How to Apply

Application Deadline
All on-line application and materials including official transcripts, two recommendations from math and/or science teachers via WeTeach, test score results, and financial aid forms must be received and/or postmarked by Friday, March 15th, 2008. Applications are closed for summer 2008.

Eligibility
Students are selected to attend COSMOS by the faculty of each cluster. There are not explicit standards that must be met to be accepted to the program. Rather, the faculty look at the entire application and weigh it against others who have applied to the same cluster. The following criteria are considered:

• Timeliness – Applications must be submitted by 5:00pm on March 15th, 2008. All additional application materials must be postmarked on this date.
• Prerequisites – Some clusters have pre-requisites. These will be considered first. If an applicant does not meet the pre-requisites, the application will be forwarded to his/her next cluster choice.
• Grades – Success in high-level math and science courses is strongly considered. Overall GPA is also considered, but not as important and math and science grades. Our average GPA for 2008 applicants was above 3.5. Faculty consider honors courses and courses taken beyond normal track.
• Personal Statement - The faculty will read each statement thoroughly. They are very interested in learning about a student's motivation and what the student wants to get out of their COSMOS experience. Students are encouraged to comment on all their cluster choices.
• Teacher Recommendations – Each student should solicit two recommendations from their mathematics or science teachers. As teachers have a busy schedule, it is important to give them sufficient time and check to see if they have received and/or completed the on-line Recommendation Request Form. Follow up with your teacher to make sure that the Recommendation Request arrived in their e-mail. The Recommendation Request Form will not be sent to their e-mail until the student applicant has finished registration for COSMOS. It is important that you complete your entire application so that the system can automatically send out a Recommendation Request to the two teachers that you included in your application.
• Student Activities – Extra-curricular activities surrounding math and science, such as competitions in science fairs, Math Olympiad or other science programs are considered.

Tips for Applying to COSMOS
To become a top COSMOS candidate next summer, you may want to prepare by:
• Being involved in on-campus and community organizations that emphasize in science, math and biology
• Taking on leadership positions in student run organizations
• Participating in local and statewide science fairs
• Improving your overall GPA and especially excelling in math, science, and advanced computer courses
• Cultivating a strong student-teacher relationship with two teachers in the areas of math, science or computer science. This should, in turn, allow the teachers to answer to the Recommendation Request with impressive responses about you.
• Most of all, it is important for you to develop your composition skills to allow you to write strong and persuasive essays for the COSMOS applications to impress upon the selection committee your interest and dedication to the pursuit of knowledge.

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact COSMOS at cosmos@ucsd.edu and we will be happy to help.

Returning Student Policy
May I attend COSMOS more than once?
COSMOS alumni may only apply to a COSMOS site they have not previously attended. A student may only attend a total of two COSMOS sessions, as we seek to broaden the number of participants who have never attended COSMOS before. As the number of applications continues to rise, first year applicants deemed qualified to participate, and submitting a completed application prior to the deadline, will be given priority. Previous alumni applicants who are qualified may be placed on a waiting list, and enrolled only on a space available basis. Returning students are required to identify the COSMOS campus and course cluster previously attended. References will be requested from that site's faculty to aid in evaluating each application.

Eighth-Grade Student Policy
COSMOS invites applications from outstanding high school students who excel in mathematics and science. Only graduating 8th graders achieving academic excellence in mathematics or science courses beyond the typical 8th grade level will be considered for admission, and must be mature enough to participate in a one-month residential program away from home. Only a small percentage of applying 8th graders are admitted to COSMOS each year.