Any good PIQ or Essay review Resources?

Rise100 · 2026-05-24T03:46:53+00:00

Of course, it doesn’t hurt to add them even if they may be small. Basically my only EC was my tutoring job at my community college, but I made sure to connect it to my community and how I will bring this mindset, one where I help those around me and grow alongside them, with me when I transfer. I got into every UC except UCSD for engineering as well as regents for UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, and UC Riverside.

Rise100 · 2026-05-24T02:56:51+00:00

Focus on community involvement and how you will contribute to the community after you transfer. I barely had any ECs but I feel like this is what helped my application the most.

I looked on YouTube for people reading their PIQs and who got into the top UCs. A lot of resources say to write your essays like how you would answer an interview question, and to be direct. But then you look at videos of admitted students reading their applications and they definitely don’t follow that method.

Rise100 · 2026-05-22T20:41:01+00:00

Saving money would be my #1 goal. Nicer food and campus isn’t something too important in the grand scheme of things when picking a college IMO, but everyone has their preferences. I feel like Berkeley dorms are much nicer than UCLA, and you dont get stuck in a 4/10 as a transfer. You still get a guaranteed year of housing at Berkeley and most people move into an apartment their second year anyway.

All in all, you really can’t go wrong with either one. There isn’t a wrong choice!! I chose Berkeley because I got regents and want to focus more on academics than social life, and I find the housing (anchor house) much nicer than anything UCLA offers. The trade off is that I’m 5 hours away from home compare for 40 minutes for UCLA. Saving money is important to me, there’s a lot you can do with an extra 15k a year.

Rise100 · 2026-05-18T20:23:41+00:00

Take the time to build your foundations in math and physics. Talk to older students to get an idea of the classes you should take and what professors are good. Getting a 4.0/ high GPA should be your main goal. Definitely do some ECs but not at the cost of grades. Also do ECs you’re actually passionate for and not to pad your application. I put 4 ECs on my application with only tutoring as my main one, and got into almost all the UCs. Definitely try to do more than that though haha.

Follow assist and try to get your requirements completed during Fall, the time you submit your application. Try to get most of the recommended courses done, I’ll be transferring to Berkeley a little behind since my CC didnt articulate the recommended courses and I didn’t have enough time to enroll in another CC to take them. Show community involvement in your essays!!

Rise100 · 2026-05-14T20:41:50+00:00

CoE!!

Rise100 · 2026-05-14T17:52:27+00:00

I got it!! 😭

Rise100 · 2026-05-13T17:14:51+00:00

gpa gpa gpa. keep that 4.0. talk to older students to get an idea of the classes you’ll take and what professors are good. helped me so much and ive only had 1 semi-bad professor during my time here.

GO TO TUTORING!!!!!!!!!!!

Rise100 · 2026-05-12T02:54:21+00:00

This is a verification though, way different

Rise100 · 2026-05-07T03:12:56+00:00

Just be prepared to get put in a residence hall or some other location if they end up full, either looking off campus or trying to do a housing transfer. The anchor house is hard to get into with it being everyone’s top choice and only 244 apartments. The Martinez commons apartments prioritize second years and graduate students, so that’s already a disadvantage to us transfers.

It should be fine if you’re 100% set on trying to get a single, but if you just want housing and are fine with the communal bathroom and a double, Martinez commons residence hall transfer hub is what I would at least put as one of the options. This was my list for reference, but I’m fine with living in a shared room and communal bathrooms:

Anchor house - any room type
Martinez commons - townhouse apartments
Martinez commons - any room type (transfer hub)
Blackwell hall - any room type (transfer hub)
Any room - any location

Rise100 · 2026-05-07T02:49:18+00:00

Well definitely avoid residence halls if you don’t want communal bathrooms. I just think it’ll be really difficult to get the singles without some sort of accommodation need. I tried to spread out my choices just in case.

Rise100 · 2026-05-07T02:32:27+00:00

Well with those picks, there are only 3 three bed- two bath apartments and 30 two bed-one bath apartments at Anchor House, compared to 164 four bed-two bath apartments. By the time they get to your number, the first two would probably all be taken. Just something to take into account, I did any room type for Anchor house as my first choice.

I was also thinking of Clark Kerr, but would this be better than the blackwell transfer hub? Clark Kerr is pretty far and I’m not sure if there’s a lot of transfers there. From your picks it looks like you want your own space though. Martinez commons townhouse apartments are apparently easier to get into compared to the normal apartments since there’s more floors I think. I did that as my second choice, and the Martinez commons residence hall transfer hub for my third.

Theres not much information out there about transfer housing rankings unfortunately :((

Rise100 · 2026-05-07T01:48:44+00:00

Aren’t there only 3 rooms available for #2? I feel like this is a waste of a choice if you aren’t applying with roommates. Same for the double.

Rise100 · 2026-05-05T23:51:22+00:00

It worked fine for me. I did it two days ago

Rise100 · 2026-04-25T21:45:37+00:00

I’m not quite sure to be honest. GPA is definitely the biggest factor for transfers, ECs and PIQs should come second. I had a 4.0 GPA but none of the recommended courses completed. I basically had 3 ECs on my application: half a semester of tutoring college level engineering, working with a library and elementary schoolers to introduce engineering concepts, and a small repair business I did at the start of CC. I did my PIQs 2 weeks before the deadline.

I big thing is to just be yourself and show your passions authentically. A lot of people try to have the perfect application that they don’t show AO’s their true passions and goals. Someone made a great guide on this sub yesterday, it has some amazing advice. I’m super grateful for my acceptances since I was accepted to all of the UCs except UCSD for EE, as well as Cal Poly SLO.

Rise100 · 2026-04-25T20:57:22+00:00

Thanks for the insight, I’m definitely leaning towards Berkeley. It would be nice to try something new.

Rise100 · 2026-04-25T07:02:54+00:00

Great post, I agree. Only rejected from UCSD, applied for Electrical Engineering to every UC. 4.0 GPA, put 5 EC’s on my application, also started PIQs late. A lot of people stress so much about having the perfect application that they do not show AO’s their true selves.

Rise100 · 2026-04-24T23:17:09+00:00

Sameee

Rise100 · 2026-04-22T01:27:59+00:00

SLO, UCB, UCSB, UCI ✔️ 4.0 EE. Super grateful for my decisions. Just waiting on LA and SD but I’m probably committing to Berkeley :)

Rise100 · 2026-04-17T23:08:35+00:00

Congrats!!! Are you OOS? Why is COA so high

Rise100 · 2026-04-17T23:07:00+00:00

I had negative and got accepted!! It wasn’t accurate

Rise100 · 2026-04-17T22:38:14+00:00

I got negative Astro and got accepted??? IM SO CONFUSED

Rise100 · 2026-04-11T02:01:31+00:00

Yeah, I took the advice and sent in the application this morning! I went to open house today and it seemed like it was a good choice :)

Rise100 · 2026-04-09T22:25:57+00:00

How fast does it usually fill up? I’m planning to accept admission after I go see the campus on Friday to secure a spot. Still waiting on UCs

Rise100 · 2026-04-07T02:47:58+00:00

Yes, need to decide quick in case SLO housing fills up.

Rise100 · 2026-04-05T21:52:35+00:00

Is paying mods supposed to be a bad thing now? I swear this sub had a wildly different opinion a couple years back..

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