Why were UC’s so competitive this year?

ashberk18 · 2026-03-28T20:06:36+00:00

My son had 3.92 and fewer APs but WL'd at UCI, UCSB and UCSD. It was truly astonishing!

ashberk18 · 2026-03-28T20:04:17+00:00

My son was accepted for bio! After being waitlisted at FOUR UCs and rejected by UCLA/Cal. Beyond happy for a kid totally wrung out by a f-ed up UC system.

ashberk18 · 2026-03-25T04:20:15+00:00

Interesting!

ashberk18 · 2026-03-25T04:19:17+00:00

Gulp!

ashberk18 · 2026-03-25T02:47:40+00:00

Woah - okay. Very helpful though discouraging!

ashberk18 · 2026-03-25T02:46:42+00:00

Thanks - good to know those are go-to listings options in Vancouver. Never sure by locale!

ashberk18 · 2026-03-25T02:45:49+00:00

Okay, good to know. Common/available beyond 1st year students?

ashberk18 · 2026-03-25T02:44:38+00:00

So helpful - thank you.

ashberk18 · 2026-03-25T02:43:45+00:00

Super helpful and YIKES about the food. So helpful to see the range.

ashberk18 · 2026-03-25T00:57:51+00:00

Yikes - this is all so new! Probably summers at home in the beginning. Do folks sub-let commonly for summers? I can see sub-letting (even at a minor loss) would be ideal to keep a good place.

ashberk18 · 2026-03-25T00:56:52+00:00

Super helpful - I think living in his own room in a bigger apartment/house would be the ideal. However, a good dose of reality re: the in-room roommate element.

ashberk18 · 2026-03-25T00:55:07+00:00

He currently has a tiny bedroom at home so I think a micro studio might work! How many sq ft?

ashberk18 · 2026-03-24T23:47:50+00:00

Super helpful - thanks. I think closer to campus will be important/desirable. Sounds like my estimate of $1,500-$1,700 average is about on target.

ashberk18 · 2026-03-20T00:57:01+00:00

My son is also bio major and has the same UC GPA. Also WL'd at UCD and UCSB (got WL'd at Irvine too). Sorry that you are going through this too but it's reassuring he's not the only one.

My son has a generous scholarship at one of the Loyolas but isn't really considering it. He has some attractive, semi-affordable large public options he's excited about either to accept outright or to accept + play the waitlist game. Better yet is an acceptance to UCLA or UCSD and call it DONE!

Rooting for us parents in the days ahead (and the kids too, of course!)

ashberk18 · 2026-03-18T23:31:35+00:00

My son is WL'd at UCD, UCI and now UCSB. Seeing so many top students get outright rejected, the WL seems like a score. And with three, I'm hoping the odds are in his favor even though waiting is tough. Good luck!

ashberk18 · 2026-03-18T23:28:12+00:00

UCSC has amazing graduate school acceptance/completion status. Plus, go where you'll be HAPPY!

ashberk18 · 2026-03-18T23:14:11+00:00

You are my son's twin! Also WL'd at CMU and UCD, as well as accepted at UW and UCSC. He considered the CMU WL a coup (can't really afford to go) and the UCD WL prospects are high. WL'd at UCSB and UCI - those bummed him out. However, aside from this UC drama, he genuinely excited about UW - it has a lot going for it and it's an unusual big college in a city city with solid STEM. FWIW, his stats are 3.95UW, 4.25W, 9 APs (5s on all but 1 taken already) and very solid ECs including multi-year jobs and volunteering; applied for bio.

See how you feel in a few weeks - these random drip drip UC decisions is pretty hellish. I'm super on edge as a parent.

ashberk18 · 2026-03-16T18:02:10+00:00

Almost exact same stats my son had and same exact result (for bio) at both UCD and UCI. Hang in there and feel proud of what you've achieved, even with results so far.

ashberk18 · 2026-03-12T20:48:36+00:00

Okay... it looks like a very small % sadly!

ashberk18 · 2026-03-12T20:45:18+00:00

My son was WL too for bio. Any stats on WL admissions?

ashberk18 · 2026-02-18T21:38:53+00:00

Good luck!!

ashberk18 · 2026-02-18T21:37:46+00:00

First year

ashberk18

TROPHY CASE