Empowerly Students Receive Early Admissions for University of California Class

Several Empowerly students received their news before the rest of the waiting pool. What makes these students so exceptional? Today we discuss with Empowerly expert counselors what these successful individuals did differently, and what you can learn from their journeys. If you’re interested in any of the University of California schools, or how to earn early admissions notifications, this article is for you.

Curious about what makes the best students stand out from the rest? We have answers. Today we will review the profiles of several outstanding Empowerly students who received early admissions notifications for the notoriously difficult University of California schools! 

Let’s begin by examining the context for these student applications for the freshman class of 2028. 

First things first, the University of California (or UC) campuses are some of the best state schools in the country. There are nine undergraduate campuses to choose from, sprinkled up and down the West Coast. 

Each has its niche and major specializations. You can find more information about each of these great schools to decide if they are a fit for you. However, keep in mind that acceptance to these covered institutions is not easy! All students hoping to attend school in the Golden State need to polish up their student resume and put their best foot forward. 

Acceptance to one of these top schools is an accomplishment already. So who gets their results early? Well, it’s not common—and you shouldn’t expect it unless you have particular circumstances. According to UC Berkeley’s Annual Report on Undergraduate Admissions Requirements and Comprehensive Review:

“For the seventh year, Berkeley released a small number of admission decisions in February. For fall 2022, about 1,350 applicants were admitted; these include applicants chosen to interview for the Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship, as well as admitted to the College of Engineering’s Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology (MET) program, Sciences Po Dual Degree program, and a small number of recruited athletes.”

While this doesn’t include all of the reasons why a student may hear back from a UC school early, these are the primary reasons. Keep in mind: 

“This notification is outside of the normal admissions timeline, and the early release has created a significant workload challenge […] Berkeley continues to finalize the incoming class well into the early summer, utilizing both the freshman and transfer waitlists, as well as institutional records and registration data to estimate overall retention.”

So if you haven’t heard back yet, it doesn’t mean you won’t. Do your best not to panic if others are receiving notifications before you.

Next, we’ll dissect several key examples of genuine Empowerly students who, against the odds, aced this incredible honor.

• What kind of school are they coming from? Public high school in California.
• Target schools: UC and CSU schools only (no Common App).
• GPA range: GPA 4.2.
• Intended major: Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies.
• Counselor: Stephanie W. — read more about Stephanie here!

“I believe my student’s responses to the UC personal insight questions and the impact she made on her local community were significant factors in her profile. She wrote honestly about a sensitive topic/life experience, and more importantly, the insights she gained from the experience and how those insights will guide her contributions on campus. We carefully crafted a way for her to tell her story while establishing the appropriate tone,” her counselor Stephanie shared. 

“She also stood out as a leader in both her school and community, founding a cultural organization and spearheading a community project that focused on renewing an area of her hometown. Overall, I think her honesty and authenticity made a big impact.”

“I worked extensively with her on her writing, encouraging her to write about a sensitive and impactful life experience and applying my knowledge of how to approach the UC personal insight questions,” Stephanie reflected. 

“In our sessions, we talked through the prompts and her responses as if I were interviewing her, and she wrote in that style. I also helped her elevate her descriptions of her extracurricular activities to emphasize their impact, and ensured that her writing, extracurriculars, and major selection aligned to build a cohesive theme,” she said.

• What kind of school are they coming from? Public high school in California.
• Target schools: Top 25 schools, including the University of California and Stanford.
• GPA range: GPA 4.0+
• Intended Major: Engineering or Biomedical Engineering.
• Counselor: Shahrukh M. — read more about the Empowerly team here!

This student was accepted into the College of Engineering’s Management, Entrepreneurship & Technology (MET) program. As mentioned before, this is a unique program that typically notifies students before the rest of the applicant pool.

This student came to Empowerly with very strong academics, but little to no cohesive extracurricular narrative to tie everything together. “In the initial stages, when we were building his brag sheet and trying to get a better understanding of each other—figuring out what opportunities to double down on, and what things to let go of, and what further needs to be done—we were meeting about once a week. In the beginning, maybe even more often,” his counselor Shahrukh said. 

“Later the meetings were about once in three-ish weeks; during applications,” he said. Working closely together to build out his leadership experience in student government and other extracurricular activities put the final grace notes on the student’s strong foundation. 

What’s more, all this work was well worth it. All this hard work came together to help this student stand out and land an invitation to both Stanford and UC Berkeley’s renowned engineering programs.

Hoping to land an early admissions decision to a University of California campus yourself? More interested in the other colleges located on the West Coast, or somewhere else entirely? The earlier you can get started working towards your dreams, the better prepared you will become. Time is the best asset in preparing for college.

Regardless of your goals in the college admissions process, Empowerly is here to help you reach for the stars. If you'd like to collaborate with one of our experts — including our Berkeley counseling team — on a college application strategy for your student, reach out to us today. Our unique blend of resources and support tools provides the best comprehensive counseling with a lifelong impact. Your success is our goal!