Hey everyone, I am in a bit of a pickle.
I plan on applying to UC Berkeley this fall and I am starting to doubt my application. I am aware that UC Berkeley takes a ‘holistic’ approach to my application and am hoping they see my potential. Currently, at my CC, I have a 3.91 in UC transferable courses, a 3.73 overall, and a grade trend that shows straight As in my past few semesters (something I plan to continue throughout the fall.) I am enrolled in TAP, which has been a huge help in guiding me through this entire process.
One huge problem I’m worried about is my time spent in art school right after high school. I attended for two years, half assing it my entire time, and not really focusing on my grades. The results are a 2.61 GPA and countless debt. I took 2 years off to really figure what it was I wanted to do with my life. I decided I wanted to get a more useful degree and started going to community college. Like I said, my grades show how hard I can work, but I know my grades from art school will haunt me. I’m a complete different person than I was back then and with a whole new set of ideals. I’m hoping my application will show that and I will still get in. I plan on explaining it all through my essays.
Oh and another issue I’m having is that the major I’m planning to go into is capped 
Media Studies.
I know its a long shot, but this is truly a dream of mine, and like I said, my work in the past few semesters have reflected my determination.
I’ve also considered applying to the Rhetoric major, as I know it won’t be as competative, and then probably declaring Media Studies once I get into the school. I have all my prerequisites met for Media Studies, so I will be able to declare right away.
Are classes taken at the art school UC transferable?
You do have the option to explain in greater detail in the 2 personal statements and the additional comments if needed (although you’re not supposed to use additional comments as space for another essay)
Is it the Berkeley TAP, or the UCLA TAP? If its the Berkeley TAP, you should have no problems. They work with their applicants very closely and generally have higher than average admit rates.
You get into the college of letters and science at Berkeley, so it’s much easier to get into than Communication at UCLA. All of my friends who applied to Berkeley as Media Studies got it, even those with 4.7 and 4.6 gpas.
@luckie1367 That’s what I’m having trouble with. I’m not entirely sure which ones transfer and which ones don’t. I’m planning on getting them checked out by an admissions officer sometime this summer. I’m hoping only a few of them are transferrable, that way my gpa will still be somewhat decent.
I am part of Berkeley TAP through Berkeley City College. I’m lucky to be in such a great program and was chosen to be in it by the founder/director himself. He seemed to believe I would be better off applying under English or a major in Humanities department then either declaring Media Studies as a double major. Humanities has a way higher admit rate, and the majors I’m considering applying for aren’t impacted like Media Studies, so it wouldn’t be as competitive for me. I’m considering Applying as an intended Rhetoric major, then declaring Media Studies if I am accepted.
I’m really hoping TAP will help me out as much as possible throughout this process. Berkeley is my dream.
@onmyway8 4.7 and 4.6 GPA are very high. I am only in the 3.9 range in UC Transferrable.
whoops! I meant 3.8 and 3.6. Haha
I’d say go the rhetoric route. They’ll like the huge upward trend, high GPA, UCB TAP, etc. Honestly, your courses from art school might hold you back, and it would be a better move to go the humanities route - easier to get into rhetoric than an impacted major.
You might want to try calculating your gpa from both CC and art school, all courses included, just to see what your GPA would be at the worst case scenario. A general rule of thumb is any classes under 3 semester units can be discounted.
First off, forgetting about the lost weekend of coursework, you can get into media studies with a 3.91, which is all they will look at (UC transferable courses). My daughter got into the major. I don’t know your personal ECs or other things, but in general it’s doable.
Re your art school, as luckie said, perhaps some are not transferable. Assuming there are no Ds, you cannot retake or apply for academic renewal. All you can do is just tell them you weren’t motivated.
But how many units did you take? Do you have a bunch of upper division courses, because two years at art school and then your time at CCC must put you at a lot of units. I think your biggest hurdle would be if you took too many UD courses. Playing in your favor a bit will probably be that the school was art school.
You are TAP (under-represented) and you have made a great turnaround. This will akso play strongly in your favor. All things being equal, this is just me saying this - not UCB admissions - I think you stand a pretty decent shot.
@goldencub I’m definitely thinking I’ll go the rhetoric route as far as my application goes. Because it is similar to media studies, I can definitely make my essay show a genuine interest. I am definitely aware of how my Art School credits hold me back. I did added up all the units and as of now I have a 3.20 which is a far drop from the 3.91 in UC transferrable CC courses. But I know that as long as I have above 3.0 I will still be considered for admissions. The rest will be up to my essay and my upward grade trend I guess.
@lindyk8 I have solid ECs. I’ve been a fashion photographer and did a lot of freelancing on my break in between the two schools. I even had an internship with a creative agency that led to a permanent position. So I’ve got ectensive experience in media content creation, which led to a curiosity for the effects of media and what it can represent. All of this is addressed in my essay, hoping it’ll give my application some strength. I definitely took a lot of courses in Art school, but most of them were in photography, with a few courses in Liberal arts.
I’m really hoping that being in TAP will give me that extra boost. I am a minority and come from a lower class family. Foster homes, drug addicts as family members, the whole nine yards. So to even be considered a contender is a huge deal to me. Of course I won’t be giving my sob story on my app because I don’t want to be like everyone else. Just gonna focus on one issue and address how i overcame it.
Thanks so much for your guys help! I really appreciate it all.