I just got an email from UCLA asking me to apply for the alumni scholarship, is that a good thing?
It looks like everybody can apply for the alumni scholarship:
From a thread 3 years ago by an Alumni Scholar manager:
"Hello,
I am a former Alumni Scholar (truly a life-changing program for me), and currently review applications and interview candidates for the scholarship.
The office of admissions will refer promising candidates to us and we in-turn send invitations to those students in the hopes that they will apply. This is NOT a guarantee of admission, and in past years we have had some candidates that we would really love to put on this scholarship not be admitted to the university. However, most students are referred to us because, by virtue of an initial round of application review, an admissions representative has found that candidate worthy of consideration for a highly prestigious merit scholarship (others on occasion find them less so, which is why not everyone who is invited will be admitted). To put it this way (parents love numbers, I’m told):
~70,000+ freshman applicants to UCLA
~4,000 invited to apply for scholarship (notably, however, students can also apply without being invited)
~1,500-2,500 complete scholarship application (frankly, you’d be stupid not to, but that’s my $.02)
~100-120 offered a scholarship after application review and up to three rounds of panel interviews. Scholarship amounts have in past years ranged from $4,000-$20,000 and are based solely on merit (though students can apply for additional need-based grants through the program once they’ve enrolled). All incoming Alumni Scholars are also offered honors college advising, alumni and peer mentors, and access to a variety of Alumni Association activities, dinners, service events, etc. It’s a great family.
I was told by a reputable source a few years ago that ~70-80% of those invited to apply are admitted to UCLA, but because the scholarship review process runs parallel to, and does not intersect with, the admissions process (except when students are initially referred), I’m not certain how accurate this is (though I’d imagine at the very least the odds are >50%)
This scholarship is exceptionally competitive, and typically many of those awarded it are on par with top admits to Ivy League institutions. The program has produced a majority of the university’s Rhodes, Marshall and Gates winners in recent years, and a somewhat absurd amount have gone onto top-10 graduate/medical/law schools. In short, the program churns out leaders of character and high intelligence like a well-oiled machine.
So there’s my input (and elevator pitch!). Good luck to you and yours; I look forward to reading the applications."
Got the alumni scholarship email this morning! If it was 4000/70000 a couple years ago, any idea of what the stats are this year?
Some notes regarding the Regents Scholarship from the Regents Scholar Society at UCLA:
http://www.rssla.org/about/scholarship/
@actuallysad UCLA had ~97,000 prospective freshmen applicants this year. (~22,000 prospective transfer students)
Got the alumni scholarship email today! I know it’s not indicative of anything but hoping for the best 
If the alumni scholarship was not received, there is no or less chance to get in?
It’s a good sign to get the alumni scholarship according to that old thread. It’s not a fire sure but a high correlation between the two. I was invited but didn’t get it but got admitted.
2 years ago son was invited to apply, did apply and did not
get admitted (waitlisted, school of engineering)
Did not get the email. Still applying. Just trying to do everything I can for hope for admission… 
So the email inviting you to apply for the alumni scholarship is good news, but not an admit for sure?
Has all the emails sent ? It might come later
Hard to know for sure but I would assume they were all sent out. My D didn’t get one, which is a bit discouraging, but she will apply on her own. From a monetary standpoint it doesn’t mean much, but I think the invite would have given some early encouragement (although not guaranteed) of the decision in March. This process is dreadfully long!
@gratefulmama couldn’t agree more.
so regent invite is different thing right? will regent invite email be sent out soon maybe tomorrow right?
The alumni scholarship isn’t a gurantee of acceptance, it sais so right in the email, but have there been actual cases of people getting the email and then rejected from the university?
Yes, there have been multiple cases.
Also got the alumni scholarship email! It came in at 10:30 CST this morning for me.
Alumni scholarship invitation from UCLA is more selective then from Berkeley. It doesn’t guarantee admission, but it is a really good sign. My DD was awarded alumni scholarship last year and it comes with housing and alumni connection perks.