<p>Recently, I've heard that the personal statements for UC's are only a minor factor in the admissions process (meaning it's not gonna make you or break you). Is that truth or fiction?</p>
<p>No, they are critical to getting in. They aren't really grading your prose, BTW. UC schools award points for various activities and situations in an attempt to sidestep the CA ban on affirmative action. So they scan your essays and give you credit based on what they're looking for. Each school is a little different, but you can get an idea of how it works from an article in the ucsd alumni magazine at <a href="http://alumni.ucsd.edu/magazine/vol1no2/features/admissions.htm%5B/url%5D">http://alumni.ucsd.edu/magazine/vol1no2/features/admissions.htm</a></p>