<p>This is pure, unadulterated, BULLSHlT! </p>
<p>First they raise UCSD minimum TAG GPA to a 3.5, now we can only TAG to one campus? The people who are saying “it’s no big deal” have already transferred, or will transfer in Fall 2011. You’d be *****ing too, if extra provisions were placed on you. </p>
<p>Screwed again.</p>
<p>3.2, Biology/Neuroscience/Cognitive Science depending on campus</p>
<p>But even if I had a 4.0 Id be tagging everywhere I could. Its not like there are a certain amount of TAG spots…they let everybody in with TAG so you wouldnt really be taking a spot from anyone.</p>
<p>That’s actually not accurate. It’s a zero-sum game. By TAGing and getting approved, you are theoretically taking a spot away from someone not able to TAG or was denied TAG. Besides why TAG everywhere, just pick a UC and TAG there. </p>
<p>For those that claim this is ********, understand that it is a function of budget cuts and the UCs needing to efficiently allocate their dwindling resources.</p>
<p>I only TAGed to SD as my safety, but Berkeley and UCLA and my 1st and 2nd choice, respectively. What I can’t stand is people who apply to schools they know well in advance they don’t want to go to. Specifically, I have seen people on here say they applied to Berkeley, even though they have no intention of attending if accepted. Now that IS taking a spot away from someone who wants to go there, and I heartily proclaim people who pull that type of **** to be ■■■■■■■■.</p>
<p>I used TAG to secure a safety school. Even the offers of admissions we’re all celebrating/waiting on are conditional. It’s understood that by meeting the given provisions, your admission is solid. So I still don’t understand why multiple TAGs are necessary except in cases like the OP’s in which the full package isn’t guaranteed. As many posters mention, everyone goes to only one school in the end.</p>
<p>I don’t think there is anything wrong with applying to a school that you have no current intentions on attending, especially if you have a low demand major. I applied to Berkeley with low intentions of attending, but if I get into UCR and only Berkeley or some kind of ridiculous combo like that, I would probably end up going to UCB. Things change and I know that I’m not to make my life stressful because I might take away a spot to one of the 60 students trying to get into my major. I think the TAG agreement stipulations are one thing, not applying to schools because you may take away a spot for another student is another. These schools are competitive and if you don’t have a good enough GPA, then that isn’t anyone elses fault. Sounds harsh, but really it is the truth.
Also, if someone is getting denied for a TAG isn’t it usually because they didn’t end up meeting the criteria stated in the contract, i.e. GPA, pre reqs? In that case, you aren’t taking a spot away, they aren’t fulfilling their contract.</p>
<p>If its still a possibility, than I don’t care about that; you want to keep your options open. But I’ve seen people say specifically that they have no intention whatsoever. It seemed to be almost a prestige sort of thing, like being able to say, “yeah, I got into Cal. Turned it down for Davis, though,” or some BS like that. Why even apply? And yeah, GPA is important; I’m not too worried for myself, I think my 3.8, ECs, and PS will get me into one or the other if not both, but I think about the person with a 3.5 or something, right on the cusp, who had to juggle a bunch of other stuff in their life along with school and whose dream it is to attend Berkeley or UCLA. Someone who unnecessarily wastes their own admit and goes elsewhere has potentially robbed that person of the chance. Of course, each major/ college is different, I’m just saying its nice to think about others instead of just yourself sometimes, when not applying to a school you aren’t going to attend doesn’t hurt you in any way. Its not the same as giving up a seat you really want to someone else, its giving up a seat you never wanted by not sitting down in the first place.</p>
<p>No I totally get what you’re saying. I think the argument is legitimate but I think it just is what it is. Is it fair? No. Will people really not apply to these schools for the sake of others? No. I’m just a pessimist I guess. I’m not saying that it is right, I just think its uncontrollable so don’t get upset. I mean that in the nicest way, I’m not trying to be a punk.</p>
<p>^Punk 
</p>
<p>To answer your question, YES! I didn’t TAG purposely because I didn’t want to take a spot from someone else. Even in the face of college admissions competition, one’s moral character must continue to be entrenched so as not to be washed away by the temporal nature of these stressful moments. </p>
<p>:-)</p>
<p>^I like that. And I think we are all on the same page here, and I doubt anybody wants to waste a spot for somebody else, its just if you have a certain high GPA, but only want to go to, say, SB or SD, then don’t also TAG to Davis, and apply to Cal and UCLA. In that case, you might get into all of them, chose SD like you figured from the beginning, and now 1 other person at each school is SOL. Multiply that by everyone who does it, and you can see where many folks get denied needlessly, even if they have a decent but perhaps not stellar GPA. </p>
<p>Now, if you don’t have a great GPA, then why not try for UCB and LA. But I would still chose only 1 other school to TAG into, since you can only go to one in the first place. I don’t know about you, but my mind was made up before I event sent my application. I suppose differing financial aid awards might factor in a bit here, though, but I’m not sure how each campus differs in the amounts they provide.</p>