<p>Hello, everyone :)
So, on my 1st prompt of the UC transfer application, I mentioned this volunteer work that I did while I was in middle school, and on my essay, that was the major work that helped me decide my major. However, when I went to the UC personal statement workshop at my cc today, the person said that volunteer works from middls school is WAY TOO FAR BACK :(
I already completed my prompt #1, but should I start over my whole essay just to mention something I did recently like while I was in high school? I'm really confused now.. Any advice? I really don't have anything to mention if I had to say something about things I did recently, but the volulteer work that I did in middle school REALLY CHANGED MY LIFE :(</p>
<p>Please, please let me know what you think. I greatly would appreciate your response!
Thank you.</p>
<p>OMG. at de anza? i was there ;] and i remember that middle school comment. and well, if it REALLY changed your life then i would talk about it briefly and then go on to talk about what else you did more recently for you major.
were u that mexican guy up front that left a little early? hahahahah eff me im so curious.</p>
<p>@redoplease: No, I go to SMC haha. Yeah, I wrote something that I did recently for my major, but major part of my essay is about the volunteer work that I did in middle school. Why is it BAD when they asked for “any experience” on the promt? 
And did the person at your school also mention that we shouldn’t write something way far back?</p>
<p>woah weird…so there were two people people at 2 CCs hundreds of miles apart asking if they can use stuff from middle school in their personal statements during the same UC app workshop that prolly took place simultaneusly? freakin YES.</p>
<p>and yup. our lady actually LAUGHED and said in a pretty mean tone “yeah, no, you need to do something more recent” and said some crap about not being the same person we were today as we were in middle skizzle…
i semi-agree in that i dont think it should be a MAJOR part of your essay. just an introduction saying that MIDDLE SCHOOL is where it all started, and then continue to focus on more recent experiences, and even any classes you have had about your major.</p>
<p>thanks for your advice! 
and yes, it’s funny that 2 people at 2 different CCs asked about the same thing on same day lol oh and on your uc application, we can only list volunteer works that we did in HS right?</p>
<p>yeepp!! :] goood luucckkkkkkkkkk!</p>
<p>If it helped you decide your major/played a big part about who you are, absolutely include it. Maybe not make it the absolute centerpiece for your essay but include it. Sometimes just from what I hear I get the feeling these people don’t always know *** they’re talking about (the workshop people I mean).</p>
<p>^the lady who taught the de anza workshop was actually an app EVALUATOR from UC Davis. meaning shes the one who reads our essays and helps to decide if we get in or not.
i have a feeling she knew what she was talking about. but you may be right when it comes to CC counselors teaching the workshop…they dont EVER know ****</p>