I just got rejected from UCLA with what I’d consider quite a decent application, so I just want to know if anyone has any statistics on people who are accepted into Cal but were rejected from UCLA. Hopefully this is going to help shed some light on the situation and help me and other people in my position. Thanks!
(P.S. If you can also share your scores/GPA it would be much appreciated)
Transfer student here, Class of 2018. I was rejected from UCLA but accepted to Cal.
Interestingly, my roommate was in the same situation—and he’s an economics major as well.
Interesting, thanks!
I’m in the same boat as you so I appreciate you starting this thread!
If anyone would post anything it would be great xD
I got waitlisted at UCLA and I’m hoping I get into Cal 
Hopefully I have a chance and I hope you do too! I didn’t receive any supplemental requests, so I hope that means I was accepted, but idk at this point :((
@Scholar526 I got no requests either from Cal or UCLA and up until the rejection I thought that was a good sign for both. Now I’m not so sure. Although I’m also international and I’ve never heard anyone from my country getting into UCLA, but a few people have gone to Cal or at least been waitlisted.
I’m in the same boat, although I’m only waitlisted from UCLA, my sat is 1510, GPA 3.82 unweighted, 3.9 weighted, great essays, a lot of ECs but nothing very special, international student from China with a TOEFL of 112. Do anyone think i have a chance at Berkeley? Berkeley is my dream school, waitlist form UCLA relly makes me insecure
As far as I’ve heard, Cal is a lot more holistic, meaning that your essays and EC’s are going to matter a lot more than just your GPA.
I know one person who got accepted to Berkeley early in Feb but got rejected from UCLA…
@Yacht998 I hope you do because our stats are pretty much the same
My older son was admitted to UCLA, but was a spring admit to Cal. My younger son is a regents scholar at Cal, but was waitlisted (but eventually admitted) to UCLA.
I have 2 sons. Oldest was desperate to attend Cal. He was accepted to UCLA, rejected by Cal (he decided to attend Syracuse)
Youngest son was desperate to attend UCLA. He was accepted to Cal, rejected by UCLA (he deferred for a gap year & will be a freshman in August at Cal–Letters & Sciences.
No real rhyme or reason. Both were high GPA (class rank 4-500 & 11-500), average scores–oldest 30 ACT, youngest 1840 SAT. Great extras, great athletic. Youngest was asked to submit 2 letters of reference last year & those were both amazing
I know someone who was rejected from Cal Poly and accepted to Berkeley Haas. Crazy things can happen.
everyone post your UC GPAs. To give reference Berkeley regents applicant here. I have a 4.6 UC GPA and 34 ACT. there is a lot of tough comp
I got rejected from UCLA with a 2380 SAT and a 4.1 UC GPA, so hopefully I have a better chance at UCB College of Chem (I think they are more holistic and put more emphasis on test scores). I also got a 790 in SAT 2 Chem and a 5 on the AP chem test.
@JuicyMango Wow that’s unbelievable. Your scores are amazing
@vasodys Thanks :). But college admissions is, unfortunately, much more than scores so I’m still super nervous. Berkeley is my dream school :(.
@JuicyMango I feel you
@JuicyMango By holistic, it means Cal looks beyond the grades and test scores to the whole package. That’s why you’ll see many Cal admits who didn’t get into UCLA. D got into both schools, but it was probably her grades that got her into UCLA (ACT 31 is decent but not amazing) and her grades/EC’s/essays that got her into Cal.
@briank82 I know a girl who was a Cal Poly reject that got accepted to UCLA AND Cal. My guess is that her stats were too high for Cal Poly to think she was seriously considering them. Or, maybe they had enough engineering majors (you must declare a major to get into Cal Poly). Anyhoo, she’s at UCLA now.
@Undercrackers another possibility is she filled out the Cal Poly application incorrectly such as failing to list her applicable middle school courses (ie 7th grade algebra, 8th grade geometry) - a common problem that leads to rejection. On a campus visit my friend said his guide reported that 1/5 of all applications are rejected due to errors.