My stats:
Major: Business Administration
GPA: 4.0. Honors List
Major GPA: 4.0
IGETC: Will be done spring 2018
7 Course Breadth: Will be done Spring 2018
Pre-reqs: Only macroeconomics left which will be done this coming semester (Fall 2017). So I’ll be applying to haas having completed all of my pre-reqs!
I’m trilingual!
ECs: Investment Club member, AGS (honors society) member, Tutor for Calculus 2 and below, led math jam workshops for a whole week( A program that helps students do better on their placement tests to jump or prepare for a certain math class), interned at a financial services company during tax season while taking 17 units, Working on volunteer hours (should have 50+ by the time I apply), was amongst the 100/700 total applicants that got selected for the UC Berkeley summer experience program 2017, Tutored free of charge 2 hours a week for a whole semester.
I saw a better potential for displaying leadership as tutor rather than being a treasure of a club (and I explain this in my PIQ) so that’s why i have a lot of tutoring experience
PIQs: I’m writing about how I’ve lived in 3 different countries around the world. I’ve been in cali for almost 4 yrs. How I once(approx 5-6 years ago) barely spoke English properly and was in special ed classes. How I had a cultural barrier and how I overcame it blah blah blah…I’m having current UCB students/friends give me feedback and they think they’re good so far!
I’m assuming that you’re coming from a CCC? If so which one? How many honors classes have you completed?
You have the stat prereqs on paper but you’re going to need more than that to get into Haas. It’s not like applying to other parts of Cal. For your major it’s a 6% acceptance rate and plenty of people with 4.0’s will get denied. Trust that. There are no guarantees even if you do everything correctly. That matches the MIT transfer rate.
Allow me to elaborate …
On your app create the perception that you are a well-rounding person, yet someone who is uniquely able to add something of value to the UCB community. Being international is not something that sets you apart from other applicants. There will be tons and tons of international applicants. Lots of applicants will write about overcoming difficulties learning English. Imagine how sick admissions is of hearing this over and over. Make yourself stand out somehow. Emphasize what sets you apart from the other 4.0’s many of which will end up in the rejection pile. If they simply took all of the 4.0’s nobody with a lower GPA would ever be able to transfer into Haas. I know I’m scrutinizing here but I’m right.
If you are determined to go to Cal and want to play it safe apply for a different major. Econ, for example, had a 20% acceptance rate. You could even pretty much guarantee your entrance by doing something oddball and low volume like Japanese literature (47% acceptance with a 3.37 GPA accepted) or development studies
The acceptance rate is 6% because it’s including those who were ineligible to apply to Haas. To be eligible you have to; finish all the pre-reqs and also have over 60 units before enrolling. The acceptance rate for those who’re eligible is almost 16%.
Indeed! I mean it’s not exactly hard to be eligible yet every year student apply without finishing the requirements and then wonder why they got rejected despite having excellent GPAs and ECs.
Interesting story and good stats, but doesn’t look like you’re particularly passionate about anything other than tutoring. Did you write about your goals?
I would agree with what @TheComeUp said, like 1/3rd of the kids at Haas are international students and everyone is a nerd.
@MikeSauce Thank you so much for replying! Where/how do you suggest writing about my goals? If I’m right, the personal statements have changed quiet a bit since you applied.
That would be the supplement specifically for Haas though correct? Wouldn’t be a good idea to talk about Haas’ principles for the general application right?