<p>Can of you guys give me some advice. I know this sounds pretty lame but my dream school has always been UCLA and I worry that I won't get in. I am 21 going on 22 and should have graduated by now by normal standards. Im pretty set on LA and cant see myself anywhere else. Anyway would any of you sit out a year and re-apply if you got rejected or just go to a school that took you in even if it wasn't where you wanted to be. Iv'e been to most UC's so I know what they're like and I know I'll find a niche anywhere I go and succeed but I am dead set on LA and am stubborn. I worry about sitting out a year since I have a lot of units and run the risk of disqualifying myself if I enroll in courses just because.... I wonder what do you think is the price you pay when you miss out on a year of school and graduate as a non traditional student. Do employers look down on people who took the 7 year plan rather that the traditional 4 year? Are you seen as a slacker? Any advice at all is welcomed.</p>
<p>Being older defintely wont hurt. If anything, its impressive and shows that you have the desire to be there. </p>
<p>If, for whatever reason, you dont get in this year (but think positively!), you can absolutely reapply. In that situation, instead of running up a bunch of units, maybe take the year off to work while you go through the application process, or only take 1 or 2 classes a semester. I wouldnt worry about that yet, youve still got 6 months to wait. Thats absolutely the worst case scenario.</p>
<p>Anyways, no, employers wont look down on you. As long as you graduate with good grades, it shouldnt be an issue. It takes some people longer to figure out where they want to go, but as long as they do and become focused on it, its really a nonissue. </p>
<p>Ps- no, it doesnt sound lame. LA is really my only choice too, and i dont know what ill do if it doesnt happen. But the next 6 months of my life would be miserable if i worried about it, so instead i focus on how i can get in. But yeah, you arent alone.</p>
<p>Thanks a lot.</p>
<p>I've given this subject some thought myself. If UCSB is the only school that accepts me, I will have to consider waiting a year to reapply. I know that in my case, it might be the best option for me considering my major is Middle Eastern Studies. I think you should ask yourself the same thing. Not specifically related to your major, but what are you losing if you don't wait a year. Also remember that if you aren't accepted one year, why do you think you'll be accepted the next year? I, personally, would strongly recommend against it. </p>
<p>Would an employer look down on you? Absolutely not.</p>
<p>I think if I'm not accepted this year I believe I may be a stronger candidate for the next. I still have time to improve on the gpa and I'll still have TAP certifcation and IGETC fulfilled and maybe during that year I can intern or voluinteer somewhere related to my major. I think though that the requirements for 2005 might change. I know this is looking too far ahead , but does anyone know if the requirements for teh UC's are changing for next year? I'm specifically concerned with the transfer requirements, I heard something about new requirements for freshmen but I haven't heard anything as of yet for trasnfers. Any Info?</p>
<p>One last thing. If you get rejected (knock on wood), can you, and if you can, how do you petition? Anyone know anything about that process?</p>
<p>hey mexbruin, what major are u applying for and what are u stats, and also do u plan to do a grad degree?<br>
my bf was worried about that cuz he is just getting his masters at 26. he thinks employers will see him as a guy who didnt know what he wanted to do with his life, or fooled around in his ealry adulthood. but the truth is, he's got a bachelors and getting a masters from great schools, so he is still getting job interviews like hotcakes.
if u get a bachelors, i don't think employers will pay much notice to how long u were at JC. what will matter is what u did with the last few years, at the school u graduated from.
or more importantly, if u do a grad degree, ur undergrad record will be of smaller importance comparitively.</p>
<p>Im a political science major and actually have a 3.4 not a 3.7 as I once believed to have so I'm borderline. I didn't know you had to divide the grade points by the number of units I thought you just added up the gpa's you had and divided by the # of semesters. I met with a ucla and she informed me of my new gpa so now I'm really stressed out. Im not as competitive as I thought.... only a miracle or close to it can get me in now.</p>
<p>Nah. 3.4 is officially the new average GPA at UCLA. The average for Political Science is around 3.6, but if you have tap or other factors, you should be ok. Dont stress about that so much, you're still pretty close.</p>
<p>Once again, Thank You allie. Good Luck to you to, hopefully we both get in!</p>
<p>I think with a 3.4 in an impacted major, you should <em>prepare</em> yourself disappointment. I'm <em>not</em> saying you don't have a chance. If you do decide to reapply in a year, the best advice I can give is that you should reapply in another, non-impacted, major. Just make sure you can fulfill all major requirements for your new major. If I end up waiting another year, I'll finish TAP as I only completed 6 honors units.</p>
<p>allie, </p>
<p>I'm curious where you heard that 3.4 is the new average...? Accord to UCLA's website, it's 3.5 for transfers. Also, I was under the impression admission was only getting harder every year.</p>
<p>It is getting harder, in as far as how many majors are impacted. The list is now about twice as long.</p>
<p>As of last Friday, the average transfer GPA was 3.4. This is straight from the counselor's meeting at the TAP conference. </p>
<p>I think saying that one should prepare themselves for disapointment does more harm than good. He has several other qualifications that give him an added advantage and for that reason, I think that he's at least at the average level. Thats a personal opinion, albeit a fairly educated one. No one can predict this stuff, but theres a general understanding that with TAP, if the GPA is around the average level (which his is), and the major prep work is done, then things look pretty good. </p>
<p>As far as suggesting re-application under a non-impacted major, thats asking a whole lot. Almost every general major they offer is now impacted. Just for the record.</p>
<p>I think asking himself to wait another years is asking a whole lot more than asking him to increase his odds by selecting a different major.</p>
<p>I realize that now that the average GPA you spoke of is of the average applicant and not the average <em>admitted</em> applicant. To say that the current average GPA is 3.4 tells me UCLA is more selective this year than last, since the average admitted student was 3.5. </p>
<p>Perhaps you are correct in saying a caution will do more harm than good. But he did ask what his chances are. Just for the record.</p>
<p>Waiting another year is pretty much the only other option any of us have at this point, if rejected (only 2-3% of appeals are accepted). It's certainly too late for anyone to choose a new major. Even if someone did choose to reapply the next year under a new major, it would be more detrimental than reapplying under the same major. They would have far too many units and far too few classes completed.</p>
<p>I'm generally against choosing majors solely on the chances they allow for admittance. I think that people should apply under the major that theyre interested in, and I think that they should involve themselves in programs like TAP that allow them to be considered twice. I don't see much point in going to school for classical civilization or east asian studies if what I really want to do is political science, or communications, or any of the impacted majors. I'd rather take my chances and be happy in the long run. Just a personal approach. </p>
<p>As a sidenote- I definitely never meant for my response(s) to be hostile in nature, and I hope that comes through. You seem vexed.</p>
<p>Waiting another year is not only not the only option, it should be considered the foolish option for those of us that are all-too-intent on attending the school of our dreams (I might turn out to be one of these people along with mexbruin). The best option, logic and reason tell me, would be to attend my safety school because a school does not decide your success.</p>
<p>I am a little confused that you would try and say changing majors (with a whole year to prepare) would be more detrimental. Breadth requirements and/or IGETC take more time to complete than major requirements, generally speaking (especially if you're interested in a major like political science). Considering it should take two years to transfer, a third to year complete another, hopefully related, set of major requirements should be very easy.</p>
<p>I can agree with you that I would rather take my chances at the an impacted major of my choice rather than compromising for another non-impacted major. However, as mexbruin has expressed a strong desire to attend UCLA, even to the point of waiting another year, that was the best suggestion I could think of to greatly increase his odds of getting in. Advice like, "try harder, get better grades," would be superfluous advice and should be taken for granted. </p>
<p>In response to your side note - it takes some character to add a disclaimer like that and I do apologize if I came back in a hostile way.</p>
<p>Mexbruin, I understand that UCLA is your dream school, but don't let that hold you back from your studies if you don't get accepted (i'm not saying that you won't). If you have the potential and desire, you can be successful at anywhere you go. Just make sure you enjoy what you are doing.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone for your input. I have been putting a lot of thought into it and probably will go elsewhere rather than wait a year to reapply. I'd hate to get rejected again and look back on what I could have done that year academically. I also applied to UCSD and UCSB and will probably apply to some out-of-states for example: Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, and Texas.</p>
<p>I honestly think giving up a year to reapply is not a wise decision. Many of the UC's have great programs, don't fool your mind into thinking one school is sub-par to another. That year that you sacrifice could be a year of professional development after graduation, or your first year of graduate school. Time is scare, use it wisely.</p>