<p>i applied to the HSSEAS as a chemical engineer major, but i am currently scared about my chances at UCLA because i didn't receive the likely letter.</p>
<p>has anyone got into the school of engineering without the likely letter?</p>
<p>i also have been recently accepted into UCSD for Chem E, and UCI, but i am still pretty scared becuase of my low ACT.</p>
<p>GPA: 3.8 unweighted
ACT: 23
Math II SAT: 580
Chemistry SAT: 610</p>
<p>AP Courses Taken/Taking</p>
<p>AP Calculus BC - x
AP Chemistry - x
AP Biology - 3
AP Literature - x
AP Language and Composition - 3
AP Economics -x
AP U.S. Government and Politics - x
AP U.S. History - 4</p>
<p>UCLA is my dream school and i really aspire to going here.
so please give me REAL feedback and any opinions based on your knowledge and previous statistics.</p>
<p>Dumb answer. Especially engineering fields, not even MIT cares about a low test score when you take such challenging courses, (and obviously with this GPA), it’s contradicting in the eyes of the admissions officer to not accept you just because of the ACT. Your good grades make up for the low test score, and everything else is a plus.</p>
<p>Based on your previous posts, you’re obviously bitter because you didn’t get a likely letter to UCLA. Test scores always come a priori in college admissions, especially at the UC’s; they are a lot more standarized than GPAs. It doesn’t take a genius to go on MIT’s page and find that they’re 50th percentile of SAT scores all rest well above 700 in each category. Please don’t give the OP false hope.</p>
<p>@San0321
Nope, many admittees don’t receive likely letters. In this situation tho, I doubt the OP will be admitted.</p>
<p>The OP’s GPA is decent, but their ACT and SAT II scores are what bring them down (as others have said). I’m sorry, but it’s unlikely that they’ll make it in.</p>
<p>Fintork, there are people who get a great GPA and a great SAT/ACT score and still don’t get into UCLA. It’s not logical to make the argument that a decent GPA will make up for a not-so-great ACT score here since so many applicants have the stats. One of the only ways I can see the OP getting in is if they have amazing extracurriculars & essays. However, it’s still evident that HSSEAS places an applicant’s scores as a priority.</p>
<p>You’re the typical “CC user” who thinks a high test score equals guaranteed admission. Not the case. This doesn’t take a genius to figure out, my friend. Admissions are not formula-based, they’re human-based. It doesn’t take a genius to go on MIT’s page and find the Director of Admissions talk about how a test score is not as important.</p>
<p>Again, admission is not formula based. You talk about “amazing extracurriculars”. How do you define that? Bull. Unless you have strong evidence from the faculty that this is “evident” your post is as useless as everyone else’s.</p>
<p>Yes, but what ccuser is saying is that UCLA, or any UC in general, is not MIT. Yes, MIT will let bad scores slide, but here’s what any college would define as amazing extracurriculars (for an engineer, at least): USAMO, Siemens Semi or Finalist, Intel STS Semi or Finalist, USAPHO, USACO, USABO. And, yes, UCLA would let the test scores or GPA slide if an applicant had one of these too, but unlike MIT, UCs filter by numbers first, meaning that whatever awesome accomplishments you’ve done don’t even play if your SAT/ACT and GPA aren’t at a certain mark.</p>
<p>To answer the OP: if this is your complete resume, then it lacks ECs to compensate and your chances are bleak at best. I would say your application is in serious danger of being automatically rejected because of test scores – I mean, one bad SAT score wouldn’t completely sink you, but 3… would. But still, you’ve already got UCSD which is a top institution. You’ve done all you could, accomplished a lot already, so just relax and see what happens. :)</p>
<p>ace48225 gives a good list of what is considered as amazing extracurriculars; there’s a more extensive list here <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/1378919-reboot-ish-list-ranked-prestigious-awards.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/high-school-life/1378919-reboot-ish-list-ranked-prestigious-awards.html</a> .
As for how HSSEAS places an applicant’s scores as a priority; UCLA’s common data set lists Rigor of secondary school record, Academic GPA, Standardized test scores, and Application essay as “very important”. They are all under the Academic section (the other two in the section are Class Rank and Recommendations, which are not considered). Comparatively, non-academics such as Extracurricular activities, Talent/ability, Character/personal qualities, Volunteer work, and Work experience are all listed under “important” - they definitely play a part in admissions, but aren’t as much of a priority.</p>
<p>Since you’re going to be Chem E, I recommend that you improve your mathematical skills outside of class. Chem E is extremely math intensive. One time, I was at the textbook store and I was curious what kind of content chem e would have, so I looked through one of its textbook. All I saw was basically multivariable calculus, specifically double and triple integrals. </p>
<p>Anyways, UCSD is still pretty good with engineering. You should at least be happy that you got into that school.</p>
<p>@Fintork Although I dislike standardized tests, they’re there for a reason: not all high schools are the same and hence not all classes are taught and graded the same way. That’s why there are the issues with grade inflation/deflation. For example, an AP Calculus at one high school might be a total joke, whereas at another high school, it might be taught with more emphasis on proofs than computation. The manner of how AP Calculus is taught is not revealed to admission committee. So, how do we compare one’s person mathematical ability to another person’s from another school? standardized testing.</p>
<p>I was worried about this too. I’m in the same boat you are here, no likely letter and applied for EE.</p>
<p>I had 3.76 uw/3.96 w when applied (would of been 4 or higher if I didn’t get B’s in Spanish…)
31 ACT
650 Math II SAT
Eagle Scout
ton of community service
some other stuff</p>
<p>I agree with jerry. UCLA will probably pass you over because of your low test scores. Honestly, it’s unfair because your GPA is high and you’re clearly a bright kid (plus ACT/SAT are hardly indications of intelligence, imo). Either way, you already got into UCSD; get excited, man! You’re already in a top tier school!</p>
<p>@Fintork: You’re really not helping the OP at this point, just saying…</p>