That link shows the formula that UCSD uses to admit or reject applicants. In the low income category, a student can receive 150 or 300 points. You think a family income of about 43,000 would get me 150 points? I didn’t get any fee waivers when I applied, but might this still give me some points I need during the admissions process? Please respond with some ideas… For me, this could be the difference between being admitted and being rejected.
<p>How do they figure out if you are low income? UC Davis has a similar formula for admissions and when I applied there I don't believe there was any question on the UC application asking how much money your parents make or any other question that would indicate low income. Do they expect low income applicants to have used a fee waiver? (I didn't do a fee waiver because, as far as I know, the process is very long and requires you to have received a fee waiver for the SAT.) Do they expect you to have mentioned it in essays? (Because I don't think I did) Do they look at the FAFSA? (Because my EFC was 0)</p>
<p>There is a question on the UC application that asks for the student's income and parent's income. </p>
<p>Admissions and FinAid are two different offices. But if you're low-income, I would assume that they would think that you filed your FAFSA. Perhaps they do double check.</p>
<p>According to this, I do qualify for low family income. With the 150 points, my total is 7514!!! Let's just hope UCSD doesn't raise its admissions standard by 50 points...</p>
<p>They all use formulas, but obviously they all aren't going to be the same as UCSD. UCLA and UCB's would be tougher, while the rest would be easier (in terms of the point cutoff). Different UCs give a different amount of weight to certain things.</p>
<p>They send your application to 4 admission officers; all four review your application and all four must unanimously choose to admit you; they have no communication with each other. If even 1 of the 4 rejects you, you're gone.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what the point cutoff was for UC Davis last year? I count 7460 points that I am at least 90% sure I'll receive. </p>
<p>Darn, I wish I knew about Davis' point list before I send in my application in November. I'm now just noticing a few little details that could have given me more points if I mentioned them on the application. (For example, I didn't put down that I participated in AVID for a semester of Freshman year--even though I only took it because I desperately wanted to drop Ceramics, and I didn't mention a successful online business that I started as a Sophomore)</p>
<p>The income that my mom had originally reported on FAFSA was way above the "low income" level for UCSD. But her new income figure (calculated for her by her tax guy) puts my family income way below the low income cut-off. She sent the corrections this week. I'm guessing I'm screwed if UCSD already made a decision using the old numbers, because those points could have possibly made the difference.</p>
<p>(In case you were wondering how my mom's income could go from over $60,000 by estimation to under $20,000 actual...well, it had to do with debt.)</p>
<p>I believe SD is not going by your FAFSA, but by your app. You need to send a written correction to your UCs and explain the reason. Or go to UCSD's admin website and see if you can correct it there at myapplication.ucsd.edu</p>
<p>if you are under that minimum value of points, is your application tossed into the garbage? according to that chart i have around 7234 points, do they even take essays into account, or is that after they have eliminated all those who are before the cut off point.... im confused</p>
<p>"Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC)
Applicants whose transcripts are reviewed by the UC Office of the President and who have been designated eligible through the ELC program. These applicants are in the top 4% of their respective high school graduating class. "
That means of your local highschool right? My class is 45 kids about and so you would need to be the 1st or 2nd to qualify?
Is there any chance that it means top 4% of all of your class, in all of the public schools etc.?</p>
<p>Step I - Academic Review Maximum Consideration
Uncapped Grade Point Average (GPA) 4,500---I have a 3.54 UC gpa = 3540 pts
Scores of All Required Exams 3,200---(1230+560+640+530)*.8 = 2368 pts
Number of "A-G" Courses Beyond the Minimum 500---I took 41 courses = 500 pts</p>
<p>Step II - Additional Academic Factors<br>
Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) 300 = 0 pts
Educational Environment 300 = 300 pts</p>
<p>Step III - Socioeconomic Factors<br>
Low Family Income 300 = 150 pts
First Generation College Attendance 300 = 300 pts</p>
<p>Step IV Personal Characteristics and Achievement Factors<br>
Demonstrated Leadership 300--Im sax section leader and french horn section leader, but I probably won't get any points for it = 0 pts
Special Talents/Achievements/Awards 300 = I wrote my essay about being a female surfer and there aren't that many French horn players or bari sax players, and I'm in some special water testing group with Surfrider Foundation, but I'll be pessimestic about it = 0 pts.
Community and Volunteer Service 300---I have over 500 hours = 300 pts
Participation in Academic Development Preparation Programs 300---2 years in AVID = 150 pts
Special Circumstances/Personal Challenges 500---didn't mention any = 0 pts.</p>
<p>So that means I would have around 7608 points (only needed 7,465 for admissions last year). But the thing is, how can someone with a 3.54 GPA and crappy SAT scores like mine get into UCSD??? Is this how they admit URMs without AA? But of course, the points I gave myself could totaly be off, somehow.</p>
<p>Low Family Income 300
First Generation College Attendance 300 </p>
<p>I think its bull that 600 points are given for these categories alone. Sure, I admit I have a bias coming from a well off family. But for people like me thats like losing 600 points. I think its unfair that i've worked as hard academically as some of these kids with lower incomes. UCSD is my dream school and I would certainly be angry if someone got in the door w/ lower stats than me but had this to boost them up enough. I really don't mean to offend anyone here, but I don't like having admissions be determined by something I have no power over.</p>
<p>To newpswahine, yea... That's how the system works. I got 7214 points from academics while you only got 6408, but you have a better chance than I do at getting into SD because you got 1200 points in sections II-IV, while I only received 300.</p>