Current freshman at Cal here. The general consensus from last year was that the LOR requests were random, just like the supplemental information requests from other UCs were.
Both people with terrible stats w/no chance of getting in and people with near-perfect stats received LOR requests, not just “borderline” applicants. If you received the request then by all means you should submit them, but be aware that the requests do not indicate your likelihood of being accepted.
Requested
ACT: 31
GPA: 4.0 UW, 4.4 W
In-state
@Europa66 When did you submit your application? Did you apply as an engineering major?
@pac12bound submitted November 22 and didn’t apply as engineering major
Requested
ACT:35
GPA: 3.65 UW, 4.1 W
In-state
submitted on December 1
Requested
ACT: 35
GPA: 3.71 Weighted UC GPA, around 3.62 10-11 UW GPA
Out of state
Submitted Nov 28
I’m kinda baffled that I received a LOR request?
^^^It doesn’t mean you are in, but you aren’t out yet either. They like something, but probably concerned with lower gpa.
@blueskies2day Probably…I honestly thought my GPA was just gonna take me out of consideration totally.
No request:
SAT: 2300 (770 M, 800 CR, 730 W)
UC GPA: 4.5-ish? (not sure of exact because of community college courses)
UW GPA: 4.0 soph/junior, 3.9 overall
Major: Mechanical Engineering
In-state
A lot of people from my school got them a week-ish after submitting their apps, and I’m hoping that with my stats, the no rec letter thing is a good sign.
Request (about a week after submission)
SAT: 2190 (760 CR, 700 M, 730 W)
Subject Tests: 780 Lit, 710 Math II, 730 USH
UC GPA: 4.16 W (school doesn’t offer AP’s to underclassmen), 3.9 UW
AP Tests: 5 APUSH, 5 Lang, 3 Physics
EC’s: Varsity tennis captain, mock trial lead attorney, 2nd chair trumpet, volunteering
Major: Poli Sci
In state: Bay Area
Straight, middle-class, white male
Request (like 4 days back)(?)
ACT: 35
Subject Tests: 800 M2, 800 Physics
IB Predicted 45/45
Decent EC’s
Major: EECS
OOS Asian Male
No Request
In State; Applied EECS
4.0 UW; 4.65 W
SAT: 2380
SAT II Math: 800
SAT II Physics: 780
SAT II US History: 770
Good EC? (Siemens Semifinalist etc.)
requested
3.35 UC GPA
32 ACT
rip lol
Requested (6 days after submissions)
3.97-4.0 UW GPA; 4.23-4.33 W GPA (depends on whether they count my community college courses in their GPA calculations or not…one of the CC courses I took was my only B XD)
ACT: 32 (E: 35, M: 35, R: 30, S: 26, W: 25)
SAT: (New SAT-highest sitting) 1460 (EBRW: 700, M: 760, Essay: 20)
(New SAT-superscore) 1470 (EBRW: 700, M: 770, Essay: 21)
(Old SAT) 1820 (CR: 520, M: 710, W: 590) <-- took it in 10th grade
Good EC’s: Math Club/Honor Society (Vice President), UIL Academics (Regionals Qualifier), Computer Science Club (President), Track & Field (District Finalist), STEM Academy Ambassador (leadership position itself)
(I mentioned in my additional comments that I am also involved in DECA and FBLA)
100+ Hours of Community Service (I mentioned in my additional comments that my school recorded 112.25 hours of community services from 9th-11th grade)
Good Awards: AP Scholar with Distinction, National Merit Commended, UIL Regionals Qualifier, NSHSS (Ambassador), Track & Field District Finalist
Major: EECS + Business Administration (MET program)
Out-of-state (Texas, but was born in California, but that doesn’t help 
)
Asian Female (though UC doesn’t look at the Asian part, but female does help me a bit, because of my major)
I probably got requested for 3 reasons: (1) Out-of-state applicant (2) My major (3) Test scores (overall they would be above average (my ACT and New SAT scores), but since I’m an out-of-state applicant, that’s a different story).
Correction:
4.23-4.33 Capped GPA
4.74-5.00 Weighed GPA
Oops…I realized I typed in my capped GPA range for my weighed GPA range initially…my bad. 