WHAT UC BERKELEY ADMISSIONS READERS LOOK FOR when reviewing freshman college applications

[@ludielizsilaya7207]

Question, I was admitted to UC Berkeley as a freshmen decided to go to jc for 2 years now I’m a junior and applying again to UC berkeley do you think it be ok to reuse my freshmen PIQs. Will they know? I was only at jc for 2 semesters so not much has changed.

[@PTech_Inc.]

hi there rachel, its good to see you

[@rachel_lin]

good morning Pranav! Always love seeing your comments!

[@davidparnell3241]

84 degrees in phoenix this morning! Highs today 104! 30% chance of monsoon storms this afternoon and evening

[@rachel_lin]

Hot day for you! 😎🌻

[@davidparnell3241]

@@rachel_lin I know! But I never think about the heat! Instead I look forward to rain chances tonight

[@thebeatifulnature3142]

Does UC Berkeley offers ms computer science for spring intake?

[@김까꿍-m3t]

Hello! Thank you for the video. To be honest. I had fairly good grades throughout my freshman and up to first semester of sophomore year. I then had some personal issues during my second semester of sophomore year and my GPA took a hit. Although my grades weren’t the best for that semester all my AP Tests came out great from 4’s and 5’s. How bad would it be for a 3.68 or a 3.7 unweighted GPA and will my AP scores cancel out my bad grades?

[@rachel_lin]

A 3.7 GPA is not bad! Do you have an upward trend in grades from sophomore to senior year? Are you taking more challenging classes in junior/senior year while earning higher grades? I think these two factors would help "counteract" the lower GPA your sophomore year. I wouldn't say AP scores help "cancel out" bad grades, as most colleges don't really factor them much into admissions, but having 4s/5s can't hurt! You could write a short addendum in the Additional Comments section explaining the drop in grades sophomore year, then demonstrate your academic success through citing your junior/senior grades and AP scores!

[@pyamu]

Hi Rachel! Thanks for the video. I had a question, but as an admissions reader can you see the student's GPA? I skipped my junior year, so I would only have my sophomore year grades for the GPA calculation. However, since there's a 4 point honors limit for 10th grade, that would mean that my GPA would be much lower than what it could be. I'm afraid that it doesn't accurately reflect my course rigor and will make me a less competitive candidate for a school like cal.

[@rachel_lin]

Hi Pyamu! Yes, Readers are able to see your weighted and unweighted UC GPA. You could mention that you skipped your junior year in the "Additional Comments" section and explain your situation like you explained it here! My question would be - how can you apply to college if you have only done 2 years of high school?

[@redvelvetsprinkles]

Advice for what qualities to highlight if I’m applying to become an external undergrad admissions reader at UC berkeley this fall and don’t have any prior experience working in admissions???

[@rachel_lin]

I did not have any prior admissions experience prior to applying for the position last year either! In my application cover letter I emphasized my involvement being a Resident Assistant and Campus Ambassador at Berkeley, because these experiences are related to admissions through - working with student populations, working with incoming freshmen, knowledge of and sharing the history and values of the university etc. Specifically for the Berkeley reader position, their preferred experience includes "Knowledge of K-14 higher education issues. Knowledge of and/or sensitivity to issues related to the multiple identities students come with and may write about in their application. Thorough knowledge and experience working with a diverse student population." So I spoke about how being a RA and Campus Ambassador relates to those preferred experience because I worked with current students and prospective and incoming students! So if you have any prior experiences that can be related to the qualifications they are looking for, you should highlight those in the cover letter! Hope this helps, good luck applying!!

[@redvelvetsprinkles]

@@rachel_lin thanks Rachel! That’s really helpful! Any advice/tips I should think about if I was invited to interview? (Fingers crossed)

[@rachel_lin]

@@redvelvetsprinkles Definitely review the job description online! Also prepare for your general interview questions like why you are interested in this position. The interview was pretty chill - they asked about what holistic review means to you, how do you value/engage in diversity/equity/inclusion in your daily life, what qualities/traits can you bring to this team etc. Good luck!

[@toughnut31]

Does UC app not access the Naviance school portal?

[@rachel_lin]

Nope I do not believe so!

[@longhaochen3544]

Hello, Rachel, I'm applicants for UC Berkeley class of 2027. Does UC Berkeley weighted freshman year grade a lot when evaluate a student's admission? If I have bad freshman year grade but I improved a lot, will that reduce the impacts of my bad freshman year grade due to covid?

[@rachel_lin]

Hi Longhao! Berkeley (and the other UCs) don't use your freshman year grades to determine your UC GPA, just your sophomore and junior year grades. The admissions readers would look at the courses you take freshman year and what you're signed up to take in senior year, but the actual grades in the classes won't count towards your GPA, so having poor grades your freshman year would not hurt you when the Reader is determining your Academic Rating Score. Hope this helps!

[@michaeln.2383]

If you ever watch Stanford videos, you know that they look at everything there is in addition to just grades and test scores to select applicants with communication skills that are superior to everyone else's on the planet. But UC Berkeley and UCLA are right behind.

[@bradleyleppington8366]

😆 ░p░r░o░m░o░s░m░