uc davis application essay

University of California, Davis | UC Davis

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University of California, Davis | UC Davis’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Select-a-prompt short responses.

Please respond to any 4 of the 8 questions below.We realize that not all questions apply to all applicants, so be sure to select the 4 questions that you believe give us the best information about you.All 8 questions are given equal consideration in the application review process. Responses to each question should be between 250-350 words.

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

How to Answer UC Application PIQs Like an Aggie | UC Davis

• by Alexa Carter and Abigail Loomis
• October 19, 2022

Quick Summary

• META DESCRIPTION: The best way to show college admissions committees who you are is to answer college essay prompts and personal insight questions authentically. Use these tips.

Applying to college can be scary, hectic and confusing. There are so many essays to write, edit, review, and so many different tips and tricks to handle it all. You might feel overwhelmed by all of this sometimes contradictory information. We know we did. That's why we have assembled some Aggie-approved college essay tips to help you stand out from the crowd!

Figure Out Your “Why?”

When writing your essays and choosing what programs you apply to, it is important to have a clear idea as to why you chose that school/major/academic program. If you are applying to a school with a mechanical engineering major, think about why you are interested in it. Is it because you enjoy tinkering and innovating? Maybe you think that you can positively impact the world through this career path, or you have a family member in that field that you look up to. Knowing why you are interested or what you want to achieve is an excellent starting point for conveying strengths that might not be reflected in your extracurriculars and grades. This gives you clarity and purpose, which can really shine through to the admissions committee. In no way do they expect you to have a life plan, but rather a sense of purpose and a spark of excitement.

Pick the Right PIQs for You

While all PIQs are weighted equally, some prompts might fit you better than others. If volunteer work is important to you, choose the prompt that best fits that pursuit. As an applicant who had a lower GPA than others, I found it useful to write about how I overcame obstacles in my education and how I was passionate about pursuing academic research. You need to find the PIQ prompts that showcase your passions and personality best.

Discuss How You Have Improved

As much as we all want to create a version of ourselves that is, has been, and will always be perfect, we have all made mistakes or struggled. This is not something to be ashamed of, and it is not something that you need to conceal from the admissions committee. 

Talking about how you have overcome a struggle can show a lot about who you are and how you have grown. You can explain the obstacles, how they impacted you, how you overcame them, and what you learned from the experience. Remember to explain the obstacle briefly and spend the majority of your word limit on how you have grown from the situation. Schools want to see who you are, so don’t be afraid to show how you have become the person you are today!

Showcase Your Personality

Remember that there is no right or wrong way to approach college applications. Don’t feel like you have to change yourself or answer certain prompts that are less applicable to you because you feel it will impress the admissions office. All UC PIQ prompts are evaluated in the same way ! Let your favorite interests shape your responses. If you spent a large portion of your time in fan club meetings or hiking, use those experiences to give personality to your statement! You are an interesting and complex person, full of stories and nuances the admissions committee wants to learn about. 

This can be difficult for many people, so one tip is to write in a way that is similar to how you speak (But avoid slang, curse words, or unexplained acronyms!). Doing so can help you feel comfortable during the writing process, and can help show some individuality. One easy way to check that you are writing in your own voice is to read your PIQs aloud in front of some people close to you to find out if it sounds like your voice. 

Focus on You

When discussing your life experiences, it can be easy to include anecdotes about the people closest to you or to talk about how they have influenced you. This is in no way a bad thing, but it is important to keep the focus on yourself, and avoid writing an essay that makes you a side character. For example, if you wanted to write about your relationship with your mother and growing up with a single mom, you need to ensure that you discuss how you felt and how she influenced who you are today. Do not spend too much time trying to explain who this person is to your audience. Some college applications have a strict word count, so it is more important to focus on influences and impacts on you .

Seek Another Perspective

When writing your college application essays , do not be afraid to ask for a teacher or counselor who knows you well to review your essays. You might be surprised by how many mistakes you may have missed or by how many suggestions they can provide. Your academic advisors and mentors are there to support you , and most are delighted that you value their advice enough to ask for their help. Take a leap of faith and ask them for a bit of their time to review your PIQs; it may be one of the best decisions you make towards the success of your college application.

Most importantly, be sure to take care of yourself during this college application season. Your well-being is of the utmost importance, so make sure to hang out with friends and family or take a break and watch a movie or hit the gym. It is hard to write essays and showcase who you are when your brain is plagued with stress and sleep deprivation. You will get into the school that is just right for you. You just have to get through the college application process first.

Primary Category

Tips for applying to UC Davis as a freshman

Learn best practices for filling out the  UC application .

Reporting coursework and grades

Your academic record is the core of your application. It’s important to report all your UC-approved college preparatory coursework — whether taken at a high school or college — completely and accurately. Include courses in which you have enrolled, regardless of grades, transferability, withdrawal or if they were repeated.

Honors courses

The honors box on the UC application form is used to designate a course for which an extra grade point is awarded for a letter grade of C or better. There are four different types of honors courses:

• Advanced Placement (AP)
• Designated International Baccalaureate (IB) courses
• College courses (CL); applies only to UC-transferable college courses
• UC-approved school-designated honors-level courses (HL)

If you attend a California public high school, see your high school’s UC-approved course list for more information about honors courses. Only UC-approved courses that are listed as honors are eligible to receive an extra grade point.

Nonresident applicants should check the honors box (AP, IB, CL)  for AP, IB and UC-transferable college courses as appropriate for all of the above.

Reporting international education

Non-letter grades

If you are a domestic applicant and your school uses a non-letter grade system, you will need to take some additional steps in completing the application. First, check with your high school counseling office to see if there is a conversion scale to the A-B-C-D-F letter grade system. If a conversion scale does not exist, do not attempt to translate your grades yourself. List the grades exactly as they appear on your transcript, and check the box that indicates your school uses a grading system other than A-B-C-D-F. Your application will be reviewed by a UC advisor who will translate these marks accordingly.  

College courses taken while in high school

If any college/university-level courses were completed while in high school, add the college information after the high school information.

If UC-transferable courses were taken at a California community college (CCC), a course list will appear:

• Select the course(s) taken, grade earned (or enter IP for In Progress, PL for Planned courses) and the "a-g" subject area in which the course fits. UC-transferable courses taken at a CCC can be found on Assist.org under the “College courses taken while in high school” section.

If non-UC-transferable or non-CCC courses were taken while in high school, students must manually input course information:

• Only non-UC-transferable courses in English and math can be reported in this section of the application.
• If there are other CCC courses that are non-UC-transferable, report them in the ‘Non a-g Coursework’ area later in the application.
• If college/university courses were not taken at a CCC, enter each course and grade earned as it appears on the official academic record from the college/university attended.

Any gaps in your educational chronology should be explained in the Additional Information section of the UC application; only a brief description of what you were doing during these breaks in your education is necessary.  Letters of recommendation and other materials

Please do not include letters of recommendation, copies of awards, transcripts or samples of your academic or creative work with your application. They will not be reviewed or returned to you.

Choosing a major

You should apply to a major that interests you, rather than to one in which you think you have the best chance of admission. We also suggest that you include an alternate major in case you are not admitted in your first choice.

How your application is reviewed

During the selection process, UC Davis conducts a comprehensive review of every freshman application to ensure each applicant is assessed thoroughly and fairly.

We evaluate every application using 13 criteria that all UC campuses adhere to. We consider a broad range of factors, from traditional academics to extracurricular achievement and response to life challenges, but we're looking beyond the numbers to find out who you really are!

Checking your status

In December, you should receive a confirmation email from UC Davis Undergraduate Admissions containing your UC Davis student ID number. Use your student ID number to set up your MyAdmissions account.

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

How to Get Into UC Davis: Admissions Stats + Tips

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What’s Covered:

• How Hard Is It to Get Into UC Davis

Average Academic Profile of Accepted UC Davis Students

• What is UC Davis Looking For
• How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Into UC Davis
• How to Apply to UC Davis

UC Davis is one of the nine undergraduate schools in the UC System and one of CollegeVine’s top 15 public universities in the U.S. The school began as the farm school for Cal Berkely and its ties to agriculture remain strong—the school’s nickname is the aggies, its campus features a slaughterhouse and dairy, and the university is notable for known for its Viticulture and Enology program (the study of grape growing and winemaking). 

UC Davis is known not only for its stellar academics, but also its beautiful location in the California Valley, right outside of Sacramento. Given all the school has to offer, many students want to gain acceptance. So, what does it take?

How Hard Is It to Get Into UC Davis?

Gaining admission to UC Davis is hard—76,225 applicants applied for UC Davis’s class of 2025, of which 35,304 were admitted, a 46% overall acceptance rate.  

While the UC Davis acceptance rate is low, your chances vary depending on the strength of your profile. CollegeVine’s free admissions calculator uses factors like your grades, test scores, and extracurriculars to estimate your odds of admission at UC Davis and offer insight into how to improve your profile.   

The average high school GPA of UC Davis’s class of 2025 is 4.0 . 

The middle 50% SAT and ACT scores at UC Davis are 1160-1370 and 25-31 . However, the SAT and ACT are not used to make admissions decisions at any of the UC System Schools, including UC Davis. 

UC Davis didn’t report the average high school class rank for its class of 2025, although it’s reasonable to assume it’s high—64.7% of the class of 2025 graduated high school with a 4.0 GPA. 

What is UC Davis Looking For?

All of the UC System schools—including UC Davis—have GPA and course requirements that you must meet for admission. If you’re applying to UC Davis from a public school, you’ll likely have met the course requirements, but they can trip up applicants from private schools and those who were homeschooled.  

The “A to G” subject requirements are a collection of 15 courses that are prerequisites for admission to UC Davis: 

In-state students are required to get a 3.0 GPA in their A to G subject requirements courses and cannot earn anything less than a C. Out-of-state applicants are held to a higher standard, they must earn a 3.4 GPA in the aforementioned courses and also must not get a grade lower than a C. 

How UC Davis College Evaluates Applications

According to their 2020-2021 Common Data Set, UC Davis considers the following factors “very important” :

• Course rigor

These factors are “important” :

• Extracurricular activities 
• Talent/ability
• Character/personal qualities
• Volunteer work 

These are “considered” :

• Test scores
• First generation 
• State residency 
• Work experience

And these are “not considered” :

• Class rank 
• Geographical residence
• Religious affiliation/commitment
• Racial/ethnic status 
• Applicant interest
• Recommendations 

Discover your chances at hundreds of schools

Our free chancing engine takes into account your history, background, test scores, and extracurricular activities to show you your real chances of admission—and how to improve them.

How to Improve Your Chances of Getting into UC Davis

1. achieve at least a 4.0 average gpa while taking the most challenging classes available.

GPA and course rigor account for two of the three factors UC Davis considers “very important” to admissions decisions. The average high school GPA of UC Davis’s class of 2025 is 4.0 and 64.7% of the class had a 4.0 in high school. In general, applicants to top schools like UC Davis have completed a minimum of five AP classes . 

Selective schools, like UC Davis, that receive huge numbers of applicants use a tool called Academic Index —a distillation of your academic performance into a single number—to ease the admissions process. If you fail to meet UC Davis’s Academic Index standard, you risk being seen as academically unqualified and not having your application given serious consideration.  

Test scores don’t factor into admissions at UC Davis, so the best way to improve your Academic Index at the schools of the UC System is to improve your GPA. Looking for advice on getting your grades up? Check out our tips for increasing your GPA .

2. Write engaging essays.

After meeting UC Davis’s academic standards, the best way to set yourself apart from other applicants is with essays—the only other admissions factor UC Davis deems “very important.” All UC System schools require applicants to answer four essay questions from a selection of eight prompts: 

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem-solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

6. Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

Almost every applicant to UC Davis is astounding academically and it’s imperative you use essays to distinguish yourself from other candidates. A strong college essay is written in your unique voice, highlights why you’re a great fit at a particular school, and how that school will benefit from having you on campus. For UC Davis-specific essay advice, check out our article, “ How to Write the University of California Essays 2021-2022 .”

3. Cultivate one or two Tier 1-2 extracurriculars (find your “spike”).

Extracurricular activities, along with the talent/ability they demonstrate, are both considered “important” factors in UC Davis admissions decisions. To catch the eye of the admissions committee, you’ll want to have a highly developed interest known as a “ spike ” along with one or two supporting extracurricular activities that show a high level of achievement or leadership. 

Some extracurricular activities are more impressive to colleges than others. The four tiers of extracurriculars provide a good guideline for how colleges value what you do outside of the classroom. 

• Tier 1 activities are the rarest and exemplify exceptional achievement and leadership, such as winning a national award or attending a prestigious merit-based summer program.
• Tier 2 is the landing place for activities that demonstrate great achievement and leadership, but don’t meet the distinction or rarity of those in Tier 1. Examples of Tier 2 activities include winning a regional award or serving as student body president. 
• Tier 3 extracurriculars spotlight your interest outside of the classroom but aren’t as influential as those in the higher tiers. These include serving in a minor leadership role in a well-known club or captaining a varsity sport. 
• Tier 4 is home to the least impressive and most commonly seen activities, such as participating in a club or playing a sport. 

4. Aim for a 1370 SAT and 31 ACT.

The middle 50% SAT and ACT score at UC Davis is 1160-1370 and 25-31 . Having strong standardized test scores is a quality shared by the majority of UC Davis students, however, they are not required for admissions. All of the UC System schools have dropped the SAT and ACT from consideration in admissions decisions . 

Although test scores do not figure into admissions decisions, UC Davis applicants may submit scores. Test scores are used to determine eligibility for the California statewide admissions guarantee, as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility, or for course placement after you enroll.

Test scores might not help you gain admission to UC Davis, but they do play a considerable role in admissions at other schools. To improve your SAT/ACT score, check out these free CollegeVine resources:

• How to Get a Perfect 1600 Score on the SAT
• How to Get a Perfect 36 Score on the ACT
• More SAT Info and Tips
• More ACT Info and Tips

How to Apply to UC Davis 

UC Davis, and the other schools in the UC system, use the UC application. The deadline to submit your UC application is November 30 and decision notifications are sent on March 31 . 

Application Requirements

UC Davis only accepts the UC application for admissions and the UC application along with its four personal insight questions are the primary requirements for consideration.

Standardized test scores are optional and are not used to make admissions decisions and the university warns against submitting letters of recommendation, transcripts, and samples of your academic or creative work with your application—the university will not review them or return them. You only need to submit a transcript after you’ve been admitted to UC Davis. 

Learn more about UC Davis 

Interested in learning more about UC Davis? Check out these other informative articles: 

• What is UC Davis Known for?
• What Does it Cost to Attend the University of California-Davis?
• The University of California Schools: The Complete Guide + Which Should You Choose?
• Top 15 Public Universities in the U.S.

Want to know your chances at UC Davis? Calculate your chances for free right now .

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

NEW! The College of Biological Sciences has made funding available to assist Domestic PhD applicants with their application fees. Please click here for more details!

Your application.

The deadline for the application is December 1. The online application form is found at Graduate Studies . 

Materials needed:

• Application (online), including (i) Statement of Purpose, (ii) Personal History Statement, (iii) Essay describing Research or Professional Interests
• University/college/community college transcripts
• Three letters of recommendation
• Optional: Fellowship application (included in online application)
• As of 2020, the IGG Graduate Group no longer requires GRE scores for admissions
• Official TOEFL or IELTS for international students

Incomplete applications may not be reviewed, so be sure to include all of the required materials!

Tips for completing your IGG application

Letters of recommendation

Seek these out early. Give your letter writer at least 6 week’s notice (no later than mid-October) and follow up 3, 2 and 1 week before the deadline. Your letter writer should be familiar with you academically, and should be able to speak to your ability to complete a M.S. or Ph.D. Remember to cultivate a relationship with potential referees early in your career.

Aim to have all of your letters written by scientists willing to write strong letters; failing that, at least 2 of them should be. Ask him/her if they need pointers for the letter i.e. for your professors: dates you interacted, quarter and year of the class you took, and your grade. For your internship advisor you may include the specific dates you worked, duties, and accomplishments. Sending your CV to your referees is also helpful.

Statement of Purpose (SOP) and Personal History & Diversity Statement

Your SOP and Personal history & diversity statement should be seamlessly interconnected to form a continuous narrative. Invest a significant amount of time writing each, developing it through several iterations. Ask your professors for feedback on your writing. Some elements of the SOP may overlap with the Personal history & diversity statement; for example, both may include obstacles to academic progress e.g. illness, working full-time.

Two important pieces of advice: (i) Be honest: do not try to reinvent yourself or inflate the importance of your accomplishments. (ii) Be specific: avoid platitudes and give examples. Show how you have turned a negative into a positive or how it now becomes a driving force to for you to be a scientist. UC Davis students and alumni can have their personal statements reviewed by the Student Academic Success Centre . 

(1) Drafting your Statement of Purpose.   This allows you to tell the Admissions Committee directly, why you should be admitted to the program. It should be concise, informative and well-organized, and present yourself as one competent to successfully complete the graduate program . Here are a few tips:

• Be clear on why you are applying.  Provide a context for your personal motivation i.e. state how you became interested in a particular topic and why you wish to pursue this question. This should be brief but well thought-through.
• Describe your past academic and research experiences.  State succinctly, the importance of the research question, the specific objective of your project, your general approach and the significance of your results.
• Discuss your current research interests.   In order to present a cohesive story (from past to present to future), Briefly mention your current research interest. This doesn’t need to be long since you will describe it in more details in the essay describing “Research or Professional Interests”.  Some students wish to continue in the same research vein, while others, may wish to switch fields, or approaches. You might want to elaborate here if you intend to deviate from past research experiences (it is perfectly ok).
• Map out your potential career plan.  Where do you see yourself as a researcher in the next 5 – 10 years? There should be a logical flow of your past and current experiences and how the expertise you will gain in IGG and UC Davis would permit your continued development.

Give yourself ample time to write your SOP. The Admissions committee can easily spot hurried and poorly thought out writing and this will have a negative effect on your evaluation. Secondly, your statement should be specific to IGG. Generic letters used to apply to multiple institutions and graduate groups where faculty names are simply interchanged can be detected.

(2) Drafting Your Personal History & Diversity statement.  This should provide the Reader with a clear perspective of the circumstances that shaped you, how it is interconnected with your academic pursuits, and how it prepares you for success. It is a chance for self-introspection: what are the specific driving forces or the single transformative event that propelled you to this point, where pursuing graduate studies in the department is the next logical step in your development.

The Personal History & Diversity statement can be used to:

• Fill-in the gaps about inconsistencies in your application, such as low grades.
• Highlight how you were able to persevere and in the face of life challenges and barriers to higher education, e.g. first-generation college student, English as a second language, socioeconomic disadvantages, illness/disability, member of other underrepresented group or faced other barriers).
• Give examples of leadership, service, teaching and tutoring during your academic career.
• List any successes you achieved and what you learned from them.
• List examples of how you can contribute to the diversity of ideas, perspectives, approaches, or study systems in IGG, UC Davis, or the academic community. List examples of how you have contributed to diversity in the past.

(3) Essay describing your “Research or Professional Interest” in the “Plans for Graduate Study” section.  

In the question right before this essay, you were asked to identify multiple areas of research or professional interest (just key words, e.g. Human genetics, Plant population genomics). Use this essay to explain these choices. Focus on your motivation and past experiences in your selection of research/professional interests. What do you see as the scientific and broader significance of these research areas? Finally, identify multiple faculty members you would like to work with including a clear justification for your choices (You will also be asked to list preferences for faculty mentors in the next question). In this segment, the Admissions Committee will be able to assess your depth of understanding of the field.

How are applicants evaluated?

Your application will be evaluated by a committee of faculty and graduate students. Here are a few things that the Admissions Committee consider when assessing your application:

• Your Undergraduate and Graduate GPA . All applicants must meet the University of California minimum GPA requirement (3.0) for admissions. Good grades in upper division courses and subjects related to the graduate program of interest are more important than those in other subjects. Extenuating circumstances that affected your overall GPA can be outlined in your Personal History.
• Research experience . Almost all applicants have laboratory experience prior to applying to graduate school. Working independently on a discrete research question is ideal. You should be knowledgeable about the research you conducted, the hypothesis tested and the rationale for the approach taken. This is better than simply being familiar with lab techniques.
• Recommendations made by your References . Seek individuals who can comment on your research (such as a research supervisor) and academic ability (such as a course professor) for the letter of recommendations. 
• Evidence of publication and presentation of your research data .  This would enhance your application, but will not be decisive factor in acceptance. If you are currently in the final year of your undergraduate degree look for all opportunities to present and publish your work.
• Your academic and professional goals . This can sometimes indicate if you have the ‘right’ motivation for graduate school, are realistic in what can be accomplished, and if this graduate group is the right fit for you.
• Your ability to write and articulate your ideas . Your statement of purpose and personal history statement may convey this, but comments from your recommender may also be helpful.

Please note: this is not a checklist that determines acceptance. The factors controlling admissibility are complex and do not follow a strict formula. IGG is committed to holistic review. Good academic grades and solid research experience are important, as they may indicate your scholastic aptitude and potential for scientific research, but the Admissions Committee will consider all the parts of your application in making a decision.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusions

IGG graduate group values Diversity, Equity, and Inclusions, and recognizes that physical and mental wellness is essential for being a productive scientist. We welcome applications from academically strong individuals from diverse groups, including but not limited to first generation college students, historically underrepresented groups, individuals belonging to socially or economically disadvantaged groups, individuals belonging to diverse gender, race and ethnicity, religion, age, country of origin, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, and special health needs. Students trained through NIH PREP, McNair’s, BUSP, UC LEADS, UC-HBCU Initiatives or similar programs at your undergraduate institute are especially welcomed.

The IGG Graduate Group endorses the  University of California Davis’ Diversity Statement .

• McNair’s Scholarship Program
• B iology  U ndergraduate  S cholars  P rogram (BUSP)
• UC  L eadership  E xcellence Through  A dvanced  D egree S  (UC LEADS) Scholar Program
• UC-HBCU Initiative

Frequently Asked Questions

My GPA is good but not great, should I still apply?

Yes. The minimum GPA is 3.0, but there are exceptions. Applications are reviewed holistically. Your GPA, research experience, academic preparation and training, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose and personal history are all considered in the application. 

Should I email professors that I am interested in working with?

Yes. This is highly recommended. You can email various professors in which you are interested in working with in their lab. It is perfectly acceptable to email multiple professors.

Do I have to be selected by a major professor for admittance?

No. Within the first year, students do 2-4 laboratory rotations before joining a lab for their thesis work.

Is there financial support in the program?

All accepted students are fully funded by the program for 5 years. The students will not have any out-of-pocket expenses with regard to tuition and fees, and they will receive a monthly stipend to support living expenses. Student support comes in a variety of ways: internal and external fellowships, research and teaching assistantships.

International Student Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum scores for the TOEFL/IELTS? 

• 550 on the TOEFL paper-based test (PBT), or
• 80 on the TOEFL internet-based test (iBT)
• IELTS Score: 7.0 points minimum on a 9.0 point scale

How do I know if I need to take the TOEFL or the IELTS?

If your previous degree was not solely taught in English, you will need to take the exam. You can check out what languages your institution taught in here:  http://whed.net/home.php . If your institution shows English and another language you will need to take either of the two exams. If your institution only shows English you do not need to take the exam.

How do I know if my institution is not accredited?

Look at your institutions website and look for their accreditation. Also look at the unaccredited institution list here:  http://www.foreigncredits.com/Resources/Unaccredited-Universities/

How can I calculate my GPA when it is not on a four-point scale?

Please use this online GPA calculator .

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

July 13, 2022

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Essay Tips [2022 – 2023]

According to the U.S. News and World Report , UCDSOM is ranked #8 for primary care and #51 for research. This medical school campus is unique in that they have seven student-run clinics: Paul Hom Asian Clinic, Clinica Tepati, Imani Clinic, Shifa Clinic, Joan Viteri Memorial Clinic, Bayanihan Clinic, and the Willow Clinic. Medical students can begin serving a diverse patient population early in their education and take on critical leadership roles in community health.

This school also provides several special programs to provide you with training appropriate to the area you wish to serve—the Rural PRIME Program, Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care (ACE-PC) Program, The Transforming Education and Community Health Program for Medical Students (TEACH-MS) Program, the REACH pathway, Tribal Health PRIME, and the ARC-MD program. UCDSOM is looking for students who can accurately self-assess their strengths and weaknesses and who will bring a diverse background , perspective and skill set to their campus.

UC Davis School of Medicine 2022-23 Secondary Application essays questions

Uc davis medical school essay #1.

Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee.

Here the admissions committee would like to see how accurately you can identify and address any weaknesses in your application. If it is challenging for you to identify any issues, it may be useful to have an advisor or medical school consultant review your application with you to select an appropriate topic to cover. The best responses will be those that are accurate and that have already been addressed so that you can end this essay on a high note.

UC Davis Medical School essay #2

Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California? Please explain .

Start by making a list. Have you ever lived in the area? Do you have family or friends who do? Or have you spent significant time in any of the cities in Northern or Central California? It’s far better to list as much as possible.

Using the list you created, organize your answer—starting with the weakest connections and ending on the strongest. They want to accept applicants who will stay in these areas to practice after medical school. Statistically, those applicants who are from these communities and who have years of community service in them are most likely to return after their education to live and work. Emphasize both of these things if you have them in your background. If you have never visited this part of the country, it may not be a good idea to apply.

UC Davis School of Medicine at a glance 

UC Davis School of Medicine average MCAT score: 511

UC Davis School of Medicine average GPA: 3.56

UC Davis School of Medicine acceptance rate: 2.2% 

U.S. News  ranks UC Davis School of Medicine #51 for research and #8 for primary care.

Check out the Med School Selectivity Index for more stats.

Has this blog post helped you feel more confident about approaching your UCDSOM application? We hope so. It’s our mission to help smart, talented applicants like you gain acceptance to your dream schools. With so much at stake, why not hire a consultant whose expertise and personalized guidance can help you make your dream come true? We have several flexible consulting options— click here to get started today !

UC Davis School of Medicine 2022-23 application timeline

Source: UC Davis School of Medicine website

Related Resources:

• The Ultimate Guide to Secondary Essays from Top Medical Schools
• UC Davis SOM’s Clear Message in its Academic Coaching Program , a podcast episode
• 5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Medical School Application Essays

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UC Davis School of Medicine Secondary Essay Prompts

These are the secondary application essay prompts for University of California Davis School of Medicine. To put your best foot forward and maximize your chance of an interview invitation, visit our secondary application editing page .

about University of California Davis School of Medicine

Secondary Deadline:  30 calendar days after receipt of secondary application. Secondary Fee:  $120 FAP Waiver:  Full Fee Waived CASPer Required:  No Screens Applications : Yes Accepts Application Updates : No

To provide excellent learner-centered education to a diverse body of medical students and graduate students; cultivating in them the passion to improve lives and transform the health of the communities they will serve as physicians, scientists and health care leaders.

1. Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee (This could include explanation of metric trends, institutional actions, legal violations, etc.) Please enter N/A if no concerns to report. (500 characters; spaces count as a character)

2. Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California? If “yes”, please explain (500 characters; spaces count as a character).

Activities Please list the activities you would like to be considered in your application to UC Davis. You may use your activities listed in your initial AMCAS application or select/add others that may be relevant to UC Davis. Please only list three. a. Briefly describe this activity and its significance. How did it prepare you for a medical career? Include any supporting information (e.g. your contribution to the project or accomplishment as well as links to any publication, etc) (500 characters; spaces count as a character).

Scholarly Pathways Are you interested in applying to the Rural-PRIME (Rural Program in Medical Education) Program? If “Yes” : a. Please describe how your experiences with rural communities make you a good fit for the Rural-PRIME program (500 characters; spaces count as a character). b. Describe your future plans to serve a rural underserved community (500 characters; spaces count as a character).

Are you interested in applying to the TEACH-MS (Transforming Education and Community Health for Medical Students) Program? If “Yes”: Please tell us what experiences have shaped your desire to be a primary care physician in urban underserved communities (500 characters; spaces count as a character).

Are you interested in applying to the ACE-PC (Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care) Program? If “Yes”: Please tell us what attributes or experiences would make you a good fit for an accelerated program in primary care (500 characters; spaces count as a character).

Are you interested in applying to the REACH (Reimagining Education to Advance central California Health) Program in Medical Education? If “Yes”: Please tell us about your ties to Central California and what you have done, or plan to do, to make a positive change in Central California (500 characters; spaces count as a character).

Are you interested in applying to ARC-MD (Academic Research Careers for Medical Doctors)? If “Yes”: The UC Davis School of Medicine has an honors pathway, Academic Research Careers for Medical Doctors (ARC-MD), to encourage the development of the next generation of school of medicine faculty. These faculty will be drawn from diverse backgrounds, many committed to research as a foundational aspect of their career. Tell us about how you could see yourself as a faculty of the future and how biomedical research might play a role in your career development (500 characters; spaces count as a character).

1. Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee.

2. Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California?

If you answered ‘yes’ to having a connection to Northern or Central California, please explain below. If you answered ‘no’ type ‘not applicable’

Activities:

3. At UC Davis School of Medicine, we realize that each applicant brings diversity and perspective from a broad range of experiences. In this section, we give you the opportunity to describe in detail the 3 extracurricular activities or experiences that have been most influential in leading you to a career in medicine. We realize that many applicants have identified key experiences in the main application. However, some do not and others identify less than 3. We apologize for any redundancy – feel free to reproduce the comments from your Primary application and expand on them as appropriate.

Briefly describe this activity and its significance. How did it prepare you for a medical career? Include any supporting information (e.g., your contribution to the project or accomplishment as well as links to any publication, etc.).

Limit your response to 500 characters for the next 3 questions:

Do not feel compelled to answer this question, but if there is a portion of the application which needs clarification it is reasonable to do so. If there is a negative portion of the application which has an explanation for the reason, go ahead and provide it. Be sure to not sound like a victim and not to make excuses, but be honest in description of the circumstances and reasons for this issue. One possible example is if you had any health issues requiring you to withdraw from a class and receive an incomplete. Be sure to state what you learned from the experience and how you improved upon it thereafter.

2. Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California? (Y/N) If you answered ‘yes’ to having a connection to Northern or Central California, please explain below. If you answered ‘no’ type ‘not applicable’.

Answer as applicable to your background. Feel free to describe personal family connections or a prior experience with the area. Incorporating a desire to give back to the community can make your essay stronger. UC Davis has a very strong primary care presence in the medical school and residency so a desire to serve the community will reflect well upon you. Make it genuine though, and do not concoct an answer which is not true or legitimate.

Experiences Section

500 characters or less:

3. At UC Davis School of Medicine we realize that each applicant brings diversity and perspective from a broad range of experiences. In this section we give you the opportunity to describe in detail the 3 extracurricular activities or experiences that have been most influential in leading you to a career in medicine. We realize that many applicants have identified key experiences in the main application. However, some do not and others identify less than 3. We apologize for any redundancy – feel free to reproduce the comments from your Primary application and expand on them as appropriate.

This is a difficult question because the key is to answer effectively while not repeating what was stated in the primary application. Although the prompt allows for redundancy, your application will be stronger if the same concepts are not repeated. Choose an experience you feel strongly about and then try to think about how you could explain its importance from a fresh angle. Perhaps there was a deeper or different lesson it taught you than what you previously described. Tie the experience to a tangible skill you gained or lesson you learned which will help you impact the medical profession. How does that experience make you unique and a good contribution to the diversity of the school?

The secondary application essay prompts from this medical school application cycle are the same as above.

Disclaimer: The information on this page was shared by students and/or can be found on the medical school’s website. Med School Insiders does not guarantee the accuracy of the information on this page.

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University of California Davis (UC Davis) Secondary Application Prompts & Tips

• Cracking Med School Admissions

UC Davis School of Medicine is a popular medical school, especially among California residents, because of its location in Sacramento and its collaborative atmosphere. On your UC Davis secondary application, it is extremely important to answer “Why UC Davis School of Medicine.” UC Davis looks for students who are interested in serving the Northern California. Over the past 5 years, the medical school has had an increasing preference to individuals who have affiliations and who have previously lived in Northern California. The UC Davis secondary is a short application so submit this within 1 week of receiving the official invitation. 

The UC Davis secondaries DO NOT change year over year. So, if you live in California and completed all of UC Davis School of Medicine’s pre-requirements, then we strongly suggest you pre-write this or complete it right after you receive it. 

To learn more about student life, medical school culture, and clinical curriculum, read our blog post:  Cracking UC Davis Medical School Admissions: Insider Tips to Get Accepted .

Our Cracking Med School Admissions team has a track record of helping our mentees receive acceptances to UC Davis School of Medicine year after year. We also advise UC Davis undergraduate premed clubs, so we have a good sense of the University of California system.. Read more of our Cracking Med School Admissions tips for UC Davis secondarie s, and  contact us  if you have any questions. 

• Personally Tailored Essays
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• We study your application strengths to see what unique attributes we’ll bring to the medical school

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2023 – 2024

Uc davis secondaries – md essay prompts.

• (optional) Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee (This could include explanation of metric trends, institutional actions, legal violations, etc.) Please enter N/A if no concerns to report . (500 characters max)
• Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California? If “yes” , please explain. (500 characters max)
• Activities : Please list the activities you would like to be considered in your application to UC Davis. You may use your activities listed in your initial AMCAS application or select/add others that may be relevant to UC Davis. Please only list three.
• Briefly describe this activity and its significance. How did it prepare you for a medical career? Include any supporting information (e.g. your contribution to the project or accomplishment as well as links to any publication, etc). (500 characters max)

UC Davis Secondaries – Rural-PRIME (Rural Program in Medical Education) Program

• Please describe how your experiences with rural communities make you a good fit for the Rural-PRIME program. (500 characters max)
• Describe your future plans to serve a rural underserved community. (500 characters max)

UC Davis Secondaries – TEACH-MS (Transforming Education and Community Health for Medical Students) Program

• Please tell us what experiences have shaped your desire to be a primary care physician in urban underserved communities. (500 characters max)
• Describe your future plans to serve as a primary care physician leader. (500 characters max)

UC Davis Secondaries – ACE-PC (Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care) Program

• Please tell us what attributes or experiences would make you a good fit for an accelerated program in primary care. (500 characters max)

UC Davis Secondaries – REACH (Reimagining Education to Advance Central California Health) Program

• Please tell us about your ties to Central California and what you have done, or plan to do, to make a positive change in Central California. (500 characters max)

UC Davis Secondaries – Tribal Health PRIME

• What experiences have you had with rural and/or underserved communities/populations? More specifically, what involvement have you had with tribal communities/populations? (500 characters max)

UC Davis Secondaries – ARC-MD (Academic Research Careers for Medical Doctors)

• The UC Davis School of Medicine has an honors pathway, Academic Research Careers for Medical Doctors (ARC-MD), to encourage the development of the next generation of school of medicine faculty. These faculty will be drawn from diverse backgrounds, many committed to research as a foundational aspect of their career. Tell us about how you could see yourself as a faculty of the future and how biomedical research might play a role in your career development. (500 characters max)

Tips to Answer UC Davis Secondaries

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Tip #1: We don’t say this for too many medical school secondary applications, but this is a short secondary app. Submit this secondary within 1 week of receiving the official secondary. If you’re a California resident (most likely, you will receive the official secondary invite), you should pre-write your UC Davis secondaries!

UC Davis Secondary Pre-writing Guidance: Questions for University of California Davis  do not change year to year. This is a good med school secondary to pre-write IF you are a California resident. Premeds who are not California residents are not guaranteed a secondary, so we recommend out-of-state students not to pre-write UC Davis’ secondary. 

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Tip #2: Yes, you can choose the same 3 “most meaningful activities” as you chose in your AMCAS application. Most of our students have the same 3 most meaningful activities reflected in the UC Davis secondary and the AMCAS application. The activities that you choose also don’t have to all be clinical experiences, although we would recommend at least 1 activity is a clinical experience. 

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Tip #3:  UC Davis School of Medicine  strongly prefers students who live in Northern California, specifically around the Sacramento area (not necessarily around San Francisco / San Jose / Palo Alto). If you cannot answer the UC Davis secondaries, “Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California,” then you should re-consider applying, even if you are an in-state applicant. Furthermore, for the question, you should includeNorthern California  family ties, visiting/living in Northern California (even for an internship), community service, and clinical experience.

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Tip #4: Read more about the UC Davis School of Medicine curriculum , social life, and culture. For example, do you know that most medical school students live in the neighborhoods right next to the medical school, and many people throw BBQs in their backyards?

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Tip #5: It is important to note that there are University of California PRIME programs. PRIME programs are geared towards practicing in underserved communities.

• Read the UC Davis PRIME programs before applying:  UC PRIME programs
• If you decide to apply, make sure you write tailored “Why this PRIME program” essays.

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Tip #6: Get our help to edit your UC Davis Medical School secondary application essays. We can help you through our secondary essay packages . Have questions about how you can stand out? Contact us below.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does UC Davis screen secondaries? It does, and not all medical school applicants receive a UC Davis secondary application.

[ Read other secondary essay tips: University of California Irvine (UCI), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), University of California San Diego (UCSD), Oregon Health and Sciences University ]

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UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2022 – 2023

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UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2021 – 2022

• Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee (This could include explanation of metric trends, institutional actions, legal violations, etc.) Please enter N/A if no concerns to report . (500 characters max)

UC Davis Secondaries – Scholarly Pathways Prompts

• Are you interested in applying to the Rural-PRIME (Rural Program in Medical Education) Program? If “Yes” : Please describe how your experiences with rural communities make you a good fit for the Rural-PRIME program. (500 characters max)
• Are you interested in applying to the TEACH-MS Program (Transforming Education and Community Health for Medical Students) Program? If “Yes” : Please tell us what experiences have shaped your desire to be a primary care physician in urban underserved communities. (500 characters max)
• Are you interested in applying to the ACE-PC (Accelerated Competency-based Education in Primary Care) Program? If “Yes” : Please tell us what attributes or experiences would make you a good fit for an accelerated program in primary care. (500 characters max)
• Are you interested in applying to the REACH (Reimagining Education to Advance central California Health) Program in Medical Education? If “Yes” : Please tell us about your ties to Central California and what you have done, or plan to do, to make a positive change in Central California. (500 characters max)
• Are you interested in applying to ARC-MD (Academic Research Careers for Medical Doctors)? If “Yes” : The UC Davis School of Medicine has an honors pathway, Academic Research Careers for Medical Doctors (ARC-MD), to encourage the development of the next generation of school of medicine faculty. These faculty will be drawn from diverse backgrounds, many committed to research as a foundational aspect of their career. Tell us about how you could see yourself as a faculty of the future and how biomedical research might play a role in your career development. (500 characters max)

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2020 - 2021

Uc davis medical school secondary application questions: 2019 – 2020.

• Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee. (500  characters  max)
• Do you have a connection to Northern or Central California? (Yes or No) If you answered ‘yes’ to having a connection to Northern or Central California, please explain below. If you answered ‘no’ type ‘not applicable’. (500  characters  max)
• Experiences: At UC Davis School of Medicine we realize that each applicant brings diversity and perspective from a broad range of experiences. In this section we give you the opportunity to describe in detail the 3 extracurricular activities or experiences that have been most influential in leading you to a career in medicine. We realize that many applicants have identified key experiences in the main application. However, some do not and others identify less than 3. We apologize for any redundancy – feel free to reproduce the comments from your Primary application and expand on them as appropriate. (750  characters  max)

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2018 – 2019

Uc davis medical school secondary application questions: 2017 – 2018, uc davis medical school secondary application questions: 2016 – 2017.

• Experiences: Briefly describe this activity and its significance. How did it prepare you for a medical career? Include any supporting information (e.g. your contribution to the project or accomplishment as well as links to any publication, etc). (750 characters max)

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2015 – 2016

• Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee. (500 characters max)
• What have you been doing since submitting your AMCAS application? Include contact information for any references related to these experiences. (500 characters) (500 characters max)
• At UC Davis School of Medicine we realize that each applicant brings diversity and perspective from a broad range of experiences. In this section we give you the opportunity to describe in detail the 3 extracurricular activities or experiences that have been most influential in leading you to a career in medicine.” For each activity: Briefly describe this activity and its significance. How did it prepare you for a medical career? Include any supporting information (e.g. your contribution to the project or accomplishment as well as links to any publication, etc) (750 characters max)

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2014 – 2015

• Discuss any elements of your application that you feel might be concerning to the Admissions Committee. (1,500 characters max)
• What have you been doing since submitting your AMCAS application? Include contact information for any references related to these experiences. (1,500 characters max
• The Accelerated Competency-Education in Primary Care (ACE-PC) program is a 6-year track that seamlessly links medical school and residency in primary care. A collaboration between UCDSOM and Kaiser Permanente, the program allows a select group of eligible students to complete medical school in 3 years and receive a conditional acceptance to a UC Davis or Kaiser Permanente Northern California residency program in primary care. Students who are accepted to the UCDSOM 4-year program and who plan a career in primary care, Internal Medicine or Family Medicine will be considered for the program. For more information, please see https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/ACE-PC/about.html . If you would like to be considered for Davis ACE-PC, please tell us what attributes or experiences would make you a good fit for the program. If you are not interested, please insert “Not Applicable”. (1,500 characters max)
• The Rural-Program In Medical Education is designed for students interested in becoming physician leaders in rural California communities. Curricular enhancements include weekly seminars, hands-on skill sessions covering laceration repair, obstetric delivery, CPR, etc., mentorship with rural physicians, 3rd year rural clinical rotations and leadership opportunities related to rural health. Link to Rural-PRIME Website: https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/rural_prime/index.html If interested, please tell us why you would like to be considered for the program. Otherwise, please insert “not applicable”. (1,500 characters max)
• Please describe your experiences working with underserved communities. If not interested in Rural-PRIME, please insert “not applicable”. (1,500 characters max)
• What are your future plans to practice in a rural underserved community? If not interested in Rural-PRIME, please insert “not applicable”. (1,500 characters max)
• The Physician Scientist Training Program ( https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/MD_Ph.D/index.html ) is designed for students interested in becoming clinician investigators and leads to a dual degree (MD-PhD). The program includes 4 years of dedicated research in addition to the standard medical school curriculum. Did you select “Combined Medical Degree/Ph.D.” under Program Type on your AMCAS application? If you did, please indicate why you are interested in the UC Davis School of Medicine Physician Scientist Training Program here. Otherwise, please insert “Not applicable”. (1,500 characters max)
• A collaboration between UCDSOM and the UC Davis TEACH Residency Program, the Transforming Education and Community Health Program for Medical Students (TEACH-MS) is a four year tailored track for students committed to primary care and care for the urban underserved ( https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/TEACH-MS /). If you would like to apply to TEACH-MS Program, please respond to the following 2 questions.  (1,500 characters max)   Otherwise, please insert “not applicable ”. A. Please tell us about your motivation to pursue a career in primary care (Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, or Pediatrics). B. Please describe an experience that best demonstrates your commitment to urban underserved communities.
• A collaboration between UCDSOM, UC Merced and UCSF Fresno, the San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education (SJV PRIME) is a tailored leadership track for students committed to providing care for the medically underserved in the San Joaquin Valley ( https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/sjvprime/index.html ). To apply to SJV PRIME, please respond to the following 3 questions.  (1,500 characters max) Otherwise please insert “not applicable”. A. Please tell us about your ties to the San Joaquin Valley. B. Please tell us what you have done, or plan to do, to make a positive change in the San Joaquin Valley. C. After you complete your medical training, where (city or county) do you intend to practice and why?
• “At UC Davis School of Medicine we realize that each applicant brings diversity and perspective from a broad range of experiences. In this section we give you the opportunity to describe in detail the 3 extracurricular activities or experiences that have been most influential in leading you to a career in medicine.” For each activity: Briefly describe this activity and its significance. How did it prepare you for a medical career? Include any supporting information (e.g. your contribution to the project or accomplishment as well as links to any publication, etc) (750 characters max)

UC Davis Medical School Secondary Application Questions: 2013 – 2014

• A collaboration between UCDSOM and the UC Davis TEACH Residency Program, the Transforming Education and Community Health Program for Medical Students (TEACH-MS) is a four year tailored track for students committed to primary care and care for the urban underserved ( https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/mdprogram/TEACH-MS /). If you would like to apply to TEACH-MS, please respond to the following 2 questions.  (1,500 characters max)   Otherwise, please insert “not applicable ”. A. Please tell us about your motivation to pursue a career in primary care (Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, or Pediatrics). B. Please describe an experience that best demonstrates your commitment to urban underserved communities.

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Freshman requirements

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• There is one required question you must answer.
• You must also answer 3 out of 7 additional questions.
• Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.
• Which three questions you choose to answer are up to you. However, you should select questions that are most relevant to your experience and that best reflect your individual circumstances.

Keep in mind

• All questions are equal: All questions are given equal consideration in the application review process, which means there is no advantage or disadvantage to choosing certain questions over others.
• There is no right or wrong way to answer these questions: It's about getting to know your personality, background, interests and achievements in your own unique voice.

Questions & guidance

Remember, the personal insight questions are just that; personal. Which means you should use our guidance for each question just as a suggestion in case you need help The important thing is expressing who you are, what matters to you and what you want to share with UC.

Required question

Please describe how you have prepared for your intended major, including your readiness to succeed in your upper-division courses once you enroll at the university. Things to consider: How did your interest in your major develop? Do you have any experience related to your major outside the classroom;such as volunteer work, internships and employment, or participation in student organizations and activities? If you haven't had experience in the field, consider including experience in the classroom. This may include working with faculty or doing research projects.

If you're applying to multiple campuses with a different major at each campus, think about approaching the topic from a broader perspective, or find a common thread among the majors you've chosen.

Choose to answer any three of the following seven questions:

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time. Things to consider: A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about your accomplishments and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities? 

Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn't necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family? 2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.   Things to consider: What does creativity mean to you? Do you have a creative skill that is important to you? What have you been able to do with that skill? If you used creativity to solve a problem, what was your solution? What are the steps you took to solve the problem?

How does your creativity influence your decisions inside or outside the classroom? Does your creativity relate to your major or a future career? 3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time? Things to consider: If there's a talent or skill that you're proud of, this is the time to share it. You don't necessarily have to be recognized or have received awards for your talent (although if you did and you want to talk about, feel free to do so). Why is this talent or skill meaningful to you?

Does the talent come naturally or have you worked hard to develop this skill or talent? Does your talent or skill allow you opportunities in or outside the classroom? If so, what are they and how do they fit into your schedule? 4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced. Things to consider: An educational opportunity can be anything that has added value to your educational experience and better prepared you for college. For example, participation in an honors or academic enrichment program, or enrollment in an academy that's geared toward an occupation or a major, or taking advanced courses that interest you, just to name a few.

If you choose to write about educational barriers you've faced, how did you overcome or strive to overcome them? What personal characteristics or skills did you call on to overcome this challenge? How did overcoming this barrier help shape who you are today? 5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement? Things to consider: A challenge could be personal, or something you have faced in your community or school. Why was the challenge significant to you? This is a good opportunity to talk about any obstacles you've faced and what you've learned from the experience. Did you have support from someone else or did you handle it alone?

If you're currently working your way through a challenge, what are you doing now, and does that affect different aspects of your life? For example, ask yourself, How has my life changed at home, at my school, with my friends, or with my family? 6. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place? Things to consider: Think of community as a term that can encompass a group, team or a place like your high school, hometown, or home. You can define community as you see fit, just make sure you talk about your role in that community. Was there a problem that you wanted to fix in your community?

Why were you inspired to act? What did you learn from your effort? How did your actions benefit others, the wider community or both? Did you work alone or with others to initiate change in your community? 7. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? Things to consider: If there's anything you want us to know about you, but didn't find a question or place in the application to tell us, now's your chance. What have you not shared with us that will highlight a skill, talent, challenge or opportunity that you think will help us know you better?

From your point of view, what do you feel makes you an excellent choice for UC? Don't be afraid to brag a little.

Writing tips

Start early..

Give yourself plenty of time for preparation, careful composition and revisions.

Write persuasively.

Making a list of accomplishments, activities, awards or work will lessen the impact of your words. Expand on a topic by using specific, concrete examples to support the points you want to make.

Use “I” statements.

Talk about yourself so that we can get to know your personality, talents, accomplishments and potential for success on a UC campus. Use “I” and “my” statements in your responses.

Proofread and edit.

Although you will not be evaluated on grammar, spelling or sentence structure, you should proofread your work and make sure your writing is clear. Grammatical and spelling errors can be distracting to the reader and get in the way of what you’re trying to communicate.

Solicit feedback.

Your answers should reflect your own ideas and be written by you alone, but others — family, teachers and friends—can offer valuable suggestions. Ask advice of whomever you like, but do not plagiarize from sources in print or online and do not use anyone's words, published or unpublished, but your own.

Copy and paste.

Once you are satisfied with your answers, save them in plain text (ASCII) and paste them into the space provided in the application. Proofread once more to make sure no odd characters or line breaks have appeared.

This is one of many pieces of information we consider in reviewing your application. Your responses can only add value to the application. An admission decision will not be based on this section alone.

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University of California - Davis

Uc strong candidate essay anonymous, beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the university of california.

I was waiting at the dinner table for the right moment and decided to serve it just before dessert, “I need 10,000 rupees to start a venture.” As my parents lost their appetite, their faces flashed curious amusement at a 15-year-old’s odd request.

Their hesitation didn’t deter my enthusiasm. I began building a pipeline of subscribers for BookBite, a book subscription service. The pilot members of this community were friends who I had bullied into enrolling. They couldn’t understand why I was building this venture, let alone share my excitement about it.

But the euphoria I felt after hitting 30 subscribers was soon replaced by the frustrating aspiration of the next 300. Eight days, sixty cold calls and sixty rejections later, I had added 2 subscribers. Sitting in my room, I wondered what was going wrong.

Launching verticals that catered to age groups other than my own brought the much desired growth. It was unnerving yet exciting to curate books for tastes ranging from Gladwell and Dawkins to Seuss and Dahl. A successful sales call in this demographic rested solely on my ability to conceal my age.

In the next year, BookBite grew in size and ambition. We onboarded schools from Mumbai and Mizoram, integrated AI to create...

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Campus COVID Information

Uc davis mba: employee scholarship program.

For UC Davis Faculty and Staff, University of California Office of the President (UCOP), and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR)

UC Davis employees are eligible to apply for a significant scholarship that will help you achieve your dream of obtaining an MBA from our nationally ranked Part-Time program.

The Graduate School of Management offers up to 20 scholarships a year for 75% FTE or higher career employees working at UC Davis, UCOP or UCANR. Scholarships can be used for either the Sacramento Part-Time MBA program or the Bay Area Part-Time MBA program.

Interested employees should first secure the seat in the class via the general admissions process.

This scholarship program is open to new students ONLY, applying to start the program in 2024. Please note, UC Davis Staff MBA Scholarship can be reduced by other funding received from the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.

Am I eligible?

You could be selected to receive a scholarship if you meet the following criteria:

• Work at UC Davis, UCOP or UC ANR in a 75% FTE or higher career appointment.
• Admitted to the UC Davis Part-Time MBA program for the upcoming academic year.
• Strong academic background and potential.
• Ability to enrich the management education of the MBA program.

How much are the scholarships?

If selected, you will receive: For Bay Area Part-Time MBA the scholarship award is $30,000 per academic year (renewable for one year), for a total of $60,000. For Sacramento Part-Time MBA the scholarship award is $25,000 per academic year (renewable for one year), for a total of $50,000.

There are 10 awards per program each year available on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Read more about Bay Area MBA program costs and Sacramento MBA program costs .

How do I apply?

Start your application. 

• Then, in the application under “Supplemental Materials”, upload these required scholarship documents :
• 1-2-page essay on your current and future contributions to UC Davis, describing the positive impact you have already made on the community here at UC Davis, and how as an employee you would contribute to the richness of the UC Davis MBA learning environment.
• A letter of endorsement from your current UC Davis direct manager. (Scholarship Committee will consider the letter of recommendation submitted with your MBA application, if it was from your direct UC Davis manager.)
• Submit your application.

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Family Scholarship Program for UC Davis Employees

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UC Davis MBA: Health Professions Scholarships

Preparing UC Davis Health leaders for the future