UCLA

Admissions Process

• 1. full record of scholastic achievement • 2. personal qualities (leadership skills, character,

maturing, concern for others, etc.)• 3. likely contributions to intellect and culture of campus• 4. performance on standardized tests• 5. academic enrichment programs• 6. other evidence of achievement• 7. opportunities • 8. challenges

Profile of admitted freshmen to University of California, Los Angeles

Fall 2011Grade Point Average [Weighted]:

GPA % of all applicants

# of admits Admit rate % of all admits

% of all enrolled

4.0+ 49.13% 12,252 45.45% 92.22% 86.36%

3.70 - 3.9921.33% 654 5.59% 4.92% 7.79%

3.30 - 3.6918.80% 654 2.77% 2.15% 4.33%

3.00 - 3.29 6.98% 67 1.75% 0.50% 1.08%

below 3.003.77% 27 1.31% 0.20% 0.44%

10/11 GRADES

Overall averages All applicants Admits Enrolled

3.90 4.34 4.25

Profile of admitted freshmen to University of California, Los Angeles

Fall 2011Grade Point Average [Weighted]:10/11 GRADES

Profile of admitted freshmen to University of California, Los Angeles

Fall 2011Fall 2011Grade Point Average [Unweighted]:

GPA % of all applicants

# of admits Admit rate % of all admits

% of all enrolled

4.0 10.05% 4,221 76.55% 31.77% 23.04%

3.70 - 3.99 32.84% 7,301 40.52% 54.95% 56.74%

3.30 - 3.6934.74% 1,531 8.03% 11.52% 16.60%

3.00 - 3.29 14.46% 1852.33% 1.39%

2.85%

below 3.007.91% 48 1.11% 0.36% 0.77%

10/11 GRADES

Profile of admitted freshmen to University of California, Los Angeles

Fall 201110/11 GRADESGrade Point Average [Unweighted]:

Overall averages All applicants Admits Enrolled

3.55 3.86 3.81

Grade Point Average

• Standardized measurement of varying levels of comprehension within a subject.

• Measures the average of all student’s grades for all semesters/courses completed during high school.

• However, what does it really say about the individual?– Seemingly measures how prepared you would be for

college workload/level classes & your ability to succeed in an academic environment.

Grade Point Average• Is this fair?– Grades don’t necessarily reflect how hard or how

much effort you put into a class. • Tutors, extra help, copying homework from someone

else, etc.• Doesn’t take into account external factors which may

affect grades/study habits, etc.• If you don’t do as well academically, does this reflect

how much understanding you actually gained?– What does that help reveal about the person?– Are grades solely based on intelligence and diligence, or can

they reflect inaccuracies sometimes?

Grade Point Average

• Limitations: only allows us to the see a teacher’s evaluation purely based on performance in class– Tests, quizzes, homework, etc.

• Why do the UC’s only utilize grades from 10/11th grade? – If they believe a student’s “maturity” comes

during this period, then what can maturity be defined as?

Profile of admitted freshmen to University of California, Los Angeles

Fall 2011SAT Reasoning Test [Composite]:

Score % of all applicants

# of admits Admit rate % of all admits

% of all enrolled

2,100 - 2,400 17.38%

5,57665.35% 45.07%

26.55%

1,800 - 2,090

38.91% 4,763 24.93% 38.50% 45.85%

1,500 - 1,790

28.24% 1,656 11.94% 13.38% 21.89%

1,200 - 1,490

12.98% 3715.82% 3.00%

5.62%

below 1,2002.49% 7 0.57%

0.06%0.10%

SAT• A globally recognized college admission test that lets you

show colleges what you know and how well you can apply that knowledge.

• Test skills learned in school & important for success.• Predictor of “academic success” in college;

– Yet, is this really true?– Logically, we normally wouldn’t base our future on one day’s

performance, yet this is exactly what the SAT is.– SAT only focuses on critical reading, mathematics and writing.

• Some people are talented in different ways, and are “ready” for college in different ways.

• Furthermore, some people are simply not good at standardized testing.

SAT

• Based on “reason.”– If this applicant did well on the SAT, then they

must be able to succeed in college.– This may be true in some cases, but how much

does the SAT really reveal about yourself?• Maybe it just represents that you’re a good test-taker,

that you studied very hard for it, or that you received additional help from tutors or preparation courses.– Elite, Jeng Academy Center, Catalyst, etc: how much of that

success was really just you?

SAT• On the other hand, the SAT is a quick and efficient

way to establish a standard among students.– It would be ineffective & would take too long to test

each student individually/pertaining to their interests.– Establishes a national goal in such areas which, in most

cases, are useful (even at a basic level) throughout life.– Reasonably, if students prepared enough for the test &

were successful in these subjects at school, they would receive high scores.

– Tests skills that are fundamentally necessary in most majors.

Sense Perception: Interview Student Perspective:

– Gives an advantage – Important– Scared

College Perspective: – Some students portray themselves better

in person– Get to know the applicants better

Shows:– Future job interviews

Arts Majors at UCLA

Auditions– Specific to major– Shows passion and talent– Serious

• Time• Money

– Future job– Personal connection as a dancer

Optional Interview

Research– Ask questions

Practice– Confidence– Speaking skills– Body language (emotion)

Impression– appearance

Follow-up

Common Questions Tell me about yourself Why are you interested in our college? Who in your life has most influenced you? Why do you want to major in ______________ ? What will you contribute to our campus

community? Tell me about a challenge that you overcame. What do you do for fun in your free time?

– Essay questions (personal statement)

Good or Bad

How well an applicant can express themselves in an interview

College judgment (Ethics)– Individual interviewer– Recorded

College staff/ committee

Sense Perception: Extracurricular Activities

Student Perspective: Lots of activities College Perspective: depth and breadth

– Volunteer and community service– Passion (leader, not just member)– Job– Make their campus better (unique)– Different majors

Shows:– Time management– Well-rounded

UC Application Extracurricular Activities

Five extracurricular activities. Which high school years Hours per Week Weeks per Year Description (160 characters)

Ethics: Extracurricular Activities

Private school– Religion

Views on community service Priority of activities Judgement

The Applicant As A Person

Potential to feel like the applicant is a fit How much the applicant puts into their

activities Amount the applicant is willing to reveal Please the college or show yourself?

College Application All aspects of the application are influenced by Ethics Reason

SAT and ACT GPA

Sense Perception Interview Extra Curriculars

Language– Essay

Affirmative Action

Essays

• Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations.

• Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?

ULCA’s stance on essays

• “The personal statement is a chance for you to tell us more about yourself, your life experiences, and your personal qualities so that we can have a clearer idea of your personal and intellectual development.”

• “Your personal statement should be exactly that — personal. This is your opportunity to tell us about yourself — your hopes, ambitions, life experiences, inspirations. We encourage you to take your time on this assignment. Be open. Be reflective. Find your individual voice and express it honestly.”

For the colleges …

• a chance to explain anything application or any other reason why you should be admitted

• flesh out who you are• Colleges realize that your entire identity isn’t

numbers and need some way to discover it• interested in created a diverse student body

and strong people who overcame challenges

For the applicants …

• how can you convey a living being into the written word?

• What makes you you, and how can you possibly put that into words?

• Language is limited• How much of the essay is really yours?

After studying how celestial bodies interact with each other, I understood the

concept of the infinity of the cosmos, and I knew what emotions the astronaut

experienced when seeing Earth from space for the first time. I realized that

objects in the world appear to be separate, but upon delving deeper, they

move, interact, and exist because of connections with each other.

This exercise opened my mind. I discovered that like a domino effect,

when something is changed, ramifications spread. Like a chain reaction, our

seemingly small contributions have consequences that stretch far beyond initial

ripples. Moreover, none of our decisions can happen without outside

influences.

I seek the larger environment in addition to education. I want to build bridges

spanning the world, knowing that what I do reaches across campuses,

communities, and continents. I am ready to explore Caltech and embark on a

path where I can discuss ideas with people who can improve upon them, where

these ideas come together to form superclusters, where things happen.

Affirmative Action

• On your application, you will put race• Some colleges take this as a factor in

admissions; minority students may get preferential treatment if on equal standing with a non-minority student

• Both sides are for “equality”

Pro-affirmative action

• defines equality as the righting of past racial injustices

• College graduate’s children are more likely to go to college; self-perpetuating cycle

• More difficult for minorities or economically disadvantaged families to do well in school

Caucasian (Non-hispanic)38%

African-Amer-

ican6%

Asian12%

Amer-ican

Indian4%

Pacific Is-

lander2%

Other2%

Hispanic36%

% of population in California

Caucasian (Non-hispanic)33%

African-Amer-ican3%

Asian39%

Two or more races7%

Hispanic18%

% of population in UCLA

Anti-Affirmative Action

• unfair because of equality• reverse discrimination• encourages minority students to not realize

their potential• Affirmative action not color blind• Minorities may not get the proper recognition

for their achievements

60 Minutes

• Mr. MATTHEW SCHWARTZ: I mean, what we're doing with these 20 points, we're perpetuating the worst stereotype about--about blacks that they're not good enough to get in without this help and that they need this help. I mean, you're walking down the street and consciously or not, you know, whites are say--whites are--aren't sure if the black people they meet deserve to be here on the merit.