<p>a couple of girls at my school said that the ucs (not just berkeley) dont read your essays unless you're in the "maybe" pile. so like if your stats are good enough they aren't even going to read your essays. is this true? thanks in advance!</p>
<p>No, that isn't true. The essays are a factor in every UC school's admission process, probably especially Berkeley.</p>
<p>I doubt they actually read the essays. I think UCs only look at gpa and sats unless you're a maybe then they'll take ECs and essays into consideration. There are so many applicants, it's impossible for them to read everything.</p>
<p>UCB does a comprehensive review process. This year, UCLA is moving to a process that is similar to UCB's. All of the UCs have some concept of comprehensive review, although they may implement it differently. </p>
<p>Here is an article from November, 2001
<a href="http://www.berkeley.edu/news/berkeleyan/2001/11/29_compr.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.berkeley.edu/news/berkeleyan/2001/11/29_compr.html</a> announcing the decision by the UC Regents to adopt comprehensive review system-wide. Comprehensive review started at UCB, and replaced a two-tier system.</p>
<p>The Moore report <a href="http://academic-senate.berkeley.edu/archives/documents/Moorereport.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://academic-senate.berkeley.edu/archives/documents/Moorereport.pdf</a>, published in 2002, describes the changes that have occurred in undergraduate admissions at UCB since 1995.</p>
<p>UC's do see every part of your application, just that they put more importance on GPA and standardized test scores...If they are not gonna read everything.....then that would probably be one of the biggest and most controversial news....ever...</p>