<p>I am confused as well. I was aware of their reputation for holistic approach when it comes to looking at applications but it was still somewhat disappointing .I am a poor, first-generation, 4.0 GPA, TAP member with work and volunteer experience, and still didn’t get in, if it’s any consolation. Maybe my essays just completely sucked, I chose not to write about hardships and things of that nature, that possibly? Meh, I regret nothing!</p>
<p>In any case, good luck to you FCrane. :)</p>
<p>PS @Zalrons Lol on the prop. 209 comment. Too bad it didn’t work for me. </p>
<p>@Fcrane yeah, I am for sure going to be attending. I would honestly appeal and include this information about the prerequisite. If you can, try and take it at another school online or something and present it as new evidence. Call them and politely ask an admissions officer why they think your application was rejected, could give you some more insight. </p>
<p>While I don’t completely disagree with you about the backdoor thing, what has always made me wonder about those who claim that UC Berkeley and UCLA are trying to circumvent the affirmative action ban is how they can be so certain.</p>
<p>I myself think those two UCs are trying to circumvent the ban on affirmative action, but since they don’t know the race of their applicants(unless, of course, they mention it on their personal statement or imply it in their ECs) and since the percentages of minorities at those schools is smaller than before the ban went into effect(Presumably. I could be wrong), it makes me wonder if the concern is somewhat overblown.</p>
<p>This is like my 3rd time asking but oh well. Is someone planning on making a transfer page on facebook? I know that it takes a couple of people to make a group on facebook so I can’t make one myself, but I thought it might be a good idea.</p>
<p>UC GPA: 4.0
Major GPA: 4.0
Major Pre-reqs Completed (Y/N): Y, by end of Spring.
Breadth Requirements Completed: Y, by end of Spring.
Intended Major: Psychology
TAG?: No
IGETC?: Yes
Essays: Cliche about hardships but interesting hook and twist to it.
Extracurriculars: (clubs, leadership, volunteer, work): A good amount. I’m a 1-year transfer so I included some high school involvement. I was Key Club President, now in Circle K, Future Teacher’s Club, NERD, Teacher’s Aide at a Middle School,</p>
<p>Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
State (if domestic applicant): CA
Ethnicity: Asian/Vietnamese
Gender: M
Estimated Family Contribution(EFC)/Income Bracket: EFC is 0
Attending Transfer Admit Day? (if admitted): Most likely.</p>
<p>@vivalavida14 I didn’t write about hardship either. Made more sense to talk about what I’ve accomplished and strive to accomplish rather than what I’ve had to deal with. It’s just who I am, struggle is everywhere and it’s never been something that I’ve thought of as a detriment or something that’s held me back. What I’ve accomplished is more of a detriment imo because it has the potential to make me complacent and satisfied. But I guess my opinion is opposite that of Cal admissions officers.</p>
<p>@CooCooCaChoo25 I might do that but I’d have to change the way I think, or have someone else write my appeal, lol, because my mindset is different from their’s. Congrats on your admission btw.</p>
<p>@cayton, I’m sure you’ve already seen this article but type in “lifting the veil on the holistic process at Berkeley” on google. It’s the best article I’ve seen online about this. </p>
<p>Ah, yes, I’ve seen that article. It was quite illuminating, but it didn’t prove to my satisfaction that race is secretly used as an admissions factor, even though I’m inclined to believe that it is. At this point, I prefer to call my belief that they secretly use affirmative action “speculation” and nothing more.</p>
<p>But their admissions process should be more transparent. As public schools, they have an obligation to the state of California to do that.</p>
<p>@fcrane , thanks a lot! I would for sure consider having someone look over an appeal for you… It can’t hurt, plus it sounds like it would be a huge pain in the butt to move out of San Fran if thats where you want to live.</p>
<p>@fcrane your words prove that Cal made the right decision. How a person accepts defeat is more telling than how he or she handles victory. Your comments are disturbing on a thread that is supposed to be supportive. </p>
<p>@FCrane I can understand your irritation, but I think you’re sort of missing the point. In a personal statement, what would you find more interesting and appealing, a guy who talked about how he was in a gang, did time in juvenile hall and then turned his life around, or guy who talked about how awesome he is? The greatest writer in the world couldn’t make that guy likable.</p>
<p>@CooCooCaChoo25 Moving isn’t the issue. Taking yourself out of your comfort zone is so important in self improvement. The issue is I have no idea what these people are thinking when they look at applications and what they really look for and every person I’ve asked seems to give me a different opinion. I could write to them about all the stuff that I’ve had to overcome but in the end, I still feel like I’m trying to speak Dutch to a Chinese person. I don’t even know who to have look over my appeal because following my counselor’s advice got me here.</p>
<p>@lindyk8 It’s also telling that when someone asks you to define yourself, that you define yourself based on your defeats. Regardless, you shouldn’t prefer one over the other. There are many good people who got rejected because they didn’t write about their shortcomings.</p>
<p>@bravozuluhello You find gang members more interesting to learn from and listen to than accomplished people? I’d rather listen to Seth Godin speak than a gang member. I’ve actually been around gang members for a good part of my life and they don’t do these life transformations you might believe they do. I’m not one for fiction.</p>
<p>@FCrane I think missing Calc 2 was the reason you got rejected. Assist mentions that “most transfer students complete 2 semesters of calculus prior to Berkeley, and take statistics during the first semester at Berkeley.” UC Berkeley is very strict about pre-requisite completion since Cal wants you to be able to proceed with the major in a timely manner. I think Calculus 2 is the pre-requisite of a upper division Economic class you would need to take in your first semester at Cal if you got admitted.</p>
<p>@LaysOriginal I believe you’re right. Though they do let you finish Major Pre-reqs during the summer so I could have taken Calc 2 over the summer if they allowed me to but I guess they didn’t.</p>
<p>I also didn’t write about my struggles in my PS so that’s probably more of a reason.</p>
<p>@FCrane That wasn’t a hypothetical ex-gang member, it’s an actual guy who posts here. And we’re not talking about who I’d prefer to “learn from and listen to,” we’re discussing what does and does not appeal to the people reading our personal statements. Forget about fiction. Think of it as a marketing problem.</p>
<p>@bravozuluhello Really? That’s pretty awesome that he turned his life around because I’ve seen too many people take that road as a kid and never recover.</p>
<p>UCB doesn’t have to market because they’re tuition rates are grossly over reasonable prices and are raised higher than the inflation rate, not to mention they have an overwhelming supply of applicants which is growing each year. but if I was forced to, I’d utilize the internet and it’s capabilities to offer admission to both rather than resort to this archaic “you’re in, you’re out”, “don’t question what we say” system. If I had to pick one, I would actually pick those who have enriched others’ lives and created opportunity for others along with themselves. My PS question would be, “Tell me about someone who has achieved something because of your help and what you have achieved and learned from that experience”. You learn the most when you have to teach it to someone else.</p>
<p>Education should be available to everyone and should be communal, imo.</p>
<p>but they feel differently and I disagree with it, and I stand by my opinion</p>