Any Chances at Berkeley? High SAT Low GPA

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>from one of the top schools in the nation.
Moved around alot Sophomore year (to Kansas and back)
and this really affected my GPA</p>

<p>Applying to Mechanical Engineering</p>

<p>My stats</p>

<p>UC GPA - 3.79
-GPA UW - 3.55
In 10th grade I changed schools 2ce I moved to KS and back, Lost all of my furniture,
it was a shock, furthermore I did not get the classes I wanted upon returning and my high school did not use my transfer grades.
I am sending the UC's a copy though and I hope they use my KS first semester sophomore grades because then my UC GPA jumps to 4.00
This was a real tragedy, because otherwise I would be looking good for Cal and stuff, oh well =)</p>

<p>SAT - 2290
CR - 760
M - 800
W - 730</p>

<p>Subjects
Math 2 - 790
Physics - 740</p>

<p>ACT 34</p>

<p>EC's
Astronomy Club - President (12), Treasurer(11) , 10, 9
Philosophy Club - President (12), 11, 10, 9
Robotics Engineering (we compete at JPL/Caltech etc.) 12, 11
LEO Club - 9,10,11,12 - various projects and hours
Tutor Volunteer Association 12, 11 (Math + Science)
Self taught electric guitarist - 9,10,11,12</p>

<p>Awards
California Scholarship Federation(CSF) 10,11,12
Principals Recognition Roll - 11
AP Scholar
Had Project Hosted in Arcadia Historical Museum
Tutoring Certification</p>

<p>Work Exp.
Tutor for pay -Math + Physics</p>

<p>AP Scores
Calculus AB - 5
Physics C Mech - 5
Physics C - E&M - 5</p>

<p>Senior Schedule
AP Bio
AP Comp Sci
AP Stats
Calc CD Honors
Econ
English 12</p>

<h2>Adv. Robotics Engr.</h2>

<p>GOOD LUCK to everybody that is applying</p>

2

<p>you’re a reach, but i could maybe see you getting spring admit perhaps.</p>

3

<p>I’m saying no go because of your GPA. But crazier things have happened.</p>

4

<p>explain why your gpa was so low in an attachment or something and they might give you a break. Big “might”, tho.</p>

5

<p>Do well on essays and you’re on the maybe to yes/spring list is my opinion. Thing is, if you could have had a high gpa, your essays wouldn’t have mattered that much.</p>

6

<p>thanks for the replies guys</p>

<p>I am sending them a transfer sheet and I hope they use it because then my GPA jumps to 4.0</p>

<p>I hope they give me a break because im not really whining about the move, only about the fact that I did not get the classes I wanted</p>

<p>Keep in mind that my school sent 77 to berk last year</p>

<p>but class size was large 965</p>

7

<p>you should whine more actually lol</p>

<p>make sure they know about your moving all the time, it can only help</p>

8

<p>Eh, it’s not unheard of people from Arcadia with low GPA/high SATs getting into Berkeley. The vast majority, however, have high GPA and moderate (2100+) SATs. You should really explain your circumstances in your essays…Not that you didn’t get the classes you wanted. Your essays should really convey the level of turmoil your frequent moves caused you, the chaos you dealt with, etc. In other words, in MechRocket’s words, you should whine more. But do it tastefully.</p>

9

<p>Thanks guys, I did write a thoughtful objective summary of the effects moving had on my life
I submitted my app one week ago</p>

10

<p>I’m pretty sure it’s possible, I think I know a guy with closer to a 3.0 GPA average (a few years ago) and a 2400 SAT who wrote according to him some very clever essays justifying his acceptance, and he made it in. The bottom line is that he’s actually smart and just didn’t care much about the classes he enrolled in his high school, and somehow he made a case.</p>

11

<p>UC app readers just love stories about overcoming adversity, but I’m not sure that moving – and not getting the classes that YOU want – is one of them. It’s all in how you tell the story. (Look at it another way, an app reader is just as likely to think, “hmmmm, there is a good possibility that the kid won’t get the classes s/he wants at Cal, either…what then?”)</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>