California Asian guy with crappy(I guess?) GPA trying to get into UC's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I'm applying to Cal, LA, San Diego, and Davis. I have Davis as a safety....</p>

<p>So where do I start...</p>

<p>GPA:
3.8 Weighted (Oops... I dunno.. Family Problems)
3.4 Unweighted (Wow that looks bad)</p>

<p>Ranking is 38/380 ish</p>

<p>I've taken every single Honors and AP class that my school offered except for Modern World History Honors in sophomore year and English Honors for the first semester of Last year.</p>

<p>Tests:</p>

<p>SATs-
My Best Sitting is 2170. (730 Critical Reading+ 730 Math+ 710 Writing)
My Best Scores put together is 2240 (730 CR + 800 Math + 710 Writing)</p>

<p>SAT II's-</p>

<p>Math IIC - 780
US History - 660
Those two are the ones I'm going to send in.. my other tests are crap...</p>

<p>Biology - 630
Literature - 610
Spanish - 440 (I think I missed a row on the multiple choice thus skewing every answer after it)</p>

<p>AP Tests:
APUSH: 3
Bio: 3</p>

<p>EC's:
Marching Band (9th to 12th grade)
Jazz Band (10th to 12th grade) First Chair Alto Saxophone
Concert Band in 9th grade
Cross Country for three years
Wresting one year
Praise band at church for... 5 years??</p>

<p>Others:
Band Council President (12th grade)
Band Council Tech Historian (11th Grade)
Marching Band Drum Major Sergeant (12th Grade)
Alto Saxophone and Clarinet section leader since 10th grade
Outstanding Soloist award in 11th grade.
Superior Rating at Local Level CMEA Solos and Ensembles.
Silver Rating at State level CMEA Solos and Ensembles
Tutored an 8th grader in 11th grade.</p>

<p>In the band for the Musical Theater productions since 10th grade.
Feed homeless in San Francisco every month since 8/9th grade.
Missionary to Mexico and helped construct and work last summer.
Internship at a Law Firm in Korea last last summer.
Quiz Kid ( TV Trivia Show)
CSF</p>

<p>I think that's it...</p>

<p>Once again I'm applying to Cal, LA, San Diego, and Davis. I have Davis as a safety....</p>

<p>I'm VERY worried about Cal and LA... </p>

<p>Oh and in addition... do you guys have any other schools to recommend??</p>

2

<p>I bet you end up at LA next year</p>

3

<p>Cal and LA might be a reach, half of their applicants have 4.0+.</p>

<p>Make a deal breaking essay.</p>

4

<p>ucb and la are slight reaches for ya, rest is easy.</p>

5

<p>so what exactly does slight reach mean?</p>

6

<p>Because of your GPA, your chances are a bit lower for the top UCs.</p>

<p>Berkeley: reach (30% chance)
UCLA: reach (about the same)
UCSD: slight reach (about 50-60%)</p>

7

<p>Ah... kyledavid80's seems a bit too rough.. I've been hearing San Diego being a near shoe-in from lots of people. Perhaps they were being too nice?</p>

<p>I may apply to USC also</p>

8

<p>Your GPA is about .25 below UCSD's average.</p>

<p>University</a> of California - Admissions</p>

<p>GPA is the most important factor. So it'd be a slight reach - reach. But since the rest of your application is good (especially the SAT), I'd say slight reach - high match. In other words. It could go either way. I wouldn't say you're a shoe-in, though.</p>

9

<p>UCLA/Cal: reach
UCSD: Slight reach
Rest: Match or better</p>

10

<p>Ah crap... stupid GPA.</p>

11

<p>Hmm your EC's are good man. And same with your scores. I've heard that UCSD has a point ranking system for admissions and that having a 4.0 isn't as important as other things, so don't worry about it dude. Write a great essay, and highlight your EC's on your application and I'd say UCSD would be only a slight reach. (I'm trying to get there too ^.^)</p>

<p>Berkley may be a little bit of a stretch, but it's within your reach. Even though you are Korean, if you highlight your internship at a law firm in Korea (especially if that fits in with your major) then that should help you stick out from the other Asians.</p>

<p>Good luck ^.^</p>

<p>Lol btw our test scores are extremely similar
My best sitting is 2190 and best combined is 2200. That's kinda crazy =P</p>

12

<p>Honestly I don't care much about going to Berkeley.. LA or San Diego is my preferred choice. However... my parents ARE paying tuition....</p>

13

<p>MrOh,</p>

<p>You obviously have the talent. If worse comes to worst, you could probably transfer within a year, assuming you start classes ASAP.</p>

14

<p>Ack... I REALLY would rather not transfer...</p>

15

<p>For what reasons?</p>

16

<p>Going to a new school requires you to "start over" socially. Sure there's people I know from before but.....</p>

17

<p>MrOh,</p>

<p>Having gone to a CC, then UC, and then another UC for grad, I can assure that it's not as bad as you think. It also gets easier the older you get...</p>

18

<p>Ah I guess I should work on a kick-ass personal statement..</p>

19

<p>bump... more chances please?</p>

20

<p>MrOh,</p>

<p>I don't know what "news" you expect at this point. It's not like anyone's going to say anything radically different.</p>