Could someone give me an overview of the LOR request process? My DS is OOS with very high scores (35, 800s on SAT2s) and very high GPA at a top NE private school. He did not get a request for a LOR. Is that the end of the process for him? Is this an issue at other U Cal schools or only at Berkeley? Sorry to be so ignorant, but it is hard to figure this out from out of state. Does he still have a chance? Is not getting a LOR request like not making it to the second round?
Thanks!
UCB is the only UC that routinely started asking for LOR’s in 2015. The first 2 years, around 30% of applicants were getting the request to submit the LOR’s but this year it has been reduced to around 15%. In the past, Borderline/Low and HIgh Stat applicants were asked for LOR’s. This year seems to be more geared toward the “borderline” applicants. Your son’s stats look very competitive so UCB does not need any information to determine his acceptance so no request for LOR’s.
Only a few UC’s will ask for LOR’s as part of their augmented (supplemental review). Here is some of the criteria for an augment review:
https://■■■■■■■■■■■■/home/uc-recommendation-letters/
Here are the five specific conditions under which an applicant might be selected
for an augmented/supplemental review (quoted from the augmented review policy linked above):
Evidence of focus on an area of special talent which may have limited a student’s
time to participate in a broader range of activities.
Evidence of character traits that imply a strong likelihood of making a significant
contribution to campus life.
Evidence of significant academic achievement or the potential for academic
achievement at the University in spite of extraordinary or compound
disadvantage or learning difference, or physical disability or other unusual
circumstances.
Evidence of significant improvement in the academic record accompanied by one
or both of the following: reasons for the initial poor performance; and/or sustained
and in-depth participation in educational outreach programs, which demonstrate
the applicant’s commitment to succeed academically within a challenging
environment.
Evidence of relative lack of access to, counseling about, or support to take
college preparatory, honors, Advanced Placement (AP) or International
Baccalaureate (IB) classes or required college entrance examinations.
Do not read a lack of LOR request to be a death knell for your DS’s Cal chances. With his high test score and GPA, they probably have whatever they need to make a decision. Hopefully, it’s a “yes”! Otherwise, if it’s a “no”, it’s because they assume he will be admitted somewhere else equally awesome (at least, that’s the only justification I can think of for not giving him the nod).