***ucsb class of 2024 decision thread (stats only)***

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Santa Barbara
,
21

Decision: Accepted- Invited to L&S Honors
Merit scholarships awarded (if any):

Major (and division if applicable) applied to:
Political Science

Academic stats:
UC Unweighted GPA:3.92
UC Capped Weighted GPA:4.25
UC Fully Weighted GPA:4.45
ELC (top 9%):yes

Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections): did not take
ACT (total and sections):34C (36R/35E/35S/30M/11 writing)
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Lit 720
AP exams (scores in parentheses): 10th:AP World (5), APES (4) 11th: Psych (5), AP Lang (5), APUSH (4), AP Spanish (3) 12th: AP Lit, AP Stats, AP Govt, AP Micro
Senior year courses: DE Intro International Relations, AP Micro, AP Govt, AP Stats, AP Lit, Differential Calc, Service Learning (Internship)
IB exams (score in parentheses):n/a
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): NHS, Spanish HS, Girls State finalist, AP Scholar with distinction

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: YMCA Youth and Government (State leadership position 2 years), Internship CA Retailers Assoc, Finance Intern on a Congressional Campaign

Job/Work Experience: Customer Service/Front Desk 10 hrs/week Senior year
Volunteer/Community service: Library (200+ hours), Peer Council for local probation department (150 hours)
Activities: Hula dancer, Girl Scout

Personal insight essay topics: Wrote about Leadership position in Y&G, Experience on Peer Council, hospitalization/surgery for heart condition summer after Sophomore year,and creativity involved in playing/DMing D&D

Letters of recommendation submitted: N/a

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

Gender:F
Race/ethnicity:White

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

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

Reflection

Strengths: well-rounded academically/ECs and specific passion/activities related to major
Weaknesses: GPA, did not take AP Calc/Physics. School does not have honors weighted courses
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: ???
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UofA (honors), SDSU, UofUtah (Honors), Simmons University (Honors+ full ride Kotzen scholarship), Temple U (Honors), LMU, UC Berkeley (Regents’ candidate), UCI (Regents’ and CHC), UCD, UCSD, Scripps
Awaiting: UCLA, CMC, USC

22

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): None

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Actuarial Science (1st choice)

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 3.71
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 3.87
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.07
ELC (top 9%): yes

Comments about course load (including senior year):

  • freshmen year: english honors, acc math 1
  • sophomore year: ap chem (2), ap world history (4), english honors, acc math 2
  • junior year: ap english language (4), ap us history (3), acc math 3 honors
  • senior year: ap calculus bc, ap statistics, ap chinese

SAT (total and sections): 1420 (math 760, reading 660)
ACT (total and sections): n/a
SAT Subject Tests (if any): math 2 (660)
AP exams (scores in parentheses): 7 total aps (see course load above ^^)
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: speech and debate (4-year varsity, semi-finalist and finalist at several tournaments), social club that spreads awareness to youths (3 years), tutoring club that is well respected around school (president)
Job/Work Experience: counselor at an after-school program (senior year)
Volunteer/Community service: n/a
Summer Activities: nothing other than summer school

Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review: didn’t require

Demographics

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

Gender: female

Applied for need-based financial aid?: yes

Highest level of parent education: community college in another country
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both

Reflection

Strengths: grades and course rigor
Weaknesses: extracurriculars, activity outside of school
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: i honestly don’t know… thought i was gunna be rejected ngl
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:

  • accepted: ucsd, ucsb, cal poly slo (scholars), cal poly pomona, csulb, csuf
  • wl: purdue
  • rejected: washu in st. louis
  • still waiting for: boston uni, tulane, carnegie mellon, ucla, uc berkeley, uci, nyu
23

Son was waitlisted

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Sustainable environmental design

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 3.88
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.13

Comments about course load (including senior year): rigorous with
many honors classes and the following APs;
Junior:
AP English 3
AP Math A/B
AP Chemistry
Senior:
AP Calc BC
AP Spanish
AP Physics

SAT (total and sections): 1460, 730/730
ACT (total and sections):
SAT Subject Tests (if any): 760 Math
AP exams (scores in parentheses): Chem (3), Lang (4)
IB exams (score in parentheses):
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):

Subjective:

Extracurriculars: 4 years school basketball and AAU- captain senior year, Frisbee, Build- on
Job/Work Experience: pool - swim instructor
Volunteer/Community service: Build-on (raise $/build school in Guatemala), coaching basketball summer camp, help run camp senior year
Summer Activities: working basketball camp, pool and playing aau, build-on

Demographics

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

Gender: M
Race/ethnicity: Mixed

Highest level of parent education: both college educated
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both
Relation to alumni of college: none

Reflection

Strengths: solid academics/extra currics/scores
Weaknesses: no academic clubs
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: competitive school, maybe not strong enough stats?
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted - UCSD, SDSU, SJSU,Chico, Colorado State
Waitlisted: UC Davis, Cal Poly SLO, UCSB
Waiting: UCB, UCLA, Northeastern

Comments:

24

Admitted!
Environmental Studies Major

Academic stats:
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.76
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.14
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.24

ACT: 33 Composite (33R/36E/33S/31M/8 writing)

APs (scores in parentheses): 10th: AP World (4) 11th: AP Lang (4), APUSH (3), AP Computer Science Principles (4) 12th: AP Lit, AP Human Geo
Senior year courses: AP Lit, AP Human Geo, Honors Neuroscience, Honors Marine Bio, Honors Gov/Econ, Philosophy

Awards: AP Scholar with Honor

Extracurriculars: YMCA Youth & Gov (wrote and passed bill, various roles) 10th-12th grade, 13 years of ballet, 9 years of piano

Job/Work Experience: summer job as billing secretary at Dr office

Volunteer/Community service: TeenLine crisis hotline (150+ hours), volunteer tutoring (around 50 hours)

Personal insight essay topics: my essays id give an 8-9/10
i wrote about growing up with a middle eastern and southern parent and how the different perspectives allowed me to be who i am, i wrote about ballet and embracing my creativity, i wrote about teenline for the helping my community essay, wrote about overcoming struggles with my anxiety disorder for challenge essay

Demographics:
In-state (SoCal)
Large Public High School

Gender:F
Race/ethnicity: White

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

Reflection
Strengths: ACT, and some of my essays
Weaknesses: GPA? also I could have had more leadership roles

Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UC Davis, UCSD, UCSC
Rejected: UCLA
Waiting for: UC Berkeley, UW Madison, U of Michigan

25

Decision: Admitted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): None

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

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 4.00
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.32
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.5
ELC (top 9%): Yes

Comments about course load (including senior year):
Courseload was fairly tedious for my school, but not too crazy. I did get straight A’s junior year though which is not too common considering I took some of the harder classes at my school like AP Chem and APUSH
ACT (total and sections): 35, Math: 36, Sci: 36, Read: 35, Eng: 34
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math II: 790, Chem: 800
AP exams (scores in parentheses): CS A (5), Calc AB (5), Chem (5), APUSH (3)

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: only listing main things:

  • marching band section leader and soloist for 11th/12th
  • Eagle scout
  • Officer of 2 clubs
    Job/Work Experience: Paid intern at a tech company, made a really cool project that was shown to various clients of the company
    Volunteer/Community service: eagle scout stuff mainly
    Summer Activities: internship

Personal insight essay topics:

  • My internship and why I liked CS, wrote about my dad cause he does CS
  • Developed greatest skill wrote about leadership and how as marching band section leader it was a skill I gained over time rather than being an instant thing. Tried to show personal growth
  • making community a better place wrote about eagle scout project where I made hygiene kits for the homeless
  • hardest challenge I wrote about how I had a friend who was getting into drugs so I was pulled in two directions but decided to overcome that and leave him as a friend. This was also why I got some B’s freshman year

Demographics

State (if domestic applicant): California
High school type: VERY competitive

Gender: Male
Race/ethnicity: Asian

Applied for need-based financial aid?: Yes

Highest level of parent education: Masters
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both
Relation to alumni of college: None

Reflection

Strengths: GPA/ACT
Weaknesses: My extracurriculars are kinda too well rounded I think, stopped me from being as CS focused as some kids are. Also got some B’s freshman year but 4.0 since then so it might show growth but they were still B’s.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Probably GPA/ACT

26

UC GPA: 4.04
ACT:30
Admitted

27

Admitted for Pre-Biology Major

UC UW GPA: 4.0
UC W GPA: 4.4
SAT: 1440 (730 ERW, 710 Math)
AP exams: US History (5), Spanish Lang (5), Pending Chemistry, English Literature, and Calc AB
ECs: Medical Internship, Swim team captain, Mountain biking, …

In State, Public High School

Strengths: Writing and extracurriculars, showing commitment to science and healthcare (hopefully my future career!), demonstrated mastery in a variety of academic areas
Weaknesses: Some of my essays topics were weaker than others, didn’t take an SAT subject tests or load up on APs

Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
A: UCD, University of Michigan, Seattle University, Saint Louis University, Marquette, Loyola Chicago, CRWU, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College
W: UCI
R: UCLA
Waiting: UCB

28

Decision: Admitted

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Computer Science, B.S.
Major ADMITTED to: Undeclared, College of Letters and Sciences

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 4.00
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.26
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.26
Eligibility in Local Context?: Yes

Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): Not ranked, but top 10%
Comments about course load (including senior year): Very rigorous for my school, 7 AP’s total over 11th and 12th grade.
ACT (total and sections): 35 Composite, 33 Math, 34 Science, 35 English, 36 Reading, 10 Writing.
AP exams (scores in parentheses): AP Comp Sci A (3), AP Lang (5)

Subjective:

For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles: Chair of my city’s Youth Advisory Committee for two years, treasurer of Girls Who Code club
Extracurriculars: Girls Who Code, competitive and school cheerleading, etc.
Job/Work Experience: Macy’s, Jamba Juice, and nanny
Volunteer/Community service: Volunteer for my city with the Youth Advisory Committee
Summer Activities: Working

Essays (topics, details): (1) my interest in STEM, (2) volunteer experience with YAC, (3) cheerleading, and (4) work experience.

Demographics

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

Gender: Female

Applied for financial aid?: Yes
Highest level of parent education: None (first gen student)
Living with both, one, or no parents?: One
Income bracket: Middle class

Reflection

Strengths: My stats and essays
Why you think you were accepted: Stats
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: Cal Poly SLO, SJSU, SDSU, SSU, UCSB, UCSC, Santa Clara, LMU, Chapman
Waitlisted: UCD
Rejected: UCLA

General Comments:
I’m still unsure about this school because I was not admitted to my 1st choice major.

29

Decision: Waitlisted

Merit scholarships awarded (if any): None

Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Pre-Biology

Academic stats:

UC Unweighted GPA: 3.56
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 3.81
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.03
ELC (top 9%): No

Comments about course load (including senior year):

  • freshmen year: AP Human Geo (2), CP courses.
  • sophomore year: All CP.
  • junior year: AP Enviro (5), AP Art History, AP Psych (1).
  • senior year: AP Statistics, Honors Cont. World Issues, Honors Enviro.

SAT (total and sections): 1420 (math 750, reading 670)
ACT (total and sections): 31 (Not included but included in appeal)
SAT Subject Tests (if any): N/A
AP exams (scores in parentheses): Above.
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: Green Alliance Club, leading two school-wide projects, one in solar energy (adding solar energy to campus), the other in adding hydration stations. Water-polo sophomore year, team captain of frosh-soph, JV track sophomore year. Piano, Advanced level, Gold medalist many times and selected for MTAC State Convention.
Job/Work Experience: Dog-sitting, walking, baby-sitting.
Volunteer/Community service: Superjoey foundation- Four years, recruitment manager. (Works with families suffering from leukemia). Beach-clean-ups. Harbor-house, breakfast for the homeless. Counselor for Outdoor-school.
Summer Activities: WOW Week counselor, orientation week for incoming freshman for highschool. Beacn-Clean-ups.

Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review: didn’t require, but Enviro teacher and history teacher for Appeal.

Demographics

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

Gender: Male

Applied for need-based financial aid?: yes

Highest level of parent education: Both graduated from grad school, (Northwestern and U Chicago).
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both

Reflection

Strengths: EC’s volunteer work.
Weaknesses: GPA, Standardized test scores.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Borderline GPA and SAT score to their average? I had good essays.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:

  • accepted: SDSU, U Washington (off waitlist), U Miami, U Hawaii ($76,000), U Oregon ($60,000), CU Boulder ($25,000), Ohio State ($54,000), Boston U (Sept 2021 as Guaranteed Transfer).
  • wl: UCSB, UCSC
  • rejected: U Florida, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UCLA, Case Western Reserve,
  • still waiting for: Tulane, USC, Duke, Maryland CP, Northeastern, Cal Poly SLO.