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- 🍦 Today's Scoops: Repurposing supplemental essays (Oct 16)
🍦 Today's Scoops: Repurposing supplemental essays (Oct 16)
Also, learn more about UC Davis (Go Aggies!) and take a deep dive into PIQ #6 with today's Essay of the Week.
Scholar Scoops Admin
October 16, 2024
Good morning folks! Here’s what we have today:
School of the Day: UC Davis
Admissions Blueprint: Repurposing supplemental essays
Essay of the Week: UC PIQ #6
INFO ZONE
Upcoming Visits and Info Sessions
Why Princeton? Virtual Open House - Monday, October 21, 2024 at 4:00 PM until 5:30 PM (Pacific)
MIT Online Information Session - Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 12:00 PM until 1:00 PM (Pacific)
Leadership at Cornell Engineering - Monday, October 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM until 6:00 PM (Pacific)
Stanford University Virtual Visit - Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 3:30 PM until 5:30 PM
SCHOOL OF THE DAY
UC Davis
Every day, we cover a different school, helping you learn something new about your favorite schools or find a new school that could end up being your dream school.
📍 Location: Davis, CA
🎓 Student Body: 31,532 undergrads out of 39,679 total students
📊 Acceptance Rate: 37% (94,747 applicants)
💸 Tuition: $11,834 (in-state), $42,611 (out-of-state)
📅 Admission Options: Regular Decision (Nov 30)
🏆 Top Ranking Programs: Agricultural Sciences (#3), Political Science (#22), Biology (#30), Computer Science (#46) (Niche)
📈 Most Popular Majors: Biological & Biomedical Sciences (17%), Social Sciences (14%), Psychology (11%) (Scoir)
Some Positives
🌿 Top Agricultural and Environmental Programs: UC Davis is renowned for its College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, consistently ranked among the best in the world. Students have access to top-tier research facilities like the UC Davis Arboretum and Agricultural Experiment Station, making it ideal for those interested in sustainability and environmental science,. Learn more about UC Davis Ag Programs.
🚴♂️ Bike-Friendly Campus: As the unofficial “Bicycle Capital of the U.S.,” UC Davis boasts an extremely bike-friendly campus. With miles of dedicated bike paths and a large biking community, it’s easy to get around the sprawling campus. Explore UC Davis Bike Culture.
💻 Strong Engineering and Computer Science Programs: UC Davis offers a highly respected College of Engineering, with standout programs in biomedical, mechanical, and computer engineering. The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) is one of many cutting-edge labs where students can collaborate on innovative tech projects. Discover UC Davis Engineering.
🌱 Sustainability Initiatives: UC Davis is a national leader in sustainability, with initiatives like The Sustainable Living and Learning Communities and the Student Farm that allow students to engage directly with sustainable agriculture and environmental projects. Learn about UC Davis Sustainability.
🚫 Easy Application Process: Like all other UC schools, UC Davis has a straightforward application process, with no requirement for letters of recommendation or essays, making it less stressful for applicants compared to other institutions. Explore the UC Application.
Some Negatives
🏞️ Small Town Setting: While Davis is a charming and tight-knit community, it can feel a bit isolated for students looking for a more urban environment. Sacramento, the closest city, is about 20 minutes away, but those craving a bustling city experience might find Davis a bit too quiet. Explore Davis, California.
📚 Large Class Sizes: Like many large public universities, UC Davis can have large introductory classes, particularly in popular majors like biology and engineering. This may result in less personalized attention from professors.
🚶♂️ Sprawling Campus: UC Davis’ campus is one of the largest in the UC system, which can make getting to classes a bit challenging for those without a bike or skateboard. It can take time to adjust to the expansive layout. Explore UC Davis Campus.
ADMISSIONS BLUEPRINT
Repurposing supplemental essays
When It’s a Good Idea
📝 Similar Questions: If schools ask similar questions, it’s perfectly fine to repurpose your response. For example, if multiple schools prompt you to discuss your passion for a specific subject, you can adapt your original response to fit each institution’s unique tone or requirements.
🎯 Core Experiences: If you have a core experience or story that is relevant to several schools, leveraging it across multiple essays can help you maintain a consistent narrative. Just make sure to tailor the specifics to each school’s culture and values.
⏰ Time Management: Repurposing essays can save you valuable time and mental energy during the application process. When deadlines loom, having a strong foundation to build upon can help you stay organized and focused.
What to Watch Out For
🎯 Specificity Matters: Always customize your essays to reflect each school’s values, mission, and unique offerings. Admissions committees can spot generic responses, so make sure to weave in specific details about why you’re drawn to each institution.
📊 Avoiding Overlap: Be careful not to mix up school names or details. Ensure that all mentions of programs, faculty, and campus culture are accurate and relevant to the specific school you are applying to.
✏️ Balance Authenticity and Repurposing: While it’s helpful to repurpose content, don’t lose your authentic voice. Admissions officers are looking for genuine reflections of who you are and how you would fit into their community. Adjust your tone and examples to resonate with each institution’s identity.
📝 Check Word Limits: Each school may have different word limits for their supplemental essays. When repurposing content, ensure that your adapted response fits within the guidelines of each school’s requirements.
ESSAY OF THE WEEK
UC PIQ #6
We spent both Monday and today discussing UC schools in the School of the Day section so we figured that it would be fitting to make this week’s Essay of the Week one of the UC Personal Insight Questions (PIQs). In most cases, the UCs aren’t looking for any colorful language and instead are genuinely trying to learn more about you. To best answer them, it’s recommended that you answer as if the admissions officer is sitting right in front of you and you have to answer the questions as if it was an interview.
Prompt: Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom. (maximum 350 words)
When I was 10, my dad told me that in and on my body, bacteria outnumbered human cells. For a 10 year old, this was a horrifying idea. I squeezed my forearms tightly in attempts to squish the foreigners to death. I showered in way-too-hot-for-ten-year-olds water. I poured lemon juice all over my body.
Today, however, I’m no longer terrified of hosting miniscule pals; instead, I embrace them as a way to be surrounded daily by microbiology. Ever since my sixth grade teacher showed my class a video on Typhoid Mary and taught us about pathogens, I’ve been fascinated by and with cells. I decided then that I wanted to be a doctor and study microbiology.
Over the summer, I shadowed Dr. Wong Mei Ling, a General Practitioner. I observed case after case of bacterial interactions on the human body: an inflamed crimson esophagus suffering from streptococcus, bulging flesh from a staph infection, food poisoning from e.coli-laden dishes. I was her researcher, looking up new drugs or potential illnesses that cause particular symptoms.
Intrigued by the sensitive balance between the good and bad bacteria on our bodies, I changed my lifestyle after researching more about our biological processes. I viewed my cheek cells through a microscope in AP Bio, and I realized that each cell needs to be given the right nutrients. Learning about foods enhancing my organ functions and immune system, I now eat yogurt regularly for the daily intake of probiotics to facilitate my digestion.
As a future pediatrician, I hope to teach children how to live symbiotically with bacteria instead of fearing them. I will stress the importance of achieving the right balance of good and bad microbes through healthy habits.
Rather than attempting to extinguish the microbes on me, today I dream of working in an environment loaded with bacteria, whether it’s finding cures for diseases or curing kids from illnesses. Like a daily reminder, the minute microbes in and on me serve as a reminder of my passion for the complex but tiny foundation of life.
Source: College Essay Guy
Our Thoughts
This prompt is all about showing why you’re interested in a certain subject, and how that interest has developed over time. With prompts like this, one great way to talk about development over time is to start at the first time you were interested to the topic. This student does that excellently, beginning when they were 10.
But you don’t want to spend too long talking about when you were just a kid, the admissions officers want to know who you are now. The author of this essay clearly understood that and moved on to who they are now because of that event at 10. They talked about how the fear of those little bacteria turned into appreciation and curiosity.
Finally, while the prompt doesn’t ask for it, it can be helpful of showing your future in the subject and field. This applicant talks about how one day they want to use their fascination with bacteria and microbes to eventually cure diseases and find cures for illnesses.
Overall, this essay tells a great story and while it may not stand out creatively, it does exactly what the UC readers are looking for: who the applicant is and how they would fit into a certain subject.
LINK LOUNGE
Yesterday’s Resources & Scholarships
On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays we will be updating the Link Lounge section with links to great resources such as scholarships and tools during the college application process. You’ll find it at the top of your email on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and near the bottom during the rest of the week.
extracurriculars.org - Find the best and newest ECs to pursue in the #1 High School EC database
inspirit.ai - The only Artificial Intelligence program for high schoolers developed by Stanford and MIT alumni
Diamond Challenge - The ultimate high school entrepreneurship competition
ROTC Scholarships - Get involved in the military and go to college for free
DAILY DEADLINE UPDATES
UT and UNC materials due by Oct 23!
In the Daily Deadlines section, we will keep you updated on upcoming deadlines in the college admissions world. Remember to not procrastinate and stay ahead of these deadlines!
University of Texas/UNC Chapel Hill Materials Deadline: October 23
Most ED, REA & EA Deadlines: November 1
THE ARCHIVE
Looking for past mailings?
You can view all our previous posts at our website at https://scholarscoops.beehiiv.com
IDEAS COME FROM EVERYWHERE
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