<p>I got rejected from UCSC much to my dismay. It's my dream school, it might be weird for some people to hear that, but I just have a personal connection with family so I'd love to attend.</p>
<p>My stats are:
GPA: 3.5 (when registered) and 3.4 currently
SAT: 1860
Major: Chem Engineering</p>
<p>I guess those aren't the best stats either. <em>sighs</em></p>
<p>Please rip it apart, it's my rough draft, constructive criticism ftw! Thank you in advance!</p>
<p>Michael McCawley, Director of Admissions
Office of Admissions-Hahn
UC Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, Ca 95064</p>
<p>Dear Mr. McCawley,</p>
<p>Please let me begin by thanking you and your wonderful staff for the extensive review and consideration of my application and for the further effort of reconsideration to University of California, Santa Cruz. With the decision to change your admission process into a holistic approach, I feel that I am a qualified candidate for a chemical engineering major so I am seizing this last opportunity for reconsideration.</p>
<p>I was extremely distraught to be notified that I was not accepted into UCSC for the Fall 2012 quarter. There are numerous possible reasons for that. Whatever those possibilities may be, I feel that to truly understand me as an applicant, there must be an explanation for the circumstances surrounding my personal life and academic career.</p>
<p>My maternal aunt, Ann, has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer three months ago, and this turn of events has affected my family emotionally. Her cancer has hit me the hardest because she is one of the constant sources of strength and integrity in my life and has taught me to always reach further and look ahead for my goals in life and the accomplishments that I am working towards. </p>
<p>She has inspired me, continually, especially after the beginning of her courageous ongoing battle with cancer. I threw myself into my academics this year harder than any other year with even more challenging classes this year than any other. These classes among others include Physics, Calculus AB, AP Pyschology as you can note from my included transcript. Even with that unwaveringly effort, my grades have slipped slightly, especially in those classes, much to my dismay, because of the never-ending workload of such demanding classes. </p>
<p>Even with discouraging results, I have not wavered and continue to work hard at my academics and extracurricular sports and maintaining above a 3.0 GPA. Along with that, I became more involved than ever in volunteering for the advocacy of social equality. As a result I had recently been chosen because of my volunteer work for San Jose State Universitys Queer&Asian human equality to be a part of a selected few that presented at a famous annual Asian heritage Listening to the Silence conference at Stanford University. I participated in a collective group promoting the exercising of our granted rights as American citizens to a large body of the Asian community, urging them to shed their practice of stubborn privacy and silence and acceptance of second class citizenry in some aspects.</p>
<p>Auntie also instilled in me a great love and fondness for the campus of UCSC along with the fervent dream of attending this beautiful university early on as a child through memorable monthly excursions hiking the hills and lands surrounding UCSC visiting her friends son, Anns god son. My dream was reinforced the moment I took my first step onto UCSCs campus last year after having kept away for eleven years. I fell in love with the peaceful trees and the serene view of the Bay from UCSCs hills along with the relaxed student culture.</p>
<p>Along with these far reaching dreams, Ann always supported and nurtured my academic endeavors regardless of what my parents misguidedly thought. Ann knew the hours I stayed up and the sacrificed opportunities of a fast fading childhood. She knew the struggles and the intense bullying I faced in my early years through high school because of my orientation and minority status. She empathized for the moments where I could not face classrooms full of my peers for the fear of more ostracizing and prejudice and my grades slipped as a result of missed classes. I work harder now than ever because of my missed chances and juvenile mistakes then, to prove that I well am past that. Under her guidance, I have also discovered my love for science, especially chemistry and physics in this space of struggle. As a result, I hope to continue the pursuit of knowledge to major in chemical engineering and perhaps electrical engineering in a well established and encouraging environment. I feel that the Jack Baskin School of Engineering at UCSC is a wonderful example of that.</p>
<p>Through my past and present struggles in the arenas of my academic career and personal life, I have learned many new valuable lessons inside and outside of the classroom that I know I can apply to my future college career, academic and social. I have the necessary skills now through my personal growth, having persevered and experienced events beyond my control. These life experiences have gifted me with wonderful values and a hardworking ethic and morale. I feel that with those values and my experiences along with my passion for chemical engineering would contribute to the diversity and outstanding student quality of your prestigious university. I urge you to remember that passion and perseverance when you consider my appeal. </p>
<p>Thank you for the continuing effort and reconsideration. I look forward to receiving your decision.</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
</p>