<p>Ok so I had a 3.75 unweighted UC gpa, which is below the average UCLA unweighted gpa but my weighted gpa was at 4.36. I had 3 B's my sophomore year(2 weighted classes), 3 B's my junior year (5 weighted class) and straight A's my freshman and 1st semester senior year while taking 4 ap classes. My reason for a low grades my sophomore year was that I got into a serious rock climbing accident. My entire face was screwed up from the accident and so it was difficult to receive good grades. My junior year, my family went bankrupt and a huge argument broke out between my mom and my dad, and after several weeks of this, my dad moved to Korea in the middle of the night. We were forced to move into a rent house and after my dad found a job in Korea, our income dropped from about 68k to 28k. In addition, my mother and father began talks of divorcing. This is my reason for bad junior year grades.
I received a 33 on the ACT, 2140 SAT, 770 math 2, 760 chem, 720 u.s history, 680 korean. I know UCLA compares ppl in the same high school, and frankly these scores are about average at our school. However, because my income was so low junior year, I was unable to attend SAT/ACT/SAT 2 academies unlike many of my peers. I had to self study while most of my peers did not.
I also talked about how I hated how I looked, partly because of the facial scars that remained from sophomore year but also because I was obese. I was a 175 pounds and had 27% body fat, but today, I am 145pounds 12% body fat. I mentioned this on my appeal to show colleges that I am a motivated student both in academics and outside.
I also added that I was President of the Student Legion of Mary at my church during my junior year. I also mentioned that I played piano for 10 years but was only level 6 because my first piano teacher, whom I had for 7 years did not know about and therefore did not send me to take CM theory tests. I did not mention both of these activites in my UC application.
Anyone care to tell me what kind of chance I have with this appeal at UCLA? Thanks!! =)</p>
<p>I don’t know much about the UCLA overturn statistics, other than they are very low compared to other UCs. It sounds like you presented new information in your appeal that may help explain some of the weaknesses in your application which is good. </p>
<p>Now I know you’re just summarizing the letter here, but I think your letter may focus too much on the hardships you have had to endure, rather than how, in spite of them, you have overcome and grown from them. UCLA is looking for students that can take away something from any situation and mature from it. They want to ensure the education they are providing will not fall upon deaf ears. The better you can show determination and passion and growth in your appeal letter, the better your chances that admissions will view you as a good candidate for their school.</p>
<p>I hope this helps you gauge for yourself how well your letter has addressed these points. By the way, have you submitted your letter of appeal yet?</p>
<p>A ton of kids can’t afford SAT classes, and furthermore, the general consensus on these forums is that SAT classes only marginally help at best. </p>
<p>Are you presenting these hardships as ‘new’ information? If so, it makes me wonder why you didn’t incorporate them into the personal statements or the extra ‘additional’ information section they had on the UC app. If you did present this information, a reiteration of what you endured wouldn’t help you on an appeal. All of the information you’ve stated on your appeal could have been presented on your application, but it wasn’t.</p>
<p>Personally, if I read your appeal, I’m under the impression that you didn’t put enough effort in the application, or if I’m really cynical, that you’re trying to create a sob story.</p>
<p>Yeah I realize a ton of kids cant afford SAT classes, but I heard UCLA likes to compare students from the same high school. In the area where I live, many people, probably about 80-90% of all people who applied to UCLA if not higher has went to an SAT school at least once. And yes, this is new information. I tried to incorporate this into my essay but I thought it might sound as if I was complaining or whining about the hardships that I had. But now that I got rejected, I just thought I might as well include the information. Oh and although I’ve never taken one myself, many of my friends improved significantly after taking SAT classes…like 400 or even 500 points.</p>
<p>@ the fifthbeatle0: Oh and btw I did send my appeal in cause I heard the earlier you send it in the earlier the response. I’m kinda worried that I did spend too much time describing how horrible the incident was without focusing on how much I took away from the accident. I wanted to show from this accident to UCLA that in spite of adversary, I am a highly motivated and ambitious student and that I never give up. Ugh…maybe I won’t be able to get into UCLA after all…=(</p>
<p>Don’t give up hope just yet! Many students who appeal do so on a basis of no new information and it essentially becomes a pleading case. Besides that, very little people actually appeal, either because they don’t know they can do it or they feel as though they have no merit in the appeal.</p>
<p>As has been said many times before, the worst that can happen is they say “no”. Keep your goals high, but do not expect much from UCLA. Rather, set your sights on your next choice and fall in love with it. Rejection makes one feel like a failure and it completely sucks, but some of the most successful people can thrive off of it. You have told UCLA that you can still achieve your goals even when faced with challenging situations. Now you must demonstrate it, no matter the outcome of the appeal.</p>
<p>I know how being rejected feels, but soon it will hardly be a memory. You will be pleasantly surprised by the outcome, whether good or bad!</p>
<p>Submit the appeal, but assume that it will be denied.</p>
<p>But since it’s electronic it doesn’t even cost you an envelope or a stamp. But decisions are almost never overturned.</p>