Here are my stats:
GPA: 3.68
IGETC: Completed in Fall 2019
Demographics: Male/21/Mexican-American
School type: CCC
*First get college student
*Prereqs completed in Fall 2019
*Traditional student
Some EC’s: Student gov senator, mentor program coordinator, Alpha Gamma Sigma member, middle school tutor, marketing internship, real estate & tax internship, work study, statistician for adult league softball, UCB’s Starting Point Mentorship, UCLA’s CCCP, UCB’s Summer Experience, UCI’s SSTI
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about this decision coming out especially since my GPA wasn’t the strongest. I started off my college career at CSULA during Fall 2017 with a plan to transfer directly from there to UCLA. After speaking to a mentor, I decided to transfer to a CC and took calc 1 over the summer of 2018. I failed calc 1 with a D, took the class again and received a B. I was told by several Berkeley reps that I wouldn’t be admitted because of that failing grade. I applied to schools during Fall '18 and received admission to UCLA with my alternate major rather than Biz Econ. I dropped two classes and did not meet the 60 unit requirement which led me to stay for an additional year at my CC.
I took the time to reflect and boosted my resume that summer by participating in Berkeley Summer Experience, UCLA’s CCCP, UCI’s SSTI, and I also had an internship at a small real estate and tax firm. Not to mention, I received a B in my calc 2 class as well. I am very fortunate that Haas looks at the overall application otherwise I would’ve been out from the start. Congrats to everyone else that got accepted and to those who didn’t, keep your heads up! Everything happens for a reason and we will all go where we are meant to be at.
Congratulations new Haasies! This is such a big accomplishment and you should be proud of yourselves.
If luck wasn’t on your side today… don’t worry at all! There are opportunities at all schools and be sure that your ambition will take you just as far.
If any of those who were accepted would like to ask any questions about the transition into Haas please send me a PM.
I transferred last year and have extra time on my hands to answer any questions!
ACCEPTED
GPA: 3.85
Got an interview
I posted my stats a few days ago. Been one hell of an emotional roller coaster for me today but this made things a bit better. Congratulations to everyone and if you didn’t get accepted its not the end of the world. Really just the beginning if you think about it.
I was a college dropout! I left De Anza back in 2010 with a 2.47 GPA and no sense of direction. With the support of strong and powerful women in my life, I was able to accept my past failures head-on. I was no longer ashamed of dropping out; instead, I let this be an opportunity to learn from my failures and to grow into a better being. Dropping out of college was the best thing I could have ever done as it provided me with insight of working with at-risk youths at my continuation high school. My students were able to identify with me as I went through the same struggles they did, in a home filled with brokenness and poverty. Not only did my students graduate high school, I was given the honor of being represented as their family in order to watch them walk the stage to earn their diplomas at some of the top universities in the country. While I’ve been working with these students to give them the courage to look beyond their high school years, my students gave me, in return, the strength to persevere and to work towards my 4-year degree. They’ve been texting me non-stop since I announced my admission and I cannot stop crying!
I’ve completed 71 units the last 2 years with a 4.0 GPA while working full-time. Cal has shown me that they truly are holistic and I have been so humbled by this experience. Congratulations to the all of the students who have been admitted; if you were not, just know that your journey does not end here and your achievements will follow you wherever you go.
Honors Program
Accounting internship
Student Government (Director of Community Service)
Supplemental Instruction Leader for Calc 1
Some other stuff including volunteer work
I had many AP and IB credits, but took extra courses to remain a full-time student and get a Certificate of Proficiency in General Accounting. Finished all major requirements prior to Spring 2020. Congrats to everyone! This is a huge accomplishment!
GPA: 4.0
Eth: Asian
Transfer from CCC
Accepted: UCB (with interview), UCI regents, UCSB (tagged), UCD
Waiting on UCLA
[ *] Extracurriculars – Stocks Club (President), Business Society (Council Rep), Inter-Club Council (VP), HTCC research conf presenter, BHC research symposium presenter, student leadership institute member, CCCSAA conf student attendee, random scholarships recipient
[ *] Job/Work Experience – Accounting job (worked 24/wk then 40/wk)
[ *] Volunteer/Community service: – N/A, unless unpaid work counts, then previously had a summer internship at a finance start-up and another accounting internship
[ *] Personal Statement – Only reviewed by 2-3 counselors and a college representative
conflict resolution experience
leaving high school early & acquiring my current job
research conference experience
international experience: studied in China for 3 years during my youth
@Hip2DaGame That sounds pretty ridiculous man especially if you fufilled all unit and breadth requirements. If you did, I would definitley be disputing at least some of the CSU decisions, as some schools like SDSU will reject you to protect their admission rate. While they have a good program, your stats may stand out to them and make them think you won’t pick their school even if you got in. Don’t give up man dispute everything you can!
@Abaker34
I’ve appealed every CSU and UC denial so far.
UC Irvine is the only school I’m waiting on at this point.
Got into one out-of-state school I can’t afford at all.
UC system has failed me twice now, shouldn’t have given them this chance.
If I got an Associates I would go over 135 Quarter Hours and be inadmissible so I can’t stay another year at my CC. Maybe I’ll work for a year, but I don’t want to have no classes next year when I’m applying for Fall 2021.
I guess on this forum, I will be the first waitlist for Haas cuz i haven’t seen one…
Was expecting rejection but for stats
3,75 GPA - honors at CCC,
female, incoming junior
Full time job
low income, first gen. Asian
got interview
probably why i got rejected - GPA cuz its on the low side and given that there was 20k applicants this year with a large 4.0 majority, im not remotely surprised.
Intended Major: Business Administration
GPA: 3.84
Extracurriculars: Officer for community college business club, honors club.
Job/Work Experience: Current accountant at a Bay Area small business for less than a year
Volunteer/Community service: Mentor for high school students
Personal Statement: TBH, I wrote my personal statement in two hours the day it was due. I wrote about being the master tenant of my home and bringing together all my subtenants to be friends and to respect each other’s backgrounds. It was not perfect.
Applied for Financial Aid?: Not yet
State (if domestic applicant): CA
School Type: CA CC
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: Middle
Hooks (URM, first generation college, research, etc.): First generation student and veteran
Strengths: Being a veteran is my greatest asset. I really articulated through my personal essays how my service, volunteering, participation in school clubs, and work experience will make me a great fit for Haas. I worked on them until I was sick of reading them. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND DOING THIS. Write and re-write until you’re sure you can’t make them any better. I also showed a TON of empathy through my volunteering.
Weaknesses: I received B’s is both Intro to Business and Calc I. I’m also taking Calc II this spring.
Applying to what schools? Haas (Accepted). Waiting on Columbia, USC, UCLA, and UCSB.
To future applicants who don’t have a perfect resume, or feel like they don’t have as many accomplishments as other applicants, DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED. Apply and do your best. I have B’s in two core classes and am taking Calc II this spring, those reasons alone prompted most people to tell me I wouldn’t get in. Well, they were wrong. I was foolish enough to let my hopes be diminished after getting a B in Calc I last semester; I thought after that there was no way I’d get in. That caused me to not try very hard on the personal statement. Thank god I’m a decent writer and it still came out good enough to get in. And I also believe my virtual interview went well, imo. But my diminished hope on the personal statement could’ve ruined my chances. So, long story short, from the beginning to the end of the application process, try your best. Do not compare yourself with others. Do not listen to other’s negativity. Do not let your confidence be shaken. Be your best self every day, find your niche, and work your ass off. If you do these things and articulate them well on your app, you have a good shot. Good luck
@Makemeabear Is there a main housing option that most transfers choose to live at? I know UCLA has specific buildings just for transfers and most choose to live there. I think it’d be nice to live near and with other transfers.
ACCEPTED (with interview)! Such an emotional last day and a half!
Overall college GPA: 3.9 even after taking all the lower div math classes offered (for other transfer schools not for HAAS) & with honors at one of the higher ranked California community colleges
HAAS prereqs GPA: 4.0
Had some AP exams from high school for economics & calculus (not sure if this helped)
Activities/Awards Section:
-UCLA Transfer Alliance Program as part of my school’s honors institute
-VP of Finance in student government (UC essay topic)
-Volunteer TA at HAAS last summer (part of one UC essay)
-Finance/Marketing intern at startup last summer (part of one UC essay)
-Won 1st place at a business case competition hosted by my college in partnership with a bank last fall
-Presented economic research/analysis at my college’s research symposium last year
-On campus job in student activities accounting department
-Received service leadership honors from college president
-Business & Entrepreneurship Club member
-Women in STEM club member
-Did community college outreach work at my alma mater high school (topic for my HAAS specific January essay)
-Private tutor
Essays:
-UC Required Prompt: Anecdote about a childhood shopping experience that sparked my interest in economics, then in turn advanced mathematics, etc.
-UC Prompt (leadership): Innovative changes I brought about as VP of Finance on my board by creating new ways to analyze/track our budget
-UC Prompt (educational opportunity): My experience TAing at HAAS for a master’s entrepreneurship course while concurrently interning at a startup
-UC Prompt (unique candidate): personal and raw life story about familial/emotional obligations, why I chose community college, what I’m looking for in my future, etc. important part this essay was to not milk it and tell a sob story. that’s the worst thing I think anyone can do when talking about a life struggle. focus more on how it shaped you, what you’ve learned, and what you hope to achieve with these tools!
-HAAS Essay: Learning from a personal failure (rejection from dream universities in HS), choosing community college, outreach I did at my HS for my college’s honors program, how I’ve mentored students over time, and how first batch of students affected by my outreach are students at my community college today. My underlying theme here was creating a positive ripple effect even after reaching all time lows.
I received guidance from a private counselor for my UC essays, but it is very important to note that she solely helped me brainstorm/map ideas and helped me edit the structure/grammar after I had written up on my own. I really believe that admission counsels can tell when your essay is written by a professional and not you, so for future transfer kids reading this, PLEASE don’t pay a professional to write your essays. And the HAAS essay I literally wrote on the last day it was due in the last few hours because I had lost motivation and was convinced I wouldn’t get in (looking back, should’ve done that earlier but I guess I got lucky).
Out of those of you who got in, are you thinking of committing? What alternative options are you choosing HAAS over or choosing over HAAS? I’m a bit on the fence, still waiting for some more decisions.
Anybody know what the cheapest housing is? I get financial aid and I’m debating between dorming and on-campus apartments? Which would be cheaper? Also I can’t cook so I am going to be buying a meal plan? Thank you and congrats ti everyone who got in!
So thankful I found this thread, gave me a lot of insight over the past couple months.
If anyone is starting a group chat on instagram or anywhere else feel free to add me!
IG: @a.baker34
Hi everyone! So I’m looking to apply to Haas this fall, but I’m worried my application won’t be strong enough and I’d appreciate some feedback from you all!
I’m an early HS graduate (graduated at 15 and started at a CCC at 16) and maintained a good GPA throughout college so far (currently at a 3.9). I’m worried about the fact that I’m going to be taking Calculus 1 in the fall and Calculus 2 in the spring since I know it looks a lot better to have your pre-reqs completed by the fall. On top of that, I don’t feel like I have enough ec’s. I did a lot of volunteer work early college (gained leadership/organization skills), but took a pause since I was young and was scared I wouldn’t be able to handle my courses. I’m into photography, was captain of my soccer team (HS), and I’ve been working part-time as well. I guess I still have time until applications, so assuming the whole corona situation gets better by the summer, I’m definitely going to try and do a couple internships.
So what I have going for me- being an early HS graduate and maintaining a good gpa so far, hopefully being an Eritrean (east african) muslim will help me stand out.
Worries- not enough ec’s, especially not enough business-related ec’s, and not completing the calculus requirements by the fall.
