<p>@nero, I understand that UC’s look at grade trends. About the first semester being “a bad start,” in my personal statement for prompt 2, old them in my personal statement that I had to teach myself on how to study efficiently considering that I barely graduated high school (with a 1.9 gpa). Basically, I came into community college with a blank slate, not knowing on how to study efficiently at all because community college was basically the first time that I really had to learn how to become a better student academically</p>
<p>yeah but you got two pretty bad semesters going on.</p>
<p>which is why I do not understand that you only applied to four UCs instead to all of them to increase your chances to get accepted at all.</p>
<p>@nero, didnt you look at an earlier post that I had earlier about my grade trends, not this one but another one?</p>
<p>Because my parents told me to apply for schools that are close to family members so that I can live with them and pay less for housing.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>How could we miss any of them? o_o</p>
<p>I am sorry man, I am truthful right now, but the other time, I just gave you a cushioned version because that’s what you wanted to hear.</p>
<p>“Essays: 9/10. For prompt 1 talked about how I got interested with my major by talking to a man with Alzheimers who died a few days after we started talking. Talked about what I gained from my experiences in my ec’s.
Prompt 2 talked about my dedication to my academics and how it will lead me to achieving my goals as a psychologist.”</p>
<p>I am a medical doctor and this sounds very suspicious to me. Patients in the final stages of Alzheimer’s disease are non-verbal and it would be impossible for them to have a conversation with you a few days before their death from the disease.</p>
<p>@ Lemaitre: Fortunately for Pino, UC admission evaluators aren’t MD’s. </p>
<p>@ Pino: I think nero is messing with you. You have a great upward trend, Berkeley (more so than other UC’s) takes that into consideration. I know you’re worried, but I am certain you’re in.</p>
<p>@emilsinclair9, my counselor told me UCLA does take upward trends just as seriously as Berkeley. And my gpa is above the average for psych major admissions (avg 3.78) for UCLA. If I get into either UCLA or Berkeley, I will be happy. Either institution I think for psychology is just as great. </p>
<p>Plus did you see my EC’s in the first page? To add to that I am also a MESA club member, and a Puente club member (even though I am not Mexican)</p>
<p>On my EC’s/volunteer works, to tell you the truth, I logged around 2000 hours of volunteer work over three years.</p>
<p>Yeah, your clubs and EC’s help, but I’ll be forthright with you, EC’s aren’t a major admissions factor for transfers…more like wrapping on the present so to speak.</p>
<p>That said, if you actually did 2,000 hours of community service, that’s amazing.</p>
<p>Also, yes, I’m sure UCLA takes upward trends into account, but I was always under the impression it was considered more strongly at Cal…Oh well, even better if that’s the case at both :). </p>
<p>As for psychology, they’re pretty equal at both schools. For UCLA, you have to apply directly to the major to become a psych major. That said, it’s perceived to be a bit more prestigious because it’s more exclusive than Berkeley’s psych major.</p>
<p>However, in terms of research opportunities (considering you’re not premed), I would say Cal has the edge with literally tons of research opportunities and methods of acquiring positions. It’s also important to determine where your interests in psychology lie. If you’re geared more towards the social end of psych, Cal is a better fit. If you’re looking for more of the neurological/scientific basis of psychology, UCLA is a much better fit (particularly with the med school right there).</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>@emilsinclair, I am going towards more to the clinical or neuropsych side of things because I took human anatomy and physiology and the bio and chem classes for a nursing major. I was a nursing major when I started.</p>
<p>or the “medical side” of psychology (NOT psychiatry!)</p>
<p>one more thing, personal statements also count for admissions factors as well.</p>