<p>UCBorUCLA oddly enough my sister got into UCLA and not Cal but I got into Cal and not UCLA =/ I smell something fishy. Anyhow, you can live out my dream of being at UCLA while I live out yours at Cal lol =D</p>
<p>Thanks everyone. I was seriously expecting a rejection, haha. @ daneortega, I'm a mass comm. major.</p>
<p>sorry to those who got rejected but don't give up ! always strive for ur best wherever u go!</p>
<p>sreyes-what was your appeal based on?</p>
<p>My appeal was structured around the recommendations given here: Pilipino</a> Academic Student Services ~ UC Berkeley</p>
<p>Ultimately, I believe it came down to a misrepresentation of the stated classes taken in my initial app.</p>
<p>^Hey, so was mine! Nice find, hehe</p>
<p>eyes-thats awesome! congrats.
see you up there.</p>
<p>Awakenzero - yea my friend got into Cal but not ucla. I heard from someone that ucla and ucb call each other up and decide on borderline applicants</p>
<p>i dunno if this is true lol...but not many ppl get into both schools u know. it's kinda weird. If ur qualified for Cal, why not ucla? or vice versa</p>
<p>but i guess they have different qualifications? I think Cal tend to look at personal experiences like what you have been through or done...and ucla...hmm gpa? just a thought tho</p>
<p>I personally think UCB goes more by GPA. I feel like I have been through and done a lot and none of it was considered as much as GPA was.</p>
<p>I'm going to be at ccc for one more semester (fall) taking classes for my major and then I will transfer in the spring to SF State. I have a speech class I need to do in the summer, which means i will have to reapply in the fall. On the upside, I'll save some money...and NO I didn't and am not interested in any other UC's. I hate when people throw the "it's your fault you didn't apply to any other UC's."</p>
<p>I want to disagree with you, laurenr. I think Berkeley goes more by your will and your capacity to cope with setbacks rather than your GPA. Of course this is speculation on my part (and could also vary by department), but it is the perspective I hold. No doubt that GPA is essential to your acceptance, but more emphasis is more-likely placed on your strength and ability to persevere. To complement your grades and extra-curriculars, if you can show them that you have the drive to succeed at their school, then you have a very good shot at being granted admission. They want to see that you exhibit that mental-toughness as well as preparation. I was reading up on the experience of transfers at UCB and was astounded by the determination held by these students. No matter how difficult and demanding it was at Berkeley, they never gave up. So, just telling them you're involved in various activities is, in my opinion, not enough to convince them that you're Cal material (not that there's a set-in-stone definition of what Cal material is).</p>
<p>Well, then with that said - I'm confused about where I've gone wrong. I went on independent study when I was in high school and began working full time for an insurance company. While in high school, I did a vocational work experience program, summer college experience program, photo editor for school paper for a year, and I was a tutor. After that and graduation from independent study, I got my AA in photography while working full time. Then I went back to school and am now finishing my second AA in general education and have done all this while working. As for volunteer/work experience, I was a mentor one semester, volunteered as a marketing associate and organized a book tour for a non-profit book about visually impaired children, helped with web stuff for another non-profit project, volunteered at sf black and white gallery and surface magazine. I am also a member of the international visual sociology association. I've maintained a pretty good GPA - 3.6 and all this while my dad lives in a shelter, brother is in san Quinton and mother raises my niece who is parentless. Believe me all this has definitely sunk in emotionally at times and help my mother out with my niece because it is often too much for her to do all on her own. I think I needed a 3.8 for my major - sociology. If not that, more major related activities? Hell, I don't know.</p>
<p>Did you articulate this story in your college essay? I don't know if the sociology major at UCLA is impacted, but I think that might have something to do with it. A 3.6 gpa is by no maens a cake walk, so as I mentioned above, if you presented your story very well in the college essay and mantained a positive attitude through it all, you would have been a tough candidate to reject. Assuming you have all prerequisites completed, I think you stand out.</p>
<p>I guess my question for you is, in the 'experience' essay, did you mention your struggle as being a pain in the neck, or was it more like 'I have gone through these hurdles and am still excited to have a great opportunity to continue my education at this great university'.</p>
<p>I guess it does not matter now. Sorry that things didn't work out for you and best-of-luck at your next school.</p>
<p>I had mentioned some of it in my essay, but I did not want to make my essay all about my setbacks. In my letter I did mention a lot of this as the new information (one reason) because I didnt exactly explain it. I dunno I used the same website as the others, included 6 letters of recommendation only expected the first three to be read, which were sold recommendations. My instructors signed a paper, which showed 3 As and a B+ for my spring grades as of mid May. I also attached exam results for an exam I studied and passed for work while in school. I am first generation, improvement in grade trend all that. I was hoping to get admitted for spring. Oh well. Im just ready to move on now.</p>
<p>
[quote]
I heard from someone that ucla and ucb call each other up and decide on borderline applicants</p>
<p>i dunno if this is true lol...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It's not..</p>
<p>
[quote]
I heard from someone that ucla and ucb call each other up and decide on borderline applicants
[/quote]
Heh, they don't trade us like pokemon cards</p>
<p>LOL - that was funny!</p>
<p>LOL guys thats wot I heard! but of course it is just a rumor u know</p>
<p>About ucb, laurenr I'm very sorry for u. Berkeley is random like that. There r 3.3-3.4 applicants who got into Haas, can u believe that? The thing is I had difficulties too, and yet I feel that they want you to pick one or two experiences and talk about them. If you write about all of ur struggles, it doesn't seem like a focused essay, and probably feel like the person is complaining about his/her difficulties. (that probably was what happened to me)</p>
<p>I read my friend's essay who got into Cal. Her gpa was 3.7 and mine was 3.85. Same major - econ. I would definitely say u have to be a little creative with the essay. She said something like..."I have survived and now I want to thrive..." and talked about how she listened to "I Will Survive" song on a plane when shes coming to the US (Her difficulties happened in her homeland country). So there...I don't think she really listened to the song on the plane and probably just came up with the "I Will Survive" theme essay during the writing process. Yet the thesis sounds unique and great.</p>
<p>Basically, I thought I should have made my essay more fancy like that. Sigh...but I dunno, maybe I'm just simply not qualified to be at Cal. Rejected 3 times LOL!</p>
<p>We have re-evaluated your application, and we are pleased to offer you admission for the fall term! Please complete the online Statement of Intention to Register (SIR)...</p>
<p>... good deal. The problem is that I was admitted as a Freshman transfer (what? ) since I spent only one year in college. Anybody knows what that means?</p>
<p>Thanks guys.</p>
<p>BShadow congratulations!</p>
<p>What do u mean freshman transfer? i think ur a sophomore applicant</p>
<p>Me too, but my acceptance letter says freshman transfer (I didn't even know it was possible to combine those two words haha). I called the admission office and a nice lady there had no idea what it means... ohhh berkeley</p>