What is the UCUES survey and why should I take it? Prizes maybe? 🎁

[PatrickL]

I keep getting emails about the UCUES survey. UCUES stands for University of California Undergraduate Experience Survey. Fancy name. But what is it actually?

Turns out, all nine UC campuses give this survey every two years to every undergrad over 18 . It's the largest survey at UC San Diego . They ask about everything: experiences within your major, basic needs, health and wellness, campus climate, how you spend your time, activities, obstacles to academic success .

And they're offering prizes to get people to respond:

• Weekly drawings for $40 VISA gift cards
• Gift cards for campus dining locations
• $25 Bookstore gift cards

The sooner you take it, the more chances to win .

But aside from prizes — does this actually matter? Do they use the data? I want to know if my voice counts before I spend 30 minutes answering questions.

 

[Saimon]

I took it last cycle. Got a $40 gift card. Worth it for that alone. But also, my department actually changed some things based on the results. They added more evening office hours because students said they couldn't attend during the day. So yeah, they use it.