CalVC2 said:

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juarezbear said:

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CarmelBear said:

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My oldest is at USC film school. He chose USC over Cal which didn't initially sit well. But yeah -USC has been great. And he's working 12 hour days in his major. It's not a cake walk. But he loves it.

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Totally get it. The acceptance rate at SC Film School is close to 1%. I taught grad school there for 21 years and work at Sony Pictures. It's the best film school on the planet.

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Great to hear that, our youngest just got accepted into film school at USC! Still waiting on a remaining few in the coming days, but this was one of her top choices (if not the top)... I feel for all the kids this year for all they had to go through just to figure out the next step for college, esp with the UC process appearing to be quite different this year for many

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Did she get into the production program or the critical studies program? They're both great.

pingpong2 said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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pingpong2 said:

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BearBoarBlarney said:

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juarezbear said:

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Price aside, USC is pretty great these days. I saw an article in the Chron I think that showed the acceptance rate into various UC's from CA high schools last year. What was interesting, and I think telling, is that UCLA had a lower acceptance rate, but Cal had a higher enrollment rate across the board. Mission High in SF had the highest acceptance rate into Cal - 40% which is wacky.

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Last year, UCLA had an 8.7% acceptance rate, and of those accepted, 52% elected to enroll at UCLA.

Last year, UC Berkeley had an 11.7% acceptance rate, and of those accepted, 45% elected to enroll at Cal.

UCLA is a much more popular option these days, but I don't think it's necessarily because Cal is doing anything wrong (well, other than the continued employment of Jim Knowlton). I think it's just the reality of California's population dynamics, where 2/3 of the state's population is down south. That's why you see UCSD and UCI being so popular these days too.

As for USC, I see that the cheaters continue to sort of "fudge" the admissions data. They just reported a 9.2% acceptance rate for the class entering this Fall, and as usual, didn't report that another 1,400 kids are entering "Spring semester admits," boosting their overall acceptance rate to 11%. I hope they get their lunch money stolen in the B1G, and I hope it snows on them every time they play football in November in the midwest.

Good luck to SCT on your kid's Berkeley application! Nothing like having a kid go to Cal to rekindle one's love affair with ol' alma mater.

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UCLA is in a much more desirable area. Academically, it's neck and neck (though Cal still wins on brand recognition). However, for 18 year olds, Westwood (and LA) is far more attractive than Berkeley and the East Bay. The campus is also nicer/newer, it's safer, and there's just more stuff to do down there than up here.

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Westwood has safety issues as well, especially at times with gangs. Less of an issue since UCLA has dramatically increased student housing campus adjacent. So much so the UCLA guaranties housing, and with additional food options, undergrads don't even have to venture into Westwood. The biggest issue Cal faces in the lack of student housing anywhere remotely near campus.

Admittedly, UCLA also has a weather advantage.

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Gangs? Westwood? That's like saying Palo Alto around campus has gang problems. I'm not ever sure I've ever heard of anyone ever associate Westwood with gangs, especially north of Wilshire.

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I assume you mean East Palo Alto. The gang problem was bad in the 80s and early 90s, and also in the early 2010s. Moreover one shootout that became known as the "Shooting that Killed Westwood " altered the way gangs are prosecuted forever (and for the worse according to civil rights activists).

Just some of the many articles around the internet:

https://www.pacificresearch.org/the-night-westwood-died-and-crime-in-cities/

The Legacy of a Slaying : Westwood Gang Shooting Alters Public Attitudes, Police Tactics

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-11-me-1492-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-11-me-1492-story.html

https://newsantaana.com/more-bad-news-for-dtsa-westwood-never-recovered-after-a-gang-shooting-in-1988/

Good luck to all your kids who are getting results back tomorrow!! If any of your kids (or y'all) need any advice or info from a current student, PM me anytime

Some interesting info on admissions this year.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/san-francisco-school-uc-berkeley-acceptance-19371813.php

wifeisafurd said:

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pingpong2 said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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pingpong2 said:

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BearBoarBlarney said:

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juarezbear said:

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Price aside, USC is pretty great these days. I saw an article in the Chron I think that showed the acceptance rate into various UC's from CA high schools last year. What was interesting, and I think telling, is that UCLA had a lower acceptance rate, but Cal had a higher enrollment rate across the board. Mission High in SF had the highest acceptance rate into Cal - 40% which is wacky.

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Last year, UCLA had an 8.7% acceptance rate, and of those accepted, 52% elected to enroll at UCLA.

Last year, UC Berkeley had an 11.7% acceptance rate, and of those accepted, 45% elected to enroll at Cal.

UCLA is a much more popular option these days, but I don't think it's necessarily because Cal is doing anything wrong (well, other than the continued employment of Jim Knowlton). I think it's just the reality of California's population dynamics, where 2/3 of the state's population is down south. That's why you see UCSD and UCI being so popular these days too.

As for USC, I see that the cheaters continue to sort of "fudge" the admissions data. They just reported a 9.2% acceptance rate for the class entering this Fall, and as usual, didn't report that another 1,400 kids are entering "Spring semester admits," boosting their overall acceptance rate to 11%. I hope they get their lunch money stolen in the B1G, and I hope it snows on them every time they play football in November in the midwest.

Good luck to SCT on your kid's Berkeley application! Nothing like having a kid go to Cal to rekindle one's love affair with ol' alma mater.

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UCLA is in a much more desirable area. Academically, it's neck and neck (though Cal still wins on brand recognition). However, for 18 year olds, Westwood (and LA) is far more attractive than Berkeley and the East Bay. The campus is also nicer/newer, it's safer, and there's just more stuff to do down there than up here.

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Westwood has safety issues as well, especially at times with gangs. Less of an issue since UCLA has dramatically increased student housing campus adjacent. So much so the UCLA guaranties housing, and with additional food options, undergrads don't even have to venture into Westwood. The biggest issue Cal faces in the lack of student housing anywhere remotely near campus.

Admittedly, UCLA also has a weather advantage.

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Gangs? Westwood? That's like saying Palo Alto around campus has gang problems. I'm not ever sure I've ever heard of anyone ever associate Westwood with gangs, especially north of Wilshire.

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I assume you mean East Palo Alto. The gang problem was bad in the 80s and early 90s, and also in the early 2010s. Moreover one shootout that became known as the "Shooting that Killed Westwood " altered the way gangs are prosecuted forever (and for the worse according to civil rights activists).

Just some of the many articles around the internet:

https://www.pacificresearch.org/the-night-westwood-died-and-crime-in-cities/

The Legacy of a Slaying : Westwood Gang Shooting Alters Public Attitudes, Police Tactics

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-11-me-1492-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-11-me-1492-story.html

https://newsantaana.com/more-bad-news-for-dtsa-westwood-never-recovered-after-a-gang-shooting-in-1988/

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Ah, I was not familiar with the state of Westwood about...35 years ago.

95bears said:

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Some interesting info on admissions this year.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/san-francisco-school-uc-berkeley-acceptance-19371813.php

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Not surprising:

Quote:

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Most of the students from Mission High admitted to UC Berkeley were Latinx: 21 students out of the 49 Latinx applicants from Mission High were admitted to the university, according to UC data. Additionally, UC Berkeley admitted three African American students, 11 Asian students and three white students from Mission.

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So for anyone who thinks sending your kids to Mission High will increase your chances of getting in, that's probably not happening. There's very likely a confounding factor that's in play here.

pingpong2 said:

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95bears said:

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Some interesting info on admissions this year.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/san-francisco-school-uc-berkeley-acceptance-19371813.php

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Not surprising:

Quote:

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Most of the students from Mission High admitted to UC Berkeley were Latinx: 21 students out of the 49 Latinx applicants from Mission High were admitted to the university, according to UC data. Additionally, UC Berkeley admitted three African American students, 11 Asian students and three white students from Mission.

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So for anyone who thinks sending your kids to Mission High will increase your chances of getting in, that's probably not happening. There's very likely a confounding factor that's in play here.

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It's no secret. Admissions favor first in family to go to college.

The Mission High School article from the SF Comical is in line with UC Berkeley's stated institutional priorities for undergraduate enrollment. Cal has a task force in place to apply for the "Hispanic Serving Institution" ("HSI") designation by 2027. The designation means that 25% or more of enrolled undergraduate students are members of the Latinx/Chicanx community.

As of now, 6 of the 9 UC undergraduate campuses already have received the HSI designation, and the other 3 campuses -- UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD -- are in the process of trying to achieve the designation.

https://chancellor.berkeley.edu/task-forces/hispanic-serving-institution-task-force

Quote:

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Waiting but not expecting it. Waitlisted at Davis and UCSB and not in at UCLA. She's gotten waitlisted at many other schools. In at McGill, Colgate, Indiana (Kelley Business), Udub and Wake Forest. Not sure at all where she should go.

Ivies I think come out on Thursday though I don't sense much interest from her.

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IU Kelley SOB is an great place, know several who have kids there and they all love it. Wake Forest is an often overlooked gem. Small but beautiful campus, supposedly some of the best food (although that may not be saying much) of all colleges
I dont know if this is your first child to go off to college, but my only issue for you to consider, my girl who is at Berkeley didnt realize how hard it is to be 2K miles from home (we are in Chicago).
Best of luck!!

CarmelBear said:

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Yup. My second son is awaiting. He has scored USC and Boston College and UCSB. Despite the maxed out UC application GPa, he got WL'd at UCLA. UCSD. AND IRVINE. unreal.

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Boston College is fabulous. Lots of kids from my daughter's high school go there (she went to a Jesuit high school) and they all love it. between BC, UCSB, and USC your kid will end up somehwere great
Congratulations

badger said:

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Quote:

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Waiting but not expecting it. Waitlisted at Davis and UCSB and not in at UCLA. She's gotten waitlisted at many other schools. In at McGill, Colgate, Indiana (Kelley Business), Udub and Wake Forest. Not sure at all where she should go.

Ivies I think come out on Thursday though I don't sense much interest from her.

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IU Kelley SOB is an great place, know several who have kids there and they all love it. Wake Forest is an often overlooked gem. Small but beautiful campus, supposedly some of the best food (although that may not be saying much) of all colleges
I dont know if this is your first child to go off to college, but my only issue for you to consider, my girl who is at Berkeley didnt realize how hard it is to be 2K miles from home (we are in Chicago).
Best of luck!!

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Thanks for the info. No Cal for my kid today. A bit of a sad day for sure.

SBGold said:

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badger said:

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Quote:

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Waiting but not expecting it. Waitlisted at Davis and UCSB and not in at UCLA. She's gotten waitlisted at many other schools. In at McGill, Colgate, Indiana (Kelley Business), Udub and Wake Forest. Not sure at all where she should go.

Ivies I think come out on Thursday though I don't sense much interest from her.

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IU Kelley SOB is an great place, know several who have kids there and they all love it. Wake Forest is an often overlooked gem. Small but beautiful campus, supposedly some of the best food (although that may not be saying much) of all colleges
I dont know if this is your first child to go off to college, but my only issue for you to consider, my girl who is at Berkeley didnt realize how hard it is to be 2K miles from home (we are in Chicago).
Best of luck!!

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Thanks for the info. No Cal for my kid today. A bit of a sad day for sure.

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Sorry to hear that. It's rougher to hear about your kid than yourself....I know from personal experience.

juarezbear said:

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SBGold said:

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badger said:

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Quote:

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Waiting but not expecting it. Waitlisted at Davis and UCSB and not in at UCLA. She's gotten waitlisted at many other schools. In at McGill, Colgate, Indiana (Kelley Business), Udub and Wake Forest. Not sure at all where she should go.

Ivies I think come out on Thursday though I don't sense much interest from her.

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IU Kelley SOB is an great place, know several who have kids there and they all love it. Wake Forest is an often overlooked gem. Small but beautiful campus, supposedly some of the best food (although that may not be saying much) of all colleges
I dont know if this is your first child to go off to college, but my only issue for you to consider, my girl who is at Berkeley didnt realize how hard it is to be 2K miles from home (we are in Chicago).
Best of luck!!

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Thanks for the info. No Cal for my kid today. A bit of a sad day for sure.

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Sorry to hear that. It's rougher to hear about your kid than yourself....I know from personal experience.

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However, your kid has some really great options which a lot of kids won't have.....McGill is an excellent school and has its own version of cache that's Ivy-like in my opinion.

Back in 2006-2009, my sons didn't get into Cal, either. I think they primarily applied because of me but I wasn't too disappointed. They were good students but not grinders - would have fit right in at Cal back in the 1970s - 1980s but not in the 2000's. Nevertheless, they had great college experiences. started good careers, and we had a great time on our occasional visits to SLO.

BearBoarBlarney said:

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For those interested in such things, the UC Information Center posts the enrollment decisions of all admits by campus. (See link below)

For Cal's admitted class, 45% of those accepted last year ended up enrolling at Cal, and 13% of those admitted to both Cal & UCLA enrolled at UCLA.

On the flipside, for UCLA's admitted class, 52% of those accepted last year enrolled at UCLA, and 7% of those admitted to both Cal & UCLA enrolled at Berkeley.

One thing that bugs me is that there is this "fear mongering" that I've observed in high school seniors when it comes to UC Berkeley that doesn't seem to be present with UCLA. High schoolers seem to think that Cal is uber-competitive and less collaborative than UCLA, despite the fact that the student bodies at both schools are virtually the same. Probably the fear mongering is a problem of our own making, as I never heard the sort of nonsense that you now hear when you take a campus tour at Berkeley. Back in the late-'80s, no one I knew talked about rolling down "4.0 (GPA) Hill" or touching the "4.0 (GPA) Ball" on the Campanile Esplanade, and there was none of this silliness about not stepping "on the university seal in Memorial Glade or you'll fail your first class." Heck, Memorial Glade back in those days was occupied by the WWII-era "T-buildings." For all of Berkeley's prowess and reputation, the university and its students do a p!$$-poor job of marketing the school.

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/about-us/information-center/admit-destinations

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My niece fell in love with Berkeley on her visit. However, she wants to be premed and her guidance counselor in San Diego said "Absolutely not Berkeley!" Under the idea that it is too difficult to get into med school out of Berkeley. So she didn't even apply. I shut up because I didn't want it to ge on me if it didn't work out. Turns out she didn't get into any of the UCs she applied to so Cal would likely have been a no also.

BearBoarBlarney said:

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The Mission High School article from the SF Comical is in line with UC Berkeley's stated institutional priorities for undergraduate enrollment. Cal has a task force in place to apply for the "Hispanic Serving Institution" ("HSI") designation by 2027. The designation means that 25% or more of enrolled undergraduate students are members of the Latinx/Chicanx community.

As of now, 6 of the 9 UC undergraduate campuses already have received the HSI designation, and the other 3 campuses -- UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD -- are in the process of trying to achieve the designation.

https://chancellor.berkeley.edu/task-forces/hispanic-serving-institution-task-force

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Lowell had 69 admitted, 46 enrolled, Mission had 39 admitted and 23 enrolled. So exactly twice as many Lowell students are attending as Mission students.

The difference is only 90 students from Mission applied vs. 499 applications from Lowell.

Across the state the highest "acceptance rates" are from the schools with the lowest number of applicants, because presumably it was their top student applying versus nearly every student applying from competitive schools.

4 of the 9 students from Mendocino High who applied to Berkeley got in. All white.

If you want your kid to get in to Berkeley, sending them to a highly competitive high school is the toughest route. The best route is to excel in a rural public high school where few apply.

For anyone whose kid did not get in and really wants to go to Berkeley, I now know several kids who followed this path: attend Berkeley City College on Center Street starting this summer, live in Berkeley (even in the CO-OPs easier to nab housing if you start in the summer) or commute via BART, take a class at Cal every semester (paying CC prices) and then formally transfer in to Cal as a junior. Wear "Berkeley" sweat shirts. You can even attend Cal sporting events and sit in the student section. Saves a ton of money.

Don't disagree. I do think that a key of you are in a competitive school is to highlight the qualities you have that fit with how many at cal see themselves, go back to the "you see berkeley" ad.

socaltownie said:

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Don't disagree. I do think that a key of you are in a competitive school is to highlight the qualities you have that fit with how many at cal see themselves, go back to the "you see berkeley" ad.

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Really depends on who reads your essay. With no SAT, GPA and class rank, plus intended major, become paramount. It is tough for admissions to justify "jumping" a higher ranked kid at the same high school. It also becomes hard to stand out.

Congratulations on your son's admission!

And for those whose kids did not get in and have their heart set on Cal, consider my "Plan B" ( or C): Berkeley City College, which I detailed in my other post.

She got into the production program. But also just found out she got into NYU Tisch for the same thing, so we'll see which direction she takes!

My kid got waitlisted in the School of Engineering. From everything I have read there is nothing he can do other than opt in to further consideration and wait. But if anyone knows anything more please let me know.

calumnus said:

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socaltownie said:

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Don't disagree. I do think that a key of you are in a competitive school is to highlight the qualities you have that fit with how many at cal see themselves, go back to the "you see berkeley" ad.

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Really depends on who reads your essay. With no SAT, GPA and class rank, plus intended major, become paramount. It is tough for admissions to justify "jumping" a higher ranked kid at the same high school. It also becomes hard to stand out.

Congratulations on your son's admission!

And for those whose kids did not get in and have their heart set on Cal, consider my "Plan B" ( or C): Berkeley City College, which I detailed in my other post.

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This is my plan for a path forward for my son who is now in 9th grade. One obstacle is, those last two months of high school, so much of it is about where they're going to college. And for kids (at least where I live), colleges like Colorado, Arizona and Oregon trump community college. (not to me though, as a rational adult)

sluggo said:

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My kid got waitlisted in the School of Engineering. From everything I have read there is nothing he can do other than opt in to further consideration and wait. But if anyone knows anything more please let me know.

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Is community college an option? I knew two guys at Cal who got into Engineering as CC transfers (one Civil, one Mechanical) If he got waitlisted, maybe he can get Spring admission, or transfer from a CC as a sophomore (like Aaron Rodgers).

Big C said:

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sluggo said:

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My kid got waitlisted in the School of Engineering. From everything I have read there is nothing he can do other than opt in to further consideration and wait. But if anyone knows anything more please let me know.

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Is community college an option? I knew two guys at Cal who got into Engineering as CC transfers (one Civil, one Mechanical) If he got waitlisted, maybe he can get Spring admission, or transfer from a CC as a sophomore (like Aaron Rodgers).

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Thanks for the response. If he decides Cal or nothing then maybe, but he has gotten into good schools out of state, so probably not.

Big C said:

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calumnus said:

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socaltownie said:

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Don't disagree. I do think that a key of you are in a competitive school is to highlight the qualities you have that fit with how many at cal see themselves, go back to the "you see berkeley" ad.

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Really depends on who reads your essay. With no SAT, GPA and class rank, plus intended major, become paramount. It is tough for admissions to justify "jumping" a higher ranked kid at the same high school. It also becomes hard to stand out.

Congratulations on your son's admission!

And for those whose kids did not get in and have their heart set on Cal, consider my "Plan B" ( or C): Berkeley City College, which I detailed in my other post.

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This is my plan for a path forward for my son who is now in 9th grade. One obstacle is, those last two months of high school, so much of it is about where they're going to college. And for kids (at least where I live), colleges like Colorado, Arizona and Oregon trump community college. (not to me though, as a rational adult)

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More than a few Piedmont kids will do CC, Santa Barbara CC gets quite a few. It's not a bad option.

I think many go to U of O because they throw a lot of money at California kids.

SBGold said:

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Big C said:

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calumnus said:

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socaltownie said:

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Don't disagree. I do think that a key of you are in a competitive school is to highlight the qualities you have that fit with how many at cal see themselves, go back to the "you see berkeley" ad.

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Really depends on who reads your essay. With no SAT, GPA and class rank, plus intended major, become paramount. It is tough for admissions to justify "jumping" a higher ranked kid at the same high school. It also becomes hard to stand out.

Congratulations on your son's admission!

And for those whose kids did not get in and have their heart set on Cal, consider my "Plan B" ( or C): Berkeley City College, which I detailed in my other post.

---

This is my plan for a path forward for my son who is now in 9th grade. One obstacle is, those last two months of high school, so much of it is about where they're going to college. And for kids (at least where I live), colleges like Colorado, Arizona and Oregon trump community college. (not to me though, as a rational adult)

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More than a few Piedmont kids will do CC, Santa Barbara CC gets quite a few. It's not a bad option.

I think many go to U of O because they throw a lot of money at California kids.

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Yes, the peer pressure for where you are going is real. My oldest got a substantial unsolicited scholarship offer to Tufts, which would have been great, but none of her classmates had heard of it so…. UCSD.

One of the kids who did my "Plan B" just told people she was going to go to "Berkeley." She had a friend that got into Cal that knew and she hung out with, but the other classmates never found out, Even the ones going to Cal.

The other kid that did it just told everyone. Most thought it was genius.

Santa Barbara CC is right at UCSB, right on the beach. The big requirement when going this route is the kids need to show up at class and do the work. I'd think it would be easy to get distracted there. However, going there, or Berkeley CC, you can still get the "4 year college experience." And the price is great. California CC's with transfer to UC are the best deal in American higher education.

The main thing is to not let your kids get too stressed about it or think the world is over if they didn't get into "a good school."

calumnus said:

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SBGold said:

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Big C said:

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calumnus said:

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socaltownie said:

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Don't disagree. I do think that a key of you are in a competitive school is to highlight the qualities you have that fit with how many at cal see themselves, go back to the "you see berkeley" ad.

---

Really depends on who reads your essay. With no SAT, GPA and class rank, plus intended major, become paramount. It is tough for admissions to justify "jumping" a higher ranked kid at the same high school. It also becomes hard to stand out.

Congratulations on your son's admission!

And for those whose kids did not get in and have their heart set on Cal, consider my "Plan B" ( or C): Berkeley City College, which I detailed in my other post.

---

This is my plan for a path forward for my son who is now in 9th grade. One obstacle is, those last two months of high school, so much of it is about where they're going to college. And for kids (at least where I live), colleges like Colorado, Arizona and Oregon trump community college. (not to me though, as a rational adult)

---

More than a few Piedmont kids will do CC, Santa Barbara CC gets quite a few. It's not a bad option.

I think many go to U of O because they throw a lot of money at California kids.

---

Yes, the peer pressure for where you are going is real. My oldest got a substantial unsolicited scholarship offer to Tufts, which would have been great, but none of her classmates had heard of it so…. UCSD.

One of the kids who did my "Plan B" just told people she was going to go to "Berkeley." She had a friend that got into Cal that knew and she hung out with, but the other classmates never found out, Even the ones going to Cal.

The other kid that did it just told everyone. Most thought it was genius.

Santa Barbara CC is right at UCSB, right on the beach. The big requirement when going this route is the kids need to show up at class and do the work. I'd think it would be easy to get distracted there. However, going there, or Berkeley CC, you can still get the "4 year college experience." And the price is great. California CC's with transfer to UC are the best deal in American higher education.

The main thing is to not let your kids get too stressed about it or think the world is over if they didn't get into "a good school."

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Sage advice. Berkeley CC, DVC, De Anza and West Valley. They send tons of kids every year to all of the UCs. And on the diploma, all it says is Bachelor of Arts in _____ from the University of California at Berkeley (or wherever). Same as if somebody had gone there all four years. People can hardly believe that, but it's true.

Thread takes me back. Here's the video my boy made (with maybe some slight assistance from his dad) for his housing application (for Bowles). The Tedford stuff (what might have been) always kind of makes me sad but otherwise it's a fun trip down memory lane.

Hopefully some BIers got some good news today. For all its flaws, Cal is an amazing place.

pingpong2 said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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pingpong2 said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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pingpong2 said:

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BearBoarBlarney said:

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juarezbear said:

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Price aside, USC is pretty great these days. I saw an article in the Chron I think that showed the acceptance rate into various UC's from CA high schools last year. What was interesting, and I think telling, is that UCLA had a lower acceptance rate, but Cal had a higher enrollment rate across the board. Mission High in SF had the highest acceptance rate into Cal - 40% which is wacky.

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Last year, UCLA had an 8.7% acceptance rate, and of those accepted, 52% elected to enroll at UCLA.

Last year, UC Berkeley had an 11.7% acceptance rate, and of those accepted, 45% elected to enroll at Cal.

UCLA is a much more popular option these days, but I don't think it's necessarily because Cal is doing anything wrong (well, other than the continued employment of Jim Knowlton). I think it's just the reality of California's population dynamics, where 2/3 of the state's population is down south. That's why you see UCSD and UCI being so popular these days too.

As for USC, I see that the cheaters continue to sort of "fudge" the admissions data. They just reported a 9.2% acceptance rate for the class entering this Fall, and as usual, didn't report that another 1,400 kids are entering "Spring semester admits," boosting their overall acceptance rate to 11%. I hope they get their lunch money stolen in the B1G, and I hope it snows on them every time they play football in November in the midwest.

Good luck to SCT on your kid's Berkeley application! Nothing like having a kid go to Cal to rekindle one's love affair with ol' alma mater.

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UCLA is in a much more desirable area. Academically, it's neck and neck (though Cal still wins on brand recognition). However, for 18 year olds, Westwood (and LA) is far more attractive than Berkeley and the East Bay. The campus is also nicer/newer, it's safer, and there's just more stuff to do down there than up here.

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Westwood has safety issues as well, especially at times with gangs. Less of an issue since UCLA has dramatically increased student housing campus adjacent. So much so the UCLA guaranties housing, and with additional food options, undergrads don't even have to venture into Westwood. The biggest issue Cal faces in the lack of student housing anywhere remotely near campus.

Admittedly, UCLA also has a weather advantage.

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Gangs? Westwood? That's like saying Palo Alto around campus has gang problems. I'm not ever sure I've ever heard of anyone ever associate Westwood with gangs, especially north of Wilshire.

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I assume you mean East Palo Alto. The gang problem was bad in the 80s and early 90s, and also in the early 2010s. Moreover one shootout that became known as the "Shooting that Killed Westwood " altered the way gangs are prosecuted forever (and for the worse according to civil rights activists).

Just some of the many articles around the internet:

https://www.pacificresearch.org/the-night-westwood-died-and-crime-in-cities/

The Legacy of a Slaying : Westwood Gang Shooting Alters Public Attitudes, Police Tactics

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-11-me-1492-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-11-me-1492-story.html

https://newsantaana.com/more-bad-news-for-dtsa-westwood-never-recovered-after-a-gang-shooting-in-1988/

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Ah, I was not familiar with the state of Westwood about...35 years ago.

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They had issues starting around 2010-5. Lot's of places got shuttered and crime spiked. Westwood property owners/merhants formed a business improvement district, toimprove maintenance security in the village with help of Yaroslavsky, who pressured LAPD into a major police prescence paid for by the District. Google the Daily Bruin (you can't link their articles)

wifeisafurd said:

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pingpong2 said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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pingpong2 said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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pingpong2 said:

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BearBoarBlarney said:

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juarezbear said:

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Price aside, USC is pretty great these days. I saw an article in the Chron I think that showed the acceptance rate into various UC's from CA high schools last year. What was interesting, and I think telling, is that UCLA had a lower acceptance rate, but Cal had a higher enrollment rate across the board. Mission High in SF had the highest acceptance rate into Cal - 40% which is wacky.

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Last year, UCLA had an 8.7% acceptance rate, and of those accepted, 52% elected to enroll at UCLA.

Last year, UC Berkeley had an 11.7% acceptance rate, and of those accepted, 45% elected to enroll at Cal.

UCLA is a much more popular option these days, but I don't think it's necessarily because Cal is doing anything wrong (well, other than the continued employment of Jim Knowlton). I think it's just the reality of California's population dynamics, where 2/3 of the state's population is down south. That's why you see UCSD and UCI being so popular these days too.

As for USC, I see that the cheaters continue to sort of "fudge" the admissions data. They just reported a 9.2% acceptance rate for the class entering this Fall, and as usual, didn't report that another 1,400 kids are entering "Spring semester admits," boosting their overall acceptance rate to 11%. I hope they get their lunch money stolen in the B1G, and I hope it snows on them every time they play football in November in the midwest.

Good luck to SCT on your kid's Berkeley application! Nothing like having a kid go to Cal to rekindle one's love affair with ol' alma mater.

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UCLA is in a much more desirable area. Academically, it's neck and neck (though Cal still wins on brand recognition). However, for 18 year olds, Westwood (and LA) is far more attractive than Berkeley and the East Bay. The campus is also nicer/newer, it's safer, and there's just more stuff to do down there than up here.

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Westwood has safety issues as well, especially at times with gangs. Less of an issue since UCLA has dramatically increased student housing campus adjacent. So much so the UCLA guaranties housing, and with additional food options, undergrads don't even have to venture into Westwood. The biggest issue Cal faces in the lack of student housing anywhere remotely near campus.

Admittedly, UCLA also has a weather advantage.

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Gangs? Westwood? That's like saying Palo Alto around campus has gang problems. I'm not ever sure I've ever heard of anyone ever associate Westwood with gangs, especially north of Wilshire.

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I assume you mean East Palo Alto. The gang problem was bad in the 80s and early 90s, and also in the early 2010s. Moreover one shootout that became known as the "Shooting that Killed Westwood " altered the way gangs are prosecuted forever (and for the worse according to civil rights activists).

Just some of the many articles around the internet:

https://www.pacificresearch.org/the-night-westwood-died-and-crime-in-cities/

The Legacy of a Slaying : Westwood Gang Shooting Alters Public Attitudes, Police Tactics

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-11-me-1492-story.html

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-09-11-me-1492-story.html

https://newsantaana.com/more-bad-news-for-dtsa-westwood-never-recovered-after-a-gang-shooting-in-1988/

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Ah, I was not familiar with the state of Westwood about...35 years ago.

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They had issues starting around 2010-5. Lot's of places got shuttered and crime spiked. Westwood property owners/merhants formed a business improvement district, toimprove maintenance security in the village with help of Yaroslavsky, who pressured LAPD into a major police prescence paid for by the District. Google the Daily Bruin (you can't link their articles)

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Huh, I lived in Westwood from 2011-2016 and I don't recall hearing or seeing any of that…

Big C said:

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sluggo said:

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My kid got waitlisted in the School of Engineering. From everything I have read there is nothing he can do other than opt in to further consideration and wait. But if anyone knows anything more please let me know.

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Is community college an option? I knew two guys at Cal who got into Engineering as CC transfers (one Civil, one Mechanical) If he got waitlisted, maybe he can get Spring admission, or transfer from a CC as a sophomore (like Aaron Rodgers)

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It was more than 30 years ago, but I remember while between classes my final year on campus, I ran into a former classmate from my hometown who I hadn't seen in years. Back in high school I had always dismissed him as a dumb jock party animal, utterly uninterested in academics. I greeted him and asked him what brought him to Berkeley that day--I couldn't imagine what he was doing on campus. He replied that after he graduated from high school he attended CC in Sacramento where he applied himself academically, after which he applied to Cal and was accepted into the engineering school, no less. I've never had a long-standing impression of an acquaintance do a quicker 180 than during that encounter with him.

sluggo said:

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My kid got waitlisted in the School of Engineering. From everything I have read there is nothing he can do other than opt in to further consideration and wait. But if anyone knows anything more please let me know.

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College of engineering has its own admission standards and kind of operates as its own entity, in my anecdotal experience as a Cal MechE alum. My gut/initial feeling is that a CoE waitlist is a pretty good thing, actually.... your kid got their attention.

In a worst case he can take the basics (calc, physics, chem, etc) at a community college and potentially transfer in. There are definitely advantages to skipping the weeder classes at Cal (as I found out very quickly during my time at Cal lol)

And if he got into other target schools... maybe take a page out of today's typical college athlete: give it a shot, but if he doesn't like it, see about hitting the 'portal' to Cal (note: i have no idea how much of a thing this is, and I do know CoE credit transfers are a PITA)

sluggo said:

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My kid got waitlisted in the School of Engineering. From everything I have read there is nothing he can do other than opt in to further consideration and wait. But if anyone knows anything more please let me know.

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Sluggo- have him write a LOCI directly emailed to an admissions officer. feel free to pm if any questions

bencgilmore said:

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sluggo said:

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My kid got waitlisted in the School of Engineering. From everything I have read there is nothing he can do other than opt in to further consideration and wait. But if anyone knows anything more please let me know.

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College of engineering has its own admission standards and kind of operates as its own entity, in my anecdotal experience as a Cal MechE alum. My gut/initial feeling is that a CoE waitlist is a pretty good thing, actually.... your kid got their attention.

In a worst case he can take the basics (calc, physics, chem, etc) at a community college and potentially transfer in. There are definitely advantages to skipping the weeder classes at Cal (as I found out very quickly during my time at Cal lol)

And if he got into other target schools... maybe take a page out of today's typical college athlete: give it a shot, but if he doesn't like it, see about hitting the 'portal' to Cal (note: i have no idea how much of a thing this is, and I do know CoE credit transfers are a PITA)

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Thank you. I am proud of him for getting on the waitlist in the CoE. I think the portal option will be the one he takes, unless he falls for his starter school. Or gets lucky from the waitlist.

eastcoastcal said:

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sluggo said:

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My kid got waitlisted in the School of Engineering. From everything I have read there is nothing he can do other than opt in to further consideration and wait. But if anyone knows anything more please let me know.

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Sluggo- have him write a LOCI directly emailed to an admissions officer. feel free to pm if any questions

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For those at home a LOCI is a letter of continued interest. Which Cal has eliminated, at least officially. But maybe unofficially it is still a good thing to do. I will PM you.

calumnus said:

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BearBoarBlarney said:

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The Mission High School article from the SF Comical is in line with UC Berkeley's stated institutional priorities for undergraduate enrollment. Cal has a task force in place to apply for the "Hispanic Serving Institution" ("HSI") designation by 2027. The designation means that 25% or more of enrolled undergraduate students are members of the Latinx/Chicanx community.

As of now, 6 of the 9 UC undergraduate campuses already have received the HSI designation, and the other 3 campuses -- UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD -- are in the process of trying to achieve the designation.

https://chancellor.berkeley.edu/task-forces/hispanic-serving-institution-task-force

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If you want your kid to get in to Berkeley, sending them to a highly competitive high school is the toughest route. The best route is to excel in a rural public high school where few apply.

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I don't think you're actually advocating for this, but I think there's something to unpack here. The name on the degree is just a proxy for the skills and traits employers and grad schools are looking for, but it is not a 1:1.

Students in those rural (or poor performing urban) settings have to deal with all the distractions and disadvantages that come with it (disinterested peers, gangs, chaotic drug use, violence, lack of academic resources/challenging classes, minimal cultural stimulation etc.). It really isn't easy to succeed academically in that environment. At a challenging high school they'll at least get into some reputable college, have the academic skills to succeed there, have a leg up with interfacing with professors and eventually employers, have a peer group pushing them to succeed, etc.

The kid who went to a competitive high school, and only went to UCSC or similar, but got a 3.7, has multiple internships, figured out how to network (learning through their ambitious peers, or networking through their peers parents' or schools' circles) has a huge leg up in life on the kid who went to a lower performing high school, gets overwhelmed by the rigor at Berkeley, gets a 2.7, spends the summer making up classes, feels alienated by their ambitious peers at Cal and also by their hometown friends, who they are increasingly less able to relate to.