<p>Actually, the first thing that admission officers look at is course rigor, defined as:
- at least 4 and typically 5 (for selective colleges) “core classes” every year (academic classes)
- no free period or study hall, unless mandatory or used for internship or something else
- 6-8 APs and as many Honors classes as possible
- 4 English classes, Math through AP Stats or precalculus (calculus is a bonus), 3-4 years of a foreign language (Ap is a bonus), 4 classes in social sciences including US History, another history, and 2 others (such as another history, Geography, Econ, Gov…), Biology/Chemistry/Physics, or 4 including 2 of these
- consistency and coherence of the schedule: are you aware of your strengths and developing them? are you well-rounded? do you have clear academic interests or are you able to see what prep would be necessary for a future major you want to do?</p>
<p>The second thing they look at is class decile (top 10%, top 25%?) and GPA. That GPA is often recalculated.</p>
<p>Keeping this in mind: don’t take so many AP classes this year.
First, colleges will recalculate your GPA so taking lots of APs will NOT increase your GPA.
Second, the UCs limit bonus points to a total of 8 honors or APs. So it won’t help there either.
Third, there’s a law of diminishing returns if you take more than 8 - by the end of Junior Year you already have 6 so you REALLY don’t have any benefit to taking so many senior year.
Fourth, it’s much better to have 4 AP’s and get A’s in them, than 6 APs where you have A1, 3Bs and 2Cs. Never take an AP class where you could get less than a B. Ask your current teachers to see what they recommend.
Fifth, preparing college applications will be as if you had an extra class. You don’t want to mess this up because you have too many classes.</p>
<p>My suggestion to you is to take 4 and only 4 AP’s. Since you’re interested in Environmental Science, take AP Chem and AP Calc. Drop AP Lit, which is A LOT of reading and certainly interesting and necessary for arts/humanities, but not necessary otherwise UNLESS you love reading. (If you love reading, do take it, you’ll love it. But don’t mistake it for AP English2) Then, pick 2 (or 1 if you kept APLit) among AP Gov/Econ, AP Spanish Lang, AP Studio Art – take what you’re truly excited about, so that, if asked in an interview, you could really explain why you chose that class and why you love it.</p>
<p>You can TOTALLY apply for a UC, BTW. Not UBC, nor UCLA, likely not UCSD, certainly. But apply to UCD, UCSB, and another one (UCSC would be a good one, I think - and a match). What’s the worse that can happen? You won’t get in? Then you won’t be any worse off than if you didn’t get in because you didn’t apply ;)<br>
For CSU’s I understand your concerns but some are a little different from the CSUs you may know – you could apply to Humboldt, but visit first to see if its vibe is okay with you. I think Cal Poly SLO should also be on your list, 
<a href=“http://cafes.calpoly.edu/departments/departmentsNRES.html”>http://cafes.calpoly.edu/departments/departmentsNRES.html</a>
CSU Chico and CSU Sonoma may also interest you, they’re different from the more typical CSU’s - check them out.</p>
<p>Next: go to the following websites and fill out the “request info/join the mailing list” questionnaires. When you get the material, read it carefully to decide whether you want to investigate further.
UPuget Sound
UPortland
USeattle
UWashington*
UOregon
Whitman
Willamette
Lewis&Clark
Southern Oregon University
UBC
Simon Fraser</p>
<ul>
<li>unlikely to be affordable</li>
</ul>
<p>Go visit Occidental College, Pitzer, LMU, and Chapman. Pitzer and Occidental “meet need” so they’re very good financial choices for a middle class to lower income family. When you visit, sign in at Admissions. (Very important to indicate “interest”).</p>
<p>Borrow a college guide, such as Insider’s Guide to the Colleges, or Princeton Review’s best Colleges, or Fiske Guide. Start reading, starting with the West Coast, then venturing out to the colleges recommended for the sciences.</p>
<p>If you get to a 3.5 and a 30 on your ACT, with your GPA, you’re AUTOMATICALLY eligible for entry to the Alabama College of Engineering + Honors College + Honors Dorms + other perks+ full tuition.
If you get a 32, you get that with a $2,500 at the college of engineering, OR you get those ^revious perks in the College of Arts and Science. UAlabama’s Honors College is often discussed on these boards and has a very favorable reputation. Of course, it’s not the cool, rainy weather of the Pacific Northwest. :D</p>
<p>Go to the “Financial Aid” forum on this website. There are threads with automatic scholarships and competitive scholarships, plus out of state fee waivers.</p>
<p>Your counselor is wrong: transferring from a community college DOES NOT increase the odds of getting scholarships. Either you transfer into a UC, qualify for CalGrant and/or Middle Class Grant or Pell… or, if you transfer to any other type of school (private anywhere in the US including California, public anywhere in the US) you lose your chance at merit scholarships.
So, either you’ll get the same money as a freshman applicant… or less.
Considering your stats and your record, I don’t think it’s the solution. If push comes to shove, though, you can just apply for community college in April 2015, if you didn’t get into any college. Community Colleges have to admit you so there’s no risk involved.</p>
Unfortunately, CA students are many near both coasts but that still leaves a lot of states and regions.</p>