<p>I am an international student from Denmark, currently attending a CC in Maryland. I want to transfer as a junior to Berkeley, but I am not sure whether I am competitive enough for Haas. </p>
<p>My stats are:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>GPA: 3.98</p></li>
<li><p>I have taken all the required classes except the last two sections of Calculus and Accounting (will be completed this academic year). </p></li>
<li><p>EC's: President of two clubs (one which I created), member of Student Gov., done extensive volunteering for a non-profit. </p></li>
<li><p>Very strong essays. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Do you think I have a shot at Haas, or should I hedge my bets and apply to the Econ major instead?</p>
<p>It’s really impossible to “chance” you fairly for Haas. I can tell you that preference is given to CA community college students, so regardless of how good your stats are, you’re at a disadvantage there. Also, your list seems a bit generic when compared to the applicant pool, so you need to do a good job of distinguishing yourself through your statements. If you tell a coherent and compelling story that conveys the defining principles, then your chances will be greatly improved, but there’s still no way to quantify them. I only say this because as you likely already know, of the ~1475 applicants last year, only ~91 were offered admission. If you still have time, I would recommend getting work experience and/or starting something you’re passionate about, rather than just leading a club. Starting something will teach you a lot about yourself and give you a lot of material for your third essay. It’s also something no one else can replicate. You can PM me if you have further questions.</p>
<p>… Also, while you may think you’re “hedging” your bets by applying to Econ, keep in mind it’s a more difficult (quantitatively) major than Haas is once you’re in. I would still give you the same recommendations to strengthen your application regardless of what major you choose, so maybe start there.</p>
<p>I was reading this thread and came across Ms. Sun’s post saying it’s virtually impossible to transfer to Haas from OOS. Essentially, you MUST come from a CCC to transfer into Haas. You should message her about it.</p>
<p>Hi, I am also concerned about Haas’ selectivity and I am debating whether to apply to Haas or to Berkeley Economics, maybe even Political Economy.
I have a low GPA currently 3.62 but after this fall semester and the upcoming spring semester, I could bring it up to 3.8 max.
Aside from my grades, I do have 5 years experience working as a full time financial controller while attending cc evening classes for the last 3 years. I worked my way up after i was hired as an entry level bookkeeper. Will my business experience and accomplishments be enough to supplement my low GPA and give me a competitive chance? And also how much is the difference in acceptance rates between transfers into haas and transfers into Econ?</p>
<p>Your GPA does fall within the middle 80% of accepted transfers last year, so it’s not the case that your GPA of 3.62 would keep you out and your work experience would “supplement” to keep you in. As you already know, the admissions team takes a holistic approach, so they aren’t just checking off boxes and admitting people with the highest score. The key for you will be your personal statements. They must tell a coherent and concise story that clearly conveys the defining principles. SHOW, don’t tell, avoid clich</p>