Going according to Plan A… or Rather Plan B thru Z.

It’s that time of year again.  I ‘m not simply talking about needing to set your clocks an hour forward. I also am not referring to that exciting Spring Break Trip that is about to ensue. Nope, it’s about this time of year that scores of students find out the final admission decision to which colleges they have been accepted. By now some students are now getting a clearer picture of what options they have, while others still anxiously await for an answer from their dream college.  For the most part nowadays, students can check admission decisions online and not have to wait for ‘snail mail.’ Although things have changed drastically in the decision delivery, what hasn’t changes is the feeling you get just as you are checking:  that rush of adrenaline over the decision that could change your life dramatically.  No matter the outcome, you have to plan out your next steps.  Whether it be a burst of joy, a pool of tears, a shrug of relief, a pang of anger, or a daze of confusion, your response to that decision will immediately lay the groundwork of what lies ahead.

 So…

If you are one of the applicants that can and will call UCLA their new home next Fall, CONGRATULATIONS and prepare now!  All your questions about ‘what next?’ could be answered online at www.admissions.ucla.edu/newbruins under First-time Freshmen. No need to call our admissions office, because all of the information is there. The New Bruins website will give you all you need to know.  There you’ll find deadlines and things you need to do in preparation for your freshman year.  Focus on covering ground now about financing your education.  Hopefully you have already done a great deal about looking into scholarships (in addition to the FAFSA and GPA Verification form if you qualify.) Of course you have to maintain courses, grades, and involvements as you draw closer to the end of high school. Making that decision of where you are going doesn’t end now, but will follow through until you graduate. Keep away from senioritis and make sure you fulfill everything on that application that your reported.  Any changes should be reported ASAP to the admissions office. Congratulations and we hope you will consider well your offer from UCLA among all other college options you may have.

Or…

For the many qualified applicants we have to regretfully turn away every year, we encourage you to see your decision in a different way.  We say it time and time again that we receive far more qualified applicants than number of spaces we have to accommodate. In addition to other factors including the economic climate and budget crunch, we simply cannot accept everyone who is qualified, leaving many unhappy and unsatisfied.  We use a Holistic selection process and multiple reviews that pick the best students who are balanced in many aspects. So it isn’t one single factor to attribute to this outcome.

Consider what other options you have. If you listened to what counselors, teachers, admissions officers and parents have been saying, you probably applied to more than just one university.  There is a reason why you sent in applications to other places because you could picture yourself there. Do the research and find a campus that can be your fit.  The review process and business of admissions is making a call on whether the reviewers feel you are a good fit at the universities you apply to, using knowledge of the standard, opportunities, and goals established by each university.  So based on your qualities and achievements, the ‘fit’ that defines our students was not there. However there are other universities that accept you knowing you will flourish and bring what they expect you to bring to the university based on your application.  This is what makes each individual university unique and what adds richness of diversity in all aspects.  Largely thanks to the faculty, staff, and of course the students who go there.

Or perhaps transferring and starting at a community college is the alternative.  Reasons for considering the community college route are based on a variety of different situations.  Some include saving money from expensive tuition fees for less time, wanting to invest more into graduate or professional school, being closer to home and family, or giving yourself more time to mature.  In any case, freshman or transfer, you graduate with the same 4-yr degree. Much of what is needed for transfer admission, include taking courses in preparation for your major and general education requirements.  This can be done in two years at a California community college and the courses here are already approved for transfer to either a Cal State University or University of California campus. That along with strong grades can predict your likely hood of acceptance as a transfer.  This can be your primary way of getting to you #1 choice UC campus.  Just do the preparation now, weigh out your options, and choose the best option that will help you get there.

So now that you opened your thinking up a little more, consider this: what do you want to be when you grow up?  If you are looking to progress toward a profession that requires a professional degree (i.e. physician, lawyer, business) then know that going to the UC as an undergraduate has virtually no advantage on the likelihood of entering the schools professional program.  Many inaccurately think, "If I go to UCLA as an undergraduate and earn my bachelors degree there, I am more likely to get into their professional and graduate schools."  Well know that they are completely separate processes.  Being at UCLA, like any other applicant, is part of your strengths and qualities, and very few schools at this level guarantee admission to their graduate and professional schools.  Thus, you will be considered largely on grades, admissions test performance, life experiences, and application/interviews.  So in fact, if you do want to get into UCLA Law, UCLA Medicine, etc, being an undergraduate here won’t give you an added edge--it falls on the shoulders of the individual to be a well-rounded applicant.

It is my hope that through this blog, you can see that you have multiple opportunities to still do what you want to in life.  There is no set pathway to get to those goals and many end up taking their own unique path to get there. Therefore, see this as an opportunity to shape the rest of your life. No matter where you go, you will have a different experience at any college that will help you prepare and advance toward your goals. Undoubtedly, these will be experiences you carry with you as you work toward your degrees, but be very thorough in thinking about what would be best for you not only academically, but knowing there is so much more outside the walls of the lecture hall and classrooms.  You’re not only going to study there, you are going to live there. Much of the college experience is what happens outside of the classroom and where you do a lot of your personal growth and maturation. Cover more ground now to help you speed by miles in the future.  Good luck with all of your academic endeavors.

Christian

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