<p>I was accepted by UCLA and rejected by Cal. No love lost as UCLA was always my number one, but it HAS been bothering me that it seems like so many who were accepted at UCLA got into Cal. Now I know this isn't always the case: some got into Cal that didn't get into UCLA, and there are also some (maybe many) like me. This doesn't seem to be too common though. What are your opinions on the deciding factors on who Cal and UCLA decide to admit? :)
P.S. I am VERY thankful that I got what I did, don't get me wrong. Cal just made me wonder what could have been that fine line, what I might have been "missing". Sorry if it seems like I'm complaining! :3 I realize that I should take my advice I've been giving my friends and tell myself I know I wouldn't have been right for the school(s) I didn't get into. And congrats to everyone who got into anywhere! It's tough to be a college applicant this year.</p>
<p>Cal tends to hold the admissions committee earlier than UCLA. They decide on who to admit, who to reject, and borderline prospective. They then forward their list to the UCLA admissions committee. The UCLA committee decide on which students they offer admissions based on the outcome from Cal. </p>
<p>Often times UCLA doesn’t offer some students admissions based on the likely-hood that they would choose Cal over UCLA since Cal had already decided to extend those students an offer so why bother? Therefore, most of their admits come from the borderline and rejected pile, but they also offer admissions to some Cal admits since they want to keep it interesting.</p>
<p>The UCLA committee then sends Cal their list of admits and rejects. Cal cross-references which students from their borderline pile were offered admission to UCLA, and decide to finally reject them. Cal finalizes all their admits and rejections, and call it a day. :D</p>
<p>GrassBandit, how are you so sure of this?</p>
<p>I don’t think that’s right… I really think the only reason I got accepted to cal was my art major, and again rejected from la for my art major.</p>
<p>I feel the admissions standards are similar except Cal accepts students with incrementally higher SATs (about 30 points higher). People also say UCLA looks for more well-rounded students. I don’t think there are as many people who “get into UCLA but not Cal” relative to “get into Cal but not UCLA” as there was five or so years ago. The gap has been closing as UCLA has risen their admissions standards.</p>
<p>@GrassBandit
I am 100% confident that that is just a common rumor. The, “you’re less likely to be accepted to UCLA if you’re accepted to Cal” or vice-versa argument has no basis.</p>
<p>Cal and UCLA admissions are not linked. It is an unsubstantiated myth.</p>
<p>Cal will take you if your ECs are little down and your academics are higher. UCLA values ECs at the expense of academics a bit more than Cal does.</p>
<p>grassbandit’s assertion is just absurd. it’s just a rumor, trust me. besides do you know how complaints that will elicit from candidates who the UC’s “assume” will choose one school over the other. there is no way.</p>
<p>If they did do it that way, you should be a substantially lower GPA and SAT average among the freshman admitted to UCLA, but if you check the stats for incoming freshman for last year, you will see that the GPA for freshman admitted to LA was actually higher than Berkeley (it was like 4.2 compared to LA’s 4.3) or something like that, BUT Berkeley had SAT scores that were slightly higher in their applicants (in the math sections of SAT especially).</p>
<p>anon5524485’s comments are closest to fact. GrassBandit is pulling your leg.</p>
<p>Essentially, Cal has been using the holistic approach a while longer than UCLA. UCLA is catching up, but is still not there. This is why you are starting to see some changes with more of an overlap of acceptances from both Cal and UCLA than you might have seen in the past.</p>
<p>Basically, UCLA used to be a numbers game – never completely, like UCSD, but certainly more than Cal. That is not to say the essay didn’t play an important role – they did, but I think they do more so now. Not to say you don’t need the numbers at Cal., but if there’s a gap, say, between one’s SAT or ACT scores and GPA, if you have a strong GPA, a rocking essay, and a unique quality that would round out the student body and appear on paper to be a good fit (meaning likelihood of success at Cal), those are qualities that are important to Cal admissions – more important than stellar SAT scores. Those who dance to the beat of a different drummer have more of a likelihood getting into Cal than UCLA, at least up until the recent past.</p>
<p>^ i’m pretty sure UCLA uses the holistic approach, not cal. cal and ucsd assign you points based on your gpa/sat scores, and if you score high enough, you’re accepted. hence, a lot of idiots from my high school got accepted to cal (most of them spring quarter, though).</p>
<p>speaking from my personal experience, i got rejected from cal because i’m pretty sure my gpa was too low (3.96w) but accepted by ucla since they look at more than just your numbers.</p>
<p>Cal uses a holistic approach. Cal, UCLA, and UCI use the holistic approach, the others use the number game.</p>
<p>Cal is okay high numbers and weak ECs or lower numbers and strong ECs. If both your numbers and ECs are good (but neither are the greatest), Cal gives you Spring semester admission.
UCLA tends to want both to be decently high.</p>
<p>
<a href=“http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-uc-regents25-2010mar25,0,4517610,print.story[/url]”>http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-uc-regents25-2010mar25,0,4517610,print.story</a></p>
<p>UCLA and Cal both use holistic admissions, but their methodology is different. UCLA puts stronger value onto your ECs</p>
<p>That doesn’t really make sense though, I’m somone who is Ranked 1, but a crappy act (29) But lots and lots of ec’s : Leading roles in drama club, events in artclub, service club, french club, library tutor, and 80+ hours of community service, and I was rejected from UCLA and accepted into Cal.</p>
<p>UCLA wants decently high numbers and decently high ECs.
Cal wants either really high numbers and OK ECs OR really high ECs and ok numbers.
Cal admissions are sort “bi-modal” where UCLA’s aren’t</p>
<p>I guess your numbers fit into the OK category, so they weren’t good enough for UCLA but they were good enough for Cal because of your ECs</p>
<p>I agree with Leftists’ first assessment,
</p>
<p>If forced to choose between the two, Cal would rather admit the genius valedictorian with few ECs, while UCLA would prefer the smart, but not genius, tri-sport athlete/ASB President over the genius. I think the differences are certainly reflected in the student bodies; you can feel it if you ever have the chance to spend significant time at the two schools. Regardless, they’re both great, and we’re happy to have you at UCLA!</p>
<p>Haha thank you for all information provided guys! Be it opinion/fact/we don’t know. 
Not sure if I would be considered high academics, medium, and in terms of EC too.
FYI My unweighted GPA was 3.8 and a weighted GPA of 4.38ish. I DID get a C in AP Chemistry the first semester of my junior year (-___-), but that was the only non-A grade that semester. Then I pulled it up to a B 2nd semester (again, only non-A).
My SAT score was 2200: W-750 CR-740 M-710
My SAT II scores were pretty weak, not gonna lie. Best scores were 730, 680, & 660 I believe.
My EC’s were participation in class council, school musicals, and president of both my Renaissance leadership club/class/program (requires a 4th period) and LEO community service club.
What would you guys say? Just curious. I think I go more in depth on stats on the UCLA acceptance/rejection stat thread.</p>
<p>@nose2Dgrind thank you for the welcome!! 
Most likely going there, just being pressured by USC a little <em>chuckle</em>. Perhaps I’ll see you on campus when I go to College Day.</p>
<p>Edit: Oh yeah and I’m rank 13 out of about 622 students (top 2%). Very large public school of around 3000 that’s been improving steadily over the years.</p>
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<p>Guilty as charged. :D</p>
<p>@GrassBandit haha you’re horrible! Are you going to attend UCLA?</p>
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<p>Does this mean that since the UCLA students are more well -rounded and less academic oriented, a student more involved in ECs would feel more comfortable at UCLA instead of CAL? I will be visiting CAL on admit day since its not that far from where I live, but won’t get a chance to visit UCLA before I decide. Can someone please give some feedback. I have definitely been focusing more on ECs than academics these past 2 years, because I seem to enjoy organizing fundraisers, volunteering at the local soup kitchen, giving speeches to schools more than I do studying and reading books. I would really appreciate any help!</p>
<p>My experience with students has been the exact opposite. What I heard at the alumni outreach training (where alums get trained on admission information so they can go out and attend college fairs on the campus’s behalf) for Cal and UCLA also corresponds with my experience.</p>
<p>Berkeley is general achievement oriented (academic or extracurricular), meaning admissions is willing to overlook mediocre grades/test scores when excellent extracurriculars and/or extraordinary hardships are in the equation. **Berkeley is especially interested in students who will take advantage of what Berkeley has to offer and become the agent of social change<a href=“this%20came%20out%20of%20the%20mouth%20of%20the%20assistant%20director%20of%20admissions%20at%20Cal”>/B</a>.</p>
<p>UCLA is exceptionally academic achievement oriented, meaning excellent grades and stellar test scores are essential to be competitive. Students who demonstrate ability to achieve fantastic extracurriculars and/or overcoming extraordinary hardships while maintaining excellent academic achievement are favored. However, the campus is not as likely to overlooks mediocre grades/test scores even if fantastic extracurriculars and/or extraordinary hardships are in the equation.</p>
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<p>i’m at ucla.</p>
<p>It’s odd because while my academics are preeetty good (not AWESOME AWESOME, but mostly A’s), I’d say my application was more EC oriented. Even one of my essays was about some challenges I face in my ECs. Hmmm…
and @GrassBandit I’m going to College Day next Wednesday. Wonder if I’ll see you. :P</p>