What extracurriculars does UCLA look for?

UCLA looks for depth, leadership, and meaningful impact in extracurriculars, valuing quality over quantity, with activities like research, significant volunteering, leadership in clubs (ASB, societies), arts/music (competitions, performances), STEM (teams like Bruin Racing), or even significant personal responsibilities (family care) showing initiative, impact, and commitment, often suggesting a focused "spike" around a passion while still showing well-roundedness.

What extracurricular activities does UCLA look for?

As UCLA's admissions office puts it: “get more involved in extracurriculars that build on your passions, interests and skills. Whether you're into bass guitar, baseball or baking, colleges will be impressed by your desire to become an expert in the areas that interest you.”

Does UCLA care a lot about extracurriculars?

Of course, a strong academic performance combined with sustained, meaningful involvement in extracurricular activities is the ideal. But if it comes down to a choice between excelling in your coursework or your extracurricular activities, choose your academics.

How do I increase my chances of getting into UCLA?

You can increase your chances by demonstrating continued interest in the school. Writing an impactful Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI) where you emphasize your passion for the school, discuss recent accomplishments or updates in your application, and reaffirm your commitment to attend if admitted can help.

What does UCLA look at the most?

Among the factors we consider are:

• Strong academic performance in a rigorous high school program.
• Special talents, awards or accomplishments.
• Meaningful insights about yourself when answering the personal insight questions.

How to create IVY LEAGUE EXTRACURRICULARS in 5 minutes

How to stand out to UCLA?

UCLA Admissions Requirements

1. A-G Coursework.
2. Test Scores.
3. Activities and Awards.
4. UCLA Personal Insight Questions.
5. Build a Strong Academic Foundation.
6. Engage in Activities that Show Impact and Initiative, Not Just Participation.
7. Tailor Your Application to Purpose and Fit.
8. Don't Rush into the UCLA Application Deadline.

What does 4 fingers mean for UCLA?

For UCLA, holding up four fingers (often on both hands, thumbs tucked) is the "4s Up" gesture, representing the four letters in the school's name (UCLA) and connecting to the famous "8-clap" cheer, symbolizing school pride, victory, and unity for athletes, fans, and recruits, often seen after wins or in recruiting photos.
 

What is the #1 hardest college to get into?

There isn't one single #1 hardest school, as it varies slightly by year and source, but Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, and Caltech consistently rank among the top, often with acceptance rates below 4%, with some lists pointing to Harvard or even Minerva University as the absolute lowest (around 1-3%) due to extreme competition and high standards. 

What is the 9% UC rule?

The Statewide Index identifies California-resident students in the top 9 percent of California high school graduates and offers these students a guaranteed space at a UC campus, if space is available.

Is UCLA harder than Harvard?

It's generally harder to get into Harvard due to its much lower acceptance rate (around 3-4%) compared to UCLA (around 9%), but UCLA can be harder for applicants with less-than-perfect grades because of its strong emphasis on straight A's for admitted students, sometimes requiring near-perfect GPAs even for public school standards. Ultimately, both are incredibly selective, with Harvard being tougher overall for admissions but UCLA being uniquely difficult if you lack perfect high school grades, while Harvard offers a different academic intensity and resources.
 

Is UCLA not #1 anymore?

Yes, UCLA is no longer the #1 public university, losing the top spot to UC Berkeley in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report rankings, dropping to #2 public and #17 overall, ending an eight-year reign as the top public school. The shift occurred in rankings released in September 2025, with UC Berkeley taking the #1 public university spot, while UCLA remains a highly-ranked institution.
 

What's the easiest major to get into UCLA?

The "easiest" UCLA majors to get into often fall within the humanities or arts, with Ethnomusicology, Musicology, World Arts and Cultures, and certain humanities/social sciences (like Spanish, American Indian Studies, or English) showing higher admission rates, especially for transfers. However, admission difficulty varies significantly between freshman and transfer applicants, and "easy" is relative at a competitive school like UCLA; focusing on your genuine interest is key, as STEM fields, Engineering, and TFT have much lower admit rates. 

Is UCLA or Berkeley harder?

UC Berkeley is generally perceived as having tougher academics, especially in STEM, with a more cutthroat, theory-focused environment, while UCLA offers a strong academic challenge but balances it with a better social scene, though both are highly selective and academically rigorous, with specific majors (like EECS at Berkeley or CS at UCLA) defining the true difficulty level. 

What is the hardest major to get into UCLA?

The hardest majors to get into at UCLA consistently have extremely low acceptance rates, with Nursing Prelicensure, Film and Television, and Computer Science often topping the list, alongside competitive engineering fields like Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, due to high demand and capped programs requiring strong supplemental applications or auditions, especially for arts. 

What extracurriculars do UCs like?

As long as you have committed time and effort in what you do, it doesn't matter if you are a cheerleader, a school club secretary, the student body president, the church choir lead, the youth orchestra flute section leader, the state yo-yo champion, a homeless shelter volunteer, a barista at the local coffee shop, or ...

Does UCLA look at 9th grade grades?

Academic GPA (calculated using A-G courses taken from the summer after 9th grade to the summer after 11th grade with AP/IB/UC-approved Honors/community college courses carrying an extra grade point; for the purpose of admission evaluation, UCLA looks at unweighted and fully weighted GPA – no GPA cap).

What is the easiest UC to get into in California?

Among UC schools, UC Merced has the highest acceptance rate at 91.7%. Meaning, most applicants get accepted. This makes it the easiest UC to get into.

Is it bad if my college essay is exactly 650 words?

No, it's not bad; hitting exactly 650 words for a Common App essay is perfectly fine and often seen as ideal, showing you've used the space effectively to tell your story without going over the strict limit, which admissions officers appreciate for conciseness and following directions. While some aim for slightly under to leave room for editing, getting right to the maximum demonstrates full engagement with the opportunity to share your unique self, so focus on quality content over hitting an exact number, but don't shy away from the limit if your story warrants it. 

Is a 4.15 UC GPA good?

The average weighted GPA of admitted students is around 4.15-4.29, which is a very competitive GPA range. However, don't let these numbers discourage you, as a 4.1 GPA is still quite solid.

Where do top 1% send kids to college?

The "top 1%" of students, often defined by family income, tend to go to highly selective, elite universities like Dartmouth, Yale, Penn, Brown, Princeton, and Stanford, MIT, and Harvard, with some Ivy League schools having a higher concentration of these students than the bottom 60% of income earners. Rankings vary, but MIT, Princeton, Harvard, Stanford, and UC Berkeley consistently appear at the top for overall academic standing, attracting top talent across all income levels. 

What is the #1 party school?

For 2026, the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), is widely ranked as the #1 party school by sources like Niche, based on student surveys about campus party scenes, access to nightlife, and Greek life, followed by schools like Florida State and Tulane. Other strong contenders often mentioned include the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USC, and the University of Alabama, with rankings varying slightly by publication and criteria.
 

Where do the 1% go to college?

The 1% of the wealthiest Americans disproportionately attend highly selective, elite universities, particularly Ivy League schools (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, Brown, Penn, Columbia) and other top institutions like MIT, Stanford, Duke, and UChicago, where they make up a large percentage of the student body, often outnumbering students from the bottom 60% of income earners combined. Liberal arts colleges and prestigious public universities also attract many wealthy students, with specific examples including WashU St. Louis, UVA, UCLA, UC Berkeley, Vanderbilt, and Johns Hopkins.
 

What is the 8 clap?

Bend forward slightly so your palms are facing the ground. Raise your hands as you straighten back up. Then, bring your hands down in front of you and clap vigorously eight times. Shout “U!” while pumping your right fist into the air, then clap three times.

What do UCLA students call themselves?

After the athletic teams entered the Pacific Coast conference in 1926, the Southern Branch student council adopted the nickname "Bruins", a name offered by the student council at UC Berkeley.

Why do people throw up 4s?

For some fans and artists alike, throwing up 4s becomes a way to reclaim power over how they're viewed by outsiders.