I’ll update mine bc I left out some info
No request
UC GPA 4.35, got that “top 9%” message as well, if that may be a factor…
W GPA: 4.31, UW GPA: 3.95
SAT 2270 (R:740, M:770, W:760)
SAT II: M2 (800), Bio-M (720), Chem (700), US history (780).
Applied on 28th, Chemical Biology
LOR requested.
4.25 UC GPA
28 ACT
Requested
in state, econ
UC GPA: unknown, and can someone point me to a good resource to calculate it? The first time I tried it didn’t really work
UW GPA: 3.79
SAT: 2300
Since the request is sent so soon after submission, it must be based on something easy to check. After finding out that friends with better GPAs (but worse SATs) got the request, I’m not sure it’s sent only to borderline students anymore. Also, none of my friends who submitted right before the deadline (the day or or a few days before) have gotten it.
I submitted on the 28th and got one
Strangely enough, on their website there is a schedule indicating that LOR are only sent in the first three werks of December. It seems to insicate that there would be none sent in Nov. (http://admissions.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/docs/Tools%20for%20Students.pdf)
Also, “prospects are between certain acceptance and rejection” what does this even mean? There are a lot of students between certain acceptance and certain rejection, I doubt that this amount of students is only 20%.
(http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-uc-recommendations-20151004-story.html)
I submitted a day before the deadline …
And yes mine was in state
FWIW (mom to S16 who is applying to NO UC or CSU schools, even though we live in California and have pretty close ties to one of the UCs, and our school sends many kids to them) - our GCs explained that this is a pilot, and that what it “means” is still TBD. “Certain acceptance” - primarily committed athletes, and a microscopically few others. “Certain rejection” - not even meeting the basic A-G guidelines. Only a few of the UCs are doing this, and this year it’s more for statistical purposes. They’ll look broadly across the system and see how their applicants, accepts, yield, etc. differ - both from previous years and from other schools - with the LOR thrown in. And no, they didn’t ask everyone to submit LORs, because they simply don’t have the staff to handle the volume, especially if they don’t know if it’s going to make a difference, or be a standard part of the application.
Here’s what our students have been told - if you’re within range, you’re within range. If you receive a LOR request, fulfill it. If you don’t, but you’re within range, don’t sweat it. Some students who are asked for and submit LORs will get in to their school of choice, and some won’t. Some who are NOT asked to submit LORs will get into their school of choice - and some won’t.
This is more for their research than anything this year. Don’t stress it, and don’t read too much into any of it. Grades, test scores, A-G classes, etc. - all are what matters most still. I know at CC that’s hard advice to take, but really - this is too new to be anything that’s meaningful. It’s optional, and whether one received a request or not this year isn’t some sort of crystal ball.
@2manybooks: That is very interesting. Thank you for that information. Collaterally confirms what GC told D back in 2009 that letters of recommendation were irrelevant as far as the UCs were concerned. It sounds as though the admission process is still a random roll of the dice, since there are so many applicants in range and the system has no way of distinguishing between applicants with similar credentials if it does not consider the letters.
JUST got a request like 30 mins ago.
Out of state
Neurobiology/PreMed
Very highly ranked school, rigorous curriculum, etc
GPA: 3.7 UW 4.6 W
ACT: 33
SAT IIs: 660 chem 760 bio E
Bio (4) Calc (4) Env. Science (4)
EC’s are definitely competitive
Submitted like a day before the deadline
Definitely borderline, and super glad that I can send in letters now…but it doesn’t seem like there’s a definite pattern with these. Although, the email does say that whether you submit/don’t submit, they will “continue to evaluate your file.” If they’ve already begun, I doubt they’ve gone too much into it yet to have determined the “type” of student each applicant is.
I submitted the day before the deadline and just got the request.
4.0 UW GPA
33 ACT (35 math)
Good ECs
EE major
I’m so excited to be getting this opportunity!
@ri0tvan your stats are considered borderline?
Got my request info an hour or so ago!
I attend a private school in Silicon Valley, my school sent 4 people to Cal last year.
Stats:
32 ACT, 4.08 W, 3.55 UW, and I think a 3.83 UC
APUSH(5), APES(5), Lang(4), Calc AB(3), Bio(3).
No subject tests.
Applied as biological sciences(Neurobiology) major.
I guess my kinda(?) hook could be figure skating because a lot of people I have trained with attend Cal
Ooo and applied the day of, about 2 hours before the deadline haha.
Are you guys having your recommenders use their CommonApp letter or having them write a complete new one for UCB?
@dr0wning My unweighted GPA is below average and my ACT is average for out of state
@SnapApp CommonApp letter, I don’t think they expect applicants teachers to write a personalized letter just for their school
@ri0tvan Oh snap, I just noticed. Wow, I didn’t know that average GPA was 3.9ish.
Is it better to have a slightly lower GPA and slightly higher SAT/ACT or the other way around?
And besides, @SnapApp, that would be up to the person writing the letter, not the student as to what they decide to submit. And I’m sure most teachers use the same letter for a student for all requests once one is written.
I got a request a few hours ago and I submitted a day before the deadline.
ORM(but biracial) out of state small town, low/medium income
SAT- 2060
ACT-31
APs: 5 5 5 4 4 4
ECs: very strong
gpa: uw 4.0 (don’t know my weighted)
Applying for pre-business
In state and got a request just now.
ACT- 34 (E-36, M-33, R-36, S-32)
SAT II- Math 2: 790 Biology E: 760
GPA- UW: 3.98 W:4.32
ECs: Pretty Good
Applying for Cognitive Science (L&S)
off topic, but @dimsum123 i love your username! dimsum is life.