Applying to Berkeley, depressed.

<p>I'm a US citizen currently living in Korea and I am planning to apply to UC Berkeley for the Fall semester of 2006.</p>

<p>I took the SAT I and got 690 v, 800 m, 620 w...
I'm really depressed about my writing score and I'm afraid it'll hurt my chances of getting in.</p>

<p>Other than that, my unweighted GPA is about 3.6 to 3.8, I think...</p>

<p>I scored 800 on all of my subject tests, (Math I, Math II, Physics)</p>

<p>my ECs are... unoutstanding ...
(The only reason why I wasn't on a sports team/club is because... none existed. I went to a public Korean High School.)</p>

<p>and I scored a 5 on the only AP subject I had time to study for. (Calculus AB)</p>

<p>Toefl: 293/300</p>

<p>This whole 'runaway' project was practically based on a whim.
I wasn't planning at any time in all my high school years to apply to a university in the US, but after the Korean SAT, (which is held just once a year in November)
I guess I decided that I didn't want to be a teacher like my dad tried to force...(too strong a vocabulary?) me into doing.
So I decided that I was going to take my future into my hands
and it has been a downhill tumble ever since.
I've graduated from high school(graduation was in Feb. 2005) and I'm studying again for the Korean SAT,
but the tests I've taken and the applications I'll be sending to the universities in the United States are just between mom and me.</p>

<p>I had about two weeks to get ready for the Toefl T_T...
and about 3 months to get ready for the SAT subject tests and the AP exam
with all the Monday through Saturday coursework at an academy which specializes in the K(orean)SAT.</p>

<p>I know I'm not outstanding or anything...
but I guess I'm desperate.</p>

<p>I'm sure I'll be applying whether I have a chance or no chance at all...
and now I'm wondering why I wrote this...</p>

<p>I believe you cannot take Math 1 and Math 2 for your SAT 2 tests, you must take a third non-Math one</p>

<p>someone may correct me, though</p>

<p>that is correct, you just need writing</p>

<p>if you're out-of-state, which i assume you are, then it'll be difficult.</p>

<p>why are you going to hakwons for soo-neung? you should try retaking the sat to raise your writing score.</p>

<p>and what is your planned major? </p>

<p>you have an advantage in that you can qualify for financial aid to support yourself as an independent...</p>

<p>Being depressed is a waist of your time. See what happens, do what you can to improve your application in the time you have now, and live with whatever ends up happening. Not many people end up going to their "first choice" school, and for many, this is for the best.</p>

<p>actually i was looking at the new UC requirements, and i think because the writing was integrated into the SAT 1 i think you only need 2 subject tests. but look into it i suppose. anecdotal perhaps, but from the people ive met, its really a crapshoot.</p>

<p>yes, 2 subject tests from different disciplines. The UC's will no longer accept Math 1.</p>

<p>I don't think you'll get in to be honest...but try for some other UC schools.. you have way too few AP tests, not high enough SATs, and not enough extracurriculars.</p>

<p>Try for some other UCs..I'm sure you'll get into some other ones.</p>

<p>Well, get some self confidence first. Berkeley is a great place, but you could do well anywhere. GPA is the most important thing, then EC's, then scores. Write some good essays, send that sucker in, and hope for the best.</p>

<p>I currently live in Korea.
I used to be a resident of California for about ten years...
Does that count as in-state? (Just asking, although I don't think it does.)</p>

<p>Actually, I'm not in a hakwon anymore, since my parents wanted me to study alone at home,
but trying to take the SAT at this point is a little risky because the soo-neung is in November.
...Perhaps a double risk because my dad does not know... and I don't want to get caught.</p>

<p>I plan to major in Geology to become a Geologist, but maybe Psychology is more practical like my parents say.</p>

<p>I was surprised you know about the soo-neung.</p>

<p>Just a comment- more often than not, people don't directly deal with what they majored in outside of college, unless they go onto to get advanced degrees, and many of these people don't either! I say major in what you love, but good luck with everything.</p>

<p>i'm a korean international so i'm pretty familiar with the korean college admissions process. soo-neung is just psychotic... feel bad for those who have to take it.</p>

<p>what i'm thinking is that your dad will have to know about this sooner or later, since it'll be very difficult to fly over here without his knowledge. and why is he opposing you coming here? if it's money, you'd have to convince him that you can support yourself as an independent.</p>

<p>i don't know a whole lot about in-state resident requirements, so you might have to check it out on the website. if you're considered out-of-state, really you should check out other schools as berkeley is very biased in their admissions towards in-state, as well as being wayyy too expensive.</p>

<p>you can be undeclared until you find the right major.</p>