<p>But that UC application is an illustration of my point -- not all UC campuses offer the same majors, so the personal statement my daughter wrote really wouldn't have fit all schools. I encouraged her to write the statement as if she were applying only to Berkeley, on the assumption that the other 2 campuses she selected were "safeties" -- but not all students would have that luxury. (My d. had ELC status, which gave her a leg up on admissions to most campuses).</p>