Decision: Rejected
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Mechanical Engineering
UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.27
SAT (total and sections): 1490 (Math: 800, English: 690)
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math 2: 790, Physics: 730
State (if domestic applicant): California
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: SDSU, UCSD
Rejected: SJSU (appealing decision)
Comment: Was invited to apply for the alumni scholarship.
Rejected OOS female.
Merit scholarships awarded (if any): invited to apply for alumni scholarship
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: undeclared social sciences
Academic stats:
Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.91
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.38
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.38
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): 18/500, top 5%
Comments about course load (including senior year): 6 AP classes as a senior, 13 AP classes overall, I took as many as I could fit into my schedule
SAT (total and sections): 1330
ACT (total and sections): 29 w writing (32 w/o writing)
SAT Subject Tests (if any): N/A
AP exams (scores in parentheses): AP CSP (3), AP Euro (3), APUSH (4), AP Lang (4)
For the following, indicate the level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles: Academic All-State (x6), Scholar-Athlete (x7), Zonta Student of the Month (local), AP Scholar (national), Homecoming Dance Chair (stuco), Grant Committee Chair (environmental club), Communications Chair (environmental club)
Extracurriculars: varsity cross country, varsity track, environmental club, National Honor Society, student council, FBLA
Job/Work Experience: lab assistant at a local university for a summer
Volunteer/Community service: read to children at the library (38 hours), student council volunteering (60ish hours)
Summer Activities: volunteering, offseason training
Personal insight essay topics: 2 (reselling clothes business), 5 (speech impediment and bullying), 6 (coming from a multicultural, polyglot background), 8 (my dedication)
Demographics
State (if domestic applicant): MO
High school type: Public
Gender: Female
Race/ethnicity: Mixed (white and Asian)
Applied for financial aid? Yes
Highest level of parent education: Masters
Living with both, one, or no parents?: Both
Reflection
Strengths: lots of extracurriculars and AP classes
Weaknesses: I only took the ACT with writing once, which was also my first time taking the ACT at all. I improved my score, but it was without writing.
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: My stats weren’t great, and I wrote my essays really quickly. I think they weren’t in-depth enough.
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted- LUC, MO S&T, WJC
Waitlisted- Washington and Lee
Waiting: Brown, Princeton, UW Madison, USC, Vanderbilt, NYU, Northeastern, UC Berkeley
General Comments: rip 
Admitted!
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Environmental Science
Academic stats:
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.83
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.17
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.5
Eligibility in Local Context?: Yes
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): School doesn’t rank
Comments about course load (including senior year):
AP Human Geography
AP English Literature
AP Environmental Science
AP Macroeconomics/ AP U.S. Government
SAT (total and sections):
1560
R&W - 800
M - 760
ACT (total and sections): N/A
SAT Subject Tests (if any):
Bio (Molecular) - 800
Chem - 730
Math II - 720
AP exams (scores in parentheses):
Bio (5), Chem (5), World (5), Calc BC (5), Statistics (5), English Lang (5), Spanish IV (5)
IB exams (score in parentheses): N/A
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): FBLA State winner 2nd place and 4th place (idk if this counts)
[ab]Subjective:[a/b]
Extracurriculars:
Job/Work Experience: paid internship at the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Volunteer/Community service: Volunteer at Memory Care Center, Volunteer at California Academy of Sciences, started an organization w/ a friend that was dedicated to diversity in STEM, TEDx student organizer, taekwondo 1st degree black belt
Essays (topics, details): Probably an 8/10. People said they were good and the topics were pretty unique.
[ab]Demographics[a/b]
State (if domestic applicant): CA
High school type: Big, competitive high school
Gender: F
Applied for financial aid?: No
Highest level of parent education: Masters
[ab]Reflection[a/b]
Strengths: My essays were probably my biggest strength. I didn’t spend a lot of time on them (I literally wrote them they day the UC app was due rip), but they were true to my character. I talked about the things that fascinated me and really set me apart, even if they weren’t the most traditionally “impressive” things about me. Also, my major probably isn’t as competitive as others, so that definitely plays a role.
Weaknesses: I definitely thought my GPA was a huge weakness. I also think my extracurriculars could have been a weakness: I truly enjoyed participating in them, but on paper, they weren’t as impressive compared to others.
Accepted: Wash U, UCSD, UCSB, UCI, UCD, UCSC, SDSU, Duke Kunshan University
Waitlisted: Georgetown, Barnard
Rejected: JHU
General Comments: The amount of time I spent on this site is insane, especially reading the decision thread for the UCLA class of 2023. To anyone reading this, please don’t let this consume you. The college admissions process is terrible - you’re pouring your heart out, only for huge decisions to be made by people you will never know in a process that you are largely shut out from. It can be pretty devastating. Don’t let this define you or deter you - if you work hard with a goal in mind, you will get where you need to be. This isn’t the end.
Also, admissions officers (mostly) know what they’re doing. I got waitlisted and rejected at a few schools and when I thought about it more, I probably wouldn’t have been happy there anyway.
Good luck to everyone and congrats to those who got in!
Decision: Rejected
Film and Television Production
Unweighted GPA: 3.97
Weighted GPA: 4.4
SAT : 1310 R/W: 680 M: 630
AP exams : APUSH, AP Comp, AP German, AP Psych, AP Econ
Numerous awards, accolades, work experience, and community service relating to film.
Essays: Strong essays and supplemental application writing samples.
In State White Male
Accepted: Emerson, UT Austin, Chapman, LMU, CSULB, SDSU
Decision: Admitted
Merit scholarships awarded (if any):no
Major (and division if applicable) applied to:
NEUROSCIENCE
Academic stats:
Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.85
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.11
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.49
ELC (top 9%): yessir
Comments about course load (including senior year):
SAT (total and sections): did not submit because 
ACT (total and sections): 32C: 34 E 32 M 31 R 30 S
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math 2: 800 Biology M: 710 Chemistry: 720
AP exams (scores in parentheses): 3 in AP Bio, Lang, and World History, 4 in Chem, 2 in Calc (LOL)
IB exams (score in parentheses): no
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): none
Subjective:
For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Section Leader, Varsity Marching Band; Section Leader, Concert Band; Varsity Track & Field; Captain/Founder, Science Olympiad; Ambassador of e-STEM academy program; Science and Engineering Research Project Mentor; United Sound Member (teach special education how to play); Principal Advisory Committee Member (handful of people chosen by principal to discuss how we can make the school a better place);HOSA Member: listed LIFE Health Internship that I planned to do this school year
Job/Work Experience: NONE, cause school itself was my job
Volunteer/Community service: Kaiser Permanente Hospital Volunteering (130+ hours)
Summer Activities: Kaiser Volunteering, Band Camp (which I didn’t talk about), took an English college course, sectional rehearsals, etc.
Personal Insight essays (details):
In the leadership essay talked about my leadership experience as a section leader what I gained from it as well as how this was applicable to wanting to study brain science. Another essay (educational opportunity) talked about my experience in my school’s e-STEM program in which catered to my interest in the medical field more and allowed me to do a research project. In the talent essay, I talked about my ability to communicate with other people how it’s allowed to build relationship with a variety of people from my school. I also related that to how it’s allowed to gain leadership positions and volunteer positions and stuff like that while adding a bit more of how it related neuroscience, psychology, and how we think and all that. In my last essay(passion), I talked about my absolute passion for neurobiology and I even gave it a theme around different brain concepts I was interested in. overall, that’s pretty much it. I felt my essays arched over the different themes in my life but they all tied into what I wanted to study somehow. So perhaps this is a good strategy
Letters of recommendation/Augmented Review: didn’t receive a request for this?
Demographics
State (if domestic applicant): IN-STATE SOCAL
Country (if international applicant): USA
High school type: Public (near 5000 students)
Gender: Male
Race: African-American
Applied for need-based financial aid?: yes
Highest level of parent education: 2 yr or associate degree (only one of em)
Living with both, one, or no parents?: both
Reflection
Strengths: my essays? Counselors said they were pretty solid. My ECs were also pretty good and I think that both of these combined carried my app
Weaknesses: MY STATS LOL, unweighted and capped were below 25th so them essays and ecs had to be good
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Well-rounded applicant pretty much
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: rejected to Stanford, accepted into ucsb (chancellor notice), cal poly slo, and fullerto, uc davis waiting to hear from USC AND UC BERKELEY
General Comments:
HYPE AS HELL! spend time on essays!hoping for alumni scholarship and hoping for usc!
[asize=4][acolor=#008000]Decision: Admitted[/color][/size]
Merit scholarships awarded (if any): $25,000 overall in academic and artistic merit
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Theater in the School of Theater, Film, and Television
[ab]Academic stats:[a/b]
Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.69
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 3.87
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.04
Eligibility in Local Context?: Don’t know exactly what this means.
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): 70/750
Comments about course load (including senior year): 4 APs
SAT (total and sections): 1510 Composite, 780 Verbal, 710 Math
ACT (total and sections): 36 Composite, 36 Math, 35 Science, 36 Reading, 35 Writing
SAT Subject Tests (if any):
AP exams (scores in parentheses): Human Geo (5), World History (5), Calc AB (4), Lang (4), Physics 1 (4), Physics 2 (3), Calc BC/AB Subscore (5/5), US History (4)
IB exams (score in parentheses):
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
[ab]Subjective:[a/b]
For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Overwhelmingly Theater, ranked International Thespian
Job/Work Experience: n/a
Volunteer/Community service: Animal Rescue Volunteering, Voter Registration
Summer Activities: UCLA Theater Summer Intensive 2017, USC Summer Programs 2018, NYU Tisch Summer High School 2019
Essays (topics, details):
[ab]Demographics[a/b]
State (if domestic applicant): Nevada
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Very Large Public (nearly 4000 students)
Gender: Male
Applied for financial aid?: Yes
Highest level of parent education: MBA (Mother), Juris Doctorate (Father)
Living with both, one, or no parents?: Both
Income bracket: $500,000+
[ab]Reflection[a/b]
Strengths: Multiple summer programs, very high test scores
Weaknesses: Not personal, but audition-based programs are highly competitive. TFT has an acceptance rate of around 4.5%
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Strong audition, experience with the admissions faculty for theatre.
Accepted
OOS/Female/Asian
ACT 35
SAT Subject Math II 790 Bio (M) 780
3 varsity sports, 2x Captain
Lots of ECs, 2x President
500+ hours community service
Accepted - UCSB, UCSD, UCLA, Boston College, Georgetown
Wait List - Pomona, Swarthmore
Still Waiting - Yale, UCB, Dartmouth
Rejected - None
D- Admitted
Undeclared Social Science
GPA 4.33
SAT 1250
ELC
AP English, APUSH, AP Chem AP Gov APEuro AP HUG
Female
White
Cali native
Was given augmented review, I think her responses to the prompts for additional information sealed her admission.
GPA was great, Essays were amazing, SAT was average however she had just been in a head on collision and tested with broken bones and a concussion. I think the supplementals were because she mentioned it in “other information”
Was given augmented review, supplemental and I think her responses to questions asked sealed it for her
EC- 14 years competitive figure skating
2 time National champion crowdleading - flyer
Tutor
babysitter
Works for large retail company
Not too much time for other activities
Admitted to UC Davis, Loyola Marymount , Chapman,
Rejected UCSD
Waitlist UCSB
Awaiting UCB, Northwestern, U Wisconsin Madison
100% attending UCLA . It’s been her 1st choice all her life
Decision: Admitted
Merit scholarships awarded (if any): Invited/applied for Regents +alumni, haven’t heard back
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: L&S
Academic stats:
UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.29
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.43
Eligibility in Local Context?: Ya
Comments about course load (including senior year): Hardest available, took courses at CC also
SAT (total and sections): 1600, first go, soph. year
ACT (total and sections): N/A
SAT Subject Tests (if any): 800 Math II/Chem, 770 Bio (all first go)
AP exams (scores in parentheses):
IB exams (score in parentheses):
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): NMS Finalist, nationally ranked in a sport
Subjective:
For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: My sport (national), started two clubs, pretty musical also
Job/Work Experience: Childcare since 9th grade, summer work
Volunteer/Community service: 2 hr/wk since junior year
Summer Activities: Worked 25 hrs/wk, did some academic programs
Essays (topics, details): Idk, 8-9/10? Straightforward, clear, I felt like they were decent ig? My counselor liked them.
Demographics
State (if domestic applicant): CA
Applied for financial aid?: N
Reflection
Strengths: Test scores/GPA
Weaknesses: Volunteer work ig?
Accepted: MIT, Barnard, all other UCs, WashU
Waitlisted: Pomona
Rejected: JHU
Waiting: Ivies lol
**General Comments: **
Um idk. I guess just do what you like and it’ll work out? I was told by a lot of people to volunteer outside of my school and try to compete academically. I didn’t want to, so I didn’t, and college stuff has gone very well for me so far. I think the colleges sense in my essays that everything I do, I do because I love it. Idk I think it’s super important to enjoy high school so you can look back on it as a time of growth and happiness, not a forever grind to get into college. Even if you don’t get into your top college, it’ll work out and you definitely don’t wanna have any regrets.
Other note that I think is worth including: I know my test scores/GPA are really good. You don’t have to strive for perfection to get into any of these schools. Really. I was shooting for 1500+ and 700+, and I happen to test really well so I exceeded that goal. I think if I had been striving for perfection, I would have had more nerves and I wouldn’t have been able to get the scores I did.
Decision: Waitlisted
Physics
OOS Asian Male (CT)
UC GPA: 3.55 UW, 4.2 W
1380 sat w/essay (1460 w/o)
Calc AP Exam AB (4), only 1 AP
State, National, and International Music recognition in voice and piano
worked and volunteered at Mathnasium
Staged school protest against vaping, drugging and stealing to re-open our school’s weight room
Decent High School with not-so-decent GPA weighting and no ranking but had the opportunity to take any class on the UConn campus (didn’t do)
FinAid applied, <$100,000/yr bracket
Had deadly asthma for 7 years.
Essay: work experience, piano experience, my protest, interest in quantum field interaction within human emotions.
Reflection:
Strengths: Music and personality (good vibes) shown through all the way
Weaknesses: GPA and SAT for sure
Speechless, given that only 5% of applicants get on the waitlist
hope to speak y’all waitlistees into existence #UCLA 2024
Thankful for opportunity, thank you UCLA admissions, and good luck to y’all!
Decision: Admitted
Merit scholarships awarded (if any):
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Neuroscience!!
Academic stats:
Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.3??? idk
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.12 i think idk if i did this right–
Eligibility in Local Context?: what is that
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): n/a our school doesn’t do that lol
Comments about course load (including senior year): it was actually a bit easier than my last few years and i was just trying to get the last bits of my credits
SAT (total and sections): 1530, 780 CRW, 750 M, 6-4-6 essay
ACT (total and sections): n/a
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math lvl1 710, Literature 720, Biology M 670
AP exams (scores in parentheses): World History (5), Biology (3), US History (4), AB Calc (5), I’ll be taking psychology, English Lit, BC Calc, and Spanish Lang later in the year
IB exams (score in parentheses): n/a
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): i, i dont think i have any? umm harvard book award, AMC second place in school, AP Scholar with honor, Symphonic Band Director’s Award, 12th place Alpha Chalk Talk but idk if these are really “”““major””“”
Subjective:
For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: 3 sport-athlete for 3yrs, NHS, Mu Alpha Theta, Symphonic Band
Job/Work Experience: i tutor sometimes
Volunteer/Community service: tutoring
Summer Activities: biomedical research course, neuroscience&psychology program at harvard med, national convention for mu alpha theta, program targeted towards getting girls into STEM
Essays (topics, details): my fanfictions and how it made me love neuroscience (dont…dont judge me on this), how math is an integral part of my heritage, my never-give-up kind of attitude despite my lack of actual talents or skills lmao, my hope that majoring in neuroscience will help me to better the mental health and mental health awareness in poc communities
Demographics
State (if domestic applicant): OOS, WA
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Public
Gender: Female
Applied for financial aid?: Yes
Highest level of parent education: Bachelor’s
Living with both, one, or no parents?: Both
Income bracket: Lower middle class
Reflection
Strengths: definitely my essays lol i was thinking about them a couple of days ago and i was just like “wow they really dont suck huh” maybe my stats too
Weaknesses: extracurriculars and maybe coursework??
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: i guess im likable enough??? idk
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UW-Seattle, WSU
Waitlisted: none yet
Rejected: none yet
**General Comments: **
oh boy!! like im 3 for 3 rn, and im super stoked about that but i already got deferred once from harvard so idk how long thats gonna last lol UMMMM im super honored and i realize how fortunate i am to have gotten in. if i go, ill make sure to make you all proud!! to everyone that didn’t get in, im sorry. youre all amazing ppl, and i hope you find the place thats going to be your destined destination. stay safe, stay healthy, and good luck!!
Merit scholarships awarded (if any): invite to apply to regent and alumni scholarship
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Biology
UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.23
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.83
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): top 1% of 440
Comments about course load (including senior year): heavy AP courses
SAT (total and sections): 1430
ACT (total and sections): didn’t submit
SAT Subject Tests (if any): None
AP exams (scores in parentheses): AP Enviro (5), AP Bio (3), AP Lang (4), AP World (4), APUSH (5)
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): none
[ab]Subjective:[a/b]
For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Essays (topics, details): yearbook editor my junior year, tree planting community service project, lab internship/interest in science, intern for a STEM academy
State (if domestic applicant): CA
High school type: public
Strengths: GPA and involvement
Weaknesses: sat score
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: extracurriculars and personality through essays
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: SDSU, UCI, UCSB, UCSD
Waitlisted: None
Rejected: None
Waiting: Cal
ACCEPTED! UCLA is my dream school so I am over the moon!
Major: Environmental Science
BACKGROUND:
STATS:
4.51 W GPA/3.9 UW
Class rank not reported at my school
ACT: 35
English: 36
Reading: 36
Math: 33
Science: 35
Writing: 9
PSAT: 1460 (NMSQT Commended Student, National Hispanic Recognition Program)
Reading: 720
Math: 740
APs: will have taken 10 by graduation
AP European History: 3
AP Spanish Language: 5
AP Environmental Science: 4
AP English Language: 5
AP Chemistry: 4
AP US History: 4
Currently taking: AP Calculus AB, AP US Government, AP Biology, AP Literature
Service:
around 100 service hours working at a children’s center of a hospital
Extracurriculars:
Frosh, soph, junior class president
Student Body President
Robotics team co-captain (junior year)
Robotics team captain (senior year)
Ambassador for school
Volunteer at local children’s medical center
Founder of blog
Published author
Harvard Model Congress
Piano player for 10 years
Rotary International Youth Leadership Award
National Honor Society
Leadership Camp Counselor
LINK leader
Awards:
National Hispanic Recognition Program
NMSQT Commended Student
Achievement in Science Award from school
State-level piano award (MTAC Certificate of Merit)
AP Scholar with Distinction
California Scholarship federation
Southwestern Youth Music Festival winner
I also took an engineering course at my local CC.
Essay: 9.5/10 or 10/10; I had been working on it for five months and felt that it truly reflected who I am and what I stand for.
Recommender:
Teacher #1: 9/10
Teacher #2: 10/10
College Counselor: 9/10; it might be important to note that he was my AP Spanish teacher, which might have helped.
Accepted: UC Davis, UC Irvine (Regent’s Scholar and CHP), UCSD (Regent’s Scholar), Fordham (Full ride), LMU (Half Tuition), Pepperdine (Pepperdine Achievement Scholarship), CSULB, CP Pomona, Boston College
Waitlisted: None
Rejected: None
Waiting to hear from: Stanford, USC
ACCEPTED!!!
Merit scholarships awarded (if any): None… yet lol!
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Theatre Arts (Integrated Studies)
[ab]Academic stats:[a/b]
Calculate your GPAs with
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.94
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.19
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.19
Eligibility in Local Context?: Yes
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): 16/621
Comments about course load (including senior year): 11 AP Courses taken. No TA or Unscheduled
SAT (total and sections): 1310 ( 690 Math and 620 Reading)
ACT (total and sections): 30 Comp (31 Math 32 English 29 Science 28 Reading 10 Essay)
SAT Subject Tests (if any): None
AP exams (scores in parentheses): Art History (4), World (4), Music (4), English 3 (3), Biology (3)
IB exams (score in parentheses):
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Hispanic Scholar
[ab]Subjective:[a/b]
For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Theatre (President, Treasurer, Costume Manager), Link Crew (Member), Choir (4 years),
Job/Work Experience: Chipotle Crew and Private voice and acting lessons
Volunteer/Community service: Nonprofit Theatre company (Board of Directors), Pathwater ambassador
Summer Activities: Teaching 2-week musical theatre camp
Essays (topics, details): -Theatre and aspirations -Leadership skills -Greatest skills
[ab]Demographics[a/b]
State (if domestic applicant): California
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Public
Gender: Male (He/Him/His)
Applied for financial aid?: Yes
Highest level of parent education: Associates
Living with both, one, or no parents?: One
Income bracket: 80,00-100,000
[ab]Reflection[a/b]
Strengths: Ability to lead
Weaknesses: Standardized testing
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Personal Insight Questions and Interview
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UCSB, UCSD, UCI, Loyola Chicago, GCU, CSULB, CSUF
Waitlisted: TBD
Rejected: University of Chicago
Accepted Hispanic Male In-State
L&S Pre Business Economics
1330 SAT, 21 Essay
UC Fully Weighted: 4.63
UC Capped Weighted: 4.21
UC Unweighted: 3.88
Regular Unweighted: 3.87
Regular Weighted: 4.404
8 APs
unique extracurriculars including jobs & 700+ community service hours since 9th grade, mostly during summers.
comments: essays were passionate; I think writing is a strong suit of mine and I stayed away from sob stories because I’d rather get rejected based off merit. Upwards trend after 9th. To the HS class of 2021 and beyond reading this, there is always a chance just work hard & take your standardized tests earlier than December lol!
Decision: Rejected
Merit scholarships awarded (if any): N/A
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Civil Engineering
Academic stats:
Calculate your GPAs with https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UC Unweighted GPA: Dunno the UC so 3.9
UC Capped Weighted GPA:
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.6
Eligibility in Local Context?: Yes
5 Bs, 2 honors precalc, 1 AP Euro, 1 AP Spanish / all the rest As
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): N/A
Comments about course load (including senior year): 10 APs total // SENIOR YEAR: 5 APs, AP Calc BC, AP Chemistry, AP Lang, AP Gov, AP Spanish // JUNIOR YEAR: 4 APs, AP Calc AB (4), AP Physics (3), APUSH (3), AP Lit (2) // SOPHOMORE YEAR: 1 AP, AP Euro
SAT (total and sections): N/A
ACT (total and sections): 32 COMPOSITE: 34 ENG, 30 MATH, 35 READING, 30 SCIENCE
SAT Subject Tests (if any): N/A
AP exams (scores in parentheses): reported in “comments about course load”
IB exams (score in parentheses): N/A
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): N/A
Subjective:
For the following, indicate level of recognition or award (e.g. local, state, national, international) and/or leadership roles:
Extracurriculars: Varsity and Club Soccer, Co-captain Math Team, Civil Engineer Shadow In Irvine, Math and Physics Tutor, Junior Lifeguards, Knights of Columbus (basically volunteer work for my local church)
Job/Work Experience: N/A
Volunteer/Community service:
Summer Activities: maximizing my chances of getting skin cancer by never putting on sunscreen when going to the beach, self-learning guitar, Shadowing a civil engineer, soccer camps
Essays (topics, details):
leadership in soccer, (captain of my club team)
how I love to learn
learning guitar and how I grew as a person from that experience
talked about my shortsighted expectations and how I made myself work harder
Demographics
State (if domestic applicant): California
Country (if international applicant):
High school type: Private
Gender: Male (Asian)
Applied for financial aid?: Yes
Highest level of parent education: Bachelors
Living with both, one, or no parents?: Divorced Parents
Income bracket: N/A
Reflection
Strengths:
Weaknesses: I started my essays about 3 weeks before; they weren’t terrible but they could have been stronger if I game myself more time :
Why you think you were rejected:
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Accepted: UCSD, UCD
Waitlisted: SLO
Rejected: UCSB
waiting on Berkeley and USC
**General Comments: **
Congrats to all who got in. Ngl i was hurt at first but it eez what it eez
Admitted!
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Pre-Human Biology and Society
Academic stats:
UC Unweighted GPA: 4.0
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.36
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.61
Eligibility in Local Context?: Yes
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): 1
Comments about course load (including senior year):
Senior Year Courses
AP Calculus BC
AP Music Theory
AP English Literature
AP Physics C E/M
AP Macroeconomics/ AP U.S. Government
SAT (total and sections):
1520
R&W - 750
M - 770
ACT (total and sections): N/A
SAT Subject Tests (if any):
Bio (Molecular) - 770
Math II - 750
AP exams (scores in parentheses):
Biology (5), World History (5), Calc AB (5), US History (5), English Lang (4), Physics 1 (4)
IB exams (score in parentheses): N/A
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
Extracurriculars:
Job/Work Experience: N/A
Volunteer/Community service: Founder of Biology Club, Co-Founder of Film Club, Treasurer of National Honor Society, Cambridge Institute, Senior Patrol Leader of Boy Scout Troop
Essays (topics, details): 6/10. Two of my PIQs were fantastic (in terms of incorporating reflection and showing my personality), one of them was purely funny and lighthearted, and one of them was very generic
[ab]Demographics[a/b]
State (if domestic applicant): CA
High school type: Big, competitive public high school
Gender: M
Applied for financial aid?: No
Highest level of parent education: Bachelors
Strengths: I think my stats were the strongest part of my application. I mean, I still did very well as a high school biologist in competitions, and I demonstrated leadership in establishing and leading clubs. Ultimately, my application showed focus in one particular area that I really loved: biology. I think admissions officers most appreciate students who pursue what they love most.
Weaknesses: My volunteering and work experience, as well as my lack of athletic commitment. I definitely could’ve done more during my high school career. I don’t regret my decision, though, because sacrificing those extra activities allowed me to focus on bolstering my stats.
Accepted: UCSD, UCSB, UCI, Chapman, CSUF, CSULB
Waitlisted: N/A
Rejected: N/A
General Comments: Do what you love to do. Work hard at what you love to do. Your happiness and life satisfaction is most important, and admissions officers like to see someone who’s actually committing their time and effort to something that they love to do rather than join a bunch of “prestigious” or “attractive” things just to appeal to the officers. Once you figure out what you love to do, work hard at it, and when the time comes for you to work on your application, make your personality and passion known and clearly visible to the admissions offices.
I wish you all the best of luck! To those that got in, I’m so happy for you all! For those whose dream school is UCLA, I know how you feel about the acceptances! Truly life-changing. This has been one of the greatest days of my entire life.
Decision: Admitted
Merit scholarships awarded (if any): nope lol
Major (and division if applicable) applied to: Civil Engineering (first choice)
Academic stats:
Unweighted GPA: 3.96
Weighted GPA: 4.26
Weighted and Capped GPA: 4.13
Eligibility in Local Context?: Yes
Rank, percentile rank, or percentile range (if available): 6/491
Comments about course load (including senior year): took the most demanding classes possible (IB), 1 AP sophomore year, 4 IB + 3 AP junior year, 6 IB senior year
SAT (total, Eng+Math): 1460, 690+770
PSAT (total, Eng+Math): 1450, 700+750 (national commended)
ACT (total, Read+Eng+Math+Sci): 32, 25+35+35+34
SAT Subject Tests (if any): Chinese, 800; Bio Molecular, 710; Math II, 800; Physics, 740
AP exams (scores in parentheses): Chinese (5); Calc AB (5); Comp Sci A (5); European History (5); US History (5)
IB exams (score in parentheses): Bio SL (6); Predicted 39/45
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Commended; AP Scholar with Distinction
Subjective:
Extracurriculars: Key Club, Badminton Club President, IBA Vice President, NHS, CSF, Art Club, Senate Student Advisory Council, Track and Field Var(1 yr), Badminton Var(1 yr)
Job/Work Experience: tutor
Volunteer/Community service: local parade committee
Demographics
Asian, female, in state
High school type: suburban high school, not that competitive
Applied for financial aid?: Yes
Highest level of parent education: Some College
Living with both, one, or no parents?: One
Income bracket: low income
Reflection
College decisions are very unpredictable so I honestly do not know my strengths. But weakness is definitely my low SAT and GPA :,)
I applied to engineering majors for all my schools.
Accepted:
Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach, Cal Poly Pomona
University of San Francisco
UCR chancellor’s, UCI, UCSB chancellor’s, UC Davis, UCSD undeclared Marshall
Waitlisted: Cal Poly SLO, Harvey Mudd
Rejected: none
**General Comments: **
I think the vibe you give off from the application is essential. Colleges care more about whether you are compatible with their atmosphere of learning than if you are qualified statistically through numbers and lists of achievements. Colleges may be unpredictable, but they have their reasons. I have no idea why SD didn’t bother to give me engineering majors while LA just gave me my first choice, but that’s okay because in the end, what you put into life is what you get out of it!
@melodiousdeck “ SAT Subject Tests (if any): Math lvl1 710, Literature 720, Biology M 670”
This was actually math lvl2 and I don’t think this is really important enough to note I just don’t want to be called out on it later lmao
Decision: Waitlisted - Bioengineering
International female
SAT (with essay): 1530, Essay: 22
SAT composite: 1560
SAT II: Math - 800, BioE - 740
GPA (I take the IB - 7 is the highest grade): Predicted 42/45 with extra subject (HL Physics) 7