***ucla class of 2023 decision thread (stats only)***

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Los Angeles
81

Decision: Admitted

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Environmental Science in College of Letters and Science

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 4.255
UC Capped Weighted GPA: ?
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.435

Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): 13/642
Comments about course load (including senior year): started with algebra 2 in
SAT (total and sections): 1270 (650 Math | 620 English)
ACT (total and sections): 23 :frowning:
SAT Subject Tests (if any): n/a
AP exams (scores in parentheses): AP U.S History (3), AP English Lang (4)
IB exams (score in parentheses): n/a

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Varsity Golf for 2 years, Take Action Campaign, Depop Entrepreneur
Job/Work Experience: n/a
Volunteer/Community service: Academic Tutor for junior high students
Summer Activities: College Prep Academy at CSULB and Arabic classes

Essays (topics, details): expressing my creative side through fashion and how repurposing thrifted clothes to sell on Depop helps me better the environment, my school’s limited resources and how I made the best of them, my favorite subject being environmental science because of my experiences with nature and discovery, and how living with 8 other people in a 3 bedroom apartment was a challenge for me

Demographics

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

Gender: female

Applied for financial aid?: yes
Highest level of parent education: middle school
Living with both, one, or no parents?: one

Reflection

Strengths: I feel like my personal insight questions and my supplemental helped my application the most because I wrote about the stuff I went through with my family, and how I was able to manage my school and personal life anyway.
Weaknesses: test scores.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: The supplemental probably got me in because apparently the supplemental means that you’re borderline. I guess I was borderline, but my supplemental made them lean towards accept.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UCD, UCSB, UCSC, CSULB, CSUCI, San diego state, san jose state
Waitlisted:
Rejected: haven’t been rejected yet, but I see it coming: Dartmouth

**General Comments: **
The UCLA acceptance shocked me a lot because I was hoping for a solid waitlist at least. It shows how much UC has a more holistic approach in the application process because my stats are pretty below average.

82

**Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any):
None
Major (and division if applicable) applied to:
Neuroscience
[ab]Academic stats:[a/b]

UC Unweighted GPA: 3.78
UC Capped Weighted GPA:4.13
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.47
Eligibility in Local Context?:
Yep
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): school doesn’t rank but prolly top 5%
Comments about course load (including senior year): AP Micro,AP Gov,AP Lit,AP Calc BC,AP BIo
SAT (total and sections): 1440, (750 M,690R)
ACT (total and sections): 25 didn’t submit this obviously lol
SAT Subject Tests (if any): none
AP exams (scores in parentheses): bunch of 3s not anything too impressive
IB exams (score in parentheses):
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):

[ab]Subjective:[a/b]

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: lots of clubs ran several of them. Volunteered a lot at local organizations
Job/Work Experience: Tutor for about a year or so
Volunteer/Community service: 500+ hours at the library
Summer Activities:
More volunteering stuff
Essays (topics, details):
They really supported my major choice I explained how I have a learning disability and how that made me interested in Neuroscience
[ab]Demographics[a/b]

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

Gender:

Applied for financial aid?: Yes, but prolly won’t get anything lol
Highest level of parent education: Parent 1- Bachelor Parent 2-Doctorate Degree
Living with both, one, or no parents?: Both
Income bracket:
100-120k
[ab]Reflection[a/b]

Strengths: Essays
Weaknesses: SAT and lack of AP scores
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I think my essays sealed the deal even though my stats were a bit low for my major choice.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UCSD, UCD, University of Miami, University of Portland(25k scholarship),
Waitlisted: N/A
Rejected: USC, UCSB,Pomona college( lol Ik a big reach for me)

[ab]General Comments: [a/b]
Make sure you get the GPAs as high as you can UCLA weights that extremely heavy. Shoot for test scores of 1500+ and nail the those essays. I guess I can hate USC at UCLA lol

83

Decision: Rejected

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): No

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

UC Unweighted GPA: 3.97
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.19
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.58
Eligibility in Local Context?: Yes

Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): N/A
SAT (total and sections): 1510 (730 Reading, 780 Math)
ACT (total and sections): N/A
SAT Subject Tests (if any): 800 Physics, 800 Math 2
AP exams (scores in parentheses): CalcBC (5), Physics 1 (5), Physics 2 (4), Physics C (4), US Hist (4), Eng Lit (3), Music Theory (3)
IB exams (score in parentheses): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Gov; AP Econ; AP Eng Lang; AP Stats; Wind Symphony; Jazz Band; Marching Band
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Commended

Subjective:

Extracurriculars: Marching Band Section Leader, Music Mentor, Science Olympiad Team, Academic League Team, CSF, NHS
Job/Work Experience: N/A
Volunteer/Community service: music mentor, NHS
Summer Activities: community college summer classes (3 summers)

Essays (topics, details): rate 9/10
Letters of recommendation: N/A

Demographics

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

Gender: M
Race/ethnicity: White

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

Highest level of parent education: Master’s degrees
Living with both, one, or no parents?: Living with both
Relation to alumni of college: No

Reflection

Strengths: Competitive stats, good essays, EC’s with some leadership
Weaknesses: No work experience, only 2 years of foreign language
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Strong stats, good essays

Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: SDSU, CPP, Cal Poly SLO, UC Davis, UCSB, UCSD
Rejected: Harvey Mudd, MIT, UCLA

84

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): Not sure

Major: Biology

Academic stats:

3.957 W GPA

Eligibility in Local Context?: no

Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): 10%
Comments about course load (including senior year): 7 AP’s, 1 college level class
SAT (total and sections): 1150 (590 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing/560 Math)
ACT (total and sections): n/a
SAT Subject Tests (if any): n/a
AP exams (scores in parentheses): World History (4), Seminar (3), U.S. History (3), Lang (4)
IB exams (score in parentheses): n/a
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): 3rd for school science fair for a project on using essential oils as a natural mosquito repellent, honorable mention for the school science fair for a project testing makeup and its durability/honorable mention for district science fair, placed for school national history day (there was no ranking), AP Scholar.

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Leo Club (corresponding secretary for 3 years), HOSA, Blood Drive Committee, Red Cross, NHS,
Tri-M Music Honor Society
Job/Work Experience: Vet. Clinic shadowing opportunity, Optometry Clinic shadowing opportunity
Volunteer/Community service: Veterinary Clinic Volunteer (30 hrs)

Essays (topics, details):
Leadership: Being secretary for Leo club and how it has allowed me to grow as a person
Creative: Talked about how from a young age I loved music and how it led me to pick up an instrument
Academic: Talked about my interest in biology as a reason for my chosen major and what I want to do later on in life with a background in bio
Overcoming barriers/hardships: Being adopted

Demographics

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

Gender: Female

Applied for financial aid?: Yes
Highest level of parent education: Parent 1- High school, Parent 2- 1 year of college
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both
Income bracket: 100-120K

Reflection

Strengths: Essays
Weaknesses: Def my GPA and stats, not a great test taker, very low in comparison to other admits

Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I believe that I was accepted due to the personal insight questions and supplemental questionnaire that I submitted. Two essays were very personal and showed vulnerability. Maybe those extra essays helped a lot since it was an additional opportunity to tell them more about myself apart from my stats.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UCLA, Pacific U, University of Portland, UNLV, UH Manoa
Waitlisted: none yet
Rejected: none yet (still waiting on UCI probably won’t get in though)

**General Comments: ** I think that UCLA really does look at each applicant holistically. It goes to show that stats aren’t everything. But its still good to keep up your grades in school!!

85

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): None

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Psychology

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.2
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.25
Eligibility in Local Context?: Yes

Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): 1/413
Comments about course load (including senior year): Relatively hard course load senior year included: AP Stats, AP Bio, AP Lang, and AP French
SAT (total and sections): 1220 Composite, 660 CR, 560 Math
ACT (total and sections): 24 Composite
SAT Subject Tests (if any): None
AP exams (scores in parentheses): U.S History (4), AP Euro (3), AP Psych (5), AP Lit (3)
IB exams (score in parentheses): N/A
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): CSI Tiger romp winner, AP Scholar w Honor

Subjective:

Extracurriculars:

  1. Tennis
  2. Student council- 4 years: class rep & secretary
  3. Key Club- Secretary/division service project coordinator
  4. Link Crew
    5.Aca dec
    6.National History Day

Job/Work Experience:None
Volunteer/Community service: math tutor and volunteered at local middle school as well as through key club & stu co

Essays (topics, details):
stand out essay: wrote about experience advocating for myself/others
challenge essay: mom doesn’t know how to drive
talent/skill: teaching
academic passion: psych

Demographics

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

Gender: Female

Applied for financial aid?: Yes
Highest level of parent education: grade school maybe
Living with both, one, or no parents?: one
Income bracket: under 20k

Reflection

Strengths: Essays, GPA
Weaknesses: test scores, extracurriculars
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: essays were pretty good and I come from an underprivileged area
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UCSD, UCB, UCD, SDSU, CSUF
Waitlisted: None
Rejected: USC, Pomona college

General Comments: Test scores aren’t everything, but essays are really important

86

Decision: Rejected

Objective:
ACT (breakdown): 34 (35 English, 35 Math, 33 Reading, 32 Science)
SAT II: Math 740 Physics 800
Capped Weighted UC GPA: 4.21 Uncapped GPA 3.88
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): School doesn’t rank
AP (place score in parenthesis): APUSH 4, AP Lang 4, AP Physics 1 5, AP Physics 2 5
IB (place score in parenthesis): None
Senior Year Course Load: AP Calc AB, AP Calc BC, AP Gov/Econ, AP Lit, Spanish 3, Computer Game Design,
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): None

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): Acting in school plays as well as in various summer productions out side of school for all 4 years, Playing Piano for more than 10 years, various school clubs
Job/Work Experience: None
Volunteer/Community service:
Volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club junior and senior summer about 50 hours all together,
Part of a club that surfs with underprivileged kids, but only had about 10 hours
Joined Key Club senior year.
Volunteered to help my piano teacher teach younger kids.
Summer Activities:
As I mentioned, Boys and Girls Club volunteering
I did theater camps and acted in their productions
Essays (rating 1-10, details): I’d say 8, but Idk for sure. I wrote one really good essay about how I grew up having Autism. I talked about how this made it hard to make friends and made me struggle in school. The other were decent but not great. I wrote one about how much I enjoyed acting and volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club.

Supplemental Review or LOR submission: No

Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Pre-Economics
State (if domestic applicant): California
Country (if international applicant): N/A
School Type: Public
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: $100,000-$150,000
ELC Eligibility: Top 9%, making me ELC eligible
First Generation: No

Reflection

Strengths: ACT for sure, Weighted GPA
Weaknesses: Unweighted GPA, rigor of classes (my school offers like 25 AP classes and I only took 8-9)
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Their average GPA is higher than mine, and they have like a 16% acceptance rate.

Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted: SDSU, UC Riverside, CSU Chico, Santa Clara University, CU Boulder, University of Oregon, UCI, Boston University

Waitlisted: UC Santa Cruz, Cal Poly SLO, UCSD, UC Davis

Rejected: UCSB, UCLA, UCB, Pitzer College, USC

General Comments: UCLA was always a reach school for me, as their average GPA is higher than mine and their acceptance rate is like 15%. I’m not surprised I didn’t get in. I applied cause my average GPA wasn’t that much lower, and I thought maybe they would really like my personal statements or something. There were also no extra essays.

87

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): no

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Business

[ab]Academic stats:[a/b]

Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.97
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.21
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.47
Eligibility in Local Context?: yes

Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): n/a
Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections): Total 1510 Math 800, English 710
ACT (total and sections):
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math II 780, Chem 770
AP exams (scores in parentheses):English Language and Composition (2), Chemistry (4), Computer Science A (3), Human Geo (4), Biology (4)

[ab]Demographics[a/b]

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

Gender: M

Applied for financial aid?: yes
Highest level of parent education: post grad
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both
Income bracket: High

[ab]Reflection[a/b]

Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UCSD, UCSB, USD, Cal Lutheran, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount
Waitlisted: UC Berkley
Rejected: Claremont (all of them), USC.

88

Decision: Accepted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): No

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Linguistics and Spanish

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.36
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.69
Eligibility in Local Context?: Yes

Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): 1/500
SAT (total and sections):
ACT (total and sections): 34 (35 E, 33 M, 33 R, 33 S, 8 writing)
SAT Subject Tests (if any):
AP exams (scores in parentheses): AP World (5), AP Stats (4) APUSH (5), Eng Lit (4), AP Bio (5)
IB exams (score in parentheses): N/A
Senior Year Course Load: AP Gov; AP Eng Lang, AP Calc; AP Spanish, AP Physics, Community College classes
Major Awards: Spanish, AP Bio, Leadership, AP Spanish

Subjective:

Extracurriculars: NHS President, President multiple clubs involved w/community service
Job/Work Experience: Tutor
Volunteer/Community service: Volunteered in the community over the summer
Summer Activities: Community college classes

Essays (topics, details): rate 7/10
Letters of recommendation: N/A

Demographics

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

Gender: M
Race/ethnicity: White

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

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

Reflection

Strengths: Competitive stats, EC’s with strong leadership, Community college classes
Weaknesses:Essays
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Strong stats, leadership, pursued community college classes in areas of interest

Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UCSD, UCI (Honors), Purdue, BC
Rejected: UCB,

Waitlisted: Pomona, WUSL

89

Decision: Accepted

Major applied to: Pre business econ
GPA UW: 3.95
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range: n/a
Comments about course load: 10 AP classes total, the rest honors
ACT: Composite 34 (34 E, 35 M, 33 R, 34 S) Superscore 35
AP exams (scores in parentheses): microeconomics (4) , macroeconomics (4), bio (4), apush (4), modern euro (3)
Major Awards: AP scholar, honor roll student, NHS

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Varsity Softball (4 year starter, 2 year captain, awarded first-team all state and all-conference every year, team won state and conference championship every year, ranked 10th in the country), JV field hockey, VP of medical missionaries club, member of the Young Women’s Executive Council
Job/Work Experience: Babysitter
Volunteer/Community service: Co-founder of a sports gear drive for less fortunate kids, consistent volunteer at my local animal shelter
Summer Activities: Organized and promoted the sports gear drive, received a scholarship to attend an Economics for Leaders week long seminar, travel softball (rigorous schedule, 25+ hours a week, finished 13th at the national tournament, starter on the team)

Essays: I talked about how time management is my best skill because I can balance all of my extracurriculars, I talked about my experience at an economics seminar showing experience in field of study (how I took advantage of an educational opportunity), wrote about how I’ve been intrigued by physics since I was just a little kid, using my love and interest for rollercoasters as an example (academic subject that inspires me), and finally I talked about my anxiety and shyness and how I have been able to conquer it by playing softball

State: Virginia
High school type: Private catholic

Gender: female

Applied for financial aid? idk
Highest level of parent education: grad school
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both
Income bracket: 300k+

Strengths: I think my test scores in stem really helped, strong extracurriculars that all tie together
Weaknesses: Essays were good but not my best, didn’t try at all on my AP exams
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: I think I was accepted because of my cohesive application and demonstration of passion for other activities besides academics.
Accepted: UMich, Notre Dame, UCSB, Clemson, Penn State Honors
Waitlisted: Vanderbilt
Rejected: UVA

Congrats to everyone admitted and best of luck to those who are still waiting! Go bruins!