Chance at UC's?

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

I’m currently a high school senior at a semi-competitive school in Southern California who is about to start working on my applications, and I would appreciate feedback in order to temper my expectations…

So, here I go

Schools: Berkeley, LA, Santa Barbara, San Diego, Irvine, Davis, Santa Cruz

Intented major: I want to major in Physics, but I want to apply for Electrical Engineering as a first choice for some schools (at least lower level UCs) in case I have a change of heart because I know how hard it is to switch into engineering. Is this a good strategy? Which schools should or shouldn’t I try this at?

UC capped GPA - 4.35
SAT scores - 1490 (770M, 720E) and 1460 (780M 680E)
SAT2 scores - 800 Math 2, 770 Chem, 720 US history

Details:
Freshman year grades were not great, but it’s okay because UC’s don’t look at it anyways
Sophmore year took 1 AP (World History) and 3 honors classes, 1 B first semester in math, otherwise all A’s
Junior year was where I shined, 4 APs (Phyisics 1, Chem, Calc AB, US History), all A’s
Senior year classes are AP Macro/AP Gov, AP Calc BC, AP Bio, Art, English, Health

I think it might get frowned upon that I took Calc AB instead of BC in my junior year, but it’s too late to change that

My extracurriculars are pretty mediocre, 4 years varsity swim, 1 year working as a beach lifeguard, 1 year science olympiad, 1 year CSF, 1 year in a petty club
I might be able to write decent personal statements, but I think that ECs and Personal statements are likely to be the weakest part of my application.

Summary:
Solid GPA/SAT, mediocre-bad extracurriculars

So there it is. Any feedback or advise is much appreciated. Are there any other schools (privates) that I could be looking at?

2

you are a very strong candidate for all the UCs. Apply broadly though, cause you just never know. Cal Poly Slo is an obvious ad to your ap list.
good luck

3

Thanks for your input, much appreciated. Cal poly slo is definitely one of the schools on my list.

4

My son had very similar stats (his SAT was higher though) and similar ECs (yours might be bit better). Based on his results for engineering at UCs a couple of years ago, I’d say you have a pretty good chance at the UCs other than Berkeley and UCLA. Those 2 you have a shot, but maybe waitlist is more likely. UCSB seems to like athletic kids, so I’d think you have a good shot there. Davis can be unpredictable - sometimes scores lower than yours get in but higher ones won’t. At least that’s what we’ve seen the last couple of years. I agree that Cal Poly would be a good one for you and since it’s more formula based, you are probably pretty strong there. As tough as engineering is to get into at all those schools, even if you get into just a couple that is a pretty good result. Good luck and really focus on your essays. They could be critical - don’t just go through the motions with them.

5

Thanks!

6

You are definitely a competitive applicant and I agree with the above posters assessments. UCLA/UCB are always tough but you are in the running.

Best of luck.

7

Cal poly is not exellent school for your score. You can more challenge for great school.

8

@Jayku Cal Poly is an excellent school for engineering and as tough or tougher to get into for engineering as the mid-tier UCs.

9

I think pomona is very academically strong private school, but cal poly is not strict required for sat score.sorry maybe I don’t have accurateinformation because I am not american I just heard it is so, so that means…it is not bad but also not exellent school.Sometimes people are confused which pomona they told.

10

@Jayku: Average SAT (new) for Cal Poly SLO was 1467 last year for Engineering. That is on par with the top UC’s, so not sure why you think Cal Poly is not excellent school? There is also Cal Poly Pomona, sister of SLO, which is an easier admit but still considered an excellent school for Engineering.

11

Ok. I understand. But UC B, CT, HM are more interesting school for exellent students.

12

@jayku Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo is a less expensive school for excellent students who are California residents (like the OP).

Tuition & Fees for California residents:

$54,347 Harvey Mudd
$49,908 Caltech
$14,068 UC Berkeley
$ 9,075 Cal Poly SLO

13

Sure, Stanford, CalTech are really good too -
CP SLO is an outstanding school, especially for engineering students. Many top students prefer the smaller class sizes and ‘Learn by Doing’ approach vs the massive lecture halls taught by grad assistant and fend for yourself approach in the top UCs. A friend of mine (UCB alumnus) hires lots of recent grads for a bay area tech company says UCB grads don’t know how to do anything… and need to be taught the fundamentals of holding a job whereas CP SLO and other CSUs turn out students ready to work . Granted, small sample size but, her firm doesn’t recruit at any of the UCs anymore.