I got the supplementary question email and I was wondering if it really meant you are borderline for UCLA. Also, it gave me two questions of academic achievement/talent or circumstances in your life that affected your academics. I was wondering if I should write about a new topic or just go deeper into my personal statements. I was also wondering if it is more favorable to answer both questions because my response to the achievement/talent one seems bland and uninteresting.
You don’t need to answer both. I left the achievement one blank, because it’s for truly extraordinary cases- like JO athletes, not varsity captains. However, I did experience significant hardship. I decided to use my common app essay, which grew from the UC essay, to answer that prompt. I think you should go with what feels strongest- what you can write passionately about/wish to explain in full. If that’s your personal statements, by all means, do so.
The criteria for referring an applicant for Augmented Review include the following:
-Evidence of focus on an area of special talent which may have limited a student’s time to participate in a broader range of activities.
-Evidence of character traits that imply a strong likelihood of making a significant contribution to campus life.
-Evidence of significant academic achievement or the potential for academic achievement at the University in spite of extraordinary or compound disadvantage or learning difference, or physical disability or other unusual circumstances.
-Evidence of significant improvement in the academic record accompanied by one or both of the following: (1) reasons for the initial poor performance; and (2) sustained and in-depth participation in educational outreach programs, which demonstrate the applicant’s commitment to succeed academically within a challenging environment.
-Evidence of relative lack of access to, counseling about, or support to take college preparatory, honors, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) classes or required college entrance examinations.
I would answer the questions which pertain to your situation.
I got a supplemental as well. For the first question, isn’t it telling you to expand on your talent that you talked about in your Personal insight questions?
Since it says “Please take this opportunity to share with us more detailed information about the level of your achievement…”
@heeeeey: Yes, the supplemental wants you to expand on anything mentioned in your personal insight essays.
@Gumbymom @heeeeey @fdha951 Well if I write about a veteran of foreign wars medal I got because of my 4.5 GPA and 4 years of dedication towards my Junior Reserve officers training corps does that count as an academic achievement or as you called it an extraordinary case or talent? I do not know if I should scrap the idea or keep it for the first question it just seems typical and bland. I was going to talk about how I organized veteran dining ins where they got to speak with my cadets and how much effort and time I put into my JROTC. Then bring the academic aspect of how I juggled academics with it and kept it up.
@koreanbunbunny: I would write about the medal and also the organized dining in’s. Only you can toot your own horn so write about anything you feel would help your chances.
ok, thank you @Gumbymom I just feel so nervous they might reject me honestly if my essay isn´t good enough.
For my supplementary essay should I tab to indent the paragraphs so it is easier to read for the admissions officers or does the system do it automatically?
@koreanbunbunny: If you are asking about the same topic do not start another thread. I have merged your two threads about the supplemental into just one.
If the format is similar to the UC personal insight essays, the indentation tab does not work when you submit. I would just leave a double space between paragraphs.
@Gumbymom oh I am sorry I thought since it was an older thread I should have started a new one I will take your advice in mind for next time.