I was denied from UCD, UCB, UCLA, Cal Poly SLO, USC and waitlisted at UCSB.
My stats: 28 ACT, 1830 SAT, 3.83 UC GPA, reg ECs.
However, I left off that I was a member of the NASA INSPIRE OLC in my junior year, which took a significant amount of my time. I also left off some minor club memberships, and drastically underestimated the amount of time I volunteered (I put 5/5, when I really did 5/24). I left off P.E. 1 and 2, and Healthful Living on personal report, and since they do not take official transcripts until after acceptance, that probably wasn’t intelligent. Finally, I put Student Government as an extracurricular and not a class, but I was confused on what to do for that at the time. Is this information alone enough to submit?
If not, the site states: “Possible grounds for appeal include recent and significant information regarding personal circumstances which may have impacted your academic performance…” I dealt with the extreme circumstance of my stepmother attempting suicide in January, after the application however. I feel like this is exploitation, but I also feel like I have no other option, and will do almost anything (posting it online for everyone to see kind of proves that point.)
I also am not sure if this is the right place to post this thread, but I am new to this site and this forum seemed the most accurate.
If the extreme circumstances didn’t affect the application, they’re not something to justify an appeal. Further, it’s not the school’s fault you didn’t fill out the application properly.
Personally, I disagree with appeals entirely. You provided your information in the application, the admissions committees considered your application, and they made their decisions. Not agreeing with that decision does not mean that you should pester the admissions committees to reconsider their decisions. If it did, everyone who was rejected would appeal. Colleges accept as many as they think they can accept without ending up with more freshmen than they can handle. Appealing isn’t going to change their calculations.
Nothing you have listed sounds like grounds for a reasonable appeal to me.
I think that you could try to appeal based only upon the mistakes made on the application (although maybe you could come up with a better way of putting it than “mistakes”? haha); if your grades have risen at all during this marking period (which I know is unlikely, considering the circumstances), you could let them know that as well.
I’m so, so sorry to hear about your stepmother (although I’m glad that she survived, of course), and I hope your family is holding up okay. I don’t think that would help your appeal, though, because it didn’t affect your academic performance.
Did you apply to any other schools? I’m sure everything will work out okay.
I was accepted to Embry-Riddle, but I don’t like that all they offer is aeronautics (obvious). I figure what is there to lose with submitting the letter of appeal.
Wow. I have had significant traumatic events in my family this past year, and it never even crossed my mind to ‘‘exploit’’ them. I’m sorry your family went through that but it’s a bit tactless to use as an excuse, especially when it occurred in a time period that really has no effect on college admissions.
I’d say to just move on. There were an enormous amount of qualified UC applicants this year. Your appeal seems to only consist of very minor things. I guess you can give it a shot if it’ll give you peace of mind but don’t expect anything.
Don’t do it. I agree with Red Seven, nothing you can appeal. These circumstances didn’t affect your app.
I hate appeals. As a high school senior, I took great care in my application. Others should have done the same. There are plenty of students on the waitlists who need that attention.
I think I would use all the info and send it to your waitlist school. Maybe it might move you to an admit? Also state (if true) that you would definitely attend if selected.
Talk to your guidance counselor about mentioning your family issues…it <em>is</em> something that has affected you and possible affected your grades.