UC college admits from the Big3
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Anonymous
Or as my kid read it, why would I do this if they didn't have interest in me already. Nothing has changed - I'm still the same good grades, participating in ECs person I was in the application. |
Anonymous
What? Yes, grades are the only things that matter for OOS at UCLA and Cal. Literally, the only things. Or were you being sarcastic when you suggested that staffers are actually reading 100,000 essays and critically perusing 100,000 compilations of ECs? |
Anonymous
I’d encourage you to look up how the UC system SAYS that they review applications. I’d take their word for it versus yours anonymous internet poster |
Anonymous
My DD just graduated from UCLA and I have spent a ton of time in Westwood over the past four years, including this past week. Westwood Village WAS a ghost town in the 2020-2021 school year when my DD started at UCLA and all classes were on line. But it is no longer a ghost town and is bustling with activity all the time. It's a great little "college town" in the best part of LA. There are two historic movie theatres there with lots of Hollywood premiers. DD graduated with a double major in four years (could've graduated in December), one of them being a popular major. Housing is crowded at many, many fine universities, but my DC never lived on campus because dorms were closed first year and once she lived in an apartment, she never wanted to live in a dorm. DD had the time of her life and has repeatedly said that UCLA was the perfect college experience. EXCEPT for (and I agree 100% with you on this one) advising. DD didn't have a real advisor until she was officially accepted into her first major at the end of sophmore year. They learn to figure it out on their own. UCLA is NOT run down and is one of the prettiest campuses you'll find. The landscaping is beautiful and the campus is meticulously maintained. After attending a small private from K-12, DD knew she wanted a large, public university and didn't apply to any privates. The UCs are definitely not for everyone. Students need to be self-starters, self-advocates, and go-getters who don't need any hand-holding because they won't get it there! |
Anonymous
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OP, seems like not a ton of people answered your original question so here goes. From the Big 3, I know a couple kids who applied to UCLA and Berkeley, both of which are, as many posters seem to forget, excellent schools, not just excellent public schools. One is a computer science major who is attending Berkeley, and his commitment and interest in CS projects and entrepreneurship are what he thinks put him over the top. He also got admission to Stanford, which is I think where he will end up going. He has a deep interesting in building a CS company and did a lot of AI experimentation, which probably set him apart.
Another student I know from the Big 3 applied and got into UCLA, though I'm not sure if she's attending because she also got into Dartmouth and UPenn (but not Stanford or Berkeley, interestingly). She wants to go into their law program, and again, her high school narrative was very law and social justice centered. This can really apply to admission into any university, but she knew from 9th grade exactly what she wanted. She was at a Big 3 on scholarship, and social justice has been important to her. I think she struggled to fit in at her school because of her scholarship status so she spoke about that in her essays. So again, she kind of tied together her major and what she wants with what she's been doing for the past four years. Hope this helps |
Anonymous
Some of the building exteriors on the main quad are very pretty, but the insides of all of them are not particularly impressive/ very institutional, even the Admissions Office is kind of dreary. The contrast with some of the Los Angeles private colleges is stark if visiting them at the same time. Westwood Village never recovered from the shooting there on the 1990s. I never understand why, with so many students right there, but outside of the strip closest to campus with In and Out, Whole Foods, and Lemonicas (which I agree is always busy with students), there are many empty storefronts. |
Anonymous
Seriously. There are empty storefronts everywhere in the US now. Have you been downtown DC lately! Or anywhere else in the country!?? |
Anonymous
I am not talking about downtown Los Angeles, but the “village” right next to the university. Areas like this are generally doing ok elsewhere. |
Anonymous
Missed opportunity for your student if they wanted to attend. For others in the future, I will share, the UC waitlist LOCI is school specific and is an opportunity to write to them versus a personal statement. It can be a directly written brag sheet/sales pitch. Mine added recent accomplishments and a why UCLA explanation, what they would like to do there and got off the waitlist on the first day. Plus as a bunch of seniors let their grades drop senior year, this is a chance to show if your student kept theirs up. |
Anonymous
Agreed. I thought they should have made the effort. But in the end, they are happy with their school. They have never wished they were at UCLA instead. I think their school is a better match for them and for what they want to do. So, no regrets. And thanks for sharing this because it is really useful information for others who might find themselves in that situation. And, so glad it worked out for your DC! Congrats to them/you. |
Anonymous
There was definitely a trend at my daughter’s private this year toward big state schools. Many were tired of the small private environment and looking for something bigger. As a parent, I think the big “cattle call” schools as you called them can provide invaluable real-life experience that some kids who’ve grown up in the private school bubble need. |
Anonymous
If my private school child didn’t want to attend a small private college, I would suggest a large private university, not a ginormous state school with impacted majors, or a tiny SLAC. So, I would suggest anything from Ivies to T50 private universities, depending on grades. They will definitely get real-life experiences at larger private universities. No need for big cattle-call State U. |
Anonymous
A larger private is still private—if you are trying to get away from the elite part of the private vibe which some are, an Ivy or larger private really doesn’t do the trick. |
Anonymous
That’s where you lost me. Why would my child want to get away from anything elite? Elite is the best. I guess some people don’t mind general population. To each his own… |
Anonymous
Not PP - but I think it's not the elite institution they want to escape - but the rich and sometimes entitled classmates. Not every private is elite....but most large private schools (especially outside of elite) are filled with wealthy full pay students. |