Our "1-2-1" approach to the UC application

California’s higher education system is the envy of the world because of the UCs. Pit any UC against any other state’s flagship and you’ve got a tough matchup. But we’ve got eight of ‘em.

The exceptional quality of the UCs has made them insanely competitive. Over the years, they’ve gotten further and further out of reach. UCLA’s acceptance rate in 2023 was just 8.6%. I mean, come on.

Because our consulting practice skews West Coast, it’s no surprise that a full 70% of our clients work with us on the UC application. All that practice has helped us refine a powerful approach to the UC application that helps our students consistently beat the general admissions rate to top UCs by 4-6x. But it isn’t rocket science.

The “magic” ingredients to our UC strategy: The UC website, public campus-by-campus admissions criteria, data about impacted majors and courses, and some connections with current and former UC experts.

Applying to the UCs isn’t like submitting a Common App to a private university. First, there’s no place to submit letters of recommendation (unless requested). And no supplemental essays. The UCs are interested in you—your voice, your activities, and the way you’ve maximized your opportunities.

Your application revolves around four Personal Insight Questions (PIQs), a series of deceptively simple prompts that make up the heart of your personal statement.

Every year, we see students underestimate just how crucial these essays are—and how strategic you need to be when writing them. The trick? Every word needs to be intentional. You have 1,400 words to build a complete narrative about who you are and why you’d be an incredible addition to the UC system. There’s no room for filler or fluff.

That’s where our 1-2-1 Essay Strategy comes in.

It’s a simple but powerful approach: one personal essay, two academic essays, and one more personal essay. Why does this work? Because the UCs care—deeply—about your academic story. They want to know who you are in the classroom and what drives your intellectual curiosity. But they also want to know who you are beyond academics. The 1-2-1 strategy delivers both.

Start with a personal essay. This is your moment to make a human connection. Talk about a challenge you overcame, a leadership experience, or an impact you made in your community. Set the stage. Make it memorable.

Then, we hit them with two academic essays. The first might cover a passion project, a favorite subject, or how a teacher inspired your love of a specific field. Show your fire for learning. The second essay takes a different angle, highlighting a research experience, a hands-on project, or how you’ve applied knowledge outside the classroom. Two essays. Two distinct views of your academic world.

Finally, we circle back with a personal essay to round you out. Maybe it’s about your family background, an unexpected hobby, or a meaningful extracurricular. It humanizes your application again and keeps everything grounded.

The 1-2-1 Essay Strategy works because it aligns perfectly with the UC emphasis on academics while keeping your application balanced and authentic. But there’s more to our UC strategy than just essays.

We dig deep into the data. We look at impacted majors, campus-specific acceptance rates, and how academic and extracurricular profiles match up with each UC campus.

For instance, UC San Diego’s capped majors might mean the difference between a 10% and a 30% admit rate. Or, maybe your perfect fit is UC Davis, where certain fields are more accessible than they are at Berkeley or UCLA.

If you’re aiming for an impacted major, you need to be smart.

We know how to position students for maximum impact, especially when it comes to tricky admissions scenarios like engineering or computer science.

But we also make sure your school list is balanced, ambitious yet strategic. Because at the end of the day, our job is to make sure you’re aiming high but playing it smart.

At Sierra, we blend data with human connection. We translate cold, hard numbers into actionable advice. We know what works. We know when an essay reads like a winner and when it needs more soul.

And we make sure you never fall into the traps that can sabotage your chances, like leaving your essays unpolished, forgetting key achievements, or crafting a school list that’s doomed from the start.

Our clients beat the odds year after year. It’s not magic. It’s a proven, strategic approach. One that helps you feel confident, prepared, and proud of the story you’re telling.

Curious about how this all works? We’ve got more tips in this post from Ben. Dive in and learn how to write a UC application that will give you a real edge.

Want to know more about our approach to college admissions? Take a look at our philosophy about college admissions. Our team page is also a great resource to meet the faces of Sierra and learn a bit more about what makes us special. Or if you have specific questions about our work, methodology, or logistics, our FAQ page is a great place to start.