<p>calla, its funny you say that because I have a good GPA (4.0 unweighted), ok stats (2190 SATs, lower than most of you who didn't get it), and i'm in girl scouts (i didn't think it was a big factor), i consider myself a good writer but my essays were "risky" and I got invited for regents for cal. so who knows how they decided....</p>
<p>"Not even close to being true, I know 4 kids with 2200 SATs, 4.0+ GPAs who were denied from Cal last year. I don't think "qualified" exists, I think it's "competitive" at this point (and that goes for most top schools, not just Cal)."</p>
<p>:|
Were they in-state for Cal?
I'm really getting scared out now. Reminds me of what friend was saying in class the other day, about her top-choice school: "I'm going to get ahold of as much alcohol as I can the night before decisions come out and stay up all night, refreshing. If I get in, then I'll make a celebratory toast to myself. If I don't get in, I can drown myself in vodka."
Well, that was paraphrased, but you get the gist.</p>
<p>Do any other schools have something like what we have? There's this big board in our student center, with a map of the world listing all the more well-known or prestigious institutions. As soon as somebody gets in a college, the parent volunteers stick a pin where the college is, attached to a ribbon, attached to a little list of all the students that have gotten in... So everybody can see where you did (or didn't, if they knew where you applied) got in, and you get a daily reminder of how many people have gotten into schools -- esp. their first choices -- already. It's a bit depressing, to say the least. </p>
<p>Oh yeah, and they also list college acceptances over the morning announcements.</p>
<p>Thanks k_twin.... I think I will call up and speak...</p>
<p>aninvertedlove: on the UC site, there are charts that show the detailed admit info for Berkeley. The majority of students, in state and out-of-state, with 700+ on SAT sections don't get in. Berkeley isn't dazzled by high scores.</p>
<p>Yeah i'm in the same boat.</p>
<p>Honestly I'm really depressed about not even getting to the interview stage, and now I'm incredibly worried about my actual admission status at Berkeley. Is this a sign of rejection?</p>
<p>I'm also curious as to what the stats are of people who got an interview/scholarship. I had thought my stats (see below) would at least get me an interview. Appears I was wrong.</p>
<p>My stats:
4.6 weighted GPA
class rank: 2
2250 SAT score (only took it once)
800 and 760 SAT 2 scores
National Merit Finalist
Dedicated member of school band, received awards at jazz festivals.
President of 2 clubs, Vice president of one.
Member of Varsity Tennis Team</p>
<p>I would really appreciate it if anyone who was invited to interview could post their stats.</p>
<p>Wow JP... if YOU cannot get an interview, then who the heck can? Just by hearsay through other moms (I know that everybody isn't always 100% honest), your stats look the same or better than three kids I know who did get invited this year to interview with Cal And UCLA. I wouldn't worry about your admission though, you HAVE to be a top candidate for both schools (maybe not just the top 1.5%). Good Luck.</p>
<p>"Honestly I'm really depressed about not even getting to the interview stage, and now I'm incredibly worried about my actual admission status at Berkeley. Is this a sign of rejection?"</p>
<p>That's a bit of what I'm feeling too, but I guess what matters is that selection for the interviews seems to be a bit arbitrary and random once you're all at about the same level, score-wise. It gets to the point where so many people have amazing scores that they don't just look at scores anymore. Maybe their essays struck a chord with the readers. I don't think it means we've been rejected, or we don't have a chance, though. It's the top 1.5%, according to whatever standards they're holding us up to this year, and a lot more than that 1.5% get in. I don't know... maybe we're in the top 5%! Haha :|. Good luck, though.</p>
<p>I have another question though: if I was offered Regents for UCLA, what does that say, if anything, about my chances of being accepted into Cal? Does being in UCLA's "top 1.5%" (seriously, what does that even mean?) mean I've got a good chance at just getting into Berkeley?</p>
<p>I think there's a lot of over-worrying going on here. For in-state students, those with really high grades and test scores are going to be admitted. The only exception might be some engineering majors (e.g. EECS) which are super-competitive. </p>
<p>For out-of-state/international students, it's a different ballgame, and there's no predicting.</p>
<p>State residency is listed as "very important" factor in the UCB CDS for 2007.</p>
<p>
[quote]
For in-state students, those with really high grades and test scores are going to be admitted.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>In reality, no. The majority of those with high grades/scores are rejected (see the UC site, which breaks down admissions by the increments of GPA/SAT/ACT). It's not so definite.</p>
<p>@Kyledavid</p>
<p>I wouldn't say that. The website breaks things down into GPA and SAT scores on each individual section. Sure only 46% of people with 4.0's are accepted, but the students who were rejected probably have low SAT scores. Similarly, the SAT only goes by section. Students who scored 700 on the math section might have been rejected because they only scored 500 or 600 on the verbal and writing sections.</p>
<p>Besides, those with low scores are rejected far more often, as students with less that a 700 in a specific section are rejected at twice the rate. Similarly, students with less than a 4.0 have only admitted 8% of the time (compared to 46%)</p>
<p>So yes, i'd say that berkeley does place a significant emphasis on grades and test scores. And while having one high SAT score or a high gpa is no guarantee at all, having a 4.0+ gpa and 700+ on each section of the SAT gives you fairly decent admission chances.</p>
<p>Unless of course, you applied for engineering like I did. Then you get all paranoid.</p>
<p>
[quote]
but the students who were rejected probably have low SAT scores.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>We really can't make that inference.</p>
<p>
[quote]
having a 4.0+ gpa and 700+ on each section of the SAT gives you fairly decent admission chances.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>It gives you a good shot, yes, but that isn't the same as "you are going to get in" (see quote in post #50). It takes much more than that to get in.</p>
<p>Notice that in the CDS, GPA, rigor of course load, and essays are the most important -- "very important."</p>
<p>Scores are just "important," along with ECs, personal qualities, volunteer work, work experience, etc.</p>
<p>
[QUOTE]
We really can't make that inference.
[/QUOTE]
I'd say we could. Students with high SAT scores are accepted far more often than those with low scores. It makes sense that students with high GPAs who weren't accepted had lower SAT scores than students with high GPAs who WERE accepted.</p>
<p>As to the second part of your argument, I agree wholeheartedly. Good scores and good grades by no means guarantee you admission. However, a high GPA (which implies great course difficulty as honors and AP courses are worth a 5.0) and state residency gets you 3/4 of your "most important" requirements. Having high SAT scores is just icing on the cake. Such a combination makes for a very strong application, although it by no means guarantees admission.</p>
<p>I do remember reading that essays are the most important factor in selecting interviewees.</p>
<p>Gosh... So many people got the UCLA one instead of the Cal one... but for me, I REALLY wanted the UCLA one, but I got the Cal one -___-</p>
<p>Life is just unfair like this I guess :( GRAWR piece of poop</p>
<p>Stats:
GPA: 4.0 unweighted for school (too lazy to calculate UC), rank 2 (even though I took more APs... our school has off rolls where basically, if you don't take a class one term, ur avg is like 5.0 versus if you take AP class + another class = 4.5)
12 APs by end of senior year
SAT: 2180 (yea, my weak spot)
SAT IIs: 770, 760, 760, 750, 720</p>
<p>Awards: national AP scholar, Seimens award for AP (California), all that jazz... Sci Oly state 1st place... fun stuff</p>
<p>ECs: too lazy to type...</p>
<p>my Cal interviewer lady really liked my essays (or maybe she was just trying to draw me in to Cal XD)</p>
<p>BUT YEA... I'm really bitter cus UCLA regents benefits > Cal benefits pooop.</p>