<p>UCLA does NOT offer a committee letter. What UCLA’s Career Services does offer is mock interview prep, essay critique and rec filing/mailing. That’s essentially it. Ditto Cal. Instead, many students receive academic advice from their major departments. There is no attempt at tracking any student who even applies, much less gets accepted. (Recs could be sent to dozens of grad schools, but that does not mean a student even completed the app.)</p>
<p>While perhaps logical, I would challenge one to show that the statistical bias is only one way, i.e., “optimistic”. At best, the only thing we can say is that self-reported data is worthless. But that fact is learned in AP Stats.</p>
That’s a valid point but I was under the impression (possibly erroneously) that the number of students per class at different medical schools didn’t vary all that much - from a low of 60-ish to a high of ~200, with an overall average of around 100+ per class per school. I think all of the California schools fall within those parameters. I’m pretty sure that the number of students per class isn’t twice the national average.</p>
<p>As to self-reporting, I agree with BDM: self-reporting is likely to skew towards more positive reports. People who are rejected everywhere have little incentive to pick themselves up and send off a note to their UG advisory department to notify them. People who have been accepted tend to have an urge to tell everyone about it. Just human nature.</p>
<p>I am surprised to see that UCLA and Berkeley don’t do committee letters. </p>
<p>In the applications world, what must med schools think if some schools do and some schools don’t? </p>
<p>Does it mean that those schools that do give them are giving their students a nudge? </p>
<p>I wonder if some state schools don’t give them because they’re afraid of being accused of some kind of bias or maybe lawsuits if a student could argue that his/her stats deserve a letter over another student?</p>
<p>This would only apply if a school implemented screening practices. I suspect it’s just that publics can’t afford the staff that letter writing would require.</p>
UCSD does force the use of AP credit. You can petition the department to take the class without credit if you can demonstrate that you no longer possess the knowledge. However, it’s useless for premed purposes. The alternative of not submitting AP credit only works if the credit is earned after acceptance, i.e. in the senior year.</p>
<p>So you readily admit that an AP/IB student CAN take the class? Sure it might require jumping thru a hoop, (but isn’t that what the state/UC bureaucracy is all about?), but one can enroll… :)</p>
<p>Mom2collegekids - Collegeboard used to automatically send all scores to UC, including AP scores, if you had them send any scores dring the application period senior year (I don’t know if that’s still true.) I suppose if a kid took the ACT and didn’t have any SAT scores reported to UC that would work. Otherwise all scores earned to that point are sent automatically (or were, last I checked.) </p>
<p>Bluebayou, I think the point is that students at some UC campuses, at least, do not have the option of bumping up their GPAs by retaking courses in college - for grade credit - after taking (and passing) them in high school. I don’t know how widespread that policy might be,</p>
<p>UCI has/had a similar policy to SB. But UC is a state ‘PIA’, and as such, for every policy/rule, there are a gazillion exceptions (one of which sunfish pointed out). It is just not logical to me that UC would force a student who earned a 3 in AP Chem to move directly into Organic, or a 3 in Calc BC to then take Multi-Variate. That is not in the best interests of the department, nor in the academic success of the student. Of course, no one ever accused the Regents of being ‘logical’. :D</p>
<p>Perhaps CB sent out AP reports with SAT scores previously, but it has not done so in the past decade. Currently, AP testers get one ‘free’ report which is supposed to be used by seniors in May to send the scores to their chosen college. Other than the ‘free’ report, one has to pay separately to send AP scores. Apparently, CB uses different servers to process and store the data.</p>
<p>I would imagine that the theory behind the policy is that for kids who attend public high schools, at least, the taxpayers have paid to teach them calculus once and should be spared the expense of a do-over. IIRC students are also not allowed to retake any UC course in which they have received a C or higher grade as well.</p>
<p>*Perhaps CB sent out AP reports with SAT scores previously, but it has not done so in the past decade. Currently, AP testers get one ‘free’ report which is supposed to be used by seniors in May to send the scores to their chosen college. Other than the ‘free’ report, one has to pay separately to send AP scores. Apparently, CB uses different servers to process and store the data.
*</p>
<p>I just know that designated colleges across America electronically receive AP scores in July after senior year based on whatever the student designates as his college destination.</p>
<p>I know that when you apply to UCs you have to “self report” any past AP scores because they won’t get the actuals til later.</p>
You’re right, but it doesn’t make much sense to apply to UC’s without telling them that you have done well on AP exams.</p>
<p>As yet another money grabbing gimmick, College Board allows selective hiding of AP scores, for a fee per score and per college. The last date of requesting “score withholding” is June 15. The moral for entering UCSD premeds is to not take any BCMP AP exams in their senior year.</p>
I heard at some high schools, if you do not take AP exams, your AP teachers will be very mad at you (likely because the school administrator or whoever may evaluate the AP teacher using the AP scores the high school students get.)</p>
<p>College Board, some high school AP teachers, the AP policy at many (most likely public) colleges, and the adcoms at medical schools together potentially cause a lot of headaches for premed students.</p>
IIRC students are also not allowed to retake any UC course in which they have received a C or higher grade as well.</p>