UCLA Admissions Reviewer just sent me an email...

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

NOTE: In my application, I detailed a traumatic experience I endured which caused me to have numerous Fs and Ws (around 4-5 withdrawn semesters) and plenty of Fs. This was at my previous school, the University of Maryland. I also explained what I did to overcome the challenge and get on the right track academically.

However, my recent academic performance has been an A/B turnaround with a 3.2 gpa at my current schools. I mentioned my over 10 years of work in local, state, and federal politics, including the U.S. Capitol, speaking engagements at the White House, and various lobbying I have done.

Applied to UCLA as a transfer Public Affairs major. The minimum GPA is 3.2, and I was told by the department chair that because Public Affairs is a new major, last year, there were only 18 applicants and all 18 applicants were accepted to the major (compared to around 1600 Political Science applicants and around 400 admits).

What might UCLA be looking for with my University of Maryland transcripts?

Should I be worried? Or relieved that they’re reaching out to me because I’m still being considered and not thrown in the reject pile?

———-
Message was from: admissions-review@ucop.edu

Message reads:
Dear J******,

We have received your University of California Undergraduate Application for Admission and Scholarships. Thank you for your interest in our campus.

We are in the process of reviewing your application. Before we can complete our review and reach an admission decision, we need the following information from you:

Please scan and attach your unofficial transcript from the University of Maryland.

We must receive this information within five days of this message date, or processing of your application may be delayed or canceled.

To respond to this message please use our online response form by clicking the following link:
https://ugappinfo.ucop.edu/********

DO NOT reply to this email as it will not be delivered.

Sincerely,

University of California

Please note: This communication and your response may be shared and reviewed by the following campuses to which you may have applied: Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Diego and Santa Cruz.
————

2

Edit: I have completed all required prequisite work for the Public Affairs major

3

Hard to say, but one thing they may want to check is whether you are eligible for transfer or have too many units. The UCs do not accept senior transfers and some UCs do not accept high-unit juniors. If you took upper division classes then these are added to the capped lower-division units and the sum may put you over the limits.

Or it could be something entirely different.

4

Ok, so moreso, just checking my credits to make sure nothing is misrepresented/all credits are properly accounted for?

5

Are classes that received W or F counted towards the credit limit?

Or just courses that were awarded credit?

6

Wasn’t the transcript required as part of the transfer application package?

7

@Ohm888

8

@Mwfan1921 - I am still awaiting an admissions decision; apart from the courses/grades I listed on the application itself, I have not sent in any, nor have I been asked to send in any transcript (official or otherwise).

This is the only documentation UC has reached out to me for - unofficial transcript from University of Maryland.

I wonder what it could mean/what UC is looking for.

9

They obviously want to match it with what you said. It’s not a negative or a positive. They ask all sorts of people for officials and they get in. It could be they’re looking to see if you omitted classes. If it’s exactly what you put in the application, don’t sweat it. The fact that they’re asking at this late date is a good sign. You’re not in the reject pile.

10

@Ohm888 I haven’t been asked to send anything in like the winter grades even though I was expecting it because I’m missing a pre-req for psych (finishing it up right now this winter quarter) for UCLA and they prefer to have it done by now. I’m also a one year so I have less classes they can go off of. Should I be worried that they haven’t asked me. Feels like I’m in the reject pile right now.

11

I received a similar email asking for additional information, how did you know which school it is from?

12

Yeah, how do you know it is from UCLA?

13

Don’t colleges require transcripts from all colleges previously attended. I would assime that’s why they want the transcript.

14

You did self-report all courses and grades from all colleges on the UC transfer application, right?

However, since University of Maryland is not a California community college that is familiar to UC, perhaps they want to verify the official names and course numbers of those courses, even if you did self-report them.

15

@DUZK1999 @GaussX - The message I received is posted above in its entirety. I checked the email address, also above, and it appeared to be legitimate; there were also a handful of results when I searched the same term on CC.

The footer of the email has a note that says it is an email from UC, and that the information I send will he sent to all the campuses I applied to.

16

@jazzymomof7 Colleges typically require official transcripts from admits. UC hasn’t sent out decision letters for transfer applicants yet.

So I take it they are still in the consideration process and need more information from me to reach a decision. They’ve only requested my unofficial transcript from UMD, but haven’t for my current institution.

17

Yes; I used my unofficial transcript as my guide when inputting courses taken on my app. Was sure to be very thorough and not leave anything out.

All of my Ws and bad grades were at UMD - 5 years of them. But at my current school, As and Bs including all required pre-reqs for my UC major in a year and a half period. Graduated in December. I explained the extenuating circumstances - resulting in the not so stellar academics - in my essay.

I do have a pretty extensive political background, which I also included in my essay. Lots of Capitol Hill and WH work from 2012-2017, lots of volunteer and advocacy work with non-profits and social causes. I explained that although I wasn’t able to learn much during my first go at an academic institution, that my true learning experiences were on Capitol Hill. Working in politics is what breathed life into me up there. It drove me. It was my passion; knowing that I could use my talents to bring about positive social change.

Really hoping I make it in. It’s for UCLA’s new Public Affairs major. It opened last year. I called the chair of the program, and she said 18 people applied to the major last year and all 18 admitted.

Not sure how much larger the number will be. The major is relatively unknown

18

Good luck OP, I’m rooting for you.

19

You did indicate those grades in your initial application right?

20

@kristinpete Yes, I was completely forthcoming about the grades and honestly/thoroughly cataloged them into the app.