Hi, so like many others I have been denied by both UCLA and UC Berkeley. my GPA is a 4.4 W and 1370 on the New SAT. Since sending my application I have gotten a job and even employee of the month. Also I got straight A’s first semester of senior year (Taking more AP’s than I ever have). Lastly I’ve had the opportunity to shadow an appellate court clerk and have applied for several court internships because I want to go into the legal field. Do I have a shot at appealing my decisions? I really wanna go.
This is what UCLA states about their appeal process::::::::::::::::::::::
UCLA does not set aside space in our class for students who appeal admission decisions. Therefore, though all appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, the number of decisions reversed on appeal is very low. We advise you to consider the following carefully before you decide to draft an appeal. Every denied application has gone through extensive reviews. Therefore, for an appeal to have merit it must bring to light new academic and personal information, as well as information pertaining to extenuating circumstances, that had not been present in the application—information that clearly shows the student to be stronger than had been earlier evidenced. High grades received in the senior year, recently acquired awards, or an increase in activities are not a basis for the reversal of a decision.
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For UCB: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Our original selection process involves careful individual reading of each application and it is very unlikely that we will choose to reverse our original decision. We strongly discourage letters of appeal unless you can provide significant and compelling information for us to consider. Disagreement with the decision is not a valid reason for an appeal. Information regarding internships or activities you participated in after the original application deadline is not relevant and should not be included in your appeal. For an appeal to have merit it must bring to light new information regarding your academic performance and/or information pertaining to extenuating circumstances that were not discussed in the application. Supplemental information (letters of recommendation, and/or supporting documentation) should not be submitted unless requested by the Admission Committee.
@Gumbymom what does “appeals are reviewed on a case-by-case basis” mean
@girlboy: Case by case means not every appeal will be considered valid, so they probably do a quick review on your appeal than decide if it is worth pursuing. No size fits all, so they will take into consideration each applicants unique circumstances.
@Gumbymom by that do you mean they kinda skim through my appeal letter and if my reasoning seems compelling, they will also read my original application?
Basically if my appeal isn’t good then they won’t read my original application, correct?
@girlboy: They have already thoroughly reviewed your original application before they deny you. You will need to present new information that was not in the original. They will look at your original application for comparison sake and do another review if the basis of your appeal warrants it especially if you have documentation to support your claim.
does anyone know when we’d hear back from berkeley about an appeal?
Gumbymom just came in with a huge dose of real ness… dangg
@Gumbymom Does new academic information include new details that come from the report card, if it supports your case along with your other circumstances?
New and compelling information applies to the timeline from your original application (10th and 11th grades).
This means that
your transcripts weren’t sent, or
the College Board erred on your scores
The high school mixed up your records.
^That kind of thing is compelling information. Not that you really wanna go so you think you can add more EC’s. That’s not what an appeal is. Remember that it has to do with sophomore and junior years.
You can go to other schools because there are law schools at many universities. You don’t have to go to UCB or LA for that.
Are you really competitive with GPA 4.4 W and 1370 SAT at UCLA and UCB ?. DD is admitted to UCB but wait listed at UCLA with much higher stats than yours.
@IBkidonthestreet: what details would be in your academic record that was not originally reported on your application?
Honestly your time would be better spent focusing on choosing a school you have been accepted to and moving forward.
I agree with @happy1 but I know it can be hard to walk away from a dream school. Maybe it’s worth pursuing, but if you got into schools like UCSB, SD, Davis, or Irvine I’d just settle with those because those are still top tier universities. Honestly even if they consider your appeal they’re more likely to give an open space to someone in the wait list then you.
@Gumbymom The report card would show the colleges what the final GPA was.
@IBkidonthestreet: The appeal process noted above in post #1 specifically states that high grades Senior year is not a valid reason to appeal. The UC’s expect applicants to keep up their grades.
Can we appeal while on waitlist for all UC’s or just some?
For freshman students:
Berkeley, Davis, Los Angeles and San Diego will only allow appeals from students who were denied admission. Applicants offered a waitlist space may not appeal.
Irvine and Riverside will allow waitlisted applicants to appeal only if they opt-in to the waitlist. If a student’s appeal is denied, they may remain on the waitlist.
Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz will review all appeals, whether an applicant is on the waitlist or not.
Merced is not using a waitlist.
im submitting my appeal to berkeley. It would be nice to know who else is actually submitting an appeal!
Berkeley is releasing appeal decisions on June 1. 0.0 I appreciate the quick response especially because it comes out before I graduate.