Please chance me for the top UC Schools (UCLA, UCSD, Berkeley, UC Davis, UCI)
Major: Chemistry
Grade 7 Courses:
Pre-Algebra
Grade 8 Courses:
Algebra I
Grade 9: (No APs offered)
English 9 - A
Arabic 9 - A
Biology - A
Geometry - A
Spanish I - A
World History - A
Social Studies - A
Islamic Studies (required) - A
Holy Quran (required) - A
PE (required) - A
Grade 10: (Only Honors English offered)
Honors English - A
Arabic 10 - B
Algebra II - A
Chemistry - A
Spanish II - A
Graphic Design (Counts as F-visual arts) - A
Social Studies - A
Islamic Studies (required) - A
Holy Quran (required) - A
PE (required) - A
Grade 11: (AP Classes offered)
AP English Language and Composition: A
AP Biology - A
Pre AP Chemistry - A
Pre Calculus (+Trigonometry) - A
Physics - A
Spanish III - A
Arabic 11 - A
Islamic Studies (required) - A
Holy Quran (required) - A
Summer Grade 11:
Attended UCLA Summer session:
CHEM 30A Organic Chemistry I: A
MATH31A Differential and Integral Calculus: A
Grade 12: (2017-2018)
AP English Literature - IP
AP Chemistry - IP
AP Calculus - IP
AP Physics - IP
Computer Science - IP
Health - IP
Arabic 12 - IP
Islamic Studies - IP
Quran - IP
Test Scores:
SAT: (i just did one) 1430
Math : 760 English: 670 Essay: 6-5-6
SAT Subject:
Chemistry: 800
Math II: 790
Biology (E): 800
AP Scores:
AP Biology: 5
AP English Language: 4
My top 5 Volunteer/Community Service are:
Hand in Hand - most prominent student lead organization in our school, done many beach cleanups, raised awareness, repainted schools, conducted fun days for disabled children.
LITE - Recycling program in our school (2 hours of collecting recycling paper/plastic every week). I am one of the current executives who run the student lead project.
Bottle Caps - Converting plastic bottle caps into useful utilities including wheelchairs. I am one of the current executives who run the student led project.
Tutoring Services - I am the current president of tutoring services in our school. I also spent a lot of my sophomore-junior year tutoring Chemistry, Algebra, Trignometry, Biology, and Spanish.
NHS Friends - President of NHS Friends - Administrative organization within the school that organizes events, important conferences (including MUN and parent teacher conferences) and connects students to many volunteer opportunities and community service hours.
Awards/Honors:
Championship in STEM Competiton:
During the Academic Games competition across 10 countries of the middle east, our team won 1st in the STEM Competition in 2 consecutive years.
Championship in MATH competiton:
During the math competiton, I won 1st place twice in 2 conservative years.
Audience Award - Best Performance
Out of 50 contestants and pianists, I was chosen by the audience to have the Best Performance during summer of 2016.
Best Kuwaiti Pianist
Out of a 100 kuwaiti piano players in my academy (Kuwait Music Academy) they awarded me with the kuwaiti pianist award.
Gulf Bank Certificate of Achievement
The Gulf Bank awarded me with a certificate for participation in the annual Harvard Speech and Debate competiton.
Extracurriculars (Most important):
NHS - National Honor Society (Current President) - 3 years (members are inducted only in 10th grade and above)
Student Council - High School Senator (senior year only)
Academic Games - 4 years
BBS Express - A community group that I founded in my school for people that are artistically talented. We utilize our creative and artistic talents to “express” important life issues through various forms of art. Our performances were praised amongst the members of our school and our paintings hangs along the walls of our school. I am the current Director of this project and will continue to have a pivotal role even after I graduate.
Wa Tabqa Al Bayan - A musical that celebrates the 50th anniversary since the creation of our school. I was chosen by the Drama/Art department, the principal and the Lightbug company (who sponsored the production) to be the student director of this project.
Speech and Debate - 1 year
Yes. Actually our country does this scholarship program where it lists certain schools that they designate “merit schools” (usually top US schools) and if you get into any of these schools you get (almost) a guaranteed scholarship in which the country finance my education completely. So financial aid is not a problem.
I would say you are a competitive and qualified applicant for all the UC’s on your list. UCB/UCLA as always are tough admits but UCSD/UCI and UCD look like Match schools as long as these schools are affordable.
You have the grades and scores for admittance but you are a non-resident so it is anyone’s guess.
You are aware that the UC’s are public schools? Costs to attend will be $60K per year.
The classes will be large. Public university is a public university.
UCB and UCLA are reaches for all due to sheer volume of applicants and very competitive applicant pool. It’s more than GPA and SAT. Like the ivy’s these top UC schools are looking for talent, leaders and those out to change the world for the greater good. Good Luck!
The UC system recently imposed caps on out-of-state enrollment at UC campuses. All but one of the campuses on your list have hit their OOS enrollment caps, and so OOS admissions at these campuses are likely to become even more competitive in the future.
The exception is UC Davis. UCD is still below their cap, and so their OOS admissions should be unaffected, at least in the short term.
You might want to add UC Santa Barbara to your list. UCSB is a “mid-tier” UC, ranked similarly to USCD, UCD, and UCI. Furthermore, UCSB – like UCD – is currently under its OOS cap, and so does not need to restrict OOS admissions.