****UCB Freshman Class of 2024 Appeal Thread****

Just got rejected from UC Berkeley. According to past years, UC Berkeley overturned decisions through appeals, and I was wondering where/how I can submit my letter. Feel free to input some advice or information!

Appeal stats 2019:

of Appeals submitted: 925

of Appeal admits: 24

UCB Appeals:
** Any applicant who is denied admission may submit an appeal. (Note: Appeals from students on the wait list will not be considered.) We strongly discourage an appeal unless you can provide significant new information for us to consider. Our freshman selection process involves a careful, individual reading of each application, and it is very unlikely that we will choose to reverse our original decision. If you do have significant new information to present and decide to appeal our admissions decision, all Appeal requests are due by May 1, 2020.

Appeals completed by May 1 will be considered on time and will receive a response by June 1, 2020. In the appeal letter, you must provide significant new information (i.e., semester grades, additional achievements) for us to consider. Advise us of any change in your email address in case we need to contact you during the appeal process.

Even if you choose to appeal, we recommend that you do not delay in accepting an admission offer from another college or university. We do NOT accept appeals mailed via postal mail, telephone, fax, or email. All appeal requests must be made using the form on MAP@Berkeley FAQs.

I just got rejected from EECS. Very disappointed, however, I do have fall grades that I consider pretty good. Few awards in EC (speech& Debate) and became a semifinalist in the coke-scholar program. Do you think, it is worth appealing with this data?

I just got rejected from EECS. Very disappointed, however, I do have fall grades that I consider pretty good. Few awards in EC (speech& Debate) and became a semifinalist in the coke-scholar program. Do you think, it is worth appealing with this data?

Read post #1. If you feel strongly, then submit an appeal.

Doing well academically Senior is expected. One award will not tip the scales.

Based on this paragraph, is it saying we should include senior grades and extra awards earned in the appeal letter?

@Enalam: Yes, you should include Senior 7th semester grades and awards in the appeal letter but new significant and compelling information is what they are looking for in the appeal process.

Applied to EECS and got rejected. Very dejected right now. My stats:
Asian Male (In-State)
unweighted GPA 4.0 weighted GPA 4.95
SAT 1580(800M, 780E) Subject SAT Physics 800, Chem 800, Math2 800

I’m planning to write about:

  1. AIME qualification 2020 since Dec (at the time of applying I had not appeared for the AMC which takes place in Feb)
  2. Winner of National Merit Scholarship 2020 since Dec(at the time of applying I was a semifinalist)
  3. Maintained my GPA of 4.0 unweighted. In 12th grade, my weighted GPA so far is 4.833

Please let me know are these worth appealing?

@Gumbymom I am going to appeal, do you think these are worth appealing for:

  1. writing about how Berkeley has become my first choice because it is close to home where I can care for my mother who was diagnosed with cancer in junior year (i wrote about this in the application, but not about the location thing)
  2. my grades in senior year are straight A's and I am taking a majority of AP classes.

@cjd114: I think the wanting to stay close to home for your mother is worth appealing your decision. Of course doing well academically definitely helps but it is really expected since all admissions are provisional. No reason not to give it a try.

@Gumbymom Do you think it’s worth appealing with these additions since Dec 2019:

Applied to EECS and got rejected. Very dejected right now. My stats:
Asian Male (In-State)
unweighted GPA 4.0 weighted GPA 4.95
SAT 1580(800M, 780E) Subject SAT Physics 800, Chem 800, Math2 800

I’m planning to write about:

  1. AIME qualification 2020 since Dec (at the time of applying I had not appeared for the AMC which takes place in Feb)
  2. Winner of National Merit Scholarship 2020 since Dec(at the time of applying I was a semifinalist)
  3. Maintained my GPA of 4.0 unweighted. In 12th grade, my weighted GPA so far is 4.833

@user00989: I think it is worth appealing if you feel UCB is your top choice. The appeal admit numbers are not great, but will you regret if you do not try?

can we pin this thread @Gumbymom ?

I am in the same situation here and thinking about doing and appeal. I read through the previous year’s appeal thread but didn’t collate enough information on what makes a good appeal and seems to be very personal. Any other insight on making it matter?

I have been admitted to all other UCs, several of them with Reagents and Dean’s merit scholarships but UCB EECS is my dream school.

Then most likely the appeal won’t work because UCs can see if you were admitted to other UCs unfortunately, so they probably would not accept the appeal.

@BBQboi Are you suggesting that the UCs share information about who they are admitting amongst themselves so they can deny someone admission even if they are qualified, simply because another UC admitted them? @Gumbymom can you please confirm if this is true?

@user00989 @BBQboi; Each UC works independently and they do not talk with each other regarding applicants. There are applicants that are admitted to multiple campuses all the time so everything stated by @BBQboi is incorrect.

Appealing an admission at UCB based on the premise you were accepted for Regents at other campuses will also have no effect on the appeal. UCB will determine whom they want to admit period, regardless of your status at the other UC’s.

@Gumbymom I apologize, I’m sure who to believe because my college counselor told me that after the UC decisions are released the UCs can see where you have been accepted too and where you have received any scholarships. I didn’t mean to put out any misinformation and I apologize if my tone seemed rude.

@BBQboi: No problem.