How to Complete the UC Application - Personal statements

The most important thing to remember when filling out the Personal Statement section of the UC Application is not to write out your essay on the website. There’s a 30 minute limit on every page of the application so make sure that you write your personal statement somewhere else then copy and paste it when you’re finished. Also, once you paste the text, be sure to remove any weird symbols that might accidentally pop up. You are given a total of 1,000 words to write two prompts. You can distribute the words however you like as long as neither essay is over 750 words or under 250 words. You don’t have to write exactly 1,000 words so if your total is only 900 and you said everything you had to say, that’s fine. For the Additional Comments section, be sure only to include extenuating circumstances or other important, additional information. This is not an opportunity to write another personal statement or include a resume. Remember, you don’t have to enter anything here. It won’t hurt your application. When you’re ready to submit, you should see a series of green lights telling you everything is filled out properly. Before you can submit, it takes you through a series of questions. You can submit your application as early as November 1st. Whatever you do, don’t wait until November 30th to submit. The server has a history of slowing down and it may prevent you from submitting your application on time. If possible, try to submit your application before Thanksgiving.