San Diego U-T article with insights to UCSD's admission process

Parents Forum
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<p>This month, UCSD officials allowed The San Diego Union-Tribune to sit in eight hours of training sessions for college application readers to gain insight on how the process works. </p>

<p><a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20051218-9999-1m18ucsd.html#%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/education/20051218-9999-1m18ucsd.html#&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>One point that I found particularily interesting was that according to the article, "the essay is not measured for its literary merit, intellectual expression or creative flair – at least not by UCSD admissions readers. Unlike most private elite universities, UCSD admissions readers don't check for spelling, syntax, diction, tone or grammar." It appears that the essay is simply a way to garner more "points".</p>

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<p>"That was my biggest shock when I began reading the applications," said Fred Georggin, a San Pasqual High School counselor who has read UCSD applications for three years. "I always thought the essay was an opportunity to demonstrate writing skills.""</p>

<p>I am wondering how many other "shocks" did our good GC encounter while going to the process. Not a real surprise to see an ill-informed GC. </p>

<p>Regarding the article, it could have been a tad more complete had the writer researched UC Davis. A few years ago, a reader published the entire details of the point system. Why it remains hidden at UCSD must be yet another mystery of the UC system.</p>

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<p>It's amazing to me that they consider things that are so far out of the student's control. You get many points for having a parent/sibling die, being born into a family with less money, less well-educated parents, having to undergo hardship.... I know the university is trying to overcome historic inequalities, but it doesn't seem fair somehow...</p>

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<p>I am sure you'll find a few additional "unfair" items in this list, and probably a few surprising ones as well. Some EC activities are really pointless in such as system: being a tutor, a mere member of club or team, or building house for Habitat, does not mean much at UC-Davis! </p>

<p>UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA – EC SCORING GUIDELINES</p>

<p>LEADERSHIP PROMISE: </p>

<p>Leadership promise is measured by an applicant's involvement in extracurricular activities at their school, community or home. Three or more are required. </p>

<p>Points: Three or more leadership roles that demonstrate one's capacity to direct or influence the course of an activity/organization or the action of others -- in activities at school, in the community or at home. Must show consistent participation (i.e., A school year or sport season) or some indication of achievement. Examples:
• Chief or section editor of school newspaper or yearbook
• Team captain
• Section leader in the school band, drum major, conductor
• Director, stage manager or choreographer of a school play
• Student body or class officer
• President or vice president of team/club or volunteer organization
• Representative to the school board, city council or area representative for a community organization
• Mock trial officer or delegate to a regional or larger conference
• Girls/boys state or national delegate
• Model UN head delegate or junior statesman delegate to regional or higher level conference; undersecretary or general secretary
• Leadership role in Girl/Boys Scouts, Sea Scout, Quarter Master
• Life Scout/Silver Award, Eagle Scout/Gold Award (received or in progress)
• 4-H Diamond Star or All-star; 4-H Teen Leader, national conference team member; state ambassador
• Link crew team leader
• Peer trainer or mediator
• Lead person in a major activity, such as a fund-raising drive, cultural activity or tutoring program
• Youth educator in community activities such as Sunday school teacher or coach
• Participation in highly selective leadership program
• Parental role at home as primary care giver or major wage earner</p>

<p>No points
• Member of club, organization or sport team
• Lower officer of non-selective club
• Volunteer for community organization
• Tutor
• Junior Statesman participant
• Future Business Leaders of America
• Model UN participant
• Teaching assistant
• Habitat for Humanity volunteer
• School Accreditation Review Team
• Link Crew member
• Mexicali Missions project volunteer
• 4-H star ranks bronze-gold
• Umpire, referee or lifeguard (unless description in personal statement satisfies leadership definition)</p>

<p>SPECIAL TALENTS AND SKILLS:
A special talent or skill involves substantial participation or exceptional performance in the arts, sciences, languages, athletics, etc. that demonstrates hard work and accomplishment. </p>

<p>Points: Persistent involvement in two activities for 3 years each, resulting in distinguished recognition at the school or higher level or representing outstanding effort and dedication in the community; or long-term involvement in one activity resulting in recognition at the state level or the right to compete at the national level. Examples:
• Debate tournament winner
• Speech or essay contest winner (Forensic awards)
• Dance/music award winner
• Lead in school play
• 1st chair in school band/orchestra or beyond
• Sports -- All league 1st team, athlete of the year, league MVP; state or national
• State or national level championship team
• Academic Decathlon winner
• National Merit semifinalist or finalist
• 4-H Emerald Star; Presentation Day winner in regional or state competition
• FFA champion or reserve champion award
• FFA regional, state or national proficiency awards
• Model UN best delegate
• Mock trial individual award at regional level; team award at state level
• Participation in a highly selective program such as the National Science Foundation Young Scholar's Program, COSMOS, etc.
• Extended involvement or experience in another culture or one's own culture, representing outstanding effort and enabling the student to contribute knowledge to the educational experience. Examples: Proficiency in a language other than English that is used to serve the community or study in non-English speaking communities or countries where the student plans to work. Proficiency in traditional cultural skills and talents.
• Year-round employment or volunteer work of 12+ hours per week where work is skilled and demonstrates responsibility such as writing articles for newspaper, computer programming, Web design, etc.</p>

<p>No points: Continuous involvement in activities but no distinguished recognition is received.
• Continuous long-term music lessons
• Awards for Golden State Academic Exams
• Who's Who
• CSF
• Presidential award for academic and physical fitness
• National Merit commended or scholar
• Model UN commended performance
• Honorable mention awards
• Participation in non-selective summer programs
• Academic decathlon participant
• Recognition for good performance
• Honor roll
• School most valuable player
• Most improved player
• Coach's award
• Varsity letter(s)
• Congressional award
• Member of a championship team unless at state or higher level
• Pages for state or national senate or assembly</p>

<p>PERSONAL DIFFICULTIES & PERSEVERANCE:
This is based on a reading of the personal statement for documentation of the applicant's ability to persist and overcome unusual, seemingly insurmountable difficulties or challenges which may have affected the applicant's ability to achieve full academic potential during middle or high school. </p>

<p>Points
We strongly consider factors over which the student has little or no control and which are inevitably linked to the student's academic achievement. Difficulties and challenges usually involve multiple factors, such as:
• A history of low income
• Adverse home environment
• Unusual family disruption
• Drug, physical and mental abuse
• Unusual medical/emotional problems
• Frequent change of schools (3 or more high schools)
• Lack of exposure to appropriate role models
• Adverse immigration experience within the past five years
• English as a second language
• Assumption of role as primary caretaker of the family
• Unusual disruption in school, residential or tribal community (e.g., long-term school strikes, widespread natural disasters, etc.)
• Active discouragement or severe lack of support from family or school personnel</p>

<p>No points
Isolated events of short duration that have little or no effect on the student's academic development, such as:
• Short-term illness such as a broken leg, flu
• Short-term adverse incidents (e.g., short-term closure of school due to inclement weather, short-term absences from school to care for a family member, etc.)
Situations or circumstances that the student is capable of changing but did not do so.
• Unfocused student
• Dislike of school and teachers
• Elective trips and vacations during the school year
• Elective employment
• Elective community, social, recreational and other extracurricular activities.</p>

<p>MARKED IMPROVEMENT:
Academic record from 9th to 11th grades shows marked improvement in grades or significant shift in academic rigor. </p>

<p>Points
• From having mostly C's or less to B's and A's
• From having mostly C's and B's to almost all A's
• A shift from non-college preparatory course work to college preparatory
• A shift from only college prep to almost all advanced courses such as advanced placement & transferable college courses with B's and A's</p>

<p>No Points
• No change in course work rigor, including shift from college prep to regular honors courses
• No improvement in grades received
• From having mostly C's and B's to almost all B's
• From having mostly A's and B's to almost all A's</p>

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<p>
[quote]
• No points:
From having mostly A's and B's to almost all A's

[/quote]
</p>

<p>What a great encouragement to try harder! :(</p>

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<p>Actually Xiggi, the details of UCSD's point system has been published in past years, along with cutoff points, etc. I doubt that much has changed. It's transparent enough that I can figure out that my son, burdened with a middle class background and parented by college graduates, who has the annoying habit of spending his discretionary time outside of school year round in one athletic activity which does not provide him the opportunity to get the kind of awards UCSD acknowledges until after admissions decisions have been made, has vurtually no chance of being accepted at UCSD. Oh, well - there are lots of other schools.</p>

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<p>Kluge, I thought that what was known was the way the points added up, but what caused specific points to be "earned" was not disclosed. </p>

<p>This is from a 2002 article from the same paper: </p>

<p>"Once a week, application reviewers gather on campus, sit around a table and
go over the details of applications. There are 50 readers, half of whom are
university employees. The other half are high school counselors.</p>

<p>There's little room for subjectivity because they're following an exact
formula for assigning points. Here's how it works:</p>

<p>Each application undergoes two readings. In the first, points are assigned
based on grade-point average, course-taking pattern, SAT scores, a low
family income and whether the applicant is in the first generation to attend
college. The maximum points possible in this phase is 9,400. The second
reading, in which 1,700 points can be awarded, examines nonacademic factors.</p>

<p>The two readings combine for a possible 11,100 points.</p>

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<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=21705&highlight=Diego%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=21705&highlight=Diego&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Not necessarily. As I recall, for both the Davis and San Diego point systems it was readily possible for a good student to amass enough points to be admitted by academic achievement alone. All this stuff mentioned in the article and listed in post #4 above are merely the frosting on the cake. The cake is the grades, course rigor, and test scores. And a great cake needs NO frosting.</p>

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<p>I have seen this stuff before, and parts of it really make me ill. Glad I don't live in CA any more. So the best advice you can give to the borderline student who wants to get into a UC is to have a baby, get addicted to drugs and murder your parents.</p>

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<p>Coureur nails it: if you're a strong student without additional "points," you'll still get it. Who the system hurts is the marginal or "me too!" student without "points." No matter what system is in place, someone will squawk about inequalities. It seem like there should be some sort of Goedel Theorem that addresses this.</p>

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<p>Coureur nails it: if you're a strong student without additional "points," you'll still get it.>></p>

<p>Sorry, but I disagree. I know too many 4.0-plus kids with strong test scores who didn't get into UCSD. In almost all cases, they lacked the "extra points," especially regarding EC's that showed leadership (but even then I know of kids that I would have thought would get the extra EC points who still didn't get in.) Grades and test scores certainly matter - and without them all the extra points won't get you in - but grades and test scores alone are not always enough to pull you into UCSD.</p>

<p>That said, if you're a SD area resident who is eligible in the local context (i.e., top 4%) you do have a much stronger shot, even without the extra points.</p>

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<p>Hmm. This is interesting. Most of the top kids from D's hs are getting into UCLA w/o the extra points, just on academics...though more are applying/being accepted to Berkeley. And I don't <em>think</em> UCSD has gotten as crazy as UCLA.</p>

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<p>Do ALL the UC campuses use some version of this point system, or only the most competitive ones?</p>

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<p>I'd like to know how kids fit in the time for two leadership EC's. Give me a break! DS (Sophmore) runs/trains six days per week for XCountry 2/3 hours per day and has a heavy load at school and the pressure to maintain/get an excellent GPA. Goodness, do these kids get time to eat! I'm getting so worked up I can't imagine how I'll be when he's a senior and applying LOL!</p>

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<p>
[quote]
Do ALL the UC campuses use some version of this point system, or only the most competitive ones?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>the other way around. the most competitive ones DONT use a point system because it'd be much harder to measure. there are many overqualified candidates. they use a much more holistic/comprehensive review. i think UCD and UCSB also use point systems, but i'm not sure. </p>

<p>some are complaining or sarcastically remarking that the best way into UCSD would be to put yourself at a disadvantage. um... if someone is at a true disadvantage, the reasoning behind the point system is to equalize that out. on the other hand, if you didn't have those disadvantages, you were expected to achieve more academically. remember that admissions and achievement is relative; they want to reward those who took advantage of their opportunities, whatever they may be. </p>

<p>stop complaining about how the disadvantaged kid is getting a break when you've been getting a break your entire life and not doing anything about it.</p>

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<p>Does anyone know what UCSC and UC Merced use to decide who to admit?</p>

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<p>OK Californians, I've been in the dark long enough - what the heck is a "Link Crew" - sounds like the groundskeepers at the golf club?!</p>

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<p><a href="http://www.boomerangproject.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=54%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.boomerangproject.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=54&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Who knew? I'd never heard of it before.</p>

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<p>The Story of LINK Crew</p>

<p>Link Crew is a support program that was designed at Monta Vista High School in 1990 by Mama Laird. After watching the freshman endure the bullying of older students, Mama Laird came up with a network of leaders to help the incoming freshman feel a part of the school. It is now a successful program that is in high schools all over the U.S. Monta Vista LINK leaders support the incoming freshman as well as Kennedy students and elementary school students. LINK leaders offer support and serve as role models to everyone. For more information regarding Link Crew, visit the Official Link Crew Program website: <a href="http://www.linkcrew.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.linkcrew.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.geocities.com/linkcrewcommishes/linkcrew.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.geocities.com/linkcrewcommishes/linkcrew.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>