Which engineering schools in California actually read personal statements?

College Essays
1

<p>I learned that only two UCs actually read personal statements, which is a disadvantage to me because my GPA is only about 3.1 but the content of my personal statements could really help me out. I am looking for schools with decent reputations for engineering that I could possibly get into.</p>

2

<p>Where did you learn that?</p>

3

<p>The transfer center adviser at my community college told me that when I went in to have him read over my UC personal statements.</p>

4

<p>Strange. I have never heard that. He is supposed to be the expert, but I have to question this. Regardless of what he says, it makes good sense to write the best essays possible. After that you have no control over their internal process or how much weight your essay would carry.</p>

<p>This is in direct conflict to the info on the UC Davis transfer pages</p>

<p>The personal statement is an important component of your freshman or transfer application for admission and scholarships. Your test scores and grades show us what you have achieved academically; the personal statement allows us to get to know you as an individual through your experiences and accomplishments.</p>

<p><a href=“https://admissions.ucdavis.edu/apply/personal_statement.cfm[/url]”>https://admissions.ucdavis.edu/apply/personal_statement.cfm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>This is in contrast to info on the SBCC page</p>

<p>Role of the Admission Essay
•
As a transfer student, the essay is an important part of your
admission application for the University of California and
most private and out-of-state universities</p>

<p><a href=“http://sbcc.edu/transfercenter/Writing%20College%20Admissions%20Essays.pdf[/url]”>http://sbcc.edu/transfercenter/Writing%20College%20Admissions%20Essays.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

5

<p>I actually got this info from an adviser in the transfer center at SBCC. He said that he loved my personal statements but that I’d be disappointed to know that the schools in which I’m interested (UCD, UCSB, UCI, UCM) don’t read them. He said they are more likely to be used for the possible scholarships.</p>

6

<p>I actually got this info from an adviser in the transfer center at SBCC. He said that he loved my personal statements but that I’d be disappointed to know that the schools in which I’m interested (UCD, UCSB, UCI, UCM) don’t read them. He said they are more likely to be used for the possible scholarships.</p>

<p>The advisor was correct. The UC’s are quite competitive and there’s no substitute for a high GPA and superior test scores.</p>

<p>Admissions essays matter more at private schools than they do at public schools.</p>

<p>For a fee, anyone can write an admissions essay for anyone else. Employees of the UC system are smart enough to realize this.</p>

<p>Don’t be discouraged, though. The campuses you cite are a little less impacted than Berkeley, UCLA, etc.</p>