<p>im wondering what percentage of an application depends on SAT scores. like is it 20% of the application? 40%? </p>
<p>also, what about SAT II scores? </p>
<p>is SAT weighed the most heavily on an application? </p>
<p>what about the essays you write on the application?</p>
<p>i am mainly interested in UCSD and UCLA.</p>
<p>someone told me that volunteering is only like 5% so don't even bother doing it. is this true, because i dont want to volunteer. is volunteering worth the same as having a job?</p>
<p>The UCs as a whole have minimum requirements (3.0 UC A-G weighted GPA for instance.) Individual campuses then have their own way of picking out of those qualified students, and have details of what they are looking for on their websites. UCSD does mention that they base 77% of their admission criteria is on academics: SAT or ACT scores, GPAs, class rank, and SAT IIs. UCLA is said to have a more holistic approach to admissions.</p>
<p>UCSD has a specific point system, while UCLA has holistic admissions, so there isn't a set % for anything, but I think for both, GPA > SAT I. UCSD, the essays are only a vehicle for showing specific attributes that UCSD gives points for, so the actual essay won't count for anything.</p>
<p>I personally only volunteered a total of like 75 hrs and got into both, for UCSD, you have to volunteer quite a bit for it to count for points.</p>
<p>You should go to the UCLA and UCSD admissions pages, as to how they calculate. In general, though, the first cut for admissions is called The Eligbility Index. That just puts you in the ball park. It is the ratio between your GPA from 10th/11th grades + your highest single-test, single-score sitting. (Inverse proportion between GPA and test score). The UCLA page, for example, explains & has a chart on the admissions process page. </p>
<p>The essay is quite important for UC admissions, to any campus, certainly to the top 3. Conversely, an essay characterized by not much thought has been known to earn a denial for many a high-achieving applicant.</p>
<p>Community service is variously an aspect of leadership and/or an aspect of contribution to the community. As with private college admissions, if it actually ties in with a long-term interest/passion/activity, it can be seen as reinforcing the value & sincerity of that interest. Overall, for U.C., leadership in anything tends to be more highly valued than merely "involvement" or "participation" in community service. Being original in such a contribution, seeing a need in even a school community & answering that, taking initiative, & making personal sacrifices for a larger effort, are all valued highly, & in a different manner, than merely putting in hours.</p>
<p>^ If someone is shooting for UCLA or UCSD, unless they really don't understand the system, they should not have any problems whatsoever with the Eligibility Index, if you barely qualify for eligibility, you have virtually no shot at UCLA or UCSD.</p>
<p>Actually for UCSD, the only thing that matters with the essay is the content which helps the adcoms assign points, actual depth or emotion or quality in writing isn't going to help. But it does matter more for UCLA.</p>
<p>Unless you're genuinely involved with large amounts of volunteering (which I in no way would suggest for you, considering you probably hate it as much as me), it's not going to help you much if at all. Community service or participation in community service isn't going to help you much more than involvement or leadership in any other club or activity.</p>
<p>Charisma, I only mentioned the E.I. because the OP asked about "weighting." What he/she needs to understand is that the weighting is relative & reciprocal, that's all. I do agree, that EI for any of the top 3 UC's is not the contest. In those cases every little bit of additional info, and points, helps (including leadership, essays, opportunities used, and challenges).</p>
<p>To the OP: Yes, U.C. values employment. Length of employment would also help, as would need to be employed to pay for own or family's expenses.</p>
<p>^ I was under the impression that the OP was asking for weighting in regards to admissions for a college which is different from the weighting for the EI.</p>
<p>whoever told u volunteering is 5% is a complete moron. uc's value community service highly and if your a rising sernior ur pretty much screwed if u dont have any community service because as you might imagine the top uc's receive tons of applicants with 4.0/ 2000 and scores in that vicinity. a good aomunt of community service would set you apart. so ya, don't bother starting the community service now because it will be obvious ur only doing it to put on the application. i think privates look at sat scores more than uc's</p>
<p>Okaaay, for UCSD, the max amount of points you can get is 11100 and the max amount of points you get for community service is 300, so 300/11100 x 100 = a whopping 2.7%, so yes, the guy who told you 5% is quite inaccurate.</p>