<p>Your counselor and teachers are right that you may have options than than UCs and Cal States. As an underrepresented minority (URM), there are many fine colleges where you would be attractive. What states are you willing to live in? Can you stand a rural environment in a corn field for example? Are you low-income? First in your famlity to attend college? What are you interested in? What makes you different? What are you good at? Post some more info about what you are looking for and we can help you. </p>
<p>Your URM status doesn't help you at the UCs. (I assume that's what you meant by the title of your post??) Affirmative Action is alive and well elsewhere. Don't assume your URM status will get you in places where you are not qualified however. Your test scores are a low for Amherst for example. Plenty of other places would be happy to have you. PM me if you want to.</p>