Acceptance into the UC System can be easily divided into two categories–one, has to do with GPA requirements, and the other, with extracurricular activities. In fact, the idea behind academic achievement is the most important criterion the UCs consider. Majority of the UCs also pay attention to applicant achievements outside of the classroom. Given how competitive the top UCs are, extracurricular activities are also a way for you to distinguish each applicant from one another. Ultimately, every candidate should make sure to balance school-work with extracurricular activities during the school year and plan ahead for summer activities but NEVER sacrifice grades for extracurricular activities. We have seen from experience that it is easier to achieve better admissions results with higher grades than with just extracurricular activities.
Here is a list of possible extracurricular activities and Sites offering Volunteer Opportunities:
All for Good – https://www.allforgood.org
idealist.org – https://www.idealist.org/en/
Points of Light VolunteerMatch – https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/org72991.jsp
- Berkeley ATDP (Academic Talent Development Program) Boost@Berkeley Haas (listed as Young Entrepreneurs at Haas on the UC Application) offered through Berkeley Haas School of Business and serves Bay Area high school students
- Pre-College TRIO Programs (listed as Educational Guidance Center (EGC) on the UC Application) serves high school students in the Bay Area.
- Davis COSMOS Intensive science program open to high school students from grades 8 through 12
- C-STEM
- Irvine COSMOS Intensive science program open to students from grades 8 through 12
- UC Merced–UC Scholars Serves high school students in Central California
- San Diego COSMOS Intensive science program
- San Francisco UCSF Internships Search “high school internship” Santa Cruz COSMOS Intensive science program
- UCs EAOP (Early Academic Outreach Program) Serves high school students
- Upward Bound Serves high school students
- Additional Programs AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination)
- California LAW Serves high school students at partner high schools
- MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement)
Internships:
Internships.com (by Chegg)
- California Highway Patrol’s Explorer Program Designed for young men and women, 15 to 21 years of age, to develop skills and knowledge needed to serve the people of California through assisting the CHP both in office and out in the field.
- Stanford Research Internships for High School Students A list of available STEM internships at Stanford (some are free and some offer stipends but need certain criteria to be met)
- State Assemblies Most state assembly members offer internships. For California, visit the California State Assembly website and click on “Find My Representative.”
- UCSF Science and Health Education High School Intern Program Research internship program for rising seniors who are attending a San Francisco Unified School District high school and nominated by a science teacher. You can also search “high school internship” on the UCSF website to pull up other programs
To access the UC System Activities Tracker
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OhWqyjoUs1bwl0p1PiIoCD-4IoI2QY7Hlffjie4OjaA/edit
To access the VoicED College Planning Workshop 2020 presentation https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JQgYSd7m4oX0YTfK1b-QmgfDbUpMMMMoLKUY9rE09ek/edit#slide=id.p