How to maximize your chances of winning the UCUES prizes 💳

[Olivia]

I've become slightly obsessed with winning these UCUES prizes . $40 VISA gift card? Yes please. Campus dining gift card? I'm literally always hungry. Bookstore gift card? Textbooks are a scam so I'll take anything.

Here's my strategy based on the fine print:

1. Take it SOON. They do weekly drawings through spring quarter and "the sooner UCUES is completed, the more chances to win" . So procrastinators lose. Simple as that.
2. Actually finish it. The questionnaire isn't submitted until you hit the "Submit" button at the end . So you can't just open it and hope for the best. You have to actually answer questions.
3. Be honest but efficient. It asks about "Your Academic Experience, Campus Life Experience, Future Plans, and Basic Needs" plus "Your Background and Personal Characteristics" . That's a lot. But the faster you finish, the sooner you're in the drawing.

Has anyone here actually won one of these before? I need to know if it's real or if I'm wasting my time. My roommate said she won a dining gift card last year but she's also kind of a liar so...

Also, does anyone know what "Selected Campus Dining Location" means? Like, can I choose? Or is it random? I really want that $40 VISA. That's actual money I can use anywhere.

 

[Linda]

I won the VISA last year and I'm pretty sure it's because I did the survey at like 2am the night it opened lol. I couldn't sleep and figured why not.

The email came maybe 2 weeks later and I genuinely thought it was phishing because it just said "You've won!" with a link. But I clicked it (risky I know) and it was legit. They use some third party gift card service. You get a code and you can use it anywhere Visa is accepted. I bought groceries too lol.

Your strategy is spot on. The "sooner you complete" thing is literally the only factor. There's no skill involved. It's not like they're reading your answers and picking the best ones. It's just a raffle. So the earlier you submit, the more raffle tickets you have essentially.

I also heard they prioritize first-year and second-year students sometimes for the dining cards? No idea if that's true but I've only seen sophomores win those.

Anyway good luck!! If you win the VISA treat yourself to something nice. Or just buy textbooks lol. Either way $40 is $40