@jz_1234 From the COSMOS FAQ:
“COSMOS is limited to admit 20 students from out-of-state (“5 percent of the total pupil population of the summer school, whichever is less”), thus admission to COSMOS each year varies for out-of-state students, but each year is very competitive.”
What should i tackle in the personal statement if I don’t have many EC’s to talk about? Most of my reasons for attending are already stated in the essays for the individual clusters.
@LilPaloAlto same. does anybody have a response?
i think for the personal statement you should tackle personal qualities and characteristics of yours that make you stand out, like working well collaboratively, being curious, stuff like that
also can anyone chance me for ucsc cluster 1, discrete math and number theory? Im currently a junior
unweighted gpa: 3.89 all A’s in stem classes (screwed up in history lol)
taken 9 ap’s since freshman year
vice president of my math team and i teach middle school kids mathcounts
thanks guys
@LilPaloAlto cool username. in your personal statement, write about anything that you’re interested in and dig deep into it. last year, i wrote something not entirely related to my cluster choices, but i showed genuine passion in that area. by the way, some people i met at cosmos last summer didn’t even write a personal statement lol
Could someone who has attended the number theory or mathematics clusters share their experiences regarding the level of the courses, etc? Thanks!
How popular is UCD Cluster 4: Intro to Astronomy? Any input is helpful 
@ sickobamba How could they get accepted without personal statement which was required?
Hey, I’m also a freshman, and i was wondering wht did you include in your essay that helped you stand out as a fresman?
@awesomeprick I know you asked this a while ago, but there are many experiences you can highlight from COSMOS. First of all, your professors are actual professors at the campus you attend, and you can get stellar letters of recommendation from them. You are learning from upper-level uni courses, so it can be pretty advanced material, which is amazing to experience in high school. All clusters also take a writing course, which teaches you how to write a research paper. In some clusters, you may gain lab or research experience, and in others you may learn a programming language. Each cluster has its own unique valuable experience. Plus, because COSMOS is a somewhat selective program, just having it on your applications is a boost.
@afatperson I don’t think you have to worry about the math clusters being too hard or too easy. If you’re somehow bored in the courses, then other people in your cluster will certainly be too, so the professors would simply discuss more complex topics. The curriculum isn’t set in stone. I would assume Davis’s course is likely more advanced, as it has precal as a prerequisite, compared to UCSC’s Algebra 1.
@catras Last year, Intro to Astrophysics at Davis had an acceptance rate of somewhere between 10-15%, so it’s one of the more competitive clusters. However, please don’t let that deter you! If you’re interested in it, apply.
For everyone that’s struggling with the personal statement, just write about something you’re passionate about. Most of the people that I knew at COSMOS wrote about an interest they had, whether it’s a sport, a club, or a hobby. Most people did not write about science (I did, though!). Ask yourself: what makes you unique? What experiences have shaped you to be who you are today?
@homevikings2024 i’m not sure if it’s required now, but it was “optional” last year. of course, it’s one of the major components in the process so it’s basically a requirement. some people just didn’t write it last year.
For the academic activities what are a few examples of what you can put down?
For example, do they want specific ECs and clubs?
@sickobamba Thanks. Could you pm what you wrote about last year? I have no idea what I can write about.
Anyone have experience applying or attending as rising 9th grader (current 8th grader)? Would like to hear your feedback about being a youngster in the program among much older peers.
@phaseshift Thank you so much! Do you happen to know how competitive UCSC’s Cluster 2: Nanochemistry/Nanotechnology is?
(If anyone else knows, please provide input)
People should probably stop asking about how competitive each cluster is. That isn’t going to help you on your application - just apply to the clusters you are interested in.
I’m applying this year to COSMOS and I am looking at UCSD cluster 12 introduction to autonomous vehicles. Although I don’t have much robotics background, I am heavily involved in my school’s code club as well as cyber security team. I am also experienced in 3D Design with Solidworks. However I’m afraid that my first B on my transcript this semester will hurt my chances of getting in(3.97 unweighted GPA). With these stats and EC what are my chances of getting in?
how important are your academic activities? i know that the second activity is optional, but given that everybody else seems to have such impressive ecs are they basically required? i only really have one stem related ec, which is robotics, and im part of my schools math club but i dont spend a lot of time there and do not have any awards that i can talk about. i have a few other ecs not stem related (im part of an environmental club and my schools gsa, which my friend and i basically reestablished since it was previously dying). i feel like most of my exposure to stem comes from just reading and exploring on my own. so, is it a bad idea to just leave my second activity empty? im worried it will hurt me if i have a very unimpressive activity.