<p>We'll it is the common consensus that students who are borderline are ones that receive the supplemental information email. </p>
<p>If you guys dont mind could you post your stats, so we non-supplemental receivers can get a better idea of what "borderline" really means this year.</p>
<p>SAT/GPA/Activities (whatever you want to give) would be nice, if you dont mind. </p>
<p>Thank you and good luck.</p>
<p>Are those who get supplemental usually Out of State? I’ve never heard of anyone I know get one of these Supplementals…</p>
<p>no plenty are sent to in-state. At least three categories:</p>
<p>Talents that attract the eye of the reader</p>
<p>Disabilities/challenges</p>
<p>Borderline stats</p>
<p>GPA-3.75
SAT I-1590
SAT II-770 Spanish, 590 Bio Molecular, 510 US History
AP- 3-AP English Lang, 3-Ap English Lit, 5-AP Spanish Lang, plan to take AP Spanish Lit
ACT-23, 29 on Science. (note: <----didn’t take those AP classes) AP Bio-2, AP US Gov-2</p>
<p>ECs
-Marching Band/Pep Band-Section leader (4 years)
-Wind Ensemble-Section Leader (4 years)
-Orchestra-Section leader (3 years)
-Drama And Theater-numerous plays and musicals, International Thespian Society honors (3 years)</p>
<p>Community
-Spanish Tutoring (4 years) over 100 hours
-Music Tutoring 3 years, about 30 hours
-Volunteer Hospital-over 500 hours, 1 year.
-Rural-Medicine/Community Medicine Volunteer, over 500 hours, 1-year.
-Small Change for good—canned food drives, clothes drives, etc.-over 30 hours,</p>
<p>Work:
-Certified Translator-2 years
-Clerk-2 years</p>
<p>Special Circumstances
-Unrecognized high school
-URM Mexican-Immigrant, 1st Gen college student in the US
-Jewish
-OCD/GAD
-Abroad at the moment volunteering
-Hard life circumstances
-Socio economic stuff</p>
<p>Sports:
-1 year footbal
-1 year swimming
-1 year health basics course.</p>
<p>yup</p>
<p>I got the disability/medical condition supplemental by the way.</p>
<p>I forgot awards:</p>
<p>-American Legion Medical (for attending program
-International Thespian Society Honors (2 star honors)
-Rotary Financial Award (for being able to overcome hardships)
-AP Scholar (AP test success)
-Walker MD Award (for attending med program thingy)</p>
<p>I have others but I felt these were my best</p>
<p>hey haiku, did you include ocd on your application somewhere or just the supplemental? if you don’t mind me asking.</p>
<p>oh and you mention being in a marching band, have you considered auditioning for the cal band? they’re pretty awesome, check em out on youtube and their site if you haven’t already.</p>
<p>^
I DO WANT to be in MARCHING BAND heck yes! VIDEO GAME GAME SHOW! HECK YES!
I have a friend who is on the Cal Band, she plays sax.
I’m trying to contact both directors (from UCLA and UCB) to see what it’s required.
It seems a fairly simple audition (3 scales) and marching abilities, also, band camp.</p>
<p>About OCD, I mentioned briefly on the “additional comments” section of the original application, and I think I also did on one of the essays.</p>
<p>Do u know how hard is it to get into Cal Band?</p>
<p>The disabilty/medical condition questionnaire was so bomb, I loved answering to those questions cause they’re so personal and direct. (rather than a general prompt)</p>
<p>^ I auditioned for the Band in the fall, as a part of the Special Talents Program, that got me a letter of rec from Mr. Calonico, the Cal Band Director. It wasn’t that hard, just three scales, some sightreading, and a few questions about my high school band experiences. He knows my band director since we go every other year to High School Band Day.</p>
<p>If you didn’t get the supplemental thing it means you probably didn’t get in?</p>
<p>If you didn’t get a supplement, it basically means you either got in or didn’t already.</p>
<p>^locke19</p>
<p>I went to UCLA band day every year</p>
<p>those were so much fun!</p>
<p>Orien: Yep. Just have to wait 'til the 26th.</p>
<p>Haiku: Ahhh, I see.</p>
<p>Yeah, UCLA Band day ruled, I live in SoCal so it’s easier for us</p>
<p>Cal Band, UCLA band, I just wanna be in Marching band again</p>
<p>haiku- I have GAD as well, and I got the same supplemental questionnaire as you.</p>
<p>When were you diagnosed with GAD and OCD? How did you explain it on your questionnaire? </p>
<p>I wonder because I was diagnosed with GAD between the original UCB application and the supplement, and still don’t have it under control, and my doctor thought it would be best if I left it out of my response (I caught mono in freshman and junior year, and had bad grades as a result, which is why they wrote me, but I think the GAD may have been related to me getting mono the second time).</p>
<p>^ Awesome,</p>
<p>I got diagnosed last October via an Electroencephalogram (it’ a reading of brain frequencies, referred by my family doctor) He also wrote the letter I needed to send to prove medical condition.
My letter of recommendation was sent by a former teacher of mine, who is a former Air Force pilot and UCLA alumni</p>
<p>What?!?!?! Did you NOT reply to it? Not cool, you should’ve</p>
<p>Well, I had the disorder for a long time (I think over a year, lol, I just got checked in October because my symptoms were pretty bad)
I found out it was turning to OCD</p>
<p>My responses?</p>
<p>Well, I’ll just post them here, tell me what u think. I did them short, and to the point, relating it to college and my character as much as I could. Also, it was edited by my friend who goes to UCB</p>
<p>Please provide a brief description of the functional limitations of your disability. Include date of onset.
In the last year of my high school I felt a lot of changes in my personality, behavior and attitudes. I began to feel extreme exhaustion, lack of concentration, muscular tension and frequent headaches. At first I believed it was nothing, I thought it was just “stress,” but with time, I realized it was something more. In late October of 2008 I began to feel these symptoms worsen, I couldn’t pay attention at all, the headaches were severe and the fatigue evolved to insomnia. Ashamed at first of seeking help, the situation got so intense I had to pause all activities because of it. I told my parents, friends, relatives and I visited my family doctor for help. I was referred to a neurologist who ran a series of encephalograms and found the diagnosis to be Anxiety Disorder with Early Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. My doctor then referred me to a therapist and prescribed medical care. The experiences were life changing, and since then I have gone through a series of reflections.
I began to reflect on my past to find the causes of these disorders. The year 2008 brought circumstances that were out of my control, most notably was the economic recession that had severely impacted my family’s financial stability. I began to contemplate on how finances altered my life and recognized that it was my main obstacle in school. The sole reason I was unable to go to college was because I couldn’t afford the admission expenses. My parents pressured me constantly on academic perfection, especially when it came to the SAT, because the dire need of scholarship money. This only resulted in frustration and obsession of being perfect on academics to have a chance at going to college. Money became a roadblock on my journey for a college education; it kept me from going to a university because of the high cost, my family simply couldn’t afford to pay, my parents also had to maintain my siblings and a business on the verge of bankruptcy. Even with aid, the college cost was too high and I was forced to temporarily pause my education. Frustrated and disappointed on how things ended, I decided to take the opportunity on advancing on one of my dreams in medicine and I applied to a Medical Volunteer Program in my native country of Mexico. All of the events that I lived through in high school contributed to my disorders, I couldn’t believe money-issues were the sole foundation. After such a hard year, I fell to a depression that gave birth to my disorders. However, reflecting on these past circumstances inspired me to persevere and apply once again to college. I realized I shouldn’t let money keep me away from reaching a college degree, that it shouldn’t keep me from reaching my dreams, and that I could work hard to overcome these disorders to gain control of my life.
I faced adversity and was challenged in all aspects of my life by this condition. Perseverance and courage was key for my recovery, and with proper work and time I was able to gain control of my life. Through this difficulty I’ve learned more about myself and have only grown stronger. I am sure that in college the experience I gained from these disorders will prepare me for tougher situations. In some ways I am glad I have had to experience this because I’ve learned more about life and its values, especially the essential value of being comfortable and secure with yourself. </p>
<p>-Really great essay, I have nothing to change on this one, well written and well expressed…</p>
<p>-Is that your word maximum? I’d like to hear more specifics (i.e. series of reflections), less generalities</p>
<p>3.
What impact, if any, did your physical or mental impairment, or medical condition have on your academic performance?
During the times I faced crisis, I sat down to reflect how this has affected my life. It seemed that everything had a share of its impact. It’s odd to feel the disorder, it’s not something you can describe. It is a fearful feeling of insecurity and depression with a constant feeling of despair and lack of control. I remember when it first started to affect me academically; it was my senior year in high school In preparation for my SAT, I recall how throughout high school I was told about the SAT; some teachers described it as “the ticket into college”, which made me nervous. My parents pressured me to do better than last time because they believed it was the only way I could get a scholarship. I took the SAT in my junior year and received an average result. The second time was my last opportunity to take the test and I studied every day for hours. I feared the outcome of the test, I knew my GPA, extracurricular activities and AP classes reflected potential in me, but standardized tests have always been an issue for me. I feared the test would wrongly portray my potential and give the wrong impression of my character and academic ability, so I studied for weeks. I did everything that was available to me, I took the practice tests, I did the SAT question of the day, , but when the test day came, I felt unprepared.
When I received my scores, my scores were only slightly higher than my first ones. I felt worthless and ashamed.
It was a terrible feeling, for months I couldn’t stop thinking that my SATs were the reason I couldn’t go to college, I got so into the idea that for weeks I felt inferior to the friends who had been accepted to prestigious colleges, all with high SAT scores. But as with every hard event in your life, you can curse, you can cry, and you can damn the fates, but in the end you have to let go. I took it as an important experience. By the time the AP tests came, I knew that I could not again go through the obsessive studying and fear that I did with the SAT. I had 5 AP tests on my agenda, for two of which I was not enrolled in the corresponding class. A year prior to the test, I had applied for AP English Language and AP English Literature, however, the teachers in charge did not allow me to take these classes them simply because I was involved in extracurricular activities and because I my first language was Spanish. I had learned English with Spanish and had proven to excel at the language with outstanding scores, however the teachers looked past this. I wanted to be part of the classes simply for the love of the English language, yet for them it was hard to believe that there are students who want to be part of a class simply for the passion of literature. I did not let them get the better of me, and decided to take the tests with no preparation. I simply read the books the class had read. In May, the test dates came and I decided to try what at first sounded absurd. I decided to try a new method of succeeding at my test anxiety. I chose not to study for the AP Spanish and both of the AP English Language and Literature tests, but to study for AP Biology and AP US Government. On the days I took the AP English and Spanish tests I realized I was relaxed, I looked around me at how everyone was so tense, and even though I was called crazy for doing what I was doing, I knew I was ready. Taking those three tests was a pleasure that I had never experienced before. For once I didn’t worry if my scores were going be perfect and after completing the tests I felt satisfied with my work. On the other hand, the remaining tests were stressful, and difficult to answer, I felt blocked and anxious through the duration of both examinations. Months later I received the results, and the tests I had not studied at all were the ones for which I received scores of 3 and above, while the two I received 2’s were the two I studied and prepared for. I learned something through the whole experience. It wasn’t that I learned to not study, I learned my own personal method of preparation, my passion. I saw that I blocked myself with constant studying because it reminded me of the consequences of failing.
I realized that my anxiety disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder were keeping me away at enjoying academics. These disorders inspired a fear that for years had kept me from excelling at tests and feeling proud of my academic achievement; fortunately I had finally found the solution to this once hopeless dilemma.
By simply having confidence in myself and using my passion for academics as my tools I was able to overcome my fear of test failure and let go of past tests failures once and for all. This moment in my life will be useful for years to come because now I have the security and strategies to test taking that will be key in college life where tests are a constant event.<br>
-great, I only did some slight rearranging of sentence structure and some stuff with grammar, spelling and verb tenses
-I think you need to tie in your diagnosed condition and relate it to your struggle. It will sound more convincing</p>
<p>4.
How do you approach learning a subject in which you are having difficulty? Please provide an example identifying a specific subject (English, math, history, etc.).
The example of my test-taking experience is a primary example of how I approach learning a new subject. Many subjects are difficult to understand at first. I faced constant anxiety and obsession with test preparation. From the aforementioned experience I was able to devise a strategy that can also be applied to other areas of academics. I learned to use simple values such as love, perseverance, and hope to my benefit. I see that when I have difficulty learning biology, for example, I feel blocked by my anxiety and I obsess on the feeling. To overcome that, I use my natural love for the subject, and that helps me relax and calm down and see things more clearly. Instead of seeing it as a great problem, I now see it as a chance to find a great solution. With this strategy I find the solutions to problems and turn something, as difficult to understand as the Krebs cycle, into something as simple as tying a shoe.</p>
<p>The acquirement of these skills has made me realize how important is to believe in yourself and have confidence, because within me, I can find the answers by using the right strategies. The importance of this in college and in life is indefinable. </p>
<p>-great! once again just some minor things</p>
<p>-well done Mark! Anyone with a heart will smile at this one.</p>
<p>5.
What type of disability-related support or accommodations, if any, have you received?
Soon after diagnosis I was referred to a Therapist and transferred to my family doctor for future check-ups.
At first I was afraid and ashamed for receiving psychological help and medical treatment but soon after I met my therapist I was able to let go of those presumptions. My therapist is an amazing individual, one which I look up to as a role model and mentor, he has given me advice and shared knowledge that will help me for the rest of my life. At one time I felt controlled by my condition, but thanks to his support and the support of my loved ones I was able to gain control of my life. I believe support is the most important thing when you’re going through a difficult chapter in your life; knowing there is someone there for you helps with the recovery process. Although my disorders are technically not something that can be completely cured, they can be controlled. Through the aid of my therapist I gained knowledge on how to gain control of my life and how to appreciate myself.
This whole event has taught me to really value life and strengthened my integrity while also helping me to realize what is truly important. </p>
<p>-good, just little grammar esq stuff </p>
<p>-good, just try to hold back on the word ‘experience’; if you use it too much it becomes trite and annoying</p>
<p>6.
What impact, if any, did your physical or mental impairment, or medical condition have on your participation in extracurricular activities?
Now that I reflect back on it, at one point in my disorder my interest in extracurricular activities was severely affected. During the months of September, October and November I stopped doing the things I love to do most, such as music, swimming, and reading. I believe I felt so miserable at that time that I didn’t care much about my life. Luckily for me that was only temporary, and soon after diagnosis, I began to do those things I love. I began to attend swimming classes, began to play musical instruments again and learned new activities.
This was essential for me, now that I look back on it, I’m glad I didn’t give up the things I love, they are fundamental aspects of my personality that cannot be reflected on my academic GPA or SAT score. After this brief absence I realized the importance of these activities for my future career goals they are part of me and should not go away in spite of hard circumstances. To the contrary, I discovered that performing extracurricular activities helps to recuperate and adds meaning to life.
This is beneficial to me because now I have strengthened my personal security and integrity, which are important values to keep through college where I am sure to face difficult times.
7.
Do you have a severe physical disability which affects your daily activities, such as personal care? If yes, please describe.
Fortunately my condition does not physically affect me.</p>
<p>can we get this back on topic and have some stats please? i’d appreciate it, and im sure other people would too…</p>
<p>I did answer the supplement, I just talked about having mono, and didn’t mention the GAD.</p>
<p>Your answers are very involved. In a good way. Now I’m all nervous I didn’t put enough effort into mine! I was too scared of sounding like I would be making excuses, so I kept my answers really short and to the point. But your answers don’t sound like your making excuses at all. You did a really good job!</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>Yeah, I decided to keep them below 600 words, and on some below 300 or 400.
You know what, I was wondering about that too, I didn’t want to write about “making excuses” so my friend at Berkeley helped me out, she told me that NEVER to write “Me this, my life sucks, I have this, feel sorry for me” type essays</p>
<p>but rather “I went through this, this is how it was, this is how I overcame it, this is what I learned, from this I have learned, strengthened, improve this, with this I can bring a better, more diverse setting to the college, this experience will benefit me in college, this will benefit me in the future” </p>
<p>Yeah, cause everyone can write about their sucky lives, but only a few can relate it to their dreams, future, career.</p>
<p>I also want stats, anyone dudes?</p>