I tried searching around but I couldn’t find anything. Does anybody know what criteria Berkeley uses to select its regents candidates? Is it simply based off stats and ECs, just essays? or is it more holistic? I read somewhere that Berkeley uses a 1-5 rating system for its applicants, is the regents candidacy awarded to those who luckily score multiple 1’s?
How about the second round from candidates to actual regents scholars? Are they advanced through ONLY the interview and recommendations? Or is it a combination of those along with the rest of their profile that got them the candidacy originally?
We were told last year that all Regent Candidates have a clean slate and it was up to their interview scores on who will receive the scholarship.
@sunflower, I’m wondering, in reality, how that can be because they have access to your entire application. I’m not suggesting that is not what was told you, because I’m sure it was, it’s just hard for me to see. And to be honest, to put 100% of the weight of an award solely on a short interview with one professor seems, well, I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder if what is said is technically accurate sometimes.
You definitely don’t get a “clean slate.” First of all, your interviewer has access to your application, so that affects how he or she will score you. Secondly, the interview varies so much (mine was about 10 minutes long) that there is no way that admissions only considers the interview when deciding who gets the scholarship.
Not an admissions officers, but based on friends who did and didn’t get the regent’s candidate I noticed these qualities in those who did:
- Had super strong unweighted GPA (4.0, perhaps 3.95, could be less in in exceptional cases, but usually their GPAs are very strong) and a weighted GPA that shows you took advantage of many honors/AP courses at your school
- Have decent test scores (2200+ on SAT, 700+ on SAT 2), but I don’t think thats extremely, extremely important
Could have had either both or one of the following:
3) A phenomenal essay that shows that you have uniqueness/insights/qualities that would contribute to the campus ambience/intellectual vitality etc
4) Solid to phenomenal extracurriculars (showing a high degree of leadership, talent, impact…)
I had a friend who basically didn’t have any leadership positions or extracurricular involvement till junior year, but had a very unique essay on the lessons she learned from a suicide prevention course (how many essays do you get on that, it also shows that this person has the ability to empathize and make others feel better, crucial in stressful college situations). I feel as if you could potentially have only a great essay and still get regents candidacy, but more often, people have great extracurriculars with a solid essay to back up their otherwise strong application. Usually, regents candidates tend to be at the top of their class, but not all top students in a class will get Regents.
Note: this is pure speculation, but I hope it gives people hope and motivation to work hard on their essays! 