510) 642-3175, Monday-Friday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Davis - (530) 752-2971, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Irvine - (949) 824-6703, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
UCLA - (310) 825-3101, Monday-Friday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Merced - (209) 228-4682 or (866) 270-7301 (toll free in California)
Riverside - (951) 827-4531, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
San Diego - (858) 534-4831, Monday-Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Santa Barbara - (805) 893-2882, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Santa Cruz - (831) 459-2131
April
Each UC campus releases the decision on its own online system and on different dates throughout April:
Berkeley - all decisions become available at myBerkeleyApplication during the last week of April
Davis - all decisions become available at MyAdmissions around mid-April
Irvine - decisions come out in batches at MyAdmissions Application starting March 1; all decisions are out by the last day of April
UCLA - all decisions become available at Admission Decisions around mid-April
Merced - decisions come out in batches at MyUCMerced starting March 15; all decisions are out by the last day of April
Riverside - decisions come out in batches at MyUCR starting March 1; all decisions are out by the last day of April
San Diego - all decisions become available at MyApplication during the last week of March
Santa Barbara - decisions come out in batches at application status around mid-March; all decisions are out by the last day of April
Santa Cruz - decisions come out in batches at MyUCSC starting March 15; all decisions are out by the last day of April
Provisional Admission Contract/Conditions of Admission
Remember that the UC admission offer is provisional and you must meet ALL of the requirements specified in your Provisional Admission Contract or Conditions of Admission to remain eligible for admission. Any violation of the contract or conditions will result in your admission been withdrawn:
Berkeley - log into myBerkeleyApplication to view your Conditions of Admission
Davis - log into MyAdmissions to view your Conditions of Admission
Irvine - generic UC Irvine Transfer Student Contract for Provisional Admission
UCLA - log into Admission Decisions to view your Provisional Admission Contract
Merced - generic Conditions of Admission
Riverside - check MyUCR
San Diego - check MyApplication
Santa Barbara - generic Conditions of Admission
Santa Cruz - generic Conditions of Admission
Deferring Your Acceptance
Some UCs will consider deferment on a case-by-case basis. See the policy for deferred enrollment at each campus for more information.
May
Campus Visits
You should try to visit all the college campuses that have accepted you. Go while classes are in session so you can see what a normal day looks like on campus. Take a tour and see if you feel at home when you walk around. Go with your gut feeling; you'll know if the school is right for you. If a personal visit is not feasible, consider viewing college videos or virtual tours to get a feel for the campus environment.
Berkeley - Visitor Services or Online Tour
Davis - Visitor Services or Virtual Tour
Irvine - Campus Tours or Virtual UCI
UCLA - Walking Tour or Online Tour
Merced - Tour UC Merced or Virtual Tour
Riverside - Campus Tours or Virtual Tours
San Diego - Campus Tours or Virtual Tours
Santa Barbara - Visitor Center or Virtual Tour
Santa Cruz - Campus Tours or Virtual Tour
UC Appeal Process
Not all UC campuses will have an answer for your appeal before the June 1 SIR deadline, so be sure to file an SIR with a backup school in case the appeal doesn't pan out. There is no penalty for you to withdraw the SIR if you are accepted on appeal somewhere else; the only thing you lose is the $100 deposit.
Each UC campus has its own set of instructions on how to submit an appeal. Follow the instructions from the UC campus you are interested in appealing to ensure proper and expedited processing of your appeal submission:
Berkeley - The Transfer Selection Process
Scroll down to Can I appeal my admission decision?
For additional appeals help, visit Pilipino Academic Student Services: Appeals
Davis - Transfers: Non-Admitted Students
Scroll down to May I appeal to be reconsidered?
Irvine - Appeals to UCI
Scroll down to Appeals to Selection Decisions, and Appeals to Cancellation Decisions
UCLA - Appeals to Admission Decisions - Transfer Applicants
Merced - there are no instructions available online; call the admissions office at (209) 228-4682 or toll free in California (866) 270-7301 for information
Riverside - there are no instructions available online; call the admissions office at (951) 827-3411 for information
San Diego - all students are required to speak to the admissions office before submitting an appeal: (858) 534-4831
Santa Barbara - Appeal Process
Santa Cruz - Information for Upper-Division Transfer Applicants Not Offered Admission
Remember, telling the admissions office that they made a huge mistake is not going to help your case. For your appeal to be considered, you must prove that you are a much stronger candidate than what was presented in your application. Specifically, you must present new and compelling information that was not previously available to the admissions office.
Your need to stay in a particular geographical area, in itself, does not constitute grounds for an appeal. Any hardship in relocating must be accompanied by other new and compelling information for your appeal to be considered. Similarly, changing your major, in itself, is not sufficient grounds for an appeal; additional new and compelling information must be present for your appeal to be considered.
Examples of new and compelling information may include extraordinary hardship or exceptional talent. You can discuss these things on your appeal as reasons for the UCs to reconsider you. Make sure you describe exactly how the exceptional talent qualifies you for UC admissions or how the hardship prevented you from achieving academically. The focus of your appeal should be on why you are an excellent candidate for the UCs and why the UCs should be interested in you, not why your hardship is horrible or how much you love a particular UC campus and must go there. State your case concisely (one page appeal is ideal but two pages are acceptable) and don't exaggerate or try to be dramatic. Keep in mind that the acceptance rate on appeal hovers around 3% for most UC campuses. Please visit Services to see the Appeal and Free services that I offer.
June
Statement of Intent to Register (SIR)
You must decide by June 1 which UC campus you wish to attend. Most UCs are flexible if you are a little late. If the online system won't let you file an SIR late, call the admissions office to find out what to do. Submitting multiple SIRs is frowned upon and actively discouraged, but there is no real penalty except for the $100 deposit you lose.
Report Changes to Your UC Campus (Spring schedule changes or D/F grades)
The UCs like to be kept abreast of what is going on with your academic performance. You should always report any change to your schedule or if you are performing poorly in school. Reporting early allows the UCs time to evaluate the new information and to work out something with you if necessary. This is much better than getting your acceptance revoked in August when the UC sees your final transcript.
If you changed your schedule or performed poorly in school because of extenuating circumstances (family crisis, medical emergencies, death in the family, etc.), make sure you explain the situation to the UCs and indicate how you will make-up for the missing courses or your poor performance.
Some UCs will accept information over email or online submission, others expect snail mail. Check the online instructions or call to find out the best way to get the information to the campus.
July
Official Transcripts Due at Your UC Campus
Final official transcripts from all the community colleges you have attended and official AP/IB exam scores are due at your UC campus on July 15. Remember to also request your IGETC certification, if applicable. Put in the requests early and check online to make sure the UC campus received your transcripts/scores. Most UCs are flexible if you are a little late as the process of verifying the transcripts against the application of accepted students can take a while. This also means that the UC may raise questions about your academic record right before school starts. If there is any discrepancy between your application and your transcript, I recommend that you report the change to the UC before final official transcripts are sent.
August & September
I have given these pieces of advice and heard other alumni giving similar ones:
Take the minimum number of required units (usually around 13 units) your first semester or quarter; the course load and course structure are a bit different at the UCs compared to community college so give yourself the opportunity to adjust to your new environment.
Take the time to get to know your roommate/floormate/suitemate and make friends with people in your classes; having a good social network is an important part of your college experience. Explore the different extracurricular activities available to you on and off campus to gain new experiences and expand your network.
Show up at your professors' office hours and ask questions. Simple questions you can ask: 1) What other reading materials would you recommend that will help me in this course? Be prepared to actually read whatever the professor recommends so you can ask the professor questions about the reading material later. 2) How should I prepare for the midterm/final? You can also prepare some questions by reading up on the professor's research interests (look up the professor's bio on the department website and ask some questions about his/her research; if you don't understand the research, ask a simple question like "I saw that you are focused on research in ________, can you tell me more about it?"). Once the professor puts your face to your name, you will likely do better in the class (brownie points for showing up during office hours and taking an interest in the professor's work).
Copyright © 2009-2010 Wei-Li Sun. All rights reserved.
Hosted by Lunarpages
Please report technical issues & broken links to