<p>At Cal's Transfer Retreat I learned that UCB, UCLA and UCSB's application review differ from the other UCs. </p>
<p>That "other" UCs use a grading system where they give a point to how great your ECs, personal statements, grades and etc were during your CCC career. The amount of points accumulated determines your admission outcome. </p>
<p>On the other hand, UCB/LA/UCSB does a "comprehensive review" where they actually read your personal statements and take everything into context. Meaning that they would consider the facts that you were from a single family home and/or availability of your resources and outcome of your grades. </p>
<p>My mentor* told me that he thinks the personal statement is the most important part to the application. He told me to think of applying to the UCs as a job application. The grades/ECs make up the "resume" and the personal statement makes up the "interview." And it is during the interview where the employer truly determines if they want to "hire" you. </p>
<p>That is all! I just wanted share the importance of the personal statement. As well as congratulate those excellent writers that got into Cal/UCLA/UCSB! YAY!</p>
<p>*Mentor works directly with UCB Admissions =)</p>
<p>so my half-assed, last minute, midnight-submitted essay that got me into UCSB was considered good?</p>
<p>wow kickass.</p>
<p>This is my personal speculation but maybe they only read the personal statements if your borderline? for example, what is you have a 4.0 but your essays are horrible… you think UCSB will deny a 4.0 because of their terrible essay? </p>
<p>I think GPA may be the initial screening process and then the next step may be EC’s, personal statement etc…</p>
<p>foothill speaks the truth</p>
<p>We’ll never know! Just like how we don’t really know what truly differentiates a Spring admit from a Fall admit…</p>
<p>Daylight Savings? Intriguing information, thanks Foothill.</p>
<p>@ xelinx
Yeah, same here.
Or maybe it was the complete obscurity of my mortibund intended major.</p>
<p>i did mine the first time around the night before…for Fall 2010 i cleaned them up a bit.</p>
<p>i must say i have some mad writing skills…lol…i am so modest.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure essays mean close to nothing at most UCs. My essays were abhorrent.</p>
<p>But jane, I’m sure your essays were fantastic, as is everything you do.</p>
<p>where have you been RileyJohn? long time no see.</p>
<p>did you notice my new incarnation…from doe to d0e?</p>
<p>i got banned :(</p>
<p>I did. Perhaps you will think twice next time before you start an inappropriate thread!</p>
<p>@ jane !
I saw the 0 instead of o w/ low counts… hahaha glad to know it wasn’t an imposter!!<br>
What type of thread was it you were banned for?</p>