<p>Hello everyone - any feedback is kindly appreciated!</p>
<p>From: CCC
To: Cal (Rhetoric), USC, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB (all Philosophy)
GPA: 3.75 transferable, 3.63 non-transferable
Work: 34-36 hrs/week @ USC Dept. of Ophthalmology (tough job)
ECs: None - no time 
Male Hispanic, EFC = 0 @ CCC (whatever that counts for)</p>
<p>Chance on above mentioned schools? Thanks!</p>
<p>Do you need the job for sustenance, or is it simply a “pocket-money” job?</p>
<p>Oh, I see your EFC is 0, that answers my question.</p>
<p>I would mention in your essay how your job was requisite if you were to sustain yourself financially (assuming it’s true); and while I would not blame, blatantly, any short-comings upon your job, I would imply that the responsibilities of the job may have taken away time that would have otherwise been used for studying.</p>
<p>Since Rhetoric is not in the social science department, the spots needing to be filled are greater than the average, making admission to UCB a bit easier than the average may suggest.</p>
<p>For the reasons above, I would assume you would be accepted at all the UCs (not sure on USC, as I’m not familiar with their admission policies).</p>
<p>One final note: if you are applying this fall, you can still increase your GPA, as the Fall 08 semester is included in the UC application (an update is asked of you in January); and, assuming you can earn a 4.0 in the Fall, I think you are almost a ‘sure-shot’ candidate for UCB (given the upward trend, and a general increase in GPA above the magic 3.8 number).</p>
<p>Thanks for the feedback! Yes the job is for sustenance. I’m a bit disconcerted at the fact that these schools (as far as I am concerned) don’t really weigh recommendation letters. I work more in the academic side on the Department, mostly proofreading grant and publication research submissions. I can get a couple of rec letters from some professors.</p>
<p>I just think that the whole GPA-req criterion are too formulaic. 
</p>
<p>And I agree - I am going to try and take less hours at work and am going to settle for nothing less than straight As this coming semester.</p>
<p>Thanks again!</p>
<p>you’re fine, still have one more semester that counts towards your GPA in fall, don’t screw that up.</p>