Hi! I’m applying to the UCI campus cluster 6 (biomedical) and I’ve been writing up some drafts for my essays. However, the more I read them, the more I feel like they don’t aren’t an eye-catcher. I’m a pretty good student and have good EC’s, so the essay is the main thing I’m worried about. I’ve never done an application-style essay and could really use some tips on formatting, making them unique, and how to make them stand out. Thanks in advance!
hi! I was wondering if there are any previous out of state alum? if so, do you have any tips for fellow out-of-state applicants? I really like the program and would love to get in
My gpa is so good but my SAT is only 1500 F
Anyone applyig to Davis clusters
What does COSMOS look for in an applicant? Anything specific that they look for in the essays? Any tips? Thanks! 
Hey! I’m a UCSD Cosmos alum of 2019. I consider myself a pretty normal person compared to the ppl on college confidential lol. When I applied, I didn’t have stellar extracurriculars, and one B (in english honors II). Yuck.
My biggest tip is to write some bomb essays that really showcase who you are. From what I learned last year, they look for people who are social, outgoing, enthusiastic, passionate, etc etc. I spent a good month before cosmos was due just working on the app, and ending up writing my general essay the night before; I was struggling with creativity.
Your essay should be so unique that if you were to drop it on the floor:
a) people who pick it up would be so interested to meet you or know more about you
b) or people who do know you can immediately identify you as the owner of the paper
I’m not sure what’s been said on this forum yet, but btw:
UCSD’s acceptance rate 2019 was 25%.
UCD and UCSC were 15%.
That being said, don’t be discouraged! I’m a normal-ish person compared to the many talented people who were at the program and I got in soooooo
Also even if you get rejected, oh well. Life moves on. I actually got into a pre-med program a couple days before cosmos that I would’ve loved to go to as well! Maybe you can spend your summer just chilling with your family and enjoying the little childhood we have left. And, the essays that you will have written for COSMOS can be repurposed (especially the general UC one) for so many other things (I personally used mine for other summer programs and internships and got into some of them).
Best of luck guys! you can do it!
@Lilina Omg I did the biofuel cluster and put the ocean chem one as my second choice at UCSD. The two clusters work very closely together and so my close friends were in cluster 3! Lmk if you need any input or advice or anything cause I’ve been there, done that 
@TheRose21 thanks for the advice! I have another quick question. For the statement of interest, do you think it’s best to write about a certain experience as a story to show how I’d be a good person for cosmos, or should I write more about the different qualities and the passion I have for my chosen cluster? Also, how important is it to write a good hook? thanks so much again!
Hi, I am a sophomore looking to apply to COSMOS and I am looking for some advice for applying.
I am interested in courses at 2 campuses - UCI and UCSD
I heard that the COSMOS which you go to gives you a better chance of getting accepted at that college(eg. if you go to UCSD COSMOS, it gives your application a boost on getting into UCSD). If someone could tell me if that is correct that would be beneficial.
Also, I am split on whether I want to apply UCI or UCSD.
UCI has 2 courses that I am interested in. My first choice is Cluster 5 (Sound for Virtual Reality: An Exploration of 3D Sound and Movement Using Python and Game Engines) and my second choice is Cluster 2 (Computation and Machine Learning: Physics, Big Data, and Our Understanding of the Universe). The positive I see is that they are something I have interest in, but the negative is for cluster 5, the only professor isn’t even from a UC (from CSUF). Is this negative a big worry or should I forget about it?
For UCSD, my first choice is to go into Cluster 11 (Introduction to Autonomous Vehicles). I have all the prerequisites (barely) but don’t have any robotics experience, as I am interested in the AI/ML aspect. My second choice is Cluster 3 (Understanding Climate Change through the Chemistry of the Atmosphere and the Oceans). Climate change is something that I am passionate about, and I have an interest in digging deeper into the science behind it. There are many positives for this, as I love the campus UCSD (have visited) and the city San Diego, and there are multiple professors from each course from UCSD.
My extracurriculars do not reflect much of a STEM background, but I have many personal stories that I most likely will use when writing my application. I am split because I have heard that UCI has a high acceptance rate while UCSD is relatively lower. I have an interest in all topics and am hoping for advice on what I should do here, and some tips to help increase my chances of getting accepted into the COSMOS program.
I attended COSMOS as a rising junior in the summer of 2019 at UC Davis, Cluster 6. You guys can ask me questions and I’ll try my best to answer them.
@panda88
I can’t guarantee that what I’m about to say is good advice, but it worked for me. That being said:
- for the cluster-specific essay, I talked about a specific experience (making biodegradable plastic from banana starch in a middle school project)
- you should have a hook (use imagery maybe?)
- explain the experience briefly and how it ties into your passion on the subject
- how you plan to use what you learn (if you get accepted in the cluster) to go on
with your life/ how you’re going to use the knowledge you gain from attending
COSMOS in the future
-NEEDS to be cluster specific: the professors are the ones who read these and decide who gets in and who doesn’t!
-for the general essay, I talked about myself as a person (NOT cluster specific, for me personally, I’m guessing some people probably tied their passion for their cluster into this and got in)
- I have more than one passion
- I am outgoing, motivated, determined (incorporated my other extracurriculars here to demonstrate these qualities)
- why I want to go to cosmos (to learn ab science and meet other similarly-passionate people)
I know that the word count is like 200, which makes it difficult to say what you want to say. What I did is bullet point what I wanted to say, wrote out paragraphs crappily, and went back and edited the paragraphs to express my writing tone (if that makes sense). Determine what you need and what you don’t.
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@Chargers85
I’m completely biased when I say that the UCSD campus is freaking b e a u t i f u l and the vibe is amazing. I had the best month of my life there (I’m honestly so sad just thinking about all my amazing friends and experiences). Also the climate is great (breezy, sunny, partially cloudy). You should go for UCSD!
On a separate note, wherever you end up going, whatever cluster you do, you’re going to have a blast! I actually switched my first and second choices 5 minutes before I submitted my application, because I thought I had a higher chance of getting in with that bomb essay. I don’t regret it at all- my cluster was great and I learned a lot! Having an experience at cosmos is better than none.
So maybe it’s better to play the safer route… but since you’re an incoming junior, you have next year to apply as well. It’s your choice. Good luck!
@TheRose21 omg thank you so much!! this is such a detailed response! I will definitely be thinking about these now
@TheRose21 could you elaborate on the UCSD biofuel cluster and your experience?
@TheRose21 thanks so much for your input! For UCSD, since introduction to autonomous vehicles is a new cluster, will it be easier or harder to get in?
anyone have any advice that’s specific to the statement of interest? I am struggling with how to start it and what to even write about
@math mastermind
I’m feeling really lazy but here’s the synopsis: (biofuel cluster)
- We made biodisel and cleaned it(in literally two lab periods so around 3-4 hours) it’s a lot easier than you would think!
- we had 3 hour lectures on biodisel and alternative energy with some college advice and professor’s philosophy thrown in
- for two weeks, we literally just went to lab to work on our group projects (alternating with lab in the morning, lecture in the afternoon, vice versa)
(get a GOOD project! my group made biodegradable polyurethane soft foam, which was suuuuuuuuper cool! others tho… looked kinda boring)
Overall, this cluster was interesting. Probably not the most life-changing experience, but here are some pros in comparison to the other clusters
- We get NO HOMEWORK! no lab write-ups, nothing except the ethics essay. All the other clusters were stuck doing other stuff hehe
- it was my first experience in the lab!
- the ppl were pretty cool
- the professor brings his dog Winston into lecture every time which just made my day
- I’m guessing higher acceptance rate than the other clusters bc it’s environmental science (our professor said he read through 200 applicants’ essays, but that included cluster 3 AND all the second choice ppl (which he basically auto-rejects if u put pre med 1st and think that by putting environmental science will guarentee you 2nd choice acceptance)
Cons
- the o chem was overwhelming for me towards the end (I’m not a chem genius)
- i wish we could’ve spent more time doing stuff other than final projects
Oh also, after reading college confidential last year I was really really intimidated by the geniuses, and expecting everyone to be ivy-league bound, but at the actual program, everyone is so down to earth and kind and it was amazing to be surrounded by such passionate (yet obviously smart) people
Key pointers:
- we got a ton of lab experience
- it’s hecka hecka chem intensive, like o chem, obviously a lot of lab stuff, reactions, etc
(so I hope you like chem cause else I don’t think this is for you)
(also this is the only chem-heavy cluster in the entire cosmos program as far as I’m aware besides the ocean chem cluster 3)
(but you don’t need to be super good at chem, i mean there were peeps with 800s on the SAT chem subject test and 5s on the ap exam, and then people like me where ap chem at my school has a 30% ap exam pass rate) - I learned more ab environmental science (I’m now a proud vegetarian- I started 7 months ago after learning at cosmos!)
- we worked really close with cluster 3, the ocean chem cluster; my friend group was a mix btw 6 and 3, bc we were naturally always nearby each other and shared an interest in environmental science
@Chargers85
Nah, I feel like that was just as competitive.
The tier is something like (according to my very very bad judgement and guestimation)
pre-med + engineering (hovering around 10%)
me n my environmental chemistry peeps
music (sorry) (no idea the %)
Tbh UCSD and COSMOS in general is just competitive so in order to get in you have to
- be passionate ab ur subject. Don't be the one kid to ruin it all for everyone else.
- write bomb essays
- have an A in math and science
- pray to the COSMOS gods And you should be good!
@panda88
ab ur statement of interest
Start with the question: Who are you? (no, seriously. think about it.)
Then start with an “I am” statement and go from there.
What makes you y o u?
Remember, you don’t need to write the oxford dictionary on the first draft.
@TheRose21 thank you so much for the advice you’ve given! It has really helped me