<p>I'm "ELC".</p>
<p>Is it a factor in admissions into those schools at all? I've been hearing that it is and that it isn't.</p>
<p>I could see two possible scenarios--one, that ELC boosts your credentials on your application, and makes you more likely to be admitted, hence, higher admit rates. (which is what I hope =])</p>
<p>The other is that ELC is NOT considered in the admissions process, the reason that 60% of ELC admits get into UCLA and UCB is because higher rank is correlated with a higher GPA, higher SAT scores, and more leadership and commitment.</p>
<p>Can anyone answer this for me? Thanks.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is it a factor in admissions into those schools at all? I've been hearing that it is and that it isn't.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>No. Berkeley at least has actually stated that ELC is not a consideration for admission. I assume the same for UCLA. They can see how well a student would do in comparison to his/her peers based on the rigor of the course load and the grades earned (both of which are considered "very important"--the highest on the scale, in the CDS).</p>
<p>Furthermore, if you look at their Common Data Sets, Berkeley and UCLA say rank is "not considered."</p>
<p>
[quote]
The other is that ELC is NOT considered in the admissions process, the reason that 60% of ELC admits get into UCLA and UCB is because higher rank is correlated with a higher GPA, higher SAT scores, and more leadership and commitment.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That's correct.</p>
<p>It's the same for schools like Stanford: if you look at those with a higher rank, the admit rate rises, as it does for those with higher SAT scores, GPAs, etc.</p>
<p>According to the UCLA website:</p>
<p>The academic elements we consider are:</p>
<pre><code>* Academic grade point average (GPA), calculated using 10th and 11th grade UC–approved courses only.
* Performance on standardized tests: the ACT Assessment Plus Writing or the SAT Reasoning Test, and two SAT Subject Tests in two different subject areas [English, history and social studies, mathematics (Math Level 2 only), science, or language].
* The strength of your senior year program.
* Quality, quantity, and level of course work taken throughout your entire high school program, especially course work completed beyond the minimum a–g courses required for eligibility to the University of California.
* The strength of the program taken within the context of the high school you attended.
* A progressively challenging academic program, including the number of and performance in college preparatory, honors, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and transferable college courses; mastery of academic subjects as demonstrated by high grades and exam results; and presence of summer session/inter-session courses that enhance academic progress.
* Passing scores on AP or IB exams.
* Sustained participation in activities that develop academic and intellectual abilities.
</code></pre>
<hr>
<pre><code>* Identification by the University of California as Eligible in the Local Context (ranked in the top 4% of your school).
</code></pre>
<hr>
<pre><code>* Honors and/or awards in recognition of academic, intellectual, or creative achievement.
</code></pre>
<p>Second to last claims that identification in ELC is an admissions factor. Maybe their policy on class rank is that ELC identifies you not based on rank...but as a group (it doesnt differentiate between rank #1 or rank #16 in class of 400), also, to be UC-elegible, you have to be in the top 12.5% of your class, which would technically imply rank too if your definition is used.</p>
<p>What do you think?</p>
<p>^^ maybe UCLA does, but Berkeley has stated before that it does not (I'll link you to it if I find it).</p>
<p>I also find it hard to believe that UCLA lets it have a sway in admissions--it looks at rigor of course load and grades, and if those are strong, so will the rank. Thus, I'd say that even if they do look to see whether you are, it's not going to really change their decision.</p>
<p>Here is the link to Berkeley's Freshman Selection Criteria. ELC is mentioned at the end of criteria #1 as being considered. <a href="http://students.berkeley.edu/admissions/freshmen.asp?id=56&navid=N%5B/url%5D">http://students.berkeley.edu/admissions/freshmen.asp?id=56&navid=N</a></p>
<p>It is also listed, as mentioned above, in selection criteria #1 for UCLA: UCLA</a> Undergrad Admissions: Freshman Selection</p>
<p>Even though they say it's a criterion (which contradicts statements from Berkeley before), I daresay that's more of a UC system-wide thing--including it since it's a big part of UC's 'promise' to California. I still say it has little to no influence on admissions, since in the CDS that each releases, rank isn't considered. I'd also say that ELC won't make up for any weaknesses in your application.</p>