***UC Berkeley Class of 2020 Applicant Discussion***

@ChicagoSportsFn
Thank you for your message.

Wait letters of rec were random?

@chantal225
Some people say it is random. However, I do not think so.
There are several articles you can find online on Rec letter.
They select about 20% of applicants mainly those who are between certain acceptance and rejection. So, I would say some of those on border line and some applicants that would get accepted since a lot of high stats applicants got it too.
They thought Rec Letter would allow them to point out kids who would be best kid in the class.I hope it helps.
Becuase I was one of first people to get request, I had done so much research about it on online.

For the Regents Scholarship (to both UCLA/UCB), the invitation comes out Late January/Early February. When this happens, is it implied that you’ve been accepted? Since you got an invite to their Regents Scholarship application?

@hansomeboy so your saying the majority of people who got LOR invitations are boarder people who they want to know better? If so thats actually not good to get it necessarily

@hansomeboy Pretty sure they send that to everyone on their mailing list.

They’re not going to send letter requests to auto-admit people, that’s a huge waste of the already-burdened AdCom’s time to read all those letters. Again, they’re not going to send letter requests to auto-reject people, for the same reason.

I got a request and I do think it was random but I feel like my rec letters were pretty good…wouldn’t that give me sort of an unfair advantage over someone similar to me who didn’t get a request? Or are they just trying to see if LORs give them any valuable insight and it won’t really factor into admission? (ik no one really knows the answer, but opinions?)

Sorry guys. I did not check college confidential until now.
@chantal225 . You are right. It does not mean it is necessarily good. However, it means you are not on auto-reject side.
For LOR, it is at first for those who are on the borderline, and of course, they would send that LOR request to know more. However, I foundout some people with really high stats getting LOR request too. This would be my opinion but I think they want to know more about some of those high stats applicants at school like behavior at school, what kind of students they are. Some high stats’ applicants’ application might already tell them about personality, what kind of students they are at school, but some would not. So, I think they send LOR request if they want to see what kind of person applicant is at school, or social even for high stats applicants. So, for some high stats applicants, it would be used to assure that student has a good personality because they do not think application shows much personality.This is really my opinion, so feel free to tell me you guys’ opinion too.
@Kyuutoryuu
Thank you for replying to my message. I had thought it would be Early February, but never thought it could be late january.
And for your question, yes it does mean you are accepted.
I found several actual letters online by searching on twitter “accepted Berkeley”
Some of the tweets from February of last year having " accepted Berkeley" had actual message.
It literally says, “your admission is assured” with RCSA interview invitation

Now, I would like to ask two questions:

  1. UC Berkeley’s average weighted gpa is 4.41. However, when I include only tenth and eleventh grade weighted gpa, mine can’t be as high as 4.41 because I only took one AP in Sophomore year. So, is that weighted gpa average of final transcripts’ weighted gpa? In other words, meaning does it include my senior year too?
  2. When you guys were filling out application for Berkeley, you guys all know that we have to select scholarships that I would like to receive or I may be eligible for.
    However, I kind of thought of it as Finanical aid, so I did not select any of them. It doesn’t matter if I cannot get any scholarship due to that or not. I will be attending Berkeley if I get in. I do not have any financial issue
    However, would not selecting any scholarships have negative impact on my application??

Hello Guys~~~~ I have a question!
I know that UC schools do not ask senior mid-year grade when we submit the application.
However, is there any chance that they ask mid-year report individually?
Because I had straight As for all three years, but this year I have one B and one C+, and I don’t want to show it to them…
I know that they will gonna ask us eventually, but I think I can make it up by the end of the senior year, so it won’t be matter. All I concern is midyear grade before the admission result comes out.
Does any of you or anyone you guys know have been asked your mid-year reports from UCB?

The short answer to your question is no. To calculate the avg gap and your admit gpa Berkeley only uses your A-G courses from 10-11th grade. 8 total semesters of honors or ap credit is given for approved courses. Mid year reports are not requested. However, some applicants recieve supplementals but from what I know it’s just questions.

@10s4life Thank you!

@10s4life Doesn’t Berkeley use an uncapped GPA? As in, they don’t limit the honors points to 8 courses?

Yes you are correct. UCB and UCLA are the only UCs to use the uncapped GPA. However the only courses getting the boost are AP and UC approved honors classes.

@hansomeboy Unfortunately the UC gpa on stats is the 10-11 gpa not the one on final transcripts. The transcripts are only used to confirm your self reported grades and that you didn’t slip senior year. The 4.41 you see is the 10-11 uncapped fully weighted GPA. It’s fairly possible since many applicants take numerous AP and honors at that time (my uncapped is 4.60). Don’t be discouraged if your GPA isn’t up to the stat on the page because Berekeley is general achievement oriented so the total package and your potential to add to the school culture is important. Academic achievement still is very important though. Good luck and enjoy your senior year!

@10s4life .
Thanks for answer.
Can you also answer my second question.

@10s4life
Also, for my GPA, when I exclude my orchestra class,
my GPA is 4.35
Also, if I include my summer school, my GPA would be even lower. I took many summer school classes to take classes I want to take during the school year.
I applied to Mechanical Engineering. I know Engineering has 4.50 average gpa. Berkeley website directly says Mechanical Engineering will be easier than other engineering to get in, so I would estimate average GPA for mechanical Engineering to be little bit lower.
My unweighted GPA is 3.91.
Berkeley is really my dream school. Do you think I still have Chance?

@10s4life
Just to tell you. I applied to Mechanical Engineering because that is where I want to major in. I picked Mechanical Engineering for all other schools too.
My comment above makes it look like that I applied to Mechanical Engineering because it is easier.
Hope I can get my answers.

@hansomeboy No problem I’ll be happy to answer. Im also a prospective ME major. Maybe we will be classmates. So to start are you in state, out of state, or international? Residency makes a huge difference on “easyness” to get in. California residents have an advantage over oos who have an advantage over international. So I’ll answer your remaining questions in order: 1. Selecting the scholarships has no bearing on acceptance. Just know they were for “merit” based awards (though some we’re for need" and that would be free money). 2. The GPA is a confusing topic for many. If orchestra was an A-G approved class that you included on your app then yes it would be factored into your UC GPA they use to admit. Summer school classes are counted if they were taken the summer after freshman year and the summer before junior year. From what I know you were supposed to report those classes and thus they would be included in the GPA. Just know that even though 4.51 is the average there are plenty of people who get admitted below and above that 4.51. The website does say ME is easier but it was in the context of being easier than EECS. In truth all the Engineering majors are impacted and challenging to get into. I can’t say if you will be admitted or not. Just know your chances are the same as the other 1000’s of applicants. Each person brings something unique and special to the table. It’s a matter of what the school is looking for. Hope this helps.