What must I do to get into UCLA?

What can I do to get into UCLA? What are other things besides grades and SATs that I can do to get into UCLA?

• I want to go into UCLA, but I have about a 2.8-3.0 GPA and about 1200 in my SAT. I am also doing community service which is tutoring someone. I know that colleges look at things other than grades, but I want to know what else I can do so that I will be able to get into this college. I would like for someone that goes to UCLA to tell me what they did to get accepted. thanks

• Answer:

  To prepare for UCLA, you should complete the a-g requirements (ask your counselor for the approved courses at your high school or check online at http://www.ucop.edu/doorways/ ), study and do well in your high school courses and standardized tests (SAT and/or ACT, and SAT II), take as many honors and/or AP courses as you can handle, participate in educational preparation programs available at your high school (see a list on my blog), and commit to one or two extracurricular activities in which you develop leadership skills (more is not better, quality is better than quantity). UCLA will weigh the following components of your application (in the order of importance): 1) your essay (UCLA publishes a guideline on how to write your personal statement at: http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/PerStmt.htm ) about your academic achievement, talent or extracurricular activities that highlight your motivation, dedication, and/or initiative to achieve, your potential to contribute to the university, and any special circumstances like hardship; 2) your grades and any grade trends (improvements are better than just maintaining a high GPA); 3) your test scores, including SAT and/or ACT, SAT II; and 4) number of AP courses completed compared to the number of AP courses offered at your high school. Other factors are taken into consideration, but to a lesser extent.