UC Transfer Admission – Extracurricular Activities (2024)

Table of Contents
Why Extracurricular Activities? What is Leadership? Activities and Programs

Why Extracurricular Activities?

What is Leadership?

Activities and Programs

  • Community Service and Volunteering
  • Educational Preparation Programs
  • Internships
  • Summer Programs
  • UC Transfer Programs
  • Other Ideas (independent projects)

Why Extracurricular Activities?

While completion of required coursework and GPA are the most important criteria for transfer admission evaluation, UCs prefer to see a demonstrated interest in your field of study and/or leadership potential. Having extracurricular achievements can also help you distinguish yourself from other highly qualified transfer applicants in competitive majors, where completion of required coursework and high GPA are the norm. To gain experience in your major or develop leadership abilities, you may join college clubs or student government, volunteer with community, nonprofit, or faith-based organizations, or work as an intern or at a job.

If you are unable to participate in extracurricular activities related to your major due to issues such as the need to work full-time to support yourself or your family, or hardships that restrict your ability or schedule, make sure you explain your situation in the UC Application and find other ways to show your interest in your field of study.

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See Also
How Many AP Classes Should You Take in High School? - Scholarships360What Is A Good High School GPA For Top US Colleges? - Crimson Education USThese Colorado high schools produced the most Harvard, Princeton and MIT grads - Denver Business JournalDo Colleges Look at Freshman Year of High School? - Scholarships360

What is Leadership?

So what exactly is leadership? Below is an old guideline from the UCLA Alumni Scholarship Program defining different aspects of leadership. Use the list to identify situations where you have exhibited leadership qualities.

Individual Leadership Qualities

  • Shows initiative, takes charge, sets priorities.
  • Displays intelligence, good judgment, confidence and self-knowledge.
  • Accepts responsibilities willingly and eagerly.
  • Demonstrates courage, resolution, and steadiness.
  • Manages, decides, and sets priorities.
  • Exhibits perseverance, ingenuity, creativity, and dynamism in solving problems.
  • Seeks opportunities and surmounts obstacles, including challenging the status quo.

Group Leadership Qualities

  • Sets an example through commitment and action.
  • Works collaboratively with others.
  • Guides changes and improvements.
  • Makes plans, motivates, follows through and guides the participation of others so that all will benefit.
  • Delegates, trains and shares the responsibility and the credit.
  • Demonstrates selflessness and consideration of others.
  • Assesses potential in others.
  • Shows understanding of followers/constituents, and their needs.
  • Skilled in dealing with people, shows social perceptiveness.
  • Able to win and hold trust.
  • Exhibits adaptability and flexibility in approach.

You don’t need to achieve EVERY quality, but be sure to MENTION every quality you did achieve in your UC Application!

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Activities and Programs

Below is a selection of activities and programs I have come across over the years. Broaden your search beyond the internet; check with your community college career center or transfer center for local opportunities and browse the library reference section for guidebooks on summer programs and internship opportunities.

  • Community Service and Volunteering
  • Educational Preparation Programs
  • Internships
  • Summer Programs
  • UC Transfer Programs
  • Other Ideas


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See Also
How To Get Into The Ivy League

Community Service and Volunteering

You can search for volunteer opportunities using the vetted volunteer matching service providers below. Sign up to receive email notifications when volunteer opportunities in the areas you are interested in become available. Most of these are national listings with opportunities in every interest area you can imagine.


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Educational Preparation Programs

You may have heard of “educational preparation programs” and the UC Application even has a place just for them (part of the “Activities & awards” section). So what are these programs?

Well, according to the UCs, educational preparation programs are “programs or activities that have enriched your academic experiences or helped you prepare for college” and may include “counseling, tutoring, research opportunities or special study opportunities, such as study abroad.”

Below is a list of the educational preparation programs that are available to college students (discontinued programs and programs targeting only high school students are omitted). Look for them at your college and do your best to participate in them.

Berkeley
Davis
Irvine
UCLA
Merced
Riverside
San Diego
  • UniversityLink
    Serves socioeconomically disadvantaged students at partner California community colleges.
San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz
All UCs
  • CAMP (California Alliance for Minority Participation in Science)
    Serves current UC students.
Additional Programs


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Internships

Check with your college career center for local internship opportunities and browse the library reference section for guidebooks. Most large companies will post internship opportunities on their company website. If you are interested in a particular profession, you may also consider calling businesses in your neighborhood and inquiring about internship opportunities.

Here are some resources and ideas to help you get started with your internship search:


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Summer Programs

Below are summer programs I have come across over the years and most are academic in nature.

Berkeley
Davis
  • King Hall Outreach Program
    A unique initiative that helps college students from underrepresented communities prepare for the law school admissions process.
UCLA
  • CCCP Scholars Programs
    The goal of these programs at UCLA are to increase academic preparation and competitiveness for community college transfer students, particularly those who are first generation, low-income or historically underrepresented.
  • UCLA/CDU SHPEP
    Program gives students the opportunity to work with expert faculty and staff who are eager to mentor students and share knowledge in their individual fields. Primarily serves educationally and financially disadvantaged community college students while also accepting some 4-year college students. Program participants receive a stipend and travel assistance.
  • UCLA PREP
    Program is designed to provide premedical students from disadvantaged backgrounds with the means to strengthening their ability and readiness to study medicine. Program is FREE.
  • Undergraduate Cancer Research Training Program
    Charles Drew University has partnered with UCLA to offer a summer research program designed for outstanding undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in biomedical sciences. Program participants receive a stipend.
Merced
  • Transfer Academy
    Program at UC Merced that is open to all current California community college students interested in transferring to a UC.
Santa Barbara
Other Colleges
  • KGI Summer Programs
    Keck Graduate Institute (KGI), a member of The Claremont Colleges, offers a variety of summer STEM programs for undergraduate that are also open to community college students (Programs are FREE).
  • Stanford Programs for Community College Students
    A list of STEM-focused programs that serve community college students (some are FREE and some offer stipends).
  • Summer Health Professions Education Program
    Aims to strengthen the academic proficiency and career development of students underrepresented in the health professions and prepare them for a successful application and matriculation to health professions schools. The program is offered at 12 universities, including Columbia, Rutgers, UCLA, University of Washington, and Western University of Health Sciences (in Pomona, CA). Program participants receive a stipend and travel assistance.
Additional Summer Program Resources


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UC Transfer Programs

You may have seen a long list of programs in the “Support program involvement” section of the UC Transfer Admission Planner (many are also listed as Educational Preparation Programs in the “Activities & awards” section of the UC Application). Wonder how you can get in on the action to better prepare for transfer? Check out the program list below and do your best to participate in the programs available to you (including programs that are open to community college bound high school seniors; discontinued programs and programs targeting only high school students are omitted).

Berkeley
  • Transfer Alliance Project (including all TAP-related programs listed)
    Serves socioeconomically disadvantaged students at partner California community colleges.
Davis
  • AvenueB
    Open to biological science students in partner California community college districts.
  • AvenueE
    Open to engineering or computer science students in partner California community college districts.
  • Transfer Opportunity Program (TOP)
    Open to students at participating California community colleges.
Irvine
  • Santa Ana Promise Program (listed as “ADELANTE” on the UC Transfer Admission Planner)
    Open to students who attend Santa Ana College after graduating from a high school in the Santa Ana Unified School District.
  • Edison Scholars
    Open to science, engineering, or mathematics students in a community college within the Southern California Edison service area and on track to transfer to a UC campus.
  • Summer Scholars Transfer Institute (SSTI)
    Open to qualified students at Santa Ana College.
  • U-Link
    Open to academically qualified students at Santa Ana College.
UCLA
Merced
Riverside
San Diego
Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz
Additional Programs
  • California College Promise Grant (formerly BOG Waiver)
    Serves economically disadvantaged California community college students. Search for “california college promise grant” on your community college’s website.
  • California LAW
    Serves students at partner California community colleges.
  • CalWorks
    Serves economically disadvantaged students.
  • EOPS
    Serves socioeconomically disadvantaged community college students. Search for “eops” on your community college’s website.
  • MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement)
    Serves elementary school, middle school, high school, community college, and 4-year college students.
  • Puente Program
    Serves middle school, high school, and community college students.
  • Umoja
    Serves underrepresented minority students attending California community colleges.


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Other Ideas


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UC Transfer Admission – Extracurricular Activities (2024)
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