<p>I've been a long time 'lurker' around these boards and I finally decided to join and post. I'm hoping you guys could help me out :).</p>
<p>I'm finishing my first year at a CC (De Anza) and my plan was to get accepted and transfer to UCSD Fall '07. </p>
<p>I'll be a little more than halfway done w/ my IGETC req. by the end of this quarter and I've already started by pre-major coursework. Since I have a 3.43 and I have another year left at CC, I was feeling pretty good...
...until I started reading these recent threads about people with 4.00 who got REJECTED from UCSD! What's the deal? People always complain that the selection is random, but they even reject 4.00's now?!? I'm not sure if this will hurt me or help me? <em>What should I do to give me that final push to get into a UC?</em> Should I start volunteering? Helping out with the community? Getting involved in more school activities? UCSD didn't even seem like that much of a reach for me...now it's becoming my "dream school". ANY advice would very much be appreciated! :)</p>
<p>dont' volunteer, dont' do community service...don't join PTK...these things don't matter for UCs....I did all of these things...and I hated every minute of it...but I thought it would help...NOPE!!</p>
<p>key to getting into UCs:</p>
<p>first: GPA GPA GPA...can't stress this enough...
second: Pre-reqs</p>
<p>You might want to look into doing the TAG transfer program with UCSD if your lower division is not rigorous. I know De Anza has it for sure because I go there. It wouldn't hurt to do EC activities if your gpa is low, depending on your major.</p>
<p>WillDO: My major is Political Science. And I only have 3 pre-reqs, one of which I'm taking right now. I'm hoping to be done with them by the end of Winter Quarter '07</p>
<p>Citan: I thought GPA was the only thing that mattered also...but a couple threads back people with very HIGH gpas (4.00) got rejected. I can't understand their stupid system. Thanks for your input about the EC stuff...it does seem like a waste of time since it has nothing to do with my major. </p>
<p>ee_stu: I can't sign their TAG agreement because they require many more classes and I would have to transfer a year later. I really don't want to be stuck in a CC for three years :(</p>
<p>oceanview, you sound like you're in good hands currently. I reccomend looking at those individuals more cloesly on the threads. Chances are they probably didn't have their IGETC fulfilled or enough of their pre-reqs.</p>
<p>is citan right? if so, thanks a lot for the advice...</p>
<p>i figure for extracurriculars..isn't it extremely easy to just ******** that?...for example write done that i have been doign private tutoring....or say i taught english abroad while i was really on vacation...(not that i plan on making up extreme lies) but shouldn't it be easy to stretch the truth if they have no way of finding out....</p>
<p>^^ if you like doing that...fine...but my friend with 3.8 got into UCLA and Cal in EECS...and he didn't have any volunteer or PTK...just part time work 10hr/week or something...as I said, the ECs are for high school students, for transfer they don't matter that much. Now if you WANT to do it...go right ahead...but now I regret spending $75 for PTK</p>
<p>oceanview: the 4.0s who got rejected in UCSD was prolly due to yield rate...UCSD knew that those students won't pick them over Cal or UCLA. But not sure...I got in UCSD, UCLA with 3.78. One of my friends (biochem) got in UCSD with 3.80 with FIVE pre-reqs missing...just keep your GPA up and do as many pre-reqs as you can and you are IN</p>
<p>also if you are feeling paranoid do TAG and other guaranteed admission progs for other UCs. I recommend PAIF (UCI) and TAA (Davis)</p>
<p>UCs are now doing random checks because people excessively lie on their applications. I would watch out of I were you because you bear the risk of your acceptance being revoked.</p>
<p>I've been a lurker too. I haven't posted much but have been following the ucla bizecon/pending boards closely as well as the ucsd ones. CC is addicting! Of course I stopped checking ucla boards once I got rejected. :)</p>
<p>Everybody's got their own personal experiences, here's my advice: 1. Pre-reqs - since you don't have very many and your going to finish them up soon that's good. Also, there are some that are recommended that you finish and some that are required, its stated on the assist.org site. Those with high GPAs that got rejected were probably missing them or taking them too late as someone stated 2. Personal statements - pick something that your passionate about to write on. Make it memorable and don't go on about saving the world or play the victim unless it's central to your story - remember they've read them all. 3. GPA(only for transfers) - why personal statements over GPA? I'll explain below.</p>
<p>I transferred into SD with a meager 2.9GPA, almost no ECs, and moderate work hours. What I think got me in was my raw personal statements. Some people say that there's some luck involved as well, and I think it's true, but a good personal statement can make up for alot.</p>
<p>No UCLA though. I knew it was a long shot, but after the other guy with a 2.9 got in my hope went from about 1% to 15%. Then again I don't think he was bizecon.</p>
<p>I would say that you can still do volunteering and community service if you have time..GPA is certainly the most important factor in the decision making process. however, i think volunteering and community service is still important, espeically if you are transfering into impacted major. it's true that there are people who got into cal and ucla with little ECs and volunteering, but that doesn't mean they don't care about voluteering and ECs. a lot of people still have their ECs and volunteering..so if you can do ECs without compromising your GPA, then go for it...it's not gonna hurt..and also, when you really enjoy your ECs, your personal statement will also reflect that</p>