Hi Royals! It’s college admission season, and if you’re a senior, then this is the most important time of your life. Those of us who applied to colleges in the UC system probably experienced a wave of different emotions on Friday, March 23 when the class of 2023 heard back from UCLA, UCI, and UC San Diego. But if you’re a junior, or even a sophomore or freshman, then there’s still some time left for your preparations, mentally and academically, as you explore colleges.

While I did not apply to UCLA, senior Victoria Bush did and she is absolutely ecstatic to share her admission and what she learned along her application journey.

Where were you when you found out you got in?
I was in my best friend’s car, waiting to drive into her neighborhood, when I finally got my UCLA application portal to open. UCLA didn’t send an email or a link like other schools, so we had to actually look up “how to check your UCLA application” online. But when we finally figured it all out and saw the result, we were both screaming our heads off at the “Congratulations.” It feels so surreal.

How excited were your parents?
My mom was thrilled and bragged to our entire church congregation when she found out. But my dad’s really most excited about their football team. And of course, my 12-year-old sister was so proud to have an older sister who got into UCLA.

What other UCs did you apply to?
So far I’ve gotten yeses from UCR, UCI, Davis, Santa Cruz, and am waiting to hear back from Berkeley. But I really am most excited about UCLA because I’ve heard great things about their philosophy program.

What advice would you give to juniors who want to get into the UCs/ UCLA?
Do at least some of the UC Personal Interest Questions over the summer. Getting ahead on college apps is so important because you don’t want to be stuck writing 4 essays the night before your application is due. Also, explore some of your academic interests this summer by applying for an internship or taking some summer classes.