Chance Me: Berkeley & UCLA

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi,

I’m applying to more than UCB and UCLA but I wanted to review my application for the UC because my highest SAT score (1570) doesn’t have an essay component and I was told that I would have to submit my lower SAT with essay and ACT scores. I have two specific questions (but any general feedback is appreciated):

  1. Is there a chance that the AdCom will see my higher SAT in addition to those tests with essays since I sent in all of my scores via the score report? (I was happy with my essay score the first time I took the SAT so I didn’t want to spend the money on more essays)
  2. How (if at all) does legacy figure into UC decisions? (Both my mother and father attended UCB)

SAT I (breakdown): 1470 (730 Math; 740 Reading; 20 Essay) – I have a 1570 (800; 770) but I was told by UC Admissions Office that I can’t send it because I didn’t take the essay in the same session I got my best score. I sent all scores to UC so is there any chance they’ll consider the 1570?

ACT (breakdown): 34 (36 English; 33 Math; 34 Reading; 34 Science; 10 Writing)
SAT II: 800 Math II, 800 German
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.18 (I move my junior year and my school didn’t weight by freshman and sophomore classes properly. Additionally, I’ve had to take non-IB/AP classes to fulfill Virginia grad. requirements)
Rank: My school doesn’t rank
AP (place score in parenthesis): Calc BC (5), Spanish Lang. & Culture (5) [didn’t take class, just took test], US Gov. (5) [didn’t take class, just took test]
IB (place score in parenthesis): Economics SL (6)
Senior Year Course Load: IB Physics SL, IB Global Politics SL, IB Mathematics HL, IB Spanish B SL, IB Computer Science HL, IB English HL, IB TOK, US Government (graduation requirement), Band
I’m an IB diploma candidate

Major Awards:
-Nat. Merit Commendation
-Rensselaer Medalist
-Best Mock Trial Attorney in Virginia - 2018
-Outstanding Mock Trial Witness - World Championships in 2015
-Outstanding Attorney - Georgia Mock Trial Tournament 2017

Subjective:

Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):

-Mock Trial (Founded team at my new school - placed 5th best in Virginia in our first year)
-Wind Ensemble (Concertmaster, conducted for pep band at football games this year)
-Technology & Engineering Instructor at nearby STEM tutoring center (paid work)
-Student Council (At-Large Representative for Senior Class, work on both Senior Class SCA and Executive Board)
-[Insert VA City] Young Democrats Association (18-and-under Representative and social media director)
-HS Young Democrats Club (Vice President, formerly Policy Director, drafted club constitution)
-School Board Business in Education Committee (Student Representative)
-HS Saturday Tutoring Center (tutor for math, physics, computer science, and Spanish)
-Local Travel Soccer Team (Goalkeeper)
-Summer exchange trip to Dresden, Germany in 2016
-Summer exchange trip to Barcelona, Spain in 2017

Essays (rating 1-10, details):

9/10 for UCs (adapted my Common App essay about father’s death, wrote about leadership and creativity in the other essays)

Other Details:

Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes
Intended Major: Computer Science
State: Virginia
School Type: Small, nationally-ranked public HS (~800, 200 in graduating class)
Ethnicity: American & German (Dual citizen)
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: 150k+
Hooks: Double legacy at Berkeley

Again, thanks for any feedback you can provide.

2

To clarify: I’m white with American & German nationalities.

3

I can address 2: Legacy and ethnic background are not taken into account in admissions at UCs.

Have you calculated your UC GPA? Google rogerhub uc GPA for an online calculator.

UCs do not offer financial aid to oos students. Does this affect your interest in or ability to attend these schools?

Other than these points, you seem to be a highly qualified candidate. Good luck in finding your path. I think you will have many options to choose from.

4

Thanks for your post. I accidentally left the financial aid in there from the template; I’m lucky enough not to have to worry that much about the cost other than comparing potential merit scholarships at state schools.

I believe my UC GPA would be around 4.17 (I used the UC calculator two weeks ago and I think that is the score I got). Is there any consideration given to grades/GPA at the end of 1st semester senior year? I know other schools look at mid-year reports but since UCs don’t need transcripts I’m assuming they don’t review senior year grades. Am I right in that assessment?

5

The UC’s will only use the highest SAT score with essay. Even if they see the 1570 score, they will not use it for admission consideration. They require the SAT with essay from the same sitting so the 1470 is what they will use. You look like a competitive applicant but you should consider UCLA/UCB a Reach school.

6

I also have a high 34 ACT with essay, which (from what I’ve seen online) translates roughly to a 1530. Do the UCs value one test over the other (SAT vs. ACT)?

7

They will consider the highest test score either SAT with essay or ACT with essay from a single sitting. They have no preference for either test. Sorry I missed that you posted your ACT score also since you were specifically asking about the SAT.

8

Also, what is the school of thought behind only allowing scores with essays in the same administration? I understand not super-scoring the math and reading sections, but not allowing the essay to come from a different administration seems excessive. I especially don’t understand this policy given that it costs more money to take the essay than just the regular test. If you have already taken the essay and are content with your essay scores, why should you be forced to spend more money to take the essay again?

9

I do not work for the UC system, so I cannot comment on the reasoning behind the test requirements. Each school or school system is allowed to setup their own requirements and you as an applicant need to be aware of the requirements regardless if they do not make sense to you. A requirement is a requirement. If you do not want to follow the rules, then you always have the option of applying to other schools without this testing restriction.

10

I’m aware of the requirement, I was just wondering if there was any specific reasoning for the policy given that it might pose a greater financial hardship for some students.

11

For students for whom it would be a real hardship, there are fee waivers.

12

UCB EECS or UCLA CS is generally reach for all.

UCB L&S (for the L&S CS major) could be a lower reach. But then you need to earn a 3.3 college GPA in the CS prerequisites to get into the L&S CS major.

13

Good to know – I’ve applied L&S to Berkeley and CS (CoE) to UCLA. Do you know what the general timeline is for doing gen. ed./prerequisites before actually getting into the CS major?

14

UCB L&S CS information can be found at https://eecs.berkeley.edu/academics/undergraduate/cs-ba . Sample course schedules for incoming frosh are given at https://berkeley.app.box.com/v/ugrad-sample-cs-freshmen . Note that the 3.3 GPA must be earned in CS 61A, 61B, 70. Note also that Math 1A and 1B are calculus; 3 or higher on AP calculus AB or BC satisfies 1A, while 5 on AP calculus BC satisfies 1B, for the L&S CS major, according to https://eecs.berkeley.edu/resources/undergrads/cs/degree-reqs-lowerdiv .

General UCB L&S information (including degree requirements other than those specific to your major) can be found at https://ls.berkeley.edu/advising/degree-requirements .