<p>Hi I was just wondering if you guys can give some advice about what you put in the application.I want to go to Davis. Unfortunately, my gpa this summer ended up being 3.15 so I cannot TAG. I know that if you have a great self essay then it can really help with the application. However, I don't really think I'm good at essays. I'd probably say I'm average. So, can any of you provide some advice? As far as extra curric, I volunteer at a children's foster home and have a part time job. Not sure if part-time jobs are really important though. Also, Do you think I should participate in more volunteer programs?</p>
<p>UCB is probably out of reach unless you have an outstanding personal essay or some extraordinary, unique story about yourself. UCB reads your personal essays I think.</p>
<p>I don’t believe Davis reads essays so what you should do is try your very hardest to bump your GPA up during this Fall Semester.</p>
<p>Do you have an upward trend? That can help at Cal, in particular. If you have a consistent 3.0-3.2, I think you’re SOL for Cal. Davis won’t read your statements and really only cares about GPA. You’re probably 50/50 for Davis with that GPA.</p>
<p>Less volunteering, more classes. Try to take as many classes as reasonably possible and get straight As.</p>
<p>I never volunteered, used my work experience, I only had one D and no W, my gpa was 2.91 and I got into UCD &UCI. The essay is now the very crucial part of your UC application now (several campuses including UCD changed their admission policy to hollistic review). Now the grades and classes counts 50% and the essay counts the other 50%. Since if you say your not good at writing essays but average, you should start writing your essay portion now and ask a counselor/peer/english professors on their feedback. Make sure your writing it honestly and from the heart (they can tell if your writing lies). Even if you do not have much to offer or talk about, write this essay honestly and you should get in.</p>
<p>Cool. I’ve been told all this time on this board that the essay portion didn’t matter for UCD. </p>
<p>What was your major, fredfrep? I’m hoping my 3.2 GPA will get me into physics or applied math.</p>
<p>@fred- did you have an upward grade trend? Had you completed all of your prereqs?</p>
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<p>Where did you hear this?</p>
<p>focus more on your grades. you still have fall to raise your gpa… what major and have you completed pre reqs?</p>
<p>I’m majoring in chemistry :). I’ve finished my prerequisites and am relying on this fall now :)</p>
<p>wrote a paragraph response to those who were asking me, lost it because it didn’t submit and sorry to respond so late, came back from vacation…</p>
<p>@CalDud my major is Political Science, just show in your grades and essay/work exp. that your willing to move on with and succeed in the next stages of your life despite any hardship you might encounter. (upward grade trend importantly)</p>
<p>@Shannon13 yes I did, especially in Spring (which is absolutely important) I had one C and rest were B’s (5 classes, C in stats, and B in English). I completed the pre-reqs on assist.org but seems that I’ll have to take some additional lower division pre-req classes at UCI (so what they told me so far). Try to complete or almost completing your major pre-req’s (it shows you did everything you could for your intended major but finishing it is not required but your GE’s are required for sure). Updated: Depends on the major, if your major said you don’t have to complete all of your major pre-req then you can do most of it or complete but if your in a major that requires to complete everything then you have to complete all of it by Spring.</p>
<p>@andrewexd I give you links but I lost it when the page didn’t submit but its all over the UC publication. I know for sure UCI/UCD does holistic review because I called them numerous times about how the process went and even went to the admission’s office to ask. So it’s a pretty good indication that for those schools you should start improving on your self-reflection essay’s if your GPA is lower than 3.0 or if your GPA is low for your major. Those with high GPA shouldn’t worry too much but still write decent 
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<p>Good Luck guys</p>
<p>3.15 might be doable but depends on the major. I’m talking about UCD, I highly doubt UCB will take a 3.15 transfer unless you have an incredible essay/EC’s.</p>
<p>I got into Berkeley, LA and Davis with a 3.2 (although I’m a spring admit for Cal and won’t be starting til January, so your mileage may vary.) I had no Ws but one D and two Cs, one of which was the result of me retaking the D class =[ </p>
<p>HOWEVER, I applied as a rhetoric major, which probably has a much better admission rate than chemistry, and the classes I got low grades in were all math/science GEs. (I did get into LA and Davis for poli sci though.) I only had two extracurriculars but they were pretty strong apparently (internship with the district attorney and volunteering to teach English at the public library) and I definitely emphasized their connection to my major in my essay.</p>
<p>Like fredfrep says, show that you’re planning to work hard and do well regardless of the circumstances, and get all of your pre-reqs done!! You may want to consider taking some of your classes for honors credit this semester, I finished CC with 15 units of honors credit under my belt. And start working on your essay right now so you can find out what works and what doesn’t, my first draft for the “what have you done for your major” essay was about getting in touch with my heritage or something but I ended up writing about rhinos, of all things. Try to tie your extracurricular work to your major as well, if you can, or show that you are willing to go out and make a change in the world for the better.</p>
<p>BTW you can still TAG to UCSB just in case, which is what I did.</p>
<p>CCC Transfer Applicant
Berkeley: Philosophy
All Other UCS: 1st Choice: Political Science.
Alternate: Philosophy
GPA: 3.27 (3.29 at the end of Winter 2013)
Major GPA: 4.00
TAP/Scholars Certified for UCLA
ECs: Volunteer at public schools. Cleaning Up schools. High School tutor. Logic tutor at my community college. Worked in the Student government at my community college.
Ive worked at Jamba Juice, Abercrombie and Fitch and at a Dental Office
Interned at Merrill Lynch
1st year was bad. I explained it in my PS. Due to family/personal problems.
After 1st year i swtiched my major from business admin to Political Science and Philosophy
Since Summer 2011 to end of fall 2012, I have received 16 A’s and 1 B.
Grade trend is upwards.
UCLA and UCB is unlikely but who knows???
I have a TAG with UCSB</p>
<p>i am IGETC Certified.
I have completed all major pre-reqs for both Political Science and Philosophy.
I am taking 2 philosophy class and 1 poli sci class right now during Spring 2013
I am part of Phi Theta Kappa. Already certified
5 of my political science (2 which can also be considered philosophy classes) are scholars</p>