<p>I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience in transferring to Haas from a community college, any insight, or advice for me as I'm hoping to transfer for the Fall 2013 semester. </p>
<p>I'm going to a CA community college in the East Bay where I have a 3.92 GPA. I've volunteered as a notetaker for DSS students, and have worked 2 PT jobs, one of which is on campus. At the time of applying I'll have all but Calc 2 and Microeconomics done for my prereqs, which I'll be doing Spring '13 along with my last 2 breadth reqs. If the work schedule allows, I'm going to try finding time to join a club, or possibly some one-time volunteering opportunities. </p>
<p>Not much compared to most applicants I've seen, but I'm doing my best with what I've got.</p>
<p>Any advice as to what else I could do to increase my chances or give me a ballpark figure as to what they are?</p>
<p>You seem to have a real good chance at it! Looks similar to mine.</p>
<p>Are your PT jobs major related?</p>
<p>Seems like you got a lot of stuff handled that Haas looks for. As far as sneaking in a club or volunteer activities right at the last minute, since it’s not a substantial or significant activity(something you have not been involved with for a significant amount of time), that ploy may be a bit too transparent to admissions. But I don’t know how much volunteering you plan on doing so I can’t say for sure. I’ve always been told by Cal counselors that its always “Quality over quantity” when it comes to EC, CS, and volunteering. Also, volunteering is better than not volunteering so you always have that.</p>
<p>If anything, I think if extra time is there for clubs and volunteering, maybe you can swing a major related internship during the fall/spring. That would look really good and it won’t matter if its something you’ve done for awhile because its an internship.</p>
<p>Great GPA
Getting your classes knocked out, good.
work experience check
volunteering check</p>
<p>Something I can’t stress enough is make sure your essays are monsters. Because of Cal’s “holistic approach” to applications, essays are so key(My application wasn’t spectacular so I made sure my essay really was the best I can make it. I think it made up the difference). And for Haas applicants you’re going to write 3 instead of 2 so be prepared for that. Start ASAP and have key people look it over. I’m talking transfer counselors, English professors, other students that successfully transferred, and English center tutors. Makes a huge difference than solely getting other students looking it over, trust.</p>
<p>I think it’s too late to add an EC. I agree that it will look transparent. While a work related internship would be nice, I think it’s also too late for that. Unless you can get one and start it immediately, the whole process of researching, applying, and interviewing will take up valuable study time and you most likely still wouldn’t have much to talk about on your PS.</p>
<p>I honestly think the best thing to do is to add an additional class to your fall semester. If you were going to try to add an EC, then certainly you have time for an extra class. I think any class would be fine as long as it isn’t physical. If you don’t think you have the time in your current schedule or there are no open classes that fit with your schedule at your CCC, you could always take an online class at CCSF. There are several that are business related that are still open, and tons more that have an open waitlist. You could register for a bunch of the waitlist courses and see if any add you in the beginning of the semester and then pick your favorite.</p>
<p>I’m unsure if I’d be able to handle another class because of my work schedule. I don’t have set hours (they change every week) and I’m at 5 classes so far. The only thing I could add on would have to be on weekends, like a volunteer activity or possibly a weekend job, which I’ve been looking for for a while. </p>
<p>If I were to find another job though, would my EC’s be too heavy on paid work? Would it not seem well-rounded enough?</p>
<p>Another thing, I MAY be able to add another class, however that is if I drop a non-UC transferable course that I’m really looking forward to. It’s an applied advertising class (advertising class is what made me want to go into business in the first place). What do you guys think?</p>
<p>If you could do a weekend job, you can do another class. There are classes on the weekends too.</p>
<p>I’m searching for a Friday or Saturday class right now, they’re for the most part full. I’ll try to add and let you all know how that works out.</p>
<p>“If I were to find another job though, would my EC’s be too heavy on paid work? Would it not seem well-rounded enough?”</p>
<p>any paid work will not be considered an EC. It would be under work experience. Just FYI, these are the sections of your UC application. It’s broken down by these:
Educational Prep Programs(There will be only 4 spaces that needs to filled in. They will ask you to describe the activity and how long you’ve been involved)
Volunteer & Community Service(same)
Work Experience(same)
Awards & Honors(same)
Extracurricular Activities(same)</p>
<p>So start thinking what you will be filling in for each section. It’s helpful to go over this so you can focus on other aspects that are lacking. Imagine doing 7 volunteering activities but only 2 ECs. So if you have a lot of things going on in one section, start focusing on the weaker areas.</p>
<p>Alright, I’ve found another class to enroll in, so my UC-transferable courses this coming fall semester will cover my Arts/Lit, Historical Studies, and Philo/Values breadth reqs, along with Calc 1 and Macroeconomics. I’m also taking an applied advertising class, but that doesn’t transfer.</p>
<p>Educational Prep Programs: None
Volunteer & Community Service: DSS Note Taker
Work Experience: Hostess for 1.5 years, working at campus bookstore for 8 months and continuing for as long as possible.
Awards & Honors: None I can think of
Extracurricular Activities: None</p>
<p>I’m just worried, like you guys have said, about the ECs and volunteering being too transparent if I were to start something now. I’m taking 18 units and I haven’t the slightest idea what my work schedule will be. Is there anything else you guys can think of?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>You need 4 things for each section!! Make sure to not have empty spaces. You need to speak with a transfer counselor and have them help you fill that stuff in!</p>
<p>Do you guys think it would possibly be a better idea to apply for Fall '14 instead? In that case I’d still have a while to find some time to do extra things and also take classes that are required for other schools, like accounting and speech classes for CSUs. All my prereqs would be done also.</p>
<p>Apply next year? So you’re asking if it would be better to apply next year and not this year? If that is the case, and you are willing to wait another year to apply, what is stopping you from applying this year? Do your best to make a great application, turn it in with the hope of getting accepted. If you don’t get in then you always have the next one.</p>
<p>Honestly, that is how I looked at it for my situation. Like I posted before, I had similar stats to yours and I was prepared to stay in CC another year if I was forced to do so. But I got in. What I’m trying to say is that you never know. Just keep doing what you’re doing and talk with a transfer counselor that can help you assess your info and figure out a what you need to do.</p>
<hr>
<p>Major: Business Admin
GPA: 4.0 (I’m a straight A+ student. There are four legit "A"s on my transcript. The rest of the A’s I have were given because my professors did not grade on a +/- scale.)
Major Prerequisites: Completed.
Major GPA: 4.0
IGETC: Completed.
Breadth: Completed.
ECs/Work Experience: Won international writing competition in HS (flown into another country to meet a royal for the award ceremony), writing distinction from an australian university, top student (top 3%) of my HS, MERIT Service Award in HS, National achievement award for service, dean’s list, secretary of the student council in HS, volunteered ~500 hours in both HS and college (300+ hours in college for a church student welfare group as a leader), secretary of a club in college, PTK, tutored elementary and college level kids for both income and volunteer work, worked part time during my summer for various companies doing admin-related stuff.
Personal Statements: the UC ones were strong. I cannot judge the Haas piece.</p>
<p>Received “Financial Aid: Offer Now Available on MyFinAid” Email: No. Intl.
Received “Financial Aid: Financial Aid Document Needed” Email: No. Intl.</p>
<p>Decision: Rejected.</p>
<p>You can never be sure. I don’t have any relevant work experience in business or banks… but I was hoping that the effort I put into the other areas would have made up for it. Guess not.</p>
<p>I hope this was useful for someone else in the future. Good luck.</p>
<hr>
<p>This is from a person that posted their decision not to long ago. Haas is very difficult to get into, (1) it is the third best business program (undergrad) in the nation. Nothing is a set path in. You have a very solid GPA but not really much else. What type of work are doing at hostess? Is it in a business/office type setting? Have you had an increase of responsibility while employed there?</p>
<p>I am on no way try to bring you down. I only want to help. You can always apply this year, you’re stats are fairly strong and with some stellar essays could give you that bump. And if that doesn’t work out this year take an extra year to secure an really good internship and job. Join or start a business related club. Work on the core values of what Haas is looking for. </p>
<p>Best of luck. Hope it all works out for you.</p>
<p>(1)[Undergrad</a> Program Holds #3 in U.S. News | Haas School of Business Newsroom](<a href=“http://newsroom.haas.berkeley.edu/article/undergrad-program-holds-3-us-news]Undergrad”>Undergrad Program Holds #3 in U.S. News | Haas News | Berkeley Haas)</p>
<p>I don’t mind staying at a CC another year. If I didn’t get accepted into Haas the first time around, I’d have to, since I’ve taken no accounting classes and that’s what I’d need to get into any CSUs. </p>
<p>Are you guys saying I can apply for '13, and if it doesn’t work out, I can reapply for '14? Sorry if that’s a stupid question. Also, can you use high school EC’s and such to fill out the application? If so, I would have some stuff to thicken out the application.</p>
<p>The hostess job was pretty dead-end, however I did get somewhat of a promotion (it wasn’t anything formal) when I was able to do take-out rather than hostessing, which meant less supervision by management, more responsibilities, and more tips. Would that count?</p>
<p>The job on campus is very limited because it’s a student job. There are no promotions or raises.</p>
<p>Are you guys saying I can apply for '13, and if it doesn’t work out, I can reapply for '14? </p>
<p>Yes</p>
<p>Also, can you use high school EC’s and such to fill out the application? If so, I would have some stuff to thicken out the application.</p>
<p>Technically you can but it is frowned upon. If you are applying as an incoming junior, the activities you’ve done are not relevant to admissions. Unless you are still involved with them up to now. Then those activities would be great because it displays a passion and interest. If not, then don’t put it in. Remember, they want to know who you are and what you do as a college student. You’re not in HS, the stuff you did years ago isn’t really relevant.</p>
<p>The hostess job was pretty dead-end, however I did get somewhat of a promotion (it wasn’t anything formal) when I was able to do take-out rather than hostessing, which meant less supervision by management, more responsibilities, and more tips. Would that count?</p>
<p>Yes you can definitely put that down for your work experience. As far as the promotion, I can possibly see it filling up a spot on the “Awards & Honors” section assuming you had nothing else to put. I know someone who put Employee of the Month type of stuff. Better than blank space for sure.</p>
<p>The job on campus is very limited because it’s a student job. There are no promotions or raises.</p>
<p>But you can still use it in your work experience section.</p>
<p>Thank you for so much feedback, you’ve given a lot of very helpful information!</p>
<p>I’ve also worked with my mom since I was 14 buying secondhand items and reselling them on eBay on and off as a mini-business, could that be added work experience? It’s not exactly formal but I figure it’s major-related.</p>
<p>Boom, just got yourself another WE entry.</p>
<p>This is great, I was under the impression everything had to be really formal work or something.</p>