Aw, thank you for raising my spirits, @BoredEngineer ! I have a 3.68 UC transferable GPA and unfortunate familial circumstances as well. Best of luck to you! Is Cal your first choice?
No problem and thanks. 
Yes Cal is my first choice. April 28th is too far away for my taste. x__x’
Mine too! What’s your second? And for real, ugh. It’s about 2 months away, but I still want to go to Cal Day on the 22nd of April. I won’t know if I’m admitted by then, but at least it’s something to do that’ll get me excited! @BoredEngineer
My only other real option is UC Santa Cruz unless San Diego feels like giving me a full ride including dorm.
Both good schools. Sorry for asking, I’m just curious I’ll be glad when I finally find out how much financial aid each school will give me. Good luck! I’m sure I’ll be seeing you on the UCSD transfer thread. @BoredEngineer
I go to a quarter school and there’s a chance I might end up dropping a math class with a W because of it’s difficulty and my chances of failing are fairly high. I applied as a Cognitive Science major and this math class is at a higher level than what I need for my pre-reqs. I know dropping a class is bad after I said I would take it, but I can and want to take it next quarter (spring) with a different professor and a more prepared me. If I choose to drop this class, how “bad” would that be? Should I just stick with it and try my best to get a C? Or would it be “alright” if I dropped it?
On another note, I applied to UC Berkeley and UCLA as a Cognitive Science major but applied to a few other schools as a Computer Science major, in my personal statement I mentioned both Cognitive Science and Computer Science. If I get accepted at Berkeley my goal would be to do a Cognitive Science major and a Computer Science minor, I like CS, but not enough to do a major out of it. (Which I realize now having taken more CS classes. Especially since my coding skills are nowhere near the level that seem to be required to get through the 3 intro to CS courses needed to be accepted into the CS major at Cal after being offered admission.)
Reading some of the past comments on this chat, I’m now worried that it might look like I’m applying as a Cognitive Science major and want to switch into the Computer Science major if I get accepted. My statistics are extremely competitive for Cognitive Science but not for Computer Science. How likely is that I’ll be judged as a possible switch to a CS major and so rejected?
You’ll be evaluated for the major you’re applying for.
@Orangered123 Stating CS in your personal statement puts you at risk in regards to Cal, since the admissions officers know how obvious people are when they are applying for when all they really want to do is backdoor into CS. I faced the same issue where I added some computer science (although I’m more into statistics and mathematics) in my first personal statement. My TAP counselor recommended that I remove ALL traces of the phrase “computer science” to avoid such an issue.
Also, getting a W in your class shouldn’t be too bad as long as you have a low amount (a good rule of thumb is at most 3).
@rootcause Your Tap counselor told you that directly? I’m banging my head on the table now. If I get rejected based on that, would it be in my best interests to write my appeal stating that I WANT to do Cognitive Science specifically?
My transcript does show that I have been pursuing Cognitive Science. I have 4 philosophy courses (spread over all of last year) completed and one that I’m taking this quarter that’ll fulfill an upper division Cognitive Science requirement. I’ve finished general psych and fulfilled the biopsych pre-req too. Ah, now I’m slightly freaking out. Praying that they see that I DO want to and have the chops for Cognitive Science and admit me due to that.
That’s relieving to hear about the W. Is it fine to get it in the Spring after we’ve updated the TAU? I assume it’ll hurt my application, but not significantly I hope.
I wouldn’t worry about it too much. It’s a sunk cost at this point and despite that, they know you’re likely applying to different schools and sometimes different majors.
@briank82 Thanks for the words of reassurance.
Did anyone else get this email from Berkeley? I’m kind of concerned. This may be that I’m a borderline candidate. I’m thinking it’s good because if they had already decided they weren’t interested I think they wouldn’t bother sending me this email. What do ya’ll think?
Dear _____,
We have received your University of California Undergraduate Application for Admission and Scholarships.
Thank you for your interest in our campus.
We are in the process of reviewing your application. Before we can complete our review and reach an
admission decision, we need the following information from you:
Please scan and email back a copy of your (former college) transcript. An unofficial copy is fine.
We must receive this information within five days of this message date, or processing of your application may
be delayed or canceled.
To respond to this message please use our online response form by clicking the following link:
_________.
Update: I think this also means they’re reviewing transfer applications already.
does anyone know if psych is a competitive major to get into for transfer students?
@Orangered123 no worries. Berkeley will not view that negatively. You mention both. All that possibly means is double major or major/minor. Irrelevant. Plus, as you noted, you are CS at other UCs. People split majors up and do exactly what you do all the time - cite both in the PS.
I got something similar. But it’s because I have some out of state coursework that needs evaluating so they asked for syllabi and for me to complete a form the sent me.
I don’t think it’s due to us being borderline and leaning towards acceptance. I believe it’s due to the university wanting to do a full review of our applications in order for them to make decisions.
Did anyone else get this email from Berkeley?
Dear _____,
We have received your University of California Undergraduate Application for Admission and Scholarships.
Thank you for your interest in our campus.
We are in the process of reviewing your application. Before we can complete our review and reach an
admission decision, we need the following information from you:
Please scan and email back a copy of your (former college) transcript. An unofficial copy is fine.
We must receive this information within five days of this message date, or processing of your application may
be delayed or canceled.
To respond to this message please use our online response form by clicking the following link:
_________.
Update: I think this also means they’re reviewing transfer applications already.
I also got something like that. They want to review my academic renewal.
But from my understanding it was not necessarily Berkeley that emailed, could be any UC you applied to or possibly even the UC app itself.
Psych last year had a 15% admit rate. So I’d say yes it is competitive
median GPA rage was a 3.70-3.94
I also received an email about a week ago from the college of engineering to evaluate a specific handful of my courses. There was a course eval form and a nice email exchange. I am OOS transfer, EECS.