COSMOS 2017

Pre-College Issues Summer Programs
1

everyone who has gone to cosmos tell me that its great, both academically and socially, and i really really want to get in this year!
it’ll be my first time writing a summer application so could someone give me advice as to what i should be talking about >< does it have to be exceptionally outstanding or anything?

I’m interested in biomed from UCD: my choices are as follows- 1) Biomed 2) Chemistry of Life
I know they are very competitive, but im highly interested in both.

Here are my stats:
Grades:
UW GPA- 3.8
W GPA- 3.9
ACT- 34 (34,34,34,35)
I go to a competitive bay area hs
EC:
Presidential Award for Volunteering, Level Gold
US Open 3rd Place winner
Weekly volunteer for 3 years
Internship in University of Washington on the study of Cryobiology

pls let me know any tips and if it’s realistic for me to aim for biomed!
thank you :), any feedback appreciated ^^

2

anyone? :’’(

3

Are they only interested in STEM related activities?

4

basically! theres a lot of other clusters too, like:

UC Davis

Cluster 1: Quantum Mechanics and Applications to Nanotechnology
Cluster 2: Physics & Engineering: From the scientific method to technological applications
Cluster 3: Introduction to Engineering Mechanics
Cluster 4: Introduction to Astrophysics
Cluster 5: Computers in Biophysics & Robotics
Cluster 6: Mathematics
Cluster 7: Biomedical Sciences
Cluster 8: The Chemistry of Life
Cluster 9: Mathematical Modeling of Biological Systems

UC San Diego

Cluster 1: Computers in Everyday Life
Cluster 2: Engineering Design & Control of Kinetic Sculptures
Cluster 3: Living Oceans and Global Climate Change
Cluster 4: When Disaster Strike: Earthquake Engineering
Cluster 5: From Lasers to LCD’s: Light at Work
Cluster 6: Biodiesel from Renewable Sources
Cluster 7: Bioengineeing/Mechanical Engineering: The Amazing Red Blood Cell
Cluster 8: Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine
Cluster 9: Music & Technology
Cluster 10 - Robot Inventors
UC Irvine

Cluster 1: Engineering for Land, Air, and Space
Cluster 2: Reasoning About Luck: Probability, Statistics, and Their Uses in Science
Cluster 3: Tissue and Tumor Biology and Mathematical/Computational Modeling
Cluster 4: Chemical Biology: Extracting and Analyzing Molecules from Nature
Cluster 5: Sound for virtual reality: An exploration of 3D sound and movement using mobile devices and wearable sensors.
Cluster 6: Biomedical Sciences – Clinical Translational Science: The Next Generation of Biomedical Research
Cluster 7: The Big Bang and the Subatomic World
Cluster 8: Genes, Genomes, and Biocontrol

UC Santa Cruz

Cluster 1: Number Theory and Discrete Math
Cluster 2: Nanochemistry and Nanotechnology
Cluster 3: Under the Sea – Exploring Marine Organisms and Oceanography
Cluster 4: California Hazards: Earthquakes and Climate Change
Cluster 5: Video Game Design
Cluster 6: Computer Networking and Robotics
Cluster 7: Astrophysics
Cluster 8: Marine Mammals and Oceanography: From Prey to Predators

5

Are all these clusters STEM related? I don’t have much STEM related EC either :((

6

I think it’s realistic given your stats and that you are a California resident; COSMOS fills their spots with 90% California residents. The biological science are the hardest to get in to though and they still have many more applicants than they take, so maybe keep your options open: apply to some of the UC summer programs, like UC Irvine has a premed program and UCSD Academic Connections…

7

Anybody has started the application yet? what is the word limit of the “why you choose the cluster” and “statement of interest”.

Also, do we need to write one answer for “why you choose the clusters” for both 1st choice and 2nd choice? I only see one question. Do more show up after “continue” button is hit?

8

I think its just one essay for the why did you chose your clusters. Does anyone know if the word limit of 250 is strict? I’m at 260 and I’ve already trimmed my application down quite a bit

9

@StudyEatSleep I have the same question. After word 250, the word count becomes red.

10

Bump.

Not many people apply this year? none of the 2017 thread is active.

11

I’m pretty sure that 250 is the word limit, for the statement of interest it’s 300. whatever number at which it becomes red lol xP

@Apple349 , what campuses are you applying for?

12

@boahancock UCI or UCD, hasn’t decided yet

13

@boahancock how about you? which campus are you going to apply?

14

The word limits increased; its 500 for both essays now

15

@Apple349 I’m applying to UCD for Biomed and Chemistry of life!

by the way, does anyone know if there are only two essays? I only see the “statement of interest” and “cluster choice” essays, not sure if there will be more after I click the “continue” button…

16

@boahancock I have the same question, by reading some older threads, seems like there were separated assay/short response for each of your choice before, but don’t see it now.

17

@Apple349 yah! that’s what i noticed too, at least the word lengths are longer XP i guess there’s only 2 prompts now then!

18

Anyone know how hard getting into UCD’s Cluster 1 will be?

I’m in 9th grade.
My unweighted GPA is 4.0, my extracurriculars are ok I guess (some middle school scioly and mathcounts)
My writing isn’t too good though…

19

@thunderlight8
I think UCD is supposed to be the hardest campus. your grades are good, but since you are a freshman you dont have too much real stats; you should try to create an outstanding essay. be sure to show your passion!

20

UCSD said they need transcripts for current year and previous year.
My son is a freshman - When I emailed, they said they need 8th grade transcript too (unofficial is OK!)

But then how do you calculate GPA? do you combine 8th grade as well?