|
My daughter was recently admitted to UCLA for this coming fall. She had 630 reading, 760 math and a 700 in writing. Also a 4.3 weighted GPA. She had many friends who were 4.0+ who were not admitted. UCLA received 55,000 apps this year so it has become incredibly competitive. What set her apart, I think, was her essay (about leadership) and tons of ec's. She has always been extremly involved at her school, not to pad her applications, but because she genuinely enjoys being involved and making a difference. Some examples: Editor of yearbook, Junior class president, captain of the cheerleaders, student ambassador...lots of awards and community service and she has worked all through junior and senior year (although only about 10 hours per week during the school year).
Your grades and scores are good but you probably need to add some meaningful extra curriculars. Something you genuinely enjoy. It's better to have depth in one or two areas than to have 10 different things you just dabbled in. In the past UCLA might have been a match for you but now with things so competitive they are really looking for well rounded students who will contribute to the school community. So, go for it but just make sure you have 2-3 safety schools on your list that you would enjoy attending. Good luck to you.
|