Not to give folks unnecessary hope or angst, but 1,400 students were admitted off the waitlist last year according to the most recent CDS. Seems UCLA’s yield algorithms are off and maybe they need to admit more initially. Hope that happened this year?!?!?
https://apb.ucla.edu/file/adc17998-724b-4ab0-a4d3-05b572fa1905
See page 17
Previous year’s waitlist data is posted here and it will vary from year to year.
https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/ucla-freshman-class-of-2028-waitlist-appeals-discussion/
With high rigor of courses and 3.9+ unweighted and other ECs?
Each UC campus emphasize the requirements that all the UCs focus on differently. It’s not uncommon to be WL or rejected from UCLA but get into Cal. My son went thru this. They want their cohort to be unique and what they look for in building their community changes every year from campus to campus.
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We also got in the same major. Congrats!
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S24 got acceptances from UCLA and UCSD yesterday, He also got UCI few days ago. We are so elated. Awaiting UCB, Carnegie and Ivys.
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Just a Chinese kid who wants to study computer engineering. Anything to avoid being “boring.”
D24 ACCEPTED!!
Major: Neuroscience
UC Unweighted GPA: 3.95
UC Capped Weighted GPA: 4.3
UC Fully Weighted GPA: 4.7
ELC (top 9% CA HS): yes
Comments about course load (including senior year):
Number of a-g courses: 35
Number of UC Approved Honors courses: 18
AP Courses/exams : 10 total, 5 tests so far (scores 5,5,4,4,4)
SUBJECTIVE::
Extracurriculars: 4 Years Varsity Track
Volunteer/Community service: Bio tutoring, National recognition for STEM education project
Summer Activities: Research in major related lab + major related program Soph & Freshman summers.
Supplemental/Augmented Review: No
DEMOGRAPHICS::
State/location of HS (if domestic applicant): in state - Bay Area
Applied for need-based financial aid? No
First Generation? No
Other acceptances/waitlists/denials:
Accepted: Penn St, Purdue(honors), UMich, Case Western
Waitlist: UCD, UCSD
Denial: UC Irvine, UVA
Waiting for UC Berkeley, Stanford
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First off congrats! That is awesome your son was accepted. I am curious as he has a lower GPA than what seems to be the normal range of UCLA acceptances. In your opinion, what stands out on his application that is getting him into many elite schools with a lower GPA? Just trying to learn more about the process. Thanks in advance.
Awards/Extracurriculars:
2x Brazilian Jiu Jitsu State Champion
I saw that and thought this kid is not “boring.”
Congrats.
UCLA is a great place and full of opportunities.
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My son has a fairly similar profile. He applied for Computer Science, and was also rejected. This site has helped soften the blow. I will admit that I was pretty disappointed, not in my son, I know he is a great student and a great kid, but in schools like UCLA that reject very accomplished students, yet regularly admit much less qualified students. Yes, I know the SAT is now ignored by UC, but I just wish the rejection letter would have indicated what percentage of admittees had lower than a 1520 score (my son’s score) on the SAT. I’m guessing 60% - 70%.
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Please don’t make this assumption. The kids who got in worked hard, too and, unless you are a UC AO, you are not in a position to judge their qualifications. You know nothing about their applications, even if you think you do. You do not know why they were selected. But it is not appropriate to deem other students “less qualified” than you son and I hope you are not setting an example for him by doing so in front of him. This can lead to very toxic behaviors. We should be mature adults. Disappointment is understandable; deriding the accomplishments of others is not. Let’s not play this game.
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How would they even know this since they are test blind and applicants do not submit their scores?
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We didn’t get any email from UCLA . Other UCs sent emails. What happened?
Do you know anyone in particular?
If you set you mind on getting into every school, or even one specific school, then you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
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I am so sorry for your pain. My son’s SAT score is 1560, and he has a good GPA, 13 APs, 6 Hs, and lots of ECs, but he still got rejected. I know it is very hard on us. I hope all of our children become successful and happy in their lives. This, too, shall pass.
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My son took 18 ap classes including 12 th grade and 1580 at SAT . Got in ucla and other ucs.
My son’s peer also got into UCLA CS. Major . He is national merit finalist and takes total 17 AP courses.
Most MNSQT semi finalist got in ucla or ucb in my school from previous years.
And definitely 3 of students in highest gpa got in UCLA and UCB in our school historically.
thank you for your words of encouragement! honestly i thought i would get into UCLA. im OOS but an A student with 12 AP classes and lots of leadership/service and ive been working so hard these past 4 years. this week i got 6 waitlists. i just want a definitive yes from Berkeley or another similarly ranked school 
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I’m curious how many National Merit semifinalists your High School typically has. In my experience, this would be impossible at the High Schools with 20 or 30+ NMSF/NMF, but maybe I’m wrong. Of course, the applied major will be a big factor as well.
My D’s high school rarely has more than a few NMSFs. Like one or two maybe. It’s a very high bar in California and most students at her school don’t even bother taking the PSAT (it’s not really pushed). But last year had 26 acceptances to UCB and 9 acceptances to UCLA (so over 30 total acceptances, although likely there is at least a little overlap between the two). In other words, at a very competitive high school with 20+ NMSFs, it is still quite feasible for all to be accepted to UCB + UCLA.
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