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Sarah Espinoza

Senior Marcelo Martir applied to nine universities including three Ivy League schools and he is receiving acceptances from UCSB and UCI. “My dream school is Stanford because it is in California,” Martir said. “At Stanford I can pursue my passion for writing and broaden my horizons with new people and cultures.”

Starting March, Downey High School students are starting to receive letters of admission from the public and private universities they applied to in the fall.  Some of the most anticipated results are coming from the University of California (UC) schools, where students plan to attend.

Although most of the decisions are not out yet, some students were selected early based on their academic achievement.

Alyssa Nevarez, 12, has been admitted to UC Irvine (UCI). She does not have a definitive plan in what her major is.

“I am honored to have received this admission decision,” Nevarez said. “It allows me to have options when I end up deciding on the school I want to commit to.”

There are many reasons as to why a student chooses a specific school, whether it be academics, extracurriculars, or location. Another large factor is the cost of attending schools. While students may be admitted to their top choice, an insufficient income may drive them to choose schools based heavily on financial availability.

Arriyon White, 12, was accepted to UC Davis. Her admissions letter came out on the second week of March(Mar. 8). White wishes to political science in the future.  

“I chose to apply here [UC Davis] because the name stuck with me,” White said. “ I saw the name and saw the campus and I knew it was one of the few universities I would apply to.”

Students submitted most of their applications back in late November. For UC applications, the required number of written responses was four. These responses are referred to as “personal insight questions,” play a major role in determining who gets accepted.

Senior Marcelo Martir explains the most difficult part of the application process.

“Definitely the essays,” Martir said. “You have to make sure that your essay captures your true character within a word limit. But it is also really fun to explore your capabilities as a writer.”

Students have until early May to decide where they want to attend and must maintain their grades at a certain standing in order to remain eligible.