UC Davis Young Scholars Program Essays Guide 2026

The UC Davis Young Scholars Program is a competitive six-week residential research program that accepts approximately 40 high-achieving rising juniors and seniors to conduct original research in the biological, agricultural, environmental, and natural sciences. With an acceptance rate of roughly 10–15%, it is a selective opportunity that pairs each participant one-on-one with UC Davis faculty and research groups in state-of-the-art laboratories. By the end of the program, each student will have produced a journal-quality research paper and delivered a symposium presentation, while also earning five units of UC credit. For students passionate about the life sciences or environmental research, YSP offers genuine research depth that rivals programs costing far more in prestige but not in substance, and it stands out in college applications because of the individual ownership each student has over their project. This article will guide you on how to write stellar essays for this program.

1. What do you hope to gain from participating this summer in the Young Scholars Program? How do you anticipate applying this experience to your future? (255 words)

As with all essays of this nature, specificity is key. Being vague, generic, or sentimental will not suffice for a serious research program like YSP. There are a limited number of valid goals and aspirations a young researcher should expect from this program. These include: learning how to navigate and synthesize peer-reviewed literature in the biological or environmental sciences; understanding how statistical methods can be used to generate insights from experimental data and quantify how reliable or meaningful those insights are; learning to communicate scientific findings effectively through both a journal-quality paper and a symposium presentation; identifying a research question that sparks your imagination due to the depth and complexity of its exploration; developing the confidence to work independently in a real laboratory setting alongside professional researchers; and gaining increased subject-matter knowledge in a particular area of the life sciences, agriculture, or environmental science.

I may have overlooked a few other valid motivations, but as you can see from the examples provided, the only truly valid ones are intimately tied to the research process itself. The key isn't to cram all of these motivators into a 255-word essay. Instead, focus on selecting the reasons that you prioritize the most given your lived experiences and show the reader a snippet of those experiences to establish a strong personal motivation for those reasons.

For the second half of the essay, paint a vivid picture of how the skills you gain at YSP will directly shape your short-term academic path or long-term career aspirations. Whether your future plans are definite or uncertain, avoid vagueness. If you're sure you want to pursue a career in veterinary medicine, molecular biology, or environmental policy, show how YSP's research experience will equip you with the specific technical competencies needed to execute the next steps in that path. If you're undecided, explain how immersive laboratory research will help you narrow your interests by revealing which aspects of the scientific process you excel in and enjoy the most. Conclude with a clear vision of who you will be as a researcher after participating in YSP.

2. What makes you stand out from other applicants? (255 words)

This is your opportunity to be direct about your accomplishments, but do not mistake this prompt for an invitation to simply list achievements. The strongest approach is to open with a brief, vivid anecdote that places you in the middle of a moment where your unique combination of skills, experiences, or perspective was on full display. This could be a specific moment during a research project where you identified something others overlooked, a competition where your unconventional approach led to a breakthrough, or a personal experience that gave you a lens through which you see scientific problems differently than your peers.

After the anecdote, clearly articulate what differentiates you. This could include: prior research experience where you can cite the specific questions your group addressed and your personal contributions to advancing them; proficiency in technical skills such as specific programming languages, laboratory techniques, or statistical methods; placement in academic competitions such as Science Olympiad, science fairs, or biology-related contests; or a unique personal background that gives you a distinctive perspective on the kinds of problems studied at UC Davis, particularly in agriculture, environmental science, or the biological sciences.

When discussing technical skills, don't just list them. Show the reader how you've applied them. If you use Python, mention the specific packages you're proficient in and explain the types of analyses or models you've built. If you've done laboratory work, describe the exact techniques you've used and the problems they helped you solve.

To conclude, connect what makes you stand out to what you will bring to YSP. The reader should finish this essay believing that accepting you would make the program better for everyone involved.

3. Describe a strength or unique perspective that would contribute to your success in the program AND something that might hinder that success. (255 words)

This prompt is deceptively layered. Begin with the strength or unique perspective, and approach it similarly to the previous essay but with an emphasis on how this quality will function specifically within YSP's six-week research environment. The strongest response will feature a brief anecdote demonstrating this quality in action, rather than merely asserting it. If your strength is persistence, show a moment where that persistence paid off in a research or problem-solving context. If your unique perspective comes from a background in a field that intersects with biology or environmental science in an unexpected way, paint a quick picture of how that cross-disciplinary lens has already generated useful insights.

For the hindrance, resist the temptation to offer a disguised strength, such as "I'm too much of a perfectionist." Readers see through this immediately, and it signals a lack of self-awareness. Instead, be genuinely honest about a real challenge. Perhaps you've never done a multi-week independent research project before, and the sustained focus required is something you'll need to develop. Perhaps you tend to hesitate before asking for help when you're stuck, or perhaps working in a field adjacent to, but different from, your primary interest makes you nervous about your knowledge gaps.

The key is that after honestly identifying the hindrance, you must demonstrate that you have both the self-awareness to recognize it and a concrete plan for overcoming it. Show the reader that you've thought critically about how this challenge will manifest at YSP and explain the specific strategies you'll employ to address it. This is ultimately an essay about maturity and readiness for real research, where setbacks are inevitable and self-awareness is essential.

4. What has been the most rewarding experience you've had in a high school science course? What made it rewarding and what did you learn about yourself in the process? (255 words)

This essay should be one extended personal anecdote, told vividly in the first person. Choose a specific moment, not a semester-long summary, but a particular experience within a science course that shifted something in you. This could be a lab experiment that didn't go as expected and forced you to troubleshoot creatively, a class discussion that reframed how you understood a concept, or a final project where you pushed beyond the assignment's requirements because your curiosity demanded it.

As you describe this experience, clearly identify what made it rewarding. The strongest responses will center on rewards tied to the process of scientific thinking itself, rather than external validation like grades or praise. Did you experience the thrill of designing an experiment and watching data confirm or contradict your hypothesis? Did you learn that you're someone who thrives when problems don't have clean, textbook answers? Did you discover that explaining a complex concept to a peer deepens your own understanding?

The "what did you learn about yourself" component is critical and should not be an afterthought. This is where you demonstrate the kind of reflective, self-aware thinking that separates students who will thrive in an intensive six-week research program from those who will struggle with its demands. Be specific. Instead of saying you learned that you "love science," articulate a precise insight: that you're someone who finds the most satisfaction in the iterative process of refining a hypothesis, or that you work best when you understand the real-world implications of the problem you're solving. This self-knowledge should clearly connect to why you'll succeed at YSP.

5. "Tweet" the admissions committee (140 characters or less) what else they should know about you that isn't already covered in your application response.

Do not waste this on a joke or a throwaway line. With 140 characters, every word must earn its place. The ideal tweet accomplishes one of two things: it either reveals a dimension of your personality or interests that didn't fit naturally into the other essays, or it reinforces your central narrative with a punchy, memorable line that sticks in the reader's mind. If your other essays focused heavily on your research experience, use this space to show a human side, perhaps a hobby that reflects the same intellectual curiosity you bring to science but in a completely different domain. If your essays were more personal and narrative-driven, use this tweet to land a technical or aspirational note. The goal is to leave the admissions committee with one final, vivid impression that makes them want to meet you.

If you want help applying to the UC Davis Young Scholars Program or any other summer research program, or would just like someone to help you strengthen your overall extracurriculars, schedule a free consultation with an admissions expert today.