@briank82 @lindyk8 I thought it would be smart (sarcasm included) to take 27 units from two different schools. I wound up dropping one of the 3-unit classes with a W. I now have 24 units–3 A’s, 3 B’s, and 1 C. I feel like I completely f***ed everything up at the worst time possible. However, I did explain this in the “additional comments” section of the application.
Hi, folks–
I am still working on my personal statements, so I figured I would ask you all for your opinions. I want to write primarily about my experiences in the field and what I learned/gained from experiencing failure, but my counselor thinks I should write about my adversities in life. I’ve had quite a few difficulties but, to be honest, I don’t think it makes for a very interesting essay. I’ve mentioned some things in the major essay that were relevant, but I am not sure I want to write an entire essay about it.
I keep hearing that Berkeley likes a sob story, though. 
Do you think that by glossing over what I have overcome I’m making a huge mistake? Part of me also feels like it’s a bit late for me to be writing a brand new essay.
Well at least you have overload of courses as a reason. Just carry on… What they might do, so keep in mind: accept you with a proviso that you maintain a 3.0 or even a 3.2 (I have seen that) in each spring course. So stay on top of it!
@lindyk8 Maintaining my usual 3.8+ will be easy next semester, they’re all psych courses This term was all math and science classes, which I am terrible at to begin with. Thanks for the encouragement. I appreciate it.
@Wadadli I used my first personal statement as a promotion of my accomplishments, and then the second one as the “sob story.” I basically used mine as the “comeback story.” One of the transfer advisors for UCB told me they like those stories as much as the sad ones. Overcoming adversity is a good topic for your second PS. Save the other good stuff for the first one.
Can I get a chance please? For UCLA/CAL
Im from a CCC and currently applying.
Major: Economics
GPA: 4.00
Major Prep: A’s in Macro/Micro, A’s in Managerial and Financial Accounting, A’s in all Maths. Im in Calc 1 at the moment and am going to take Calc 2 during the spring. Should get A’s in both.
IGETC: Done by end of Spring Semester
Essays: My biggest worry to be honest. I’ve drafted them out but they aren’t fully complete. I think they’re crappy but I’m pretty critical, probably will end up being 7/10
ECs: Working 15-20 hour weeks as a Student Ambassador for my College, previously worked more as a grocery bagger, President of my school’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter. I have some high school tutoring too.
APs: None
TAG: None
Other Schools: UCI, UCSD, Columbia, Stanford (yeah i know, not happening)
I feel like I’m competitive but I know I’m lacking a bit in the EC’s category and know that the majors are competitive so I need to distinguish myself with essays + out of school activities. I plan on going into Business Calculus at UCLA with a math minor and Economics at Cal.
Thanks!
@lostinthought6 You have very high chances.
@lostinthought6 You and I have extremely similar stats–student ambassador,
tutoring, and president of PTK–but you have a perfect GPA. You have a very good chance. Maybe let your personal statements sit for a day and then come back to them to see how you feel about them.
@goldencub It just bugs me leaving that space empty, oh well. There really isn’t anything I need to clarify.
Is anyone omitting their California student ID number on the app? I don’t have mine, but it says it’s optional.
Thank you, aepaige!
@csmajortom yes you can omit it.
Do I have to include AP exams that I failed in high school?
I got a 1 in AP Chemistry and a 2 in AP Human Geography. I passed my other eight including AP Physics 1.
If it’s not required, should I? I mean, it’ll show that I took AP Chemistry in high school, which is a pretty intense class. It’ll also show that I took 10 AP classes.
Only Con I could imagine is them thinking that I’m not ready for a UC leveled curriculum because I failed Chem and Geography.
Thoughts?
@solostish If I were you, I would include everything. It’s not like it’ll be held against you.
But apparently it’s not required, so I don’t know…
I would add them as it shows rigor and that will be a plus. The UCs will not penalize you. Also, if it is your first request to College Board, they send all test scores, so you will be shown as not listing all on the app.
Hello… when is the best time to submit UC application? I read that Nov 26 the UC application center will be closed. Should we submit it Nov 27 or Nov 25? I read it somewhere not to wait until the end and we can still edit some major information up to Dec. When are you guys planning to submit your UC application? thanks for info and advice.
@beth28 FWIW I’m planning to send it in this Sunday. I’m still editing my PS and will go over my app to make sure that it’s all accurate and whatnot before the deadline.
ALSO, UCLA is holding a last minute application Q&A on November 30th from 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM (right before the application is due). So, one could wait until then to ask any questions. I don’t think it’s worth it, but maybe some of you will wish to ask questions before submitting.
Link: http://www.admission.ucla.edu/email/TransferPrepTalk2015/TransferPrepTalkFlyer.pdf
Hey y’all! Was wondering if I could get a chance as well as any advice y’all might have on reformatting my personal statements. I’m considering scrapping what I have entirely to write something more powerful.
I’m currently 17. I left high school at 15, the middle of my junior year, for a myriad of reasons - the biggest ones being my older brother developing schizophrenia and me personally going through very serious depression (leading to a few bouts in the hospital) due to a lot of bullshit at my school from students and staff alike.
I go to a CCC in SoCal and here are my stats -
Major: Dance&Performance Studies, hope to declare a double in Public Health and minor in nutritional sciences when I get there. (I have the prerequisites for public health and am just missing Ochem for nutrition. DPS has no prereqs - but I’m applying to it because I’m actually passionate abt it. It’s my dream major. Not just to get into the school easy lmao)
GPA: 3.72, probably dropping to around 3.5 because I had an issue with a professor and got a D in a class. I’ve filed a grievance but if it isn’t processed I’ll probably just be retaking this winter session.)
IGETC: Done
AP’s: Lang and Stats (4,3)
ECs: a whole lot. I’ll try to be concise
-wind ensemble (principal player, soloist) (hs and college)
-marching band (high school)
-drum corps (it’s kinda like professional marching band if you will)
-independent performance ensembles
-school repertory dance ensemble (choreographer and dancer)
-cardiology research in a lab at UCLA for 2 years
-science, English and math tutor on my campus and also
-i work part time (19hrs) on campus doing high school outreach + information desk
-president of Black Student Union
-PTK, honors, TAP
-i teach yoga for free in the community as well as in Ghana (I’m first generation American)
-I’m a writer for and cofounder of a collective catered to lgbtqia+ people of color
-i organize resources for people on skid row and take groups every holiday season to give them out and also just talk to them…
etc etc. There’s probably more I could pull out but y’all get the point - I do a lot of things.
-HTCC
I’d like a chance just based off of that, and then I also have some questions for y’all which I’ll address in a separate post so this don’t get too boring.
@afrogeisha You know, I have no idea how difficult it would be to get into Dance & Performance Studies. I have no clue. Otherwise, I think you are very competitive - but try to talk to that professor and get things worked out. A D is bad. If you do get a D, then mention it and explain that you are retaking it in the Transfer Academic Update this January.
I think you would have a good shot at Public Health. I don’t know if you should apply to one over the other to increase chances at being admitted. I don’t know. Berkeley is going to be very impressed with your ECs and backstory, though. I’d say you’re competitive altogether, especially considering all that you’ve accomplished.
What other questions do you have?
And also. Basically I was maintaining about a 3.8 until spring when my brother came back home and two of my grandparents in Ghana died. My brother was kinda aggressive towards me and my parents had to go back to Ghana for a while to take care of my huge extended family. I couldn’t live in the environment my brother was creating and I had no one to really support me so I left the house. I was in between living at a friends and sleeping in a park, also had a dude preying on me while I was in such a vulnerable position. I almost dropped the semester, I was taking 27 units (22 academic, 3 dance classes and wind ensemble) and doing research but i managed to make it through with all A’s and one B. I was 16 at the time. In the summer the issues were exacerbated (robbed of my ipad, brand new MacBook, and phone - aka all my connections to the Internet - while taking 3 online classes lol. / and i got B’s in classes I didn’t need to.
My parents are unable to support me financially due to having to take care of fam back home, so I have to work to pay for school. I get no financial aid bc I can’t claim independence
@goldencub I’ve spoken to Berkeley reps and am on very good terms with the UG Advisor for the department. The average GPA for the major is around 3.6-3.7, and they weigh personal statements really heavily.
Would you think it would be difficult to declare public health as a double after transferring? They are both in L&S.