The UC App, from start to finish

Without the SAT/ACT, and a semester of pass/fail classes, the PIQs are more important than ever. You really, absolutely must nail the writing portions of the UC application.

Stay on track to finish your UC PIQs with less stress, even if you haven't started yet.

We will get you oriented, give you a schedule and timeline, keep you motivated, send you reminders, and help you when you feel stuck. We'll provide you with online documents to write in, sample essays to look at, and give you personalized, individual feedback on each writing you produce.

We've got more than 20 years of experience of helping students apply to the University of California and every top university in the US.

Notes:

• UC applications are due November 30. Try to submit a few days early for less stress. Yes, the UC servers do tend to slow down in the final days of November.
• This is a small group course based on years of experience working with students individually in our college admissions consulting, which is a great option if you'd prefer to work one-to-one with a consultant. You may also wish to consider one-to-one tutoring if you have specific or unusual needs.

Course overview

• Session 1: Say hi! Introduction to the UC application + Most common mistakes + Brainstorming + PIQs 1–8 + Creating outlines. Homework: Write all 8 'mini-PIQs' for your teacher.
• Session 2: Discovery of what makes YOU so amazing + Developing an arsenal of possible topics + Sample Essays (first set). Homework: Discovery exercises with friends, family, and teachers. Write first PIQ.
• Session 3: Review successful essays and unsuccessful essays (second set). Open discussion of progress. Homework: Write second PIQ.
• Session 4: How to break writer's block--what to do if you can't think of anything to write about. Homework: Write third and fourth PIQs.
• Session 5:  The Activities and Awards + What to do if you don't have any formal activities and awards. Homework: Revise all PIQs. Finish Activities and Awards section of application.
• Session 6: Final checklist to make sure all is in order.
• Bonus! 1 hour private lesson: We will meet with you, and only you, online for one hour to help you with what you need help with. By appointment only, and must be used at the latest two weeks after your course ends. (To provide the best feedback, we need to avoid the Thanksgiving week rush of questions.)
• Bonus! For the September-start groups, one final review of all four PIQs in November before you submit. Please make an appointment for this as well.

Feedback: As the course progresses, you will get to know us, and we will get to know you. We want you to succeed, and we will provide out best, honest feedback on your writing. Important! We will give you guidance and feedback, but we will not write the essay for you.

Missing a session: Recordings of the meetings with AI-produced transcripts will be available for 30 days to enrolled students.

Getting in touch: We also have a number of ways for you to get in touch, from email to text message to Discord.

Schedules

We are offering four terms of this course.

All meetings are on Mondays (either from 5pm to 7pm, or from 7pm to 9pm) online except for the very first meeting of the first term, which will meet on Sep 7, 2021 (because Mon, Sep 6, 2021 is Labor Day).

The first term starts Sep 7, 2021 and ends Oct 11, 2021. The second term starts Oct 18, 2021 and ends Nov 22, 2021.

• Location: Online (using video)
• Days and times: Mondays. 5pm to 7pm or 7pm to 9pm.
• Start and end: First term: Sep 7, 2021 – Oct 11, 2021. Second term: Oct 18, 2021 – Nov 22, 2021
• Number of sessions: 6
• Number of students: 1–8
• Materials: All provided online