So now that you’ve read the title and I have your attention, I can say: there is no “secret key,” no “magic formula,” and no “special sauce” for getting into highly selective universities in the USA.
Since USA university admissions is holistic (not based entirely on grades or scores or any one factor in particular), many international students and parents are confused about what selective universities are looking for, and this makes filling out the application seem rather mysterious and even daunting.
Since we happen to be visiting the University of California, Berkeley (GO BEARS!) today, I will use this school as an example to explain how selective USA universities go about the admissions process.
First, let’s discuss what I mean by the University of California (UC). It is a public university system comprising several universities throughout the state of California, including UC Berkeley. Click here for information about the locations of the various UC universities.
Now, let’s discuss your questions regarding the admissions process:
- Do I need to take an SAT or ACT?
Nowadays, particularly for this upcoming application year, most schools have test-optional or test-free admissions policies. It is best to check with each university you apply to in order to comply with their admissions policy.
The UC schools, for example, are test-free this year, so even if you send them your amazing SAT score, they will not look at it at all. This means that other application elements such as the college essay and the activity list become more of a factor in the admissions process. Which brings us to our next two questions…
- How do I write the perfect college essay?
Y12 Uplanders have already attended my workshops and will continue their drafts over the summer (obvi), but for everyone else, what is the USA-style college Essay?
- Most universities use the Common Application, which means that applicants write essays on one of the Common App essay topics. This is more like a creative writing assignment than an essay or personal statement.
- Some universities have their own writing prompts in addition to the Common App prompts; these are known as supplemental essays.
- And other universities do not use the Common App at all; instead they use their own application platforms. The UC schools are a fantastic example of this. Students can apply to more than one UC school by filling out just the one UC application!
Today, the Berkeley Admissions Team gave the following advice for what they like to see in the UC version of the college essay (called the UC Personal Insight Questions).
What they would like to see more than perfectly crafted sentences modeled after Chekov or Steinbeck, is: YOU! Your voice, your style, your personality.
To do this, I recommend you have your friends read your essays and tell you whether or not the “voice” they hear bouncing off the page is indeed yours (as opposed to some fake, stuffy version of what you think the university is looking for).
Thus, the “perfect college essay” is one that showcases YOU.
- What about the “activity list?”
The advice for the activity list is the same as the advice for the essays: showcase your best self! Notice the emphasis on “self.” The best activities list show a well-rounded, curious, engaged, passionate young person. So make it clear in your list who you are and what’s important to you!
- OK, so I know what you really want to know is: “How do ‘selective’ universities ‘select’ students, and how can I be a student they ‘select?’”
Notice I used “select” three times in that question. This is because I want to underscore that the emphasis on “selection” is all wrong! Don’t look at it like universities are selecting you. Instead, look at it like this: If your application represents your best self, you will have the best chance of finding yourself at your best-fit university.
While in high school, do not do anything for the sake of building a university list. Participate in (and lead) the activities that you enjoy doing, the ones you are curious about, and keep it up; universities know genuine interest when they see it! For example, when you write your activities list, it’s better to add that you taught yourself to play some songs on the guitar while stuck in your room during the pandemic than it is to add a one-off activity you did for the sake of your resume.
The only way to distinguish yourself from others is to be your authentic self! So, in summary, my tips are:
- Be yourself. Moreover, be your best self.
- In your application, don’t be afraid to showcase your best self!
- Enjoy the process!
We all have different interests and passions and things that inspire us. And when a university sees that you are shining and dynamic and interested in the world around you, you will have a better chance at landing in the best fit university for YOU.
Fun Fact: The enthusiasm that Berkeley students have for their sports teams is so infectious, that even after I have left campus, I am still saying “Go Bears!” It’s like having a song stuck in your head.
Practical Fact for those applying to Berkeley this year: The UC application is usually submitted during the month of November only, but this timeframe has recently been expanded from October 1 to November 30, 2022 for the upcoming application cycle! You can register and preview the application starting August 1, 2022.
Go Bears!
