I heard kids with much lower SAT and GPA got in. What are their criteria, if they have one.
Holistic review. If it was only about the numbers, decisions could have been sent within a few days of when the application window closed.
^ Actually decisions would have reached in a fraction of second by a computer, otherwise!
This discussion won’t be fruitful as we all know by “holistic” nobody really knows what it means. Subjective criteria that is what people call, but this is self-contradictory if you know it is subjective.
Sorry but your GPA is not that high - and really depends on your major and the rest of your application, strengths and content of coursework etc. UCs will weigh many factors and GPA seems to be king followed by test scores. And a GPA that reflects substantial coursework so not all GPAs can be measured the same depending on the types of classes you took. Sorry that you didn’t get the outcome you wanted though. I am sure you will find a school that you will love.
This report might help you understand a little better: http://www.senate.ucla.edu/committees/cuars/documents/uclareportonholisticreviewinfreshmanadmissions.pdf
They look at your essays, your life experience, challenges you have overcome, exceptional talents you may have, and what you might bring to the university that is unique or different. It is intentionally subjective but then all admissions are. How else would the select between thousands of applicants having the same grades and test scores?