I am really not surprised this year is such a competitive year. Looking back, getting our daughter into preschool and kindergarten was a headache. These kids were born during a baby boom, and there are lots of kids with really high stats. Good luck to everyone. D23 was also waitlisted at UCSC. 
4 Likes
We really have no idea why, but know it can be a crapshoot to get into some of these schools. She wants to study psychology- maybe this is a popular major with a lot more applicants than spots? I thought her PIQs were strong, so I’m not sure if somehow she missed the mark with this. Her high school, particularly her class, is pretty competitive, and I know the UCs will only accept so many from each school, so maybe she was overlooked. The only other thing I can think of is that she’s not the best test-taker. She received 4’s on most of her AP exams, but I can’t remember if she even had to submit those as part UC’s application process. FWIW, we have heard nothing but positive feedback about SLO, so I hope you get a good feeling about it on your tour 
.
2 Likes
Sadly, the UCs are test blind.
1 Like
But. . .in the 20 ECs, used to describe jobs and internships and awards and extra curriculars, could the award “National Merit SemiFinalist” be listed? I know my DD listed “AP Scholar” or whatever that award is called for getting all 4s and 5s on AP tests. SAT scores can’t be listed (and UC doesn’t want to see the scores popping up in the PIQ answers as a loophole), but awards ABOUT testing can be, I think.
1 Like
Yes, NMF can be listed in the EC’s/Activities.
I think they are sending scholarship notifications out. My DS23 just received an email offering him Dean’s Award. We are OOS and my son was admitted in February with an invitation to College Scholars Honors Program.
3 Likes
Exact same situation for my daughter.
2 Likes
Same here. My son got into UCSC and UCD but no word from SLO
3 Likes
Congrats on her acceptances! Getting into U Wash is a HUGE accomplishment this year. The smartest and most accomplished girl at our local high school was rejected, as were other very high-stats kids.
Congratulations!
1 Like
Which engineering major did your son choose in UCSC? There doesn’t seem to have a mechanical engineering major at UCSC and my son chose a major called robotics engineering.
He applied to robotics engineering as well. Yes, no ME at UCSC.
One of my sons got accepted to robotic engineering as well. He chose aerospace engineering everywhere else and so far he also got accepted to UCM, CSULB, USF with a very generous merit, waitlisted at UCD and Santa Clara (ME major).
We still haven’t received the FA package from UCSC yet. Anyone got it?
Son is waitlisted at UCD too.
What do you think about UCSC’s robotic engineering major? It’s not ABET certified. Does anyone know how job placement is for graduates of this major?
1 Like
Yes I think we have a similar situation, we are both waiting to hear from SLO as well. Yes the ABET thing does concern me, my kid is not a high stat kid, so we would be happy enough that he could enjoy the great UC education at the end of this process.
Son accepted at UCM, UCR and SLO, whose mechanical engineering majors are ABET credited. I don’t know much about engineering field, is the word on the street that SLO would be the best?
1 Like
I think there is a common misperception that selectivity and yield figure prominently in the USNWR ranking. It does not. About 4 or 5 years ago, selectivity (defined by admit rate) which only carried a 1.25% weighting then had been entirely removed to make room for social mobility. The weighting used by USWNR is actually as follows:
22% Graduation & Retention Rates
5% Social Mobility (using Pell Grant data)
8% Graduation Rate Performance
20% Academic Reputation (peer assessment from presidents, provosts, deans of admissions)
20% Faculty Resources (class size, faculty compensation, etc)
7% Student Excellence (reported test scores and HS class standing or if test blind weights are increased for HS class standing and average graduation rate)
10% Financial resources spent by college per student (programs and services expenditure)
3% Alumni Giving
5% Graduate Indebtedness
Source: https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-us-news-calculated-the-rankings
Given the 7% weighting towards test scores and class standings, if anything it would be in any college’s interest (if they are driven by rankings) to accept as many high stats kids as they can and it doesn’t matter if yield is low since it is not part of the ranking formula. But we know it is not as simple as that…and why holistic admission is still a secret sauce opaque to students and parents.
5 Likes
UCSC did not take a lot of kids off the waitlist last year.
The same thing happened to my kid last year.
“Each man has only one destiny.” -Mario Puzo
I do appreciate the positive responses, and hope that each parent and child, can discern their path through college and into life. It does seem unlikely though that my daughter’s path goes through UCSC.
Have we dissected the percent or numbers admitted off wait list? Doesn’t it vary a lot from year to year. If they don’t tell you until July, what do you do if you accepted another school on May 1st?