<p>Can you guys answer these questions, as a reference for those applying to Cal in Fall 2009? You guys will be lifesavers.</p>
<p>major:
GPA:
prereqs: (when will they be completed?)
IGETC:
Extra Curriculars:
work:
Essay Topic/ What was so great about it?:
TAP/NO TAP:
Any Advice:</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>you might wanna check this out first: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/uc-transfers/706220-official-2009-berkeley-admissions-rejections-thread.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/uc-transfers/706220-official-2009-berkeley-admissions-rejections-thread.html</a></p>
<p>just apply to one of the easy majors to get accepted to like math. if you have the prereqs done and a decent gpa you’ll be accepted for sure, even if you have garbage essays + no ECs. Same thing goes for UCLA and math or math/econ.</p>
<p>Well, I want this thread to function as to WHY people think they were admitted to Cal. What was it about their application that set them apart? The other thread just displays stats, and that doesn’t help, because some with lower stats were admitted over those with higher gpas.</p>
<p>Well think about it then…WHY do you think some with lower stats were chosen over others with higher ones? The only thing that separates them are the majors they applied, EC’s and Essays. Obviously someone who applies to Haas will have a much harder time getting in than someone who applied to L&S. As a transfer, the school will be primarily focusing on your GPA/pre-reqs/IGETC over anything else. They aren’t looking for a specific type of essay that will auto-grant you admission, so why bother asking this kind of question?</p>
<p>In short, write an amazing essay. Based on my stats, I think everyone on the appeals thread that was rejected should have been admitted over me(And I mean people applying to the same major who took the exact same path as I did). At the same time I was applying for Berkeley, I was also applying to OCS and I related the whole person concept to my college essays. That guaranteed is why I was accepted and others were not. Feel free to Pm and ask about my essay and stats if you want, I will not post them.</p>
<p>I am a non-traditional student (28 years old). I was honest about my past mistakes in my essay and I talked about my experiences in the work force w/o a college degree. My GPA is high, but I also have a ton of Ws from several years ago. I think that they were able to recognize that my college experience has not been easy. Plus, I was accepted into their TAP program, which I believe put me over the edge.</p>
<p>major: Media Studies
GPA: 3.83 at time of application, 3.73 now
prereqs: (when will they be completed?) All completed except one (my school doesn’t offer it)
IGETC: Done
Extra Curriculars: Volunteer @ an animal shelter 4 hours/mo
work: Part-time now, but I worked full-time for 8 years
Essay Topic/ What was so great about it?: It was well written and honest, I didn’t sugar coat any of my past mistakes
TAP/NO TAP: TAP
Any Advice: Be as sincere as possible in your essay, try to get accepted into TAP, keep your GPA extremely high (but don’t lose focus on other important things)</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>thank you for all the post, very helpful for next year! </p>
<p>anyone else please join in!!!</p>
<p>major: poli sci</p>
<p>GPA: 4.0
You don’t need the best grades, but it will definite help if you are lacking in ECs or work.
I took around 20 units per semester and I think I might have mentioned very briefly that this is one of the reasons why I didn’t have ECs.</p>
<p>Prereqs: I finished the last one in spring (my fourth/last semester).</p>
<p>IGETC: I finished the last one in spring.</p>
<p>Extra Curriculars: I volunteered for a nonprofit organization for lawyers during the semester that I only took 9 units. >_< This was kinda BS because all I did was menial office chores. I did not write about this in my essay, nor emphasize it as a valuable experience in the application. Some ECs are better than none, I guess.</p>
<p>work: none</p>
<p>Essay Topic/ What was so great about it?: The essay is what makes you stand out to adcoms. They want to see that you are a human being. In other words, they want to see that you are very very passionate about what you’re studying and that you’re not just cranking out good grades like a robot. My essays were strong because I related my daily life/ struggles to my major. Write from the heart.
-Also make sure you get lots of qualified people to read your essays EVEN if you are a great writer. Ideally, they’ll point out areas where you can add more clarity or make your writing more powerful.
-Be positive. Mine was somewhat of a sob story, but I emphasized perseverance and the potential for lots and lots of growth. I think adcoms want people who showed what they learned from their experiences because it indicates that they’ll also gain a lot besides education at Cal (as opposed to just getting through in order to graduate).</p>
<p>TAP/NO TAP: no TAP, though truthfully I did qualify for it.</p>
<p>Other advice:
-Get in contact with people at Cal. There are some bridge programs where you can get advice and help with your application from people that have transferred to Cal from your own CC. Some of the student organizations also help with recruitment. They will work with you!
-See a good counselor from your own CC regularly. Make sure the counselor is very knowledgeable because some can totally screw you over with misinformation.</p>
<p>That’s all I can think of for now. Good luck.</p>
<p>econ 3.67, now its prolly 3.43
pre-req done by fall 2008
72 credits + 6 repeated credits
work experience - since age 17, for 2 yrs working 30 hrs a week
Essay … *&^%ed up, realised a week after turning in that i had spelling errors BUTIT had high contents
high volunteer work — lots</p>
<p>I’m still reeling over the fact that I got in. Objectively, I’m pretty sure I fall way below other admits.</p>
<p>major: English
GPA: 3.46
prereqs: All completed (not that hard, honestly. Cal only has a few prereqs for the English Major)
IGETC: Completed by Spring 09
Extra Curriculars: Uh. I was in Fine Arts Club for one semester. Did some random graphic design/journalism for a very small organization. Stellar, I know.
work: Tutoring in the school’s writing center
Essay Topic/ What was so great about it?: First essay- Basically wrote about how writing articles for a newsletter and having a hardass English teacher in high school made me want to pursue English as a major. </p>
<p>Second essay- Wrote about how I like to draw, and hello, look at all the hours and resources I have invested into honing my skill that I use for nothing more than my own amusement and satisfaction.
TAP/NO TAP: No TAP
Any Advice: I think what made me stand out was the overall cohesiveness of my application. My GPA is pretty low, but if you’ll look on my transcripts, all of my English courses have high marks. All the stuff in my application about art doesn’t seem to be particularly relevant, but I think combined with my essay, all of that proved that I was willing to put forth a lot of effort and resources into something I sincerely enjoyed. Guess I made it apparent that I really enjoyed English, so, well, there you go. Guess it made a pretty promising profile, in one way or other.</p>
<p>Kemikaruu, did you have a 4.0 in all your English classes? Just curious, because I actually received a B in one of my English courses, but an A in all others (and I’m an English major).</p>
<p>If I had to generalize, I would say Cal admits “tend” to have something going for them that isn’t just grades and a laundry list of EC’s. This includes overcoming a hardship, being honest about your past, passion for something, etc…</p>
<p>^^ITA Cougars. It seems like Berkeley looks for students that can bring many different perspectives to the table. All the people I know personally that were accepted are complete opposites of one another. Very diverse group.</p>