UCLA supplement help.

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of California - Los Angeles
1

<p>I just got the e-mail today for supplemental info. Help would be appreciated. I'm a bit surprised since my stats are pretty low:</p>

<p>GPA: 3.4, 3.9 (Weighted)
SATI: 1880
SATII: Physics: 580, Lit: 560, Math2: 580
ACT: 26</p>

<p>Member and officer of several clubs, including Power-team leader/officer of Engineering Club where our crew built a solar-powered boat for a competition and won 1st in sprint with me as the skipper. Key club officer, volunteer and community service for Key club and Bottles for the Bay club.</p>

<p>Other: First generation Korean-American. Dad passed when I was five, one academically brilliant older sibling whose grades dropped and could not graduate high school due to new responsibilities, got into bad habits (smoking, drinking, ditching). Mom works very hard, often left brother and I home alone - learned to take care of ourselves, cook food, pay bills, etc, at young age. Sometimes had to gamble to pay only one bill or all of them. Deeply stressed, would resort to alcohol. I moved to 3 high schools in my first two years of high school because of my mom. Moved to LA at a terrible school and moved back to San Bernardino County, grades dropped a bit (got 1 C in high school, this was in biology in LA where they didn't even give me a textbook). However, living in LA let me fall in love with the town, the diversity, basically everything about the town (except the traffic). This is one of the many reasons I want to attend UCLA.</p>

<p>EC: Have been playing piano for 2 years only. I wanted to do a lot when I was young, like play basketball on a real team or get piano lessons , but we couldn't afford lessons let alone a decent keyboard. We simply didn't have the funds or the time for these things. Started self-teaching when circumstances got better, started taking piano classes at my school where I'm excelling with no prior music knowledge at all. Now in advance piano. No real time for ECs for I have to take care of the house everyday while my mother works, dishes, clean, food, etc. When I have spare time I like to go to club events and volunteer at places like our local symphony theater or fundraising for clubs.</p>

<p>Question 1
Please take this opportunity to share with us more detailed information about the level of your achievement, depth of participation, and passion for this particular area.</p>

<p>I want to answer this, but I have no real talents. I mean, I basically taught myself how to play piano and music theory for 1-2 years now and I'm on basic Chopin pieces. I'm thinking about the tenacity required to play a musical instrument, especially only on self-motivation rather than being forced to like those lucky 5 year olds. Gives me a sense of how learning music this late allows me to appreciate not only music, but education in general. No achievements in piano, unless you count excelling in school piano classes or proving doubters wrong. Great passion for it, I have no desire to stop since music gives me a sanctuary; I can truly express my emotions in this abstract way.</p>

<p>Question #2:Please describe any special circumstances that you would like us to consider that may have affected your ability to achieve academically.</p>

<p>Kind of redundant, since I wrote about my family obstacles and moving etc. in my personal statement. I didn't really factor in all of it though, so should I just write more about my general growing up? I didn't put how my mom lacked the time to really ever bond with me or take me to any of those under appreciated youth activities. I already wrote about my situation, but I applied it to my future goals rather than to how it hindered my academics, so I guess that would work...?</p>

<p>Thanks to anyone who helps, I really appreciate it. Are my answers a bit weak? What should I incorporate?</p>

<p>Also, do these supplements basically mean they're considering me? I'm surprised since my test scores are abysmally low (SAT2 in mind) and my GPA isn't really anything to brag about. My ECs are also a bit lacking, they are really just community activities from school clubs... I feel sad.</p>

2

<p>This is good news since UCLA is seriously considering you and requesting additional information to help them make a decision. UCLA seems to be using the supplemental questionnaire for a variety of purposes including assessing talent, hardship, and other factors. From what I can tell, most students received the two-question supplement and the questions don’t always seem relevant to the students’ situations.</p>

<p>What you have so far looks fine. For #2, provide additional information that is not already in your application. The supplement is reviewed WITH the application, so there is no need to repeat any information already on the application.</p>

3

<p>BUMP for more feedback.</p>

<p>For question 1, would it be fine to just say something like:</p>

<p>-couldn’t afford music lessons as a child, due to situation never had time or money
-when things became a bit stable started to teach myself through books because we still couldn’t afford lessons (10th/11th grade)
-joined a piano class at my school where you need prior musical knowledge - was so determined to join i lied to my counselor when she asked if i had a lot of musical experience.
-learned a bunch about music theory in piano class, did great at class performances and passed piano I and II with the highest grade.
-now in piano advance and starting to learn chopin pieces.
-my passion for the piano has not subsided and i plan to continue playing music for the rest of my life.</p>

<p>This is obviously not an extroadinary talent or anything, but I could also write about how our school’s engineering club won a “solar powered boat” competition with me as the skipper and power-team leader. But i wrote about that in my 2nd prompt to UCs.</p>

4

<p>I have a question. I didn’t receive the supplement info, so does that mean I didn’t get in? </p>

<p>EDIT: Nevermind, I have my answer.</p>