<p>First and foremost, I do not want to come off as arrogant in any way. I just want to clear up a few questions I have regarding UCLA admissions. I go to a pretty competitive high school and I applied for UCLA engineering with SAT 1960, 4.2 gpa, great essays, and weak ECs so I didn't really expect to get in. I was rejected but still it hurt because a LOT of my peers and friends got in, and they weren't even considering LA as their top. My friend from another HS is rank 1, all around very solid but got rejected from nursing (but I think she got wait listed). A LOT of her peers got into UCLA as well. What I'm trying to say is, I don't want to come off as condescending or better than anyone but...I am just wondering how heavily accounted for one's major is? The peers I know are alright academically and honestly I'm assuming below 1900 SAT, didn't do 5+ AP exams (the HS my friend goes to the students BARELY pass ap exams), and what not...I don't see how they got in? Are there easy majors to get into at UCLA? I'm just trying to fathom the situation. I also know someone who got into an Ivy league early through very subpar scores (1800 SAT, passed 4 ap exams but barely...etc I guess diversity is a huge advantage). Anyways, if I offended anyone through the process, I am really sorry. It's just a very eye-opening experience and I'm trying to grasp the process and learn from it so I can better understand my position. I'm not saying I deserve admission, but I am simply just trying to understand how people with stellar scores, what not don't get in but there are some that are really below average stats-wise that get in? Thanks!</p>
<p>its based a lot on your high school, for instance, i got a 2180 sat score and a 4.2 gpa but i got rejected, i was pretty ****ed but i didn’t expect to get in either (about 50-50 at best because i got an aditional supplemental questionnaire). my high school is one of the best public schools, so they compare you to them. My E.C were great and i won numerous state and national level awards, but i suppose that was just average compared to the rest of my school. They see how a student achieves based on the opportunities he gets. If you live in downtown Compton or South Central, they will accept you with a 1600 and 3.6 compared to Beverly Hills where you will need around 2100 and a 4.2.</p>
<p>Sadly, since the UC’s are public schools with no interviews, it really is a #'s game. And yes, majors DO matter at least for comparing the college of letters and sciences and the engineering school. Its harder to be accepted as an engineering major than lets say, a bio major. </p>
<p>You are always going to hear case examples of people like “1600 SAT, still accepted” or something along those lines, but the VAST majority of people have 2100+ 4.0+ gpa’s, etc. And while technically there isn’t affirmative action at UC’s, the # of URM have increased steadily since “holistic” admissions has been introduced, IMO not a coincidence. Just the way it is though (not going to argue good/bad thing).</p>
<p>Anyway, I’m sorry you didn’t get in but its not the end of the world. I have many friends who didn’t get into their dreams schools, but once they entered college, they forgot about it completely and settled in and became very happy where they are. For engineering anyway, graduate school/working after undergrad are way more important. </p>
<p>You should search the thread by “frijoles99”…its a great story of a student who didn’t get into UCLA, but worked hard to transfer here. I know it sounds premature, but trust me, a year from now you’ll have forgotten about UCLA and be having great time in college. Good luck</p>
<p>should have picked biochemistry as your major. im pretty sure u would get it if u did</p>
<p>I was hoping that if I didn’t get into engineering, that they would consider me for the other colleges but I guess not. It’s just difficult for me to grasp because my school is really competitive and there are ivy-bound people. I am in the same classes, etc I just wish I had the opportunity but yeah, I guess it wasn’t meant to be. I’m still bummed out, waiting on another acceptance to take away this pain lol</p>
<p>The average admitted UCLA student has a 2030 SAT. The average engineering student has a SAT a notch higher than that. Your GPA is also below the 4.38 GPA admitted average. UCLA was a bit of a reach for you. While you could ponder how your friends got in, realize that they are the exception. </p>
<p>Also, if your friends applied for Letters and Sciences, they would be roughly in the same appeal statwise as you. Admissions for engineering is a lot tougher. Engineers have much higher SATs than normal students.</p>
<p>I’d be happy for my friends’ good fortune, instead of bitter over my average luck.</p>
<p>The average GPA is a 4.38? Uhhh, how can that be? I had a 4.08 and was admitted OOS to Engineering.</p>
<p>^I was using last year’s stats. This year it fell to 4.36 but our SAT and unweighted GPA average rose.</p>
<p>[FAQ</a> - Denied Freshmen - UCLA Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/faq/FR_Not_Adm.htm]FAQ”>http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/faq/FR_Not_Adm.htm)</p>
<p>OOS may have helped you, If you are URM, first generation going to college, disadvantaged background, ELC…all of these factors receive extra points.</p>
<p>CAL and UCLA accept to college/major while UCSD accepts to school then major…not sure about the rest</p>
<p>wongtongtong – you were accepted based on your moniker here… they found it amusing. Or you got a highish SAT (2200+) or ACT (33+) which you didn’t mention! 
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<p>You’re a tricky one (or a trouble maker), aren’t you, omitting that critical stat for emphasis… You also failed to mentione that your 4.08, being out of state, does not include any +1 credit for UC approved Honors courses.</p>
<p>Well, I wasn’t trying to be a troublemaker, but yeah, I guess I forgot to mention that. I think a better way of stating my GPA would have been just saying I’m top 3-4% of my class.</p>
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<p>I got a 34 ACT (36,34,33,32,12E), 780 Chem, 800 Math 2, but I’m sure they won’t just admit me based on test scores…after all, I’ve heard that a high GPA is more important than scores to UCLA.</p>
<p>Haha sentiment, I guess you can say I’m bitter. As I previously stated, I was merely trying to understand the process and I repeatedly wrote that I didn’t mean to offend anyone in anyway, but I guess you missed that. My friends and I are of similar background, so it still leaves me wondering. At the end of the day, it’s just one college, thanks for the replies everyone!</p>
<p>Engineers have higher SAT scores?? …naw, most of us hate reading and writing. There are a few who can both write and do math, but most engineers hate writing.</p>
<p>I would guess that engineering students have higher English test scores than English students do math/science test scores. [I suppose this may be true only for some, I don’t know that the engineering pool isn’t adamant about their hatred of English.] So maybe that’s why they would generally have higher test scores? </p>
<p>It is indeed harder to get into UCLA as an engineering student, or as a nursing student for that matter. You should’ve looked into their admissions policy to see that they won’t accept you into a backup major if you’ve applied to a specific school (Engineering/Nursing,etc.) and don’t get in but are an otherwise qualified candidate.</p>
<p>I’m close to positive it matters when you are applying to majors in specific departments, ie School of Arts, School of Engineering, Nursing, etc.</p>