University of California Santa Cruz

Describe the world you come from—for example, you family, community, or school—and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. I’m a surfer, which means I spend many hours a week in the vast Pacific Ocean that meets the San Francisco County shoreline. I know my coastline like the back of my … Read moreSurfing

Open-Ended This question seeks to give students the opportunity to share important aspects of their schooling or their lives – such as their personal circumstances, family experiences and opportunities that were or were not available at their school or college – that may not have been sufficiently addressed elsewhere in the application. Open-Ended This question … Read moreThe Perfect Role Model

Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are? What started as a simple chemistry project turned into a huge part of my life for two and a half … Read moreThe World of Science

Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. Tattooed in my memory are the shrill rings of my alarm clock set to exactly 6:00 AM every day, submerging half my 110 pound body into the sub-zero … Read moreLearning on the Fish Farm

Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations Neither Ray nor I knew what miracles were possible. At one hundred and eighty-five pounds, five foot ten inches tall, and a victim of fetal alcohol syndrome, Ray … Read moreSpecial Olympics

Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. When I first landed in America to live with my mother after being raised by my grandparents, I was in third grade and knew only a handful of … Read moreMetamorphosis

Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. My family and I immigrated to the United States when I was just seven years old. Although it was very hard for my parents to leave their home … Read moreForeign Dream

Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are? “You are next.” The words of the referee still resonated in my mind as I walked across the soccer field. … Read moreFailure IS Success

Common Application: topic of your choice Shark Day 2011. 100 miles from the ocean, but the fate of the top predator of the oceans, key to the health of marine ecosystems, would be decided right here in Sacramento. The role I got to play on Shark Day was cutting off the tags that said “Made … Read morePolitical Advocacy as an Intern

Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. I’m not one of those universally recognized teenagers that most people talk about, the super-student who is academically ingenious and involved in numerous extracurricular activities. I’m more humble … Read morePersonal Statement