First of all, I was very disappointed when I was informed that I was rejected to UCLA. I want to know if I was a strong applicant and my chance of getting into UCLA with appealing.
I’m in Illinois. I attend a very competitive public high school: Top 5 in Illinois. My GPA is 4.2 weighted. I scored 33 on my ACT, played football for 4 years, captain for the last year, 3 years of leadership in Singer Sewing Machine Company every summer, taught Korean to kids in the church, first generation student, ISAC State Scholar.
I didn’t mention that my parents lost their jobs, didn’t have jobs for last two years and I had to work part-time to earn money. Also, my parents are leaving the U.S to go back to Korea to start a business, so I have to find a new “home”. My girlfriend, who I’ve been dating for 10 years now, lives in California. Also, I didn’t have any financial support from my parents. I studied for ACT on my own: finding free ACT tests online. I moved to the states when I was 10. I didn’t speak a word of English. Now, I’m taking 4 AP classes my senior year and took 3 other AP classes previous years. Also, I think I’m a fluent speaker. If I mention all these aspects, do you guys think UCLA will accept my appeal?
You are a non-resident. The UC’s are capping nonresident admissions.
There are just too many instate residents with great stats and competitive EC’s. The UC’s are funded by state taxpaying residents. Your parents don’t live in California and don’t pay a dime towards taxes in California.
An appeal might work if something on the administrative side was discovered to be in error on the part of the HS or the university. This would only grant you a review. They wouldn’t have to accept you.
Fees are $60K per year. Your parents would be on the hook for $240K for four years.
Last week, the Regents voted to increase non-resident fees by 3.5%
Expecting to go to UCLA because your parents are leaving the country does not obligate the school to admit you.
I applied to Cornell, UChicago, Northwestern, Pepperdine, UCLA, UC Berkeley, NYU, and UCSB. I got accepted to Cornell, Pepperdine, and UCSB. Waitlisted on Northwestern. Rejected by UCLA and UChicago. Waiting on UC Berkeley and NYU.
UCSB is a great school, and Cornell is freaking Ivy League!!! But if you’re absolutely deadset on UCLA, consider going to a CC to have a real second shot. It’d be better if you could go to a california CC, but obviously you’re out of state.
Like most people are saying, it seems like an appeal is unlikely since you’re not presenting new, compelling evidence, but rather a tough situation that you were in.
Still, I think most people would agree that it’d be silly to go to a CC when you have Cornell as an option, unless it was to save $. But seriously man, no point in being disappointed about UCLA when you got into an Ivy that’s more selective. If you and your gf have been dating for 10 years via long distance, I’m sure you guys will be fine in college.
I am oos accepted off of appeal last year. you need to present new and COMPELLING information, not sympathy information. You’re best asset is to play up your rank in school and that you were an oos student so your honors courses weren’t weighted as uc honors and you think that taking them into consideration makes you a more competitive student. sometimes they will sympathize over needing a specific living situation but if thats what youre going for you’d have to be living with your gf and commuting because otherwise this situation is no different than every other oos kid. no need to mention your aps. thats not new info, you had to self report. and unfortunately saying that you studied for the act on your own does not help your case at all. if you learning English was not previously in your application you can maybe include but idk how it will help. anyway, trying for appeal is better than not trying at all but remember you will likely have to sir to another school (I paid deposit at UVA may 1 and heard back from ucla mid may). this is money you WILL lose. best of luck to you, make sure you follow their requirements for your letter (due dates, new and compelling info), but just keep in mind the stats are only 3% of appeals accepted.