***uci class of 2024 decision thread (stats only)***

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Irvine
1

Just getting things started for 2024 Decisions. Please post stats only.

Remove the a before posting your stats.

[aB][asize=4][acolor=#008000]Decision: Admitted[/color][/size]**
[aB][asize=4][acolor=#FFA500]Decision: Waitlisted[/color][/size]**
[aB][asize=4][acolor=#FF0000]Decision: Rejected[/color][/size]**

Merit scholarships awarded (if any):

Major (and division if applicable) applied to:

Academic stats:

Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA:
UC Capped Weighted GPA:
UC Fully Weighted GPA:
ELC (top 9%):

Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections):
ACT (total and sections):
SAT Subject Tests (if any):
AP exams (scores in parentheses):
IB exams (score in parentheses):
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars:
Job/Work Experience:
Volunteer/Community service:
Summer Activities:

Personal insight essay topics:
Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review:

Demographics

State (if domestic applicant):
Country (if international applicant):
High school type:

Gender:
Race/ethnicity:

Applied for need-based financial aid?:
Pell grant eligible?:
Maximum Pell grant (FAFSA EFC = $0)?:

Highest level of parent education:
Living with both, one, or no parents?:
Relation to alumni of college:

Reflection

Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:

General Comments:

2

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any):

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Biomedical Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering

Academic stats:

Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.94
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.08
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.73
ELC (top 9%):

Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections):
ACT (total and sections): 34 total, 35 math, 34 reading, 33 science, 32 english
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math II 800
AP exams (scores in parentheses): AP Physics 1 (3), AP Environmenal Science (4)
IB exams (score in parentheses):
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): NHSRP Scholar

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Club and High School Soccer (team captain), various clubs, piano, tutoring, NHS, CSF
Job/Work Experience: 2 years Laboratory Technician and Marketing Director at county’s #1 orthodontist
Volunteer/Community service: Cancer Center, local School, tutoring and mentoring, coaching soccer
Summer Activities: extra classes

Personal insight essay topics:

1- ASB involvement, emphasized "additional efforts" beyond expectations

4- took advantage of dual enrollment classes, first high school student to graduate with two associate's degrees at 16

6 - math

8 - family history

Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review:

Demographics

State (if domestic applicant): CA
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Public

Gender: Female
Race/ethnicity: Hispanic

Applied for need-based financial aid?: Yes
Pell grant eligible?:
Maximum Pell grant (FAFSA EFC = $0)?:

Highest level of parent education: Masters
Living with both, one, or no parents?: Both
Relation to alumni of college: NA

Reflection

Strengths: stats
Weaknesses: essays
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Stats
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: So far,

Rejected: Stanford
Accepted: Wheaton, SDSU, Cal Lutheran
TBD: UCLA, UCB, UCSD, Harvard, Yale, Duke

General Comments: Excited!

3

Decision : Admitted

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Biomedical Engineering, Henry Samueli School of Engineering

Academic stats:

Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA:

UC Fully Weighted GPA:
ELC (top 9%):

Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections): 1540
ACT (total and sections):
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math 2 (800) Bio M (800) US History (800) US History(770)
AP exams (scores in parentheses): AP WH(5).AP Cal AB (5) AP US History( 5) AP Bio (5)
AP Cal BC (5)
IB exams (score in parentheses):
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles: All locally nothing national or state level.
Extracurriculars: Band (8 years) and Quiz bowl (4 Years)
Job/Work Experience:
Volunteer/Community service: Volunteering for last 4 years
Summer Activities:

Personal insight essay topics:
Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review: none

Demographics

State (if domestic applicant): In state
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Public

Gender: Male
Race/ethnicity:

Strengths: Stats and consistent extracurriculars
Weaknesses: No jobs / experience No STEM related
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Put lot of effort in the essay
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted : Purdue, UIUC,
Deferred : Georgia Tech
Rejected : None

4

Accepted

Academic stats
UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.37
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.88
ELC (top 9%): Yes #3 of 300ish

Comments about course load (including senior year): 14 AP/IB/Honors classes

ACT 33

Awards: Student of the month, 7 noms (and a finalist for 1) for subject(s) student of the year as a JR (they are mostly awarded to SRs tho). Best Speaker award at JSA conference and Dancer of the year at dance studio.

Subjective:

Extracurriculars: range of clubs and leadership positions in them, dance since age 9, leader of voter registration drives, etc.
Volunteer/Community service: Multiple projects, plenty of hours.

Solid essays

Demographics:
State CA
High school type: Public

Gender: F
Race/ethnicity: White

Applied for need-based financial aid?: Y
Pell Grant: Y
ELC: Y

Relation to alumni of college: None that I applied to.

Where else were you
Accepted: UCSB (chancellors), CSULB. SDSU, Willamette, NAU, Keystone, Montana.
Rejected: Stanford
TBD: UCB, UCLA, SLO, UCSC, CSUF, Wellesley, Scripps, Bryn Mawr, Smith, Chapman, Lewis & Clark, Puget Sound,

General Comments: Congrats and Good Luck to everyone the rest of the way!

5

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any):

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: CS (Campuswide Honors Collegium)

Academic stats:

Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.32
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.97
ELC (top 9%): Yes

Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections): 1580
ACT (total and sections):
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math 2: 800, Physics: 800, Chem: 800
AP exams (scores in parentheses): 21 all 5s
IB exams (score in parentheses):
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): USAMO Qualifier

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles: President of the Math Circle in my high school
Extracurriculars:
Job/Work Experience: CS internship
Volunteer/Community service: MathCircle - Community Outreach
Summer Activities: COSMOS Physics

Personal insight essay topics:
Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review:

Demographics: Urban

State (if domestic applicant): In State
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Private

Gender:
Race/ethnicity: Asian/Male

Applied for need-based financial aid?:
Pell grant eligible?:
Maximum Pell grant (FAFSA EFC = $0)?:

Highest level of parent education: Graduates
Living with both, one, or no parents?: Both
Relation to alumni of college: None

Reflection

Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:

6

Decision: Accepted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): Regents’ and Dean’s Scholarships, CHC

Major (and division if applicable) applied to:
Political Science - L&S

Academic stats:
UC Unweighted GPA:3.92
UC Capped Weighted GPA:4.25
UC Fully Weighted GPA:4.45
ELC (top 9%):yes

Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections): did not take
ACT (total and sections):34C (36R/35E/35S/30M/11 writing)
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Lit 720
AP exams (scores in parentheses): 10th:AP World (5), APES (4) 11th: Psych (5), AP Lang (5), APUSH (4), AP Spanish (3) 12th: AP Lit, AP Stats, AP Govt, AP Micro
Senior year courses: DE Intro International Relations, AP Micro, AP Govt, AP Stats, AP Lit, Differential Calc, Service Learning (Internship)
IB exams (score in parentheses):n/a
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): NHS, Spanish HS, Girls State finalist, AP Scholar with distinction

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: YMCA Youth and Government (State leadership position 2 years), Internship CA Retailers Assoc, Finance Intern on a Congressional Campaign

Job/Work Experience: Customer Service/Front Desk 10 hrs/week Senior year
Volunteer/Community service: Library (200+ hours), Peer Council for local probation department (150 hours)
Activities: Hula dancer, Girl Scout

Personal insight essay topics: Wrote about Leadership position in Y&G, Experience on Peer Council, hospitalization/surgery for heart condition summer after Sophomore year,and creativity involved in playing/DMing D&D

Letters of recommendation submitted: N/a

Demographics:
State (if domestic applicant): CA (Northern)
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Large Public

Gender:F
Race/ethnicity:White

Applied for need-based financial aid?:No
Pell grant eligible?:No
Maximum Pell grant (FAFSA EFC = $0)

Highest level of parent education: professional doctorate both
Living with both, one, or no parents?:Both
Relation to alumni of college:No

Reflection

Strengths: well-rounded academically/ECs and specific passion/activities related to major
Weaknesses: GPA, did not take AP Calc/Physics. School does not have honors weighted courses
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: ???
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UofA (honors), SDSU, UofUtah (Honors), Simmons University (Honors and Kotzen full ride scholarship), Temple U (Honors), LMU, UC Berkeley (Regents’ candidate), UCD
Awaiting: UCSB,UCSD,UCLA, Scripps, CMC, USC

7

Decision: Accepted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): Regents’ and Dean’s Scholarships, CHC, Regents, Dean Scholarship

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Computer Science

Academic stats:
UC Unweighted GPA:3.94
UC Capped Weighted GPA:4.31
UC Fully Weighted GPA:4.4
ELC (top 9%):yes

SAT (total and sections): 1550

SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math/Physics : 800

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Piano CM level 10, Tutoring, COSMOS
Activities: Eagle scout,

Letters of recommendation submitted: N/a

Demographics:
State (if domestic applicant): CA (Northern)
High school type: Large Public

Gender:M
Race/ethnicity:Asian

Applied for need-based financial aid?:No

Reflection

Accepted: Georgia Tech, UT Austin, UCI, UCSD(Second Major Math+CS), UCSB
Awaiting: UCLA, CMU, Cornell, RICE, UCB

8

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any):no
Major (and division if applicable) applied to:
Biological Sciences

Academic stats:

Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.85
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.11
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.49
ELC (top 9%): yessir

Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections): did not submit because :confused:
ACT (total and sections): 32C: 34 E 32 M 31 R 30 S
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math 2: 800 Biology M: 710 Chemistry: 720
AP exams (scores in parentheses): 3 in AP Bio, Lang, and World History, 4 in Chem, 2 in Calc (LOL)
IB exams (score in parentheses): no
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): none

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Section Leader, Varsity Marching Band; Section Leader, Concert Band; Varsity Track & Field; Captain/Founder, Science Olympiad; Ambassador of e-STEM academy program; Science and Engineering Research Project Mentor; United Sound Member (teach special education how to play); Principal Advisory Committee Member (handful of people chosen by principal to discuss how we can make the school a better place);HOSA Member: listed LIFE Health Internship that I planned to do this school year
Job/Work Experience: NONE, cause school itself was my job
Volunteer/Community service: Kaiser Permanente Hospital Volunteering (130+ hours)
Summer Activities: Kaiser Volunteering, Band Camp (which I didn’t talk about), took an English college course, sectional rehearsals, etc.

Personal Insight essays (details):
In the leadership essay talked about my leadership experience as a section leader what I gained from it as well as how this was applicable to wanting to study brain science. Another essay (educational opportunity) talked about my experience in my school’s e-STEM program in which catered to my interest in the medical field more and allowed me to do a research project. In the talent essay, I talked about my ability to communicate with other people how it’s allowed to build relationship with a variety of people from my school. I also related that to how it’s allowed to gain leadership positions and volunteer positions and stuff like that while adding a bit more of how it related neuroscience, psychology, and how we think and all that. In my last essay(passion), I talked about my absolute passion for neurobiology and I even gave it a theme around different brain concepts I was interested in. overall, that’s pretty much it. I felt my essays arched over the different themes in my life but they all tied into what I wanted to study somehow. So perhaps this is a good strategy
Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review: didn’t receive a request for this?

Demographics

State (if domestic applicant): IN-STATE SOCAL
Country (if international applicant): USA
High school type: Public (near 5000 students)

Gender: Male
Race: African-American

Applied for need-based financial aid?: yes

Highest level of parent education: 2 yr or associate degree (only one of em)
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both

Reflection

Strengths: my essays? Counselors said they were pretty solid. My ECs were also pretty good and I think that both of these combined carried my app
Weaknesses: I feel my unweighted GPA was pretty bad, but my capped weighted and act were well in the average
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Well-rounded applicant pretty much
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: rejected to Stanford, accepted into ucsb (chancellor notice), cal poly slo, and fullerto, uc davis waiting to hear from UCLA, UCB, and USC

General Comments:
Grateful so far, SCARED ABOUT NEXT THREE

9

D Accepted
Psychology

Academic stats:
UC GPA: 4.04
SAT: 1280 (M 610, R 670)
ELC (top 9%): yes

AP: APUSH, APEuro
Dual-enrollment: 8 community college classes

Subjective:
3 years of Newspaper/Journalism
as Editor and staff writer
Over 250 hrs of Volunteering with White House President award
Soccer & Varsity LAX

Demographic: White, middle class, In-state

High school type: Large Public

Gender: Female

Applied for need-based financial aid?: No

Highest level of parent education: BS Degree
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both

Reflection:
Strength: Strong ECs and essays
8 UC transferable College courses
Ok GPA
Weaknesses: low SAT test score

Accepted: UCI, UCD, UCR, Chapman, LMU, CSULB, Saint Mary, SJSU
Waitlisted: UCSC, SDSU, Cal Poly SLO
Denied: UCSB :frowning: - dream school

10

Major: Biomedical Engineering
GPA: 4.45
ACT: 35
SAT2 Math2: 800
SAT2 Biology: 750
inState

AP: In all 9 (3 as a Senior) – 4s/5s

ECs – soccer (club, JV, V) & music (vocal with certification) . Most importantly consistent over years started at elementary school.

Leadership: a bunch thru 4-years at HS. Latest being Senior Class President and Shift Lead at Hospital Volunteering.

Volunteering: Quite a few but focus was on 300+ hours at hospital volunteering. She was elected the shift leader.

Accepted: Cal Poly SLO, SJSU, UCSB (Applied for Cognitive Science), UCD (Regents), UCI, UCSC, UCSD (Accepted for Alternate Major – Cognitive Science)
Waitlisted: UCLA
Waiting: UCB, UPenn

Reflection:

Strength: Strong essays. I can’t emphasize enough how important this is. My daughter missed few months of her Junior and beginning of her Senior year due to a major concussion. She was told by many to take a gap year as her chances to get into any college were slim. Being passionate and honest about her situation in her essays surely helped her.

Weaknesses: Not the most rigorous Senior course load for Engg. Major. However, she did explain her reasons clearly and it seems to have worked.

11

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): N/A

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Biological Sciences

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 3.6
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 3.87
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.13

Comments about course load (including senior year): (AP) Physics 2, (AP) Gov + Econ, (AP) Chem, (AP) Lit, (AP) Calc AB
SAT (total and sections): 1330 (Reading & Writing: 640, Math: 690)
ACT (total and sections): N/A
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Molecular Biology (660)
AP exams (scores in parentheses): World History (3), Biology (3), Lang (4), U.S. History (3), Psychology (4), Physics 1 (2)
IB exams (score in parentheses): N/A
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): N/A

Subjective:

Level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles: 1st Place Science Fair
Extracurriculars: Archery, Art, owns a crafting business
Job/Work Experience: N/A
Volunteer/Community service: Key Club board member, Go Green Club board member
Summer Activities: N/A

Personal insight essay topics:

  1. Greatest talent/skill: crafting
  2. Significant challenge: losing a parent
  3. Academic subject that inspires you: science
  4. Make your school/community a better place: Key Club
    Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review: N/A

Demographics

State: CA
Country: US
High school type: public

Gender: Female
Race/ethnicity: Asian (Viet + Chinese)

Applied for need-based financial aid?: yes

Highest level of parent education: 4 year
Living with both, one, or no parents?: one parent

Reflection

Strengths: AP classes, extracurriculars, PIQs
Weaknesses: SAT and GPA on the lower side, not that many awards
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: did a lot of revisions on the PIQs, took 12 APs in total
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: UCI (accepted), UCR (accepted), UCSD (waitlisted), UCLA (rejected)

12

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): Chancellor’s Excellence scholarship

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Biological Sciences

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 3.83
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.10
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.27
ELC (top 9%):

Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections): 1310 (Reading 670, Math 610)
ACT (total and sections):
SAT Subject Tests (if any):
AP exams (scores in parentheses): AP Euro (4), AP Lang (4), AP French (3), AP Bio (3)
IB exams (score in parentheses):
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles: Award of Excellence for French (academic/school)
Extracurriculars: Orchestra for 3 years, Key Club, Interact (event coordinator), CSF
Job/Work Experience:
Volunteer/Community service: volunteered at my local St. Joseph Hospital for about 8 months
Summer Activities: internship at a summer academy

Personal insight essay topics: leadership experience: talked about my summer internship with helping/teaching kindergartners, creativity: how I express myself through my style and taking inspiration from Asian fashion like Kpop, significant challenge, academic subject that inspires me: talked about biology and how it makes me want to help the community
Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review:

Demographics

State (if domestic applicant): California
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Public

Gender: Female
Race/ethnicity: Asian

Applied for need-based financial aid?:
Pell grant eligible?:
Maximum Pell grant (FAFSA EFC = $0)?:

Highest level of parent education:
Living with both, one, or no parents?:
Relation to alumni of college:

Reflection

Strengths: I feel like my essays were somewhat interesting, and my extracurriculars especially my hospital volunteering probably helped a lot bc I wanted to major in Bio
Weaknesses: SAT score
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: took a lot of APs, volunteering, kinda interesting/unique essays
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: accepted at CSUF

General Comments:

13

Undeclared
SAT- 1210
GPA- 3.9ish
ELC- yes
Instate

Features:
-5 AP Classes
-student government

  • varsity volleyball
    -STRONG essays
14

Decision: Admitted
Major applied to: undeclared

UC Unweighted GPA: 3.83
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.06
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.06

Course load: 8 AP’s
SAT: n/a
ACT: 23
SAT Subject Tests: n/a
AP exams: n/a
Major Awards: n/a

Extracurriculars:
-Orchestra
-JROTC (squadron cc & flight cc)
-Environmental club (vice president)
-Culture club (historian)
-National Honor Society
-Foster care family
-Gym

Personal insight essay topics: 7/10 maybe? no one proof-read them but they were pretty good I think

Demographics:
State: oos
High school type: public
Gender: female
Race/ethnicity: white

I didn’t think I would be accepted because of my ACT but I was really happy! :slight_smile:

15

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): N/A

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Business Administration - Paul Merage

Academic stats:

High school Transcript GPA: 3.78
UC Weighted GPA: 4.03

Comments about course load (including senior year): 6 AP’s throughout HS

Overall highest SAT (took 3x): 1300 (610 M) (680 R) 7-6-7 essay

ACT: 27 essay 8

No SAT Subject tests

AP exams:
AP Human Geography (4)
AP Language and Comp (5)
Senior year planned : lit and calc ab

Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): n/a

Subjective:

Extracurriculars:
-ASB (student body) commissioner 3 years & created technology commission
-created school app through commission
-STEM Academy - digital media specialist
-vocal/choir
-Varsity Tennis
-Club president & club involvement -(Christian club, American cancer society)
-link crew - leader for freshman program

-church worship team & youth group leader
Job/Work Experience:
-interned for Apple
Volunteer/Community service:
-NHS & volunteer events
-filmed district graduations
-assistant at a summer daycare
Summer Activities:
-summer camps

Personal insight essay topics:
Q1: leadership: youth group & church
Q4: Opportunity: stem program and media
Q5: challenge: losing my father
Q8: unique: being an intern at Apple
Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review: N/A

Demographics:

State: CA
High school type: Public

Gender: Female
Race/ethnicity: Asian (Viet)

Applied for need-based financial aid?: yes

Highest level of parent education: one parent BA
Living with both, one, or no parents?: 1
Relation to alumni of college: N/A

Reflection

Strengths: Piq & extracurriculars
Weaknesses: GPA
Why you think you were accepted: my piq’s were very personal and focused on ME and what I LEARNED (don’t get lost in the “story”) and super involved in school

Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Applied to 8 school total (fee waiver)
CSUS - accepted
SJSU - accepted
SDSU - accepted
CSUF - accepted
UCR - accepted
UCD - rejected
UCLA - rejected
And UCI was accepted :slight_smile:

General Comments:
A lot of colleges are understanding and look beyond stats. Personally my stats were pretty average but take time on your PIQ’s and stay involved at school! Chins up because you’ll end up where you need to be!

16

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): N/A

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Data Science, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

Academic stats:

Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.25
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.25
ELC (top 9%): yes

Comments about course load (including senior year): Total of 7 APs but only submitted 2 AP scores. I also took band every year. My school didn’t offer honors classes, so you either had to go with the full rigor of an AP class or take the normal base level class.
SAT (total and sections): 1430 (690 English, 740 Math, 6/4/6 Essay)
ACT (total and sections): N/A
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math Level 2 (690), Literature (660) (It was a pretty rough ride there)
AP exams (scores in parentheses): AP Lang (4), APUSH (3)
IB exams (score in parentheses): N/A
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): none major, won a few minor ones within some of my extracurriculars

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles: 1st chair clarinet in band, junior instructor at my martial arts school. Won awards for outstanding performance in band and outstanding leadership in karate
Extracurriculars: Band (4 years), Karate (4 years), Robotics (2 years), Physics Club (1 year), Newspaper (1 year, I helped to restart the school’s newspaper in my senior year since it had gone without one for awhile)
Job/Work Experience: Snowman Hot Chocolate at San Jose’s Christmas in the Park Event
Volunteer/Community service: I volunteered regularly at my local library for a little bit and I did my school’s CSF club.
Summer Activities: N/A (although some of my ECs required over the summer commitments)

Personal insight essay topics:
Prompt 1: Leadership in karate and helping troublesome kids become more disciplined
Prompt 2: Creativity by folding origami and using my creations in life.
Prompt 3: Skills developed in clarinet playing/music and how I used this knowledge outside of band.
Prompt 8: Probably a somewhat abnormal topic, learning about the environment around me and how I tend to research random things that I notice when I’m just walking around in different places

Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review: N/A

Demographics

State (if domestic applicant): CA (San Jose/Bay Area)
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Public

Gender: Male
Race/ethnicity: Asian (Vietnamese and Chinese)

Applied for need-based financial aid?: Yes

Highest level of parent education: Bachelor’s
Living with both, one, or no parents?: Both
Relation to alumni of college: none

Reflection

Strengths: Essays were true to me, GPA and SAT fairly strong
Weaknesses: Subject tests, Not many ECs related to my major
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Stats to some extent, but essays most likely had a key role since others with higher stats have been rejected
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: NAU, UH Manoa, Colorado School of Mines, SJSU, SDSU (honors), CPP, CPSLO, UCR, UCSC, UCD, UCI, SCU
Waitlisted: UCSD, UCSB, UCLA (Shocked, expected rejection)
Waiting on: Berkeley, USC, Cornell, UPenn

General Comments: Many of the kids at my school have gotten some odd results, college admissions really are kind of crazy and unpredictable. Academics are important but make sure you put effort into ECs and essays so your character and personality can still shine through on your applications. Ultimately, college is what you make of it and you aren’t defined by where you go, so if things don’t seem to be going your way don’t let the admissions process discourage you!

17

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): Chancellor’s Excellence

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Public Health Science

Academic stats:

Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.83
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 3.92
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.19
ELC (top 9%): Yes

Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections): 1290 (600 Math; 690 English; 6/5/6 Writing)
ACT (total and sections): 27
SAT Subject Tests (if any): 630 (U.S. History)
AP exams (scores in parentheses): World History (2); U.S. History (3); Environmental Science (1); Calculus AB; Biology; Macroeconomics
IB exams (score in parentheses): N/A
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): N/A

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Key Club; Helping Hands; S.P.E.A.K;
Job/Work Experience: Pharmacy Technician Intern
Volunteer/Community service: Library Volunteer (TAB Member)
Summer Activities: Library Volunteer

Personal insight essay topics:

  1. Connecting with my little sister through art
  2. My love for math
  3. My economic background
  4. My anxiety
    Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review: N/A

Demographics

State (if domestic applicant): CA
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Public

Gender: Female
Race/ethnicity: Asian (Chinese)

Applied for need-based financial aid?: Yes
Pell grant eligible?: Yes

Highest level of parent education: High School
Living with both, one, or no parents?: Both
Relation to alumni of college: N/A

Reflection

Strengths: PIQs
Weaknesses: AP Exams, ECs, SAT score
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I was actually surprised I got accepted since there were so many applicants this year. I feel like I was average among the applicants.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Cal Poly SLO - Accepted
CPP - Accepted
CSUF - Accepted
CSLA - Accepted
UCR - Accepted
UCSD - Waitlisted
UCLA - Rejected

18

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): Regent’s $5k and Dean’s $3k, plus CHP

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Computer Science

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 4.00
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.32
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.5
ELC (top 9%): Yes

Comments about course load (including senior year):
Courseload was fairly tedious for my school, but not too crazy. I did get straight A’s junior year though which is not too common considering I took some of the harder classes at my school like AP Chem and APUSH
ACT (total and sections): 35, Math: 36, Sci: 36, Read: 35, Eng: 34
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math II: 790, Chem: 800
AP exams (scores in parentheses): CS A (5), Calc AB (5), Chem (5), APUSH (3)

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: only listing main things:

  • marching band section leader and soloist for 11th/12th
  • Eagle scout
  • Officer of 2 clubs
    Job/Work Experience: Paid intern at a tech company, made a really cool project that was shown to various clients of the company
    Volunteer/Community service: eagle scout stuff mainly
    Summer Activities: internship

Personal insight essay topics:

  • My internship and why I liked CS, wrote about my dad cause he does CS
  • Developed greatest skill wrote about leadership and how as marching band section leader it was a skill I gained over time rather than being an instant thing. Tried to show personal growth
  • making community a better place wrote about eagle scout project where I made hygiene kits for the homeless
  • hardest challenge I wrote about how I had a friend who was getting into drugs so I was pulled in two directions but decided to overcome that and leave him as a friend. This was also why I got some B’s freshman year

Demographics

State (if domestic applicant): California
High school type: VERY competitive

Gender: Male
Race/ethnicity: Asian

Applied for need-based financial aid?: Yes

Highest level of parent education: Masters
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both
Relation to alumni of college: None

Reflection

Strengths: GPA/ACT
Weaknesses: My extracurriculars are kinda too well rounded I think, stopped me from being as CS focused as some kids are. Also got some B’s freshman year but 4.0 since then so it might show growth but they were still B’s.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Probably GPA/ACT

19

Decision: Admitted
UC GPA: 4.04
ACT: 30

20

Son

Decision: Rejected

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Mechanical Engineering

UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.27
SAT (total and sections): 1490 (Math: 800, English: 690)
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math 2: 790, Physics: 730

State (if domestic applicant): California

Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: SDSU, UCSD
Waitlisted: UC Davis
Rejected: UCLA, UCI, SJSU (appealing decision)
Waiting: UCB