I just got an email from Berkeley with information like thanks for applying to UC Berkeley, and we look forward to reading your application etc, but I don’t get invited to submit two letter of recommendations like other people, or they will send me another email for the letter of recommendations late on. I know only some people receive the request, but would that be a bad thing for not receive the request. Although I still can submit two recommendations without getting invited in my student portal. Last year, most of my friend (with 4.0 to 4.2gpa) received the request got into UC Berkeley, but for those average people with a 3.8 GPA without receiving the request got rejected. My stats similar to the 3.8 GPA guy but with a difficult family situation, would I still have a shot?
You definitely have a shot! Last year, my son didn’t receive an invitation to submit two letters of recommendation. He had a 3.82 unweighted and a 32 ACT. People at his school with a higher unweighted GPA or a higher ACT score received the invitation. My son was accepted off the waitlist and is currently a freshman at Cal. I believe there is a formula Cal uses: if your unweighted GPA and SAT/ACT score are above a certain level, you don’t receive an invitation for recommendations. It’s only the 'tweeners who receive the invite. Later, in December and January, some people who don’t fit in either of these categories may receive an invitation if one or more of the application readers like what they read in the application and want to know more about them. My son’s essays painted a very thorough picture of him, so I think further information wasn’t necessary, thus, why he didn’t receive an invitation. Good luck, and go Bears!