@GirlPower1 Could I read yours and provide a critique on it?
@Salmanthgr8 That would be great! I’ve inboxed you
Just gonna throw something out. I would personally not share personal statements with other strangers who are also in the process of applying. I have no doubt the above exchange is 100% above board. However, the point is you simply don’t know, and in the final analysis, what expertise are they bringing to the table? (Maybe they do have expertise, but as they are in the same boat as you, it’s 50-50.)
People can take your copy and add it to theirs - totally plagiarize your sentences or paragraphs, or steal your entire personal story. What happens if duplicate copy is discovered by the UC? Most likely you will both get kicked to the curb. If you wish to get critiques, I suggest either do it via adults up here, or choose a student who has already been accepted (or is a former student). NOT a current applicant. Also, I have witnessed in the past students trolling to read essays for ideas. One tip-off is when they post that they will read essays, while at the same time they are in the process of applying. Guard your personal statements carefully. Just my two cents.
And it’s not about you two above, as I said. I just noticed it and am stating some safety tips.
@lindyk8 couldn’t agree more.
@lindyk8 I totally agree with you, but I’m already in UCLA so I’m not applying lol.
Excellent ^^^^ and now I recall this…
I have an “oddity” concerning my app and I was wondering how you guys think it will affect my chances: I graduated early by getting my GED when I was 17 and started CC a year early. This wasn’t to get ahead (even though that’s what happened) it was because of my mental illness, which I explain in my PS. Do diploma equivalents look bad, even if I got mine early?
Anyway, here are my stats thus far:
Major: Communication
Gpa: 3.8 (curse you, C in summer chem :((( )
Major GPA: 4.0
Pre-Reqs: all by spring 16 except 1 not offered at my CC
IGETC: Yes after Spring 16
TAP: not offered
ECs: Church Leader, volunteer at elementary school, Head of 2 service clubs in HS, running a website, played 2 varsity sports in HS, yearbook
Jobs: Swim Instructor/Lifeguard for 4+ years
Awards: Honors list, student athlete award in hs
Applying to: UCLA, UCSB, USD, Chapman, SDSU, CSUF
No, diploma equivalents don’t look bad. My D did the CHSPE at 16. Your CC htistory and ECs are what count. HS ECs may not count as much but my D listed them.
Hello! I am new here and posted this to the “What Are My Chances?” forum, but now that I’ve found this board, I think that this may be a better place. Here is my original post, any help is GREATLY appreciated as I’m starting to feel like a little kid trying to get adults to help me out:
Backstory: Up until this last August, I was a born-and-bred Seattlite. I had an awful time with high school due to some pretty insane personal/family issues (no transferable courses, no diploma). When I was 24 I decided that would finally obtain the degree I thought I could never receive. I started classes at a community college with the intent of transferring to UW. I have maintained a 4.0 GPA while working full-time. My fiancé is in law school and this year is the last time that we would both have the ability to transfer. We decided that, if we were to transfer, we’d want to move to California (we both have friends and family here). In July, my fiancé found out that he was accepted to UCLA and we moved down to LA in August.
Now, here is where it gets a bit more complicated. This is my last quarter in community college before I receive my AA through my community college in Seattle (I am taking online classes). I am also taking a lab class through WLAC since that can’t be completed online. My dream school down here is UCLA (I know, like everyone else). I realize that some of my classes won’t match up to UCLA’s requirements, so I am also taking a full load at WLAC in spring semester to complete my IGETC requirements and any other classes that won’t transfer over. By the time the next school year begins, I will be considered an in-state student rather than out-of-state.
I know that I have a few things in my favor: I am a returning student who is 27-years-old, I have real-world work experience, a 4.0 GPA, and I faced pretty extreme hardships to get to where I am today. However, I worry that my in-state/out-of-state limbo status may hurt my chances. I also worry that I may not have enough time to complete classes that won’t transfer over from Seattle (my transcript is being evaluated by WLAC now to see which classes from Seattle will transfer over).
Does anyone have any advice or knowledge about this type of situation?
@incogneato What is your major?
@goldencub Psychology. I’m trying to see if I can apply for Transfer Honors, but it may be too late and I may not be able to use transfer credits for the requirements.
@incogneato While Psychology is impacted, you have a stellar GPA. If you complete IGETC and your major prerequisites, then you should be fine. I don’t think the OOS status will really hurt you, considering you will be taking classes at a CCC, and you will be IGETC certified. That sort of offsets the OOS status in my opinion.
It is very hard to gain in-state status. You may have to pay OOS tuition (but I don’t know the logistics of it).
These courses articulate through WLAC to UCLA. If you complete IGETC and these, you should be golden (provided you have 60+ semester units or 90+ quarter units). You may have completed similar classes in WA - if so, talk to a counselor, or talk to a UCLA representative, if possible.
@goldencub Thanks so much! I think the hard part is just waiting for the transcript evaluation to come down. I’m willing to take accelerated winter courses if it means that I have a better shot at UCLA.
In regards to the in-state status, I made sure to change my address with my bank, etc. the moment that we got our apartment. We also got our licenses and voter registration completed before the school year began, so I’m hoping that will work out! I will have More than 365 days of continuous residence in the state before the school year begins as well. I THINK I’m pretty good in that regard, it’s really just a matter of making sure that my credits transfer. After this quarter, I will have 90+ quarter credits, so I’m not too worried there. Every time I meet with someone it seems as though I’m told to keep waiting on new paperwork to be processed. I’m waiting to hear back from the UCLA rep for WLAC.
Thank you so much for your help!
@incogneato You sound very prepared. Frankly, the only problem that I could see popping up is you missing certain courses that they want (if you have IGETC certified through your CCC, you won’t have to worry about general ed stuff - prerequisites listed on the assist page will be what they care about).
The absolute worst case scenario would be taking another year at CC to finish a couple of courses that they want, but hopefully it won’t come to that. Make sure that you have fulfilled everything listed on the assist page - talking to the UCLA rep should solidify that. It seems that you have a good shot, anyway. Good luck!
@goldencub Yeah, that’s my main concern. Thank you so much! I was freaking out this morning and this has definitely helped. Depending on how many credits won’t transfer over I will have my IGETC completed by the end of spring semester. I finished all of the Psych prereqs in Seattle (aside from the Chem/Physics requirement, which will happen in the spring), so I should be solid there. Thanks again!
I suppose that could bring up another question: Does anyone have experience with transferring out-of-state credits? If so, how many credits were you able to successfully transfer to your new school? I’d love to get an idea of how well credits move across state lines.
@incogneato There’s a difference between the classes that your CCC accepts and the classes that UCLA accepts. IGETC certification occurs at the discretion of your CC, but you need 90 quarter units to be eligible for UCLA. Some English courses are hard to map over. Talk to your CCC’s counselor if you haven’t done so already.
@goldencub Thanks! I have been in touch with my counselor, but he can’t do much until the transcript evaluation is complete. Unfortunately, it seems that everyone will “call me back,” but never answers their phone/email/voicemail. It’s hard to stay patient with deadlines coming up pretty quickly! Hopefully most things will match up!
So I’m kind of in a dilemma,
I’m a political science major (switched from economics) and I know that UCLA asks for an alternative major, and I wanted to put history down. My problem is that if I put down history as my back up major, I would need to take at least 2 more classes, however I already planned out my spring schedule of classes that I most definitely need for other UC schools too and it’s completely filled (meets 19 units, which is the max). I could take one history course over winter and another in spring to space it out, but I know that UCLA would want to see what I got in both those classes in case I don’t get in with my first choice major (pol sci)…
Any advice? I’m really not sure what to do! I mean I worked hard enough these past 2 years, and it’d be a bummer not to get in to UCLA when that’s my first choice!
@by3000 are you doing TAP? Alternate majors are only considered when the student is in the TAP program.
@LopApo Oh! I am not in TAP, wish I was though!
So putting down any alternative major for UCLA does not matter for applicants who are not in TAP?