<p>To appeal or not to appeal, that is the question. I am sure Shakespeare was thinking the same thing :). Nevertheless, I am contemplating this very question. </p>
<p>I set myself up a system of safeties, goals, and reaches with my UC application. UCR was my safety, UCI was just another goal school, UCSB was my goal, and UCLA and CAL were my reaches.</p>
<p>I am profusely glad I was accepted into UCSB. I am so honored they picked me. Many issues make UCLA a better school for me; one of which would be that I would dorm with a good buddy of mine. We help each other out with academics all the time. Another reason is that UCLA is closer, but not too close, to my family.</p>
<p>My problem is, I have a feeling I will be denied. I plan on appealing the decision if I am denied. I have a good explanation of information for the UCLA admissions officers for when I appeal. The deadlines for both of these schools is what worries me.</p>
<p>I want adequate housing at UCSB if I submit my SIR. I also don't want to submit my SIR if I have a chance of winning my appeal to UCLA. How will this all work out? Has anyone else contemplated the same issues?</p>
<p>If you guys also have questions about appealing, you should post it in here. Maybe we can help each other out.</p>
<p>You can submit your SIR for UCSB and then repeal it--you'll just be out $100.
I don't have first hand experience on it, but I've read about this from last year's admissions</p>
<p>I recall you writing about this before so I looked up your stats from the previous thread.</p>
<p>You should definitely appeal if you don't get in. Your most compelling argument probably comes from pointing to your grade trend. You spoke about how working full-time had killed your GPA. Yet, in the last semester you destroyed a whopping course load of over 21 semester units, some which were honors. I haven't seen the rest of your academic record but I suspect you have a sharp positive grade curve.</p>
<p>As for your UCSB/SIR/Good housing dilemma--worst case scenario means that you submit your SIR for UCSB which is 100.00 of non-refundable deposit that you don't get back if you breach the SIR agreement by accepting of your appeal. Yes, 100 dollars is a lot of money, but in the grand schemes of college expenses it's not the worst thing to have sacrifice to guarantee good housing for a year. </p>
<p>I don't know much about the appeals process though, so you should talk to the UCB admissions person on this forum. </p>
<p>Good luck, I honestly believe you have a compelling case.</p>
<p>The most compelling part for me is that I have OCD. When my father passed away my senior year of college, I faced the dilemma of having to pay for college myself. Without a license, I was forced locally. My local grocery store had an opening in the deli department. I dealt with blood everyday. I could not focus on academic work those days I worked. I just didn't feel clean which caused my OCD to affect me strongly. The only days I could focus on school work was during the 2 days I had class. I went to school clean, felt cleaner than before, so thus I only did homework those days. You can only imagine my academic record if I could only legitimately do homework those 2 days a week.</p>
<p>My GPA was a 2.6 during this time. I know the UCs can't overlook this. However, once I dropped my job when I found out I qualified for financial aid, my grades went up to a 3.5 and now, this semester, I'm averaging a 4.0 semester GPA with 22 units. The GPA UCLA will see is a 2.9. This isn't great. However, my growth is substantial.</p>
<p>I've been a honor student all my life. I was in the gifted and talented education program, an honors student, and on the honor roll for a countless amount of times. Everything during my first year of college fell apart for me.</p>
<p>wannabeabear,</p>
<p>I sure hope they understand.</p>
<p>You should only plan to appeal if you have information that were not on the applications.</p>
<p>If these background information were already on your applications and you were denied, then stating them again is not going to help you.</p>
<p>None of this information was on my application. I didn't want it to negatively affect my decision because of my OCD.</p>