UC Freshman Admission – Extracurricular Activities

Why Extracurricular Activities?

While academic achievement is the most important criterion the UCs consider, majority of the UCs also pay attention to applicant achievements outside of the classroom. Given how competitive the top UCs are, extracurricular activities are also a way for you to distinguish yourself from other highly qualified applicants. Make sure you balance your school work with your extracurricular activities during the school year and plan ahead for summer activities. But NEVER sacrifice your grades for extracurricular activities!

Extracurricular activities encompass anything you do outside of school. As long as you have committed time and effort in what you do, it doesn’t matter if you are a cheerleader, a school club secretary, the student body president, the church choir lead, the youth orchestra flute section leader, the state yo-yo champion, a homeless shelter volunteer, a barista at the local coffee shop, or in charge of taking care of your six siblings while your parents work five different jobs. Competitive UCs generally like to see applicants with demonstrated leadership potential, and the best way to do this is by describing your academic and/or extracurricular achievements in your UC Application.

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What is Leadership?

So what exactly is leadership? Below is an old guideline from the UCLA Alumni Scholarship Program defining different aspects of leadership. Use the list to identify situations where you have exhibited leadership qualities.

Individual Leadership Qualities

• Shows initiative, takes charge, sets priorities.
• Displays intelligence, good judgment, confidence and self-knowledge.
• Accepts responsibilities willingly and eagerly.
• Demonstrates courage, resolution, and steadiness.
• Manages, decides, and sets priorities.
• Exhibits perseverance, ingenuity, creativity, and dynamism in solving problems.
• Seeks opportunities and surmounts obstacles, including challenging the status quo.

Group Leadership Qualities

• Sets an example through commitment and action.
• Works collaboratively with others.
• Guides changes and improvements.
• Makes plans, motivates, follows through and guides the participation of others so that all will benefit.
• Delegates, trains and shares the responsibility and the credit.
• Demonstrates selflessness and consideration of others.
• Assesses potential in others.
• Shows understanding of followers/constituents, and their needs.
• Skilled in dealing with people, shows social perceptiveness.
• Able to win and hold trust.
• Exhibits adaptability and flexibility in approach.

You don’t need to achieve EVERY quality, but be sure to MENTION every quality you did achieve in your UC Application!

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Activities and Programs

Below is a selection of activities and programs I have come across over the years. Broaden your search beyond the internet; check with your high school career center for local opportunities and browse the library reference section for guidebooks on summer programs and internship opportunities.

Ideally, you should pick two to three areas of interest (in case some don’t pan out, there are couple of backups) and make long-term commitments (three to four years) in three to five extracurricular activities. Development of leadership skills in your extracurricular activities is essential.

• Community Service and Volunteering
• Educational Preparation Programs
• Internships
• Summer Programs
• Other Ideas

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Community Service and Volunteering

You can search for volunteer opportunities using the vetted volunteer matching service providers below. Sign up to receive email notifications when volunteer opportunities in the areas you are interested in become available. Most of these are national listings with opportunities in every interest area you can imagine.

• AmeriCorps
• Idealist
• Points of Light
• VolunteerMatch

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Educational Preparation Programs

You may have heard of “educational preparation programs” and the UC Application even has a place just for them (part of the “Activities & awards” section). So what are these programs?

Well, according to the UCs, educational preparation programs are “programs or activities that have enriched your academic experiences or helped you prepare for college” and may include “counseling, tutoring, research opportunities or special study opportunities, such as study abroad.”

Below is a list of the educational preparation programs that are available to high school students (discontinued programs and programs targeting only college students are omitted). Look for them at your school and do your best to participate in them.

Berkeley

• ATDP (Academic Talent Development Program)
  Serves students from grades K through 11.
• Boost@Berkeley Haas (listed as “Young Entrepreneurs at Haas” on the UC Application)
  Offered through Berkeley Haas School of Business and serves San Francisco Bay Area high school students.
• Pre-College TRIO Programs (listed as “Educational Guidance Center (EGC)” on the UC Application)
  Serves middle school and high school students in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Davis

• COSMOS
  Intensive science program open to students from grades 8 through 12.
• C-STEM
  Serves students from grades K through 14.

Irvine

• COSMOS
  Intensive science program open to students from grades 8 through 12.

UCLA

• UCLA VIP Scholars
  Serves students at participating high schools in the Los Angeles and Pasadena Unified School Districts.

Merced

• UC Scholars
  Serves first-generation, low-income students throughout the Central San Joaquin Valley.

San Diego

• COSMOS
  Intensive science program open to students from grades 8 through 12.

San Francisco

• UCSF Internships
  Search “high school internship” on the UCSF website to find available opportunities.
• UCSF Fresno High School Programs
  A variety of programs supporting health career pathways for students from the San Joaquin Valley.

Santa Cruz

• COSMOS
  Intensive science program open to students from grades 8 through 12.

All UCs

• EAOP (Early Academic Outreach Program)
  Serves high school students from underserved communities.

Most UC and CSU campuses

• Educational Talent Search
  Search for “trio program” or “educational talent search” on the website of a campus near you. Serves elementary school, middle school, and/or high school students.
• Upward Bound
  Often part of the “Educational Talent Search” program. Search for “upward bound” on the website of a campus near you. Serves high school students.
• Master List of all UC/CSU K-12 Programs (by campus)
  Look under “Student Preparation” for a complete list of programs offered by UC and CSU, as well as other colleges, including California community colleges and some private colleges (the list is somewhat outdated and some programs are no longer available).

Additional Programs

• AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination)
• Cal-SOAP
  Serves elementary and secondary school students.
• California LAW
  Serves high school students at partner high schools.
• GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs)
  Serves middle and high school students at partner districts.
• MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement)
  Serves elementary school, middle school, high school, community college, and 4-year college students.
• Posse
  A comprehensive college access and youth leadership development program for high school students with extraordinary academic and leadership potential who may be overlooked by traditional college selection processes.
• Puente Program
  Serves middle school, high school, and community college students.
• Study Abroad
  There are a variety of study abroad and exchange programs available and many offer scholarships to cover at least part of the expenses. Here are couple of programs to help you get started:
  • Abbey Road Programs (scholarship information)
  • AFS-USA (scholarship information)
  • School Year Abroad (scholarship information)
  • Youth For Understanding (scholarship information)
• Summer Search
  National leadership development program that helps low-income young people graduate high school, go to college, gain successful careers, and give back to society.

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Internships

Check with your high school career center for local internship opportunities and browse the library reference section for guidebooks. Most large companies will post internship opportunities on their company website. If you are interested in a particular profession, you may also consider calling businesses in your neighborhood and inquiring about internship opportunities.

Here are some resources and ideas to help you get started with your internship search:

• Search Online
  Search for “high school internship [city and state or zip code]” for local internship opportunities or try internship search sites like Internships.com to search for internships by area of interest and location.
• California Highway Patrol’s Explorer Program
  Designed for young men and women, 15 to 21 years of age, to develop skills and knowledge needed to serve the people of California through assisting the CHP both in office and out in the field.
• Courts (Local/County/State)
  Most courts offer internships. For California, find your local Superior Court and search “internship” on the court website.
• Science Centers
  Science centers all over the U.S. offer internships. Look for ASTC-member science centers near you and search “internship” on their websites.
• Stanford Programs for High School Students
  A list of STEM-focused programs, including research internships, that serve high school students (some are FREE and some offer stipends).
• State Legislature
  Most state senators and assemblymembers offer internships. For California, find your representatives and search “internship” on their websites.
• UCSF Science and Health Education High School Intern Program
  Research internship program for rising seniors who are attending a San Francisco Unified School District high school and nominated by a science teacher. You may also search “high school internship” on the UCSF website to find other programs.

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Summer Programs

Below are summer programs I have come across over the years and most are academic in nature.

Berkeley

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences K-12 Outreach
  UC Berkeley’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences has a list of K-12 STEM programs that are on the UC Berkeley campus and elsewhere.
• embARC
  A summer design intensive that explores architecture, urban design and sustainable city planning through three components: Architecture + Urban Design Studio; Sustainable City Planning Workshop; and Community Build Project. Need-based financial assistance is available.
• UC Berkeley Pre-College Programs
  Part of Berkeley Summer Session serving high school students.

Davis

• COSMOS
  STEM-focused program for talented and motivated high school students. Students work side-by-side with outstanding university researchers and faculty exploring advanced topics that extend beyond the typical high school curriculum. COSMOS courses are hands-on and lab intensive emphasizing current research underway at the University of California. Need-based financial assistance is available.
• UC Davis Summer Programs
  Portal lists all summer programs that are run by UC Davis. Scroll down to “Programs for Youth” (for middle school and high school students).

Irvine

• CardioStart
  A progressive set of online workshops with interactive assessments that will enrich students’ knowledge of tissue and cardiac engineering. Graduate students or faculty member will be available to answer questions throughout the duration of the program and will be holding weekly office hours via Zoom to facilitate discussion and interaction between students. Program is FREE.
• COSMOS
  STEM-focused program for talented and motivated high school students. Students work side-by-side with outstanding university researchers and faculty exploring advanced topics that extend beyond the typical high school curriculum. COSMOS courses are hands-on and lab intensive emphasizing current research underway at the University of California. Need-based financial assistance is available.
• UC Irvine Gifted And Talented Institute (UCI x GATI)
  A comprehensive honors high school program that selects gifted and talents students based on multiple success indicators and offers college credit(s) for independent research and/or applied innovation in fast growth and future relevant interdisciplinary fields. Scholarships are available.
• UC Irvine School of Medicine
  Offers a variety of health and science enrichment programs for middle school and high school students.
• UC Irvine Summer Youth Programs
  Offers a variety of enrichment and recreational programs for elementary school, middle school, and high school students.

UCLA

• UCLA Summer Sessions and Special Programs
  Portal lists all of the high school summer programs that are run by UCLA. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available to qualified California high school students for summer study at UCLA.

San Diego

• COSMOS
  STEM-focused program for talented and motivated high school students. Students work side-by-side with outstanding university researchers and faculty exploring advanced topics that extend beyond the typical high school curriculum. COSMOS courses are hands-on and lab intensive emphasizing current research underway at the University of California. Need-based financial assistance is available.
• UC San Diego Youth Camps and Enrichment Programs
  Portal lists all K-12 summer programs that are run by UC San Diego.

Santa Barbara

• Institute for Energy Efficiency Apprentice Researchers
  A summer research program for rising seniors residing in Santa Barbara or Ventura counties that provides hands-on scientific investigations in a dynamic research environment. Program participants receive a stipend.
• UC Santa Barbara Pre-College Programs
  Portal lists all of the high school summer programs that are run by UC Santa Barbara.

Santa Cruz

• COSMOS
  STEM-focused program for talented and motivated high school students. Students work side-by-side with outstanding university researchers and faculty exploring advanced topics that extend beyond the typical high school curriculum. COSMOS courses are hands-on and lab intensive emphasizing current research underway at the University of California. Need-based financial assistance is available.
• Science Internship Program
  STEM-focused research internship program for high school students. Campus faculty, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers provide one-on-one mentoring to high school interns inserted into existing research projects. Need-based financial assistance is available.
• UC Santa Cruz High School Summer Opportunities
  Part of UC Santa Cruz Summer Session serving high school students.

Other Colleges

• KGI Summer Programs
  Keck Graduate Institute (KGI), a member of The Claremont Colleges, offers a variety of summer STEM programs for high school students (Programs are FREE).
• Preparing for MIT: Summer Programs
  List of rigorous STEM summer programs for high school students on the MIT campus and elsewhere.
• Stanford Programs for High School Students
  A list of STEM-focused programs with varying levels of engagement (some are FREE and some offer stipends).

Other Programs

• California State Summer School for the Arts
  A rigorous pre-professional training program in the visual and performing arts, creative writing, animation, and film for talented artists of high school age. The program was created by the California Legislature to provide a training ground for future artists who wish to pursue careers in the arts and entertainment industries in California. Need-based financial assistance is available.
• CDC Museum Disease Detective Camp
  An interdisciplinary educational program held at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. The camp is open to incoming high school juniors and seniors. Over the course of five days, campers are immersed in the field of public health and the science of epidemiology. Program is FREE (students outside of the Atlanta area may apply, but are responsible for providing their own accommodations and transportation).
• GRAMMY Camp
  A music industry camp where participants with varied interests learn how the music business works. Need-based financial assistance is available.
• Inspiring Girls Expeditions
  Unique 12-day wilderness science expeditions for young women to explore and learn about glaciers and the alpine or marine environment. Program is FREE.
• Introductory College Level Experience in Microbiology (iCLEM)
  A paid summer research program for economically disadvantaged high school sophomores and juniors in the in Alameda, Contra Costa, or San Francisco Counties. Program participants receive a stipend.

Additional Summer Program Resources

• 2023 Summer Programs
  The “Recommended Summer Programs List for high school students” with free and fee-based (many offer financial assistance) options, put together by Pamela M. Donnelly.
• College Greenlight (part of Cappex)
  A list of summer pre-college programs that offer financial assistance.
• Inspiring Girls Expeditions Alternative Opportunities
  A list of outdoor programs for girls.
• Science Centers
  Science centers all over the U.S. offer summer programs. Look for ASTC-member science centers near you and search “summer” on their websites.
• What High Schools Don’t Tell You (And Other Parents Don’t Want You to Know): Create a Long-Term Plan for Your 7th to 10th Grader for Getting into the Top Colleges (purchase made through this link will generate a commission that helps support the free content on this website!)
  A book by Elizabeth Wissner-Gross that offers excellent advice and resources to help parents guide their children to become the most competitive college applicants they can be, with how-tos on developing a game plan, working with the school, and helping students find the right summer programs that fit their interests (includes a list of recommended summer programs by interest areas in the appendix).

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Other Ideas

Prearranged Research Programs

• Lumiere Research Scholar Program
  Work one-on-one with a research mentor from a top university to develop a 15-20 page research paper in any academic field, including liberal arts, social sciences, STEM, and business disciplines. Need-based financial assistance is available. Program is competitive – in the 2020-2021 school year, over 1500 students applied and only 500 were admitted. When completing the Lumiere Research Scholar Program Application, put “Ms. Sun from AskMsSun.com” under the “How did you hear about Lumiere?” question and save $100 on tuition fee if you don’t qualify for financial assistance.
• Collegiate Mentorship Program
  Work one-on-one with a selective university professor or researcher through the Collegiate Mentorship Program! Mention you were referred by AskMsSun.com to receive a $500 discount when you sign up (by contacting Kevin or David).
• Polygence
  Get one-on-one mentorship from top-tier academics and practitioners for a period of three to six months. Need-based financial assistance is available.

Independent Projects

• Science Project Ideas
  Conduct independent science research using step-by-step science project guide provided by Science Buddies.
• Summer Planning Guide and Virtual Summer Opportunities
  Two great guides put together by the folks at Collegewise that also offer ideas for last-minute activities.
• Citizen Science Games
  Contribute to research and help make scientific discoveries by spending your time on games that fold proteins, treat cancer, or map neurons.

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