<p>Hello all, UCLA is my top choice, and I was really upset to be rejected this weekend. I feel like my stats are somewhat strong:
SAT:2060
UC GPA: 4.0
4 AP classes this year, 2 last year, 1 sophomore year
200+ community service hours per year</p>
<p>And after reading the appeals information, I think I might be qualified. Basically, during college application time AND finals at my school and the craziness that goes on in senior year, my pharmacy gave me the wrong medication, and for a month I was taking medicine that made me severely depressed, where I would come home and cry every day, and I lost interest in everything. In my appeal, I would state that this happened during application time, but also that dealing with this experience really made me grow up, as I learned to take a stand for myself, and it really helped me focus in on what I want to do in life, which is be a child psychologist so I could help people in my situation.</p>
<p>Does this seem like grounds for an appeal, on the basis of personal growth/extenuating circumstances?</p>
<p>And input is helpful. :)</p>
<p>Did you mention this medical problem in your original personal statement that you submitted in November, or did you write on other topics? If this issue was NEVER mentioned in the original app, you could have a shot.</p>
<p>It sounds like a viable argument to me, compared to other people who just say “oh my grades got better this semester,” so I think you should go for it. But remember to be specific when you describe the personal growth aspect, so it doesn’t sound like you’re asking for pity.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that very very few appeals are granted. I suggest that you talk to your counselor about whether you should appeal.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I discovered the medicine mixup AFTER I sent in the app, so there was nothing I could say about it before, I was ignorant of the problem. As such, UCLA is completely unaware of the problem I had, which is why I want to appeal, to provide them with new information. I know that I shouldn’t try to seek pity, I know that I have to say how this occurrence changed me and why that makes me a good candidate for UCLA.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your opinion!</p>
<p>Sympathetic POV: Sorry for pain and the wrong meds. If you’re instate it might help. If you’re OOS state, UCLA only takes 20% OOS, domestic, so it was probably an OOS thing to begin with. (assumption 15,000 open seat-3000 to OOS, domestic-rounded)</p>
<p>Tough Love POV: A few months of bad medicine doesn’t ruin a high school career. Your stats are very good. The school just decided to go in a different direction.</p>
<p>I’m in-state. I know a few months of bad medicine doesn’t ruin a high school career. Somehow I managed to maintain my good grades. In the most serious way possible: I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to think about your future when you were so depressed that you thought you were going to be institutionalized. I couldn’t fathom living through a week, let alone long enough to make it to college. During that time I honestly could not pay full attention to college apps, and I want them to know that I’m a very committed student and I’d like to be able to explain any faults they might have found. </p>
<p>I appreciate the tough love though, just trying to explain the situation. :)</p>
<p>This definitely sounds like grounds for appeal to me. I would try to be specific in how your app would have been different had you not been extremely depressed. They might realize that in normal circumstances your app would’ve been up to par with everyone else admitted. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice!</p>
<p>While admissions people can’t discriminate, unfortunately by appealing and stating that you have had mental issues in the past, regardless of the cause, may signal to the university that you may come to school and crack under the pressure in a competitive academic environment, it’s way tougher than anything you may have encountered in high school, and not what the admissions people are looking for in a student. As a UCLA student that taps into the OSD services, I always felt that you kind of had to let them know about any issues of this variety AFTER you were admitted :/</p>
<p>drewapicture, it doesn’t hurt to try your appeal. You should include proof of the medication mix-up and resulting depression, IMHO. If you live near UCLA, try to deliver it personally to the director of admissions, so they’ll get to meet you briefly.</p>
<p>To earell92: In my case, I was diagnosed with autism when I was 3 years old. I am GATE and have high functioning autism today – what is called being “twice exceptional”. I decided to reveal this in my personal UC essay about mostly overcoming my autism to the point where I’m part of my HS leadership team today and get straight A’s after weaker grades in 9th, and to a lesser extent, 10th grade. UCLA sent me a supplemental questionnaire where I was able to describe how my disability affected my HS performance, and list my A’s 1st semester senior year.</p>
<p>Although my stats are just ~3.5 GPA unweighted from one of the top public HS in the state (top 50 USA), with 1710 UC SAT (1810 superscore), 790 Math level 2, one AP (Calc BC), UCLA admitted me. I think they are trying to build a freshman class that is diverse in many ways, and I’ll add to campus diversity when I’m mixed-in with all of the “neurotypicals” in Sept.</p>
<p>I can’t wait to finish high school and get to UCLA!!</p>
<p>gnilrets</p>
<p>PS. Cal also sent me a similar disability questionnaire.</p>
<p>I’m just curious as why you didn’t know you were taking the wrong medication. Did you not read the label? If the label was the same, but the pharmacy put the wrong medication in the container, than you definitely have grounds for a huge law suit. Just saying… It doesn’t make sense to me…</p>
<p>Also, if you picked up medication and found out that you were SEVERELY depressed every day afterwards, why didn’t you double check your medication? Seems like a lack of critical thinking if it took you a month to realize that the new medication was making you cry every day.</p>
<p>I honestly think you do not have any grounds for an appeal, but good luck to you.</p>
<p>@gnilrets: My intent was not to put down others with mental issues by any means as everyone copes in different ways, I was only commenting on the validity of the reason for the appeal. btw, Congrats on your acceptance.</p>