<p>Comments written above are all accurate but as @bomerr said you never really know why you were rejected unless they tell you. I suspect the bigger reason was your GPA. If it remains the same this year, it will still be iffy but a better PS may help. </p>
<p>@CBear19
Your posts makes me agree that Berkeley’s admission is unpredictable sometimes. I’m got in Berkeley as a transfer just this past cycle. Our stats are almost identical: 3.66 GPA (fall), 3.62 (final) and similar essay for prompt 2 (I too wrote about how important math/stat is and how it’s used in everything that revolves around us. </p>
<p><a href=“University of California Counselors”>University of California Counselors;
^If you haven’t seen it, average GPA of people who applied into Math/Physical Science departments was 3.83</p>
<p>@lindyk8 </p>
<p>Now that you mention it, I’ve heard people say that you can actually ask admissions why you were rejected and they have notes they might read you about your application, and what the admissions officers said about it. I have never found out if this is actually true, but it would probably be worth looking into for the OP. Maybe someone else has experience with this.</p>
<p>@music1990 I know some UCs are more accommodating than others and ppl have definitely gotten feedback. A person should always try and check because what if it was a recalculation of credits and you’re now under? There could be so many things. One thing I’ve learned is there are a lot of unit problems, esp if someone is combining transcripts, or sequencing wrong, or AP recalculation. If an admissions officer won’t tell you right away, I’d try again when things have calmed down - like now. OP would be best served to get feedback if he can.</p>
<p>@bomerr you’re right, and because of the way I worded my question, it’s likely that the feedback I have received is not very accurate. </p>
<p>@Loyshi Indeed it can be very unpredictable, but I’m sure you earned your spot at Berkeley. Congratulations!</p>
<p>@lindyk8 @music1990 That’s a great idea. I’m going to give admissions a call today.</p>
<p>@ocnative Thanks for the link!</p>
<p>And thanks again to everyone else for sharing my concern and taking the time out of your day</p>
<p>*taking time out of your day to help me out</p>
<p>I just figured out what I wanted to say. People say the essay is a chance to let the admissions counselor get to know you but really it’s a chance to get the admissions counselor to like you. </p>
<p>@bomerr
I couldn’t agree more! </p>
<p>Well, I’d say it’s both, @bomerr.</p>
<p>Grades, ECs, and so on don’t say much about the applicant as a person. Personal statements do.</p>
<p>Grades, ECs, etc do speak to u as a person. It can show your interests, commitment to education, what you enjoy, where you excel, etc. If you have ECs that are religious based then it speaks to that. Sports, dance, math club, photography, all say different things- a combo of different ECs say something different/ more.</p>
<p>PS however, as @bomerr said, expand on what they know, to determine if they like you. Is this a person I want to have in my classroom? Do I want to counsel this person? Do I think they will get along with our other students? Those are questions that I think the ECs help answer.</p>
<p>@Cayton bingo, exactly what @2016Candles said. </p>
<p>For instance one thing I strongly recommend doing is writing about why you want that major. e.g. “I am interested in political science because I believe politics are important to global stability…” Something like that isn’t really going to let the admissions counselor get to know you BUT it will give them a reason to admit you into the program. So that is what I am trying to say. It’s about getting them to “like” you more so than “know” you. </p>