Before and after: two students' applications
Where each student started, what we changed, and how the same experience reads in a Personal Insight Question before and after. Names are withheld for privacy.
Santa Monica College → UC Berkeley Haas
3.9 GPA · 70 units · Santa Monica College · Goal: Berkeley Haas, UCLA Business Economics, USC Marshall
Before
- Strong grades, but the application read like a list: investment club president, part-time job, tutoring
- Two Haas prerequisites weren't scheduled yet
- No clear reason why business, or why these schools
What we did
- Mapped the remaining prerequisites so all were done or in progress by the deadline
- Connected the club, the job and tutoring around one theme: helping people make smarter money decisions
- Rewrote all four PIQs so each showed a different side of that story
- Balanced the list with UCSD Business Economics and UC Irvine Business Administration
- Reviewed the full application before submission
PIQ before
“I am the president of the investment club at my college. I organized meetings, led discussions about the stock market, and increased membership. This experience taught me leadership and teamwork skills.”
PIQ after
“When I took over our investment club, eight members showed up to meetings, and most of them were finance majors who already knew the material. I wanted to reach the students who didn't. I started a “First Paycheck” workshop on budgeting and opening a Roth IRA, and by spring we had 40 regular members, half of them from outside business.”
Result: Admitted to Berkeley Haas, UCLA Business Economics and UC San Diego. Now at Berkeley Haas.
Diablo Valley College → UC Berkeley Economics
3.8 GPA · 62 units · Diablo Valley College · Goal: UC Berkeley Economics, UC Davis Managerial Economics, Cal Poly SLO
Before
- Switched from biology to economics in the second year, and was behind on major prep
- Working 25 hours a week at the family restaurant
- Worried the job made the application look “empty,” with no time for clubs
What we did
- Fit the missing economics and calculus classes into the last two semesters plus one summer course
- Turned the change from biology to economics into a strength instead of a red flag
- Showed how running shifts, ordering inventory and rising costs sparked an interest in economics
- Added a UC Davis TAG so there was a guaranteed option
- Reviewed the full application before submission
PIQ before
“I work at my family's restaurant about 25 hours a week. I help with customers, the register and ordering supplies. Working there has taught me responsibility and time management.”
PIQ after
“When our supplier raised the price of cooking oil 40% in one month, my dad asked me whether we should raise prices or cut portions. I spent a week tracking what customers ordered and how often they came back. That spreadsheet is the reason I switched my major from biology to economics.”
Result: Admitted to UC Berkeley Economics, UC Davis Managerial Economics (TAG) and Cal Poly SLO. Now at UC Berkeley.
Pacific Admissions Group