Chance me for UCs + USC!

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>First of all I'd like to thank all of you for reading and answering. Throw out some ideas in approving my application. :)</p>

<p>Basics:
Asian-American
First-gen college student
Low-income
Male
California Resident</p>

<p>School:
Majority of the students are on the Free/Reduced Lunch program
Valedictorians usually receive between 4.3-4.4 GPA. No higher than 4.5 (Basically, everyone in this school have relatively lower GPA than the rest of the school district)
16 AP classes offered</p>

<p>Test Scores:</p>

<p>SAT I:
Reading- 690
Writing- 550 Essay: 4/12
Math- 720
Total: 1960/2400</p>

<p>Re-taking it :). </p>

<p>SAT II:
United States History- 720
Math II- 690</p>

<p>AP Tests:
Biology- 2
United States History- 3
World History - 4
Calculus AB- 4
English Language/Composition - 4</p>

<p>Senior Course load
AP Calculus BC
AP Psychology
AP Literature and Composition (English)
AP Civics/Econ (AP Governmental)
AP French</p>

<p>10 AP classes taken by Graduation.</p>

<p>Grades:</p>

<p>9-11
GPA unweighted- 3.39
GPA weighted- 3.74</p>

<p>10-11
GPA unweighted: 3.43
GPA weighed: 3.92</p>

<p>Class Rank- Unknown, presumably Top 20 out of 478. Our ranking system is pretty screwed up right now. Says i'm 39, but someone with a way lower GPA is ranked 12.</p>

<p>Extracurricular:
Clubs:
Key Club, Member, 2 Years, 50+ Hours of Community Service
Men's League (Community Service group), Member, 2 Years, 50+ hours of Community Service
Korean Club, President/Founder, 1 Year
Wilderness Adventure Club (Environmental Club), Member, 4 years
Advanced Orchestra, Double Bass, 2 years, First Chair</p>

<p>Outside Clubs:
VAHSA (Sort of like Vietnamese club), Member, 4 years
PBC (promotes community service, culture, human rights and democracy for Vietnam), Member, 4 years</p>

<p>Athletics:
Swim, 3 Years, Varsity
Water Polo, 4 Years, Varsity
Track and Field, Hurdles, 1 Year, Frosh-Soph</p>

<p>Thinking about starting a Hip Hop Club at my school. </p>

<p>Colleges that I am applying to:</p>

<p>UCLA
USC
UCSB
UCSD
UCI
SDSU
CSULB</p>

<p>Things worth noting (Should I add this to College App?):
3 Years of Aikido (Brown Belt) (4 hours a week)
11 Years of Piano
YLA, 1 Year
USC legacy through relatives
Attended UCSB SiOP (A student outreach program. Said by UCSB admissions counselor to be significant to note)</p>

<p>Thank you for getting through all that! I really don't know what to expect from the college app process. I'm thinking that I would get into UCI, SDSU, and CSULB for sure. UCSB, UCSD being reaches. And UCLA and USC impossible. But all my friends say UCSB and UCSD are matches.</p>

<p>:/</p>

2

<p>I think your chances are just fine for all of them, perhaps less for USC and UCLA. The average GPA for UCSB students in 2009 was 3.8, along with an 1800 mean SAT score. </p>

<p>But if anything, write a good essay. Background is the underlying factor here. Let me tell you a story. </p>

<p>A brother and sister apply to USC. The brother has performed academically sublime. He had straight A’s, an enormous load of AP’s under his belt, an excellent SAT score, and hours of extracurricular activities. His GPA was 4.2. His sister performed consistently throughout school, consistently being A’s and some B’s. She had a GPA of 3.7. She did do extremely well on her SAT though, but unlike him, she had traveled throughout the world, spent years in France and Argentina, learned a new language, and had a pretty cool experience. He did not travel; he spent all his time on his school and getting perfect grades. </p>

<p>She however, is accepted into USC, but not he. He’s infuriated. He doesn’t understand why she got granted admission, when he was obviously more qualified. In a state of dishevel, he walks into the USC offices and to the very administration in charge of acceptance. He asks why he was not accepted, when he had rightfully deserved so. They do not tell. As an irascible person, his voice rises, and he yells at them, demanding they tell him. Exasperated, the personnel states very clearly, “look kid, you’re just not that interesting. We’re looking for people who are unique, who stand out, who can expand upon our foundation. You’re just not one of them”. </p>

<p>This is a true story by the way. An attendee at USC I had met told me this story of a friend of hers in the college. This person btw, had also gotten in with an average GPA and SAT, but she, like her friend, had gotten out of the house, and experienced unique things. </p>

<p>These people go through thousands of applications, all stating the same very damn thing. The essays all sound the same, with the cliche “I am a good student with goals”. So, stand out however you can within your essay. It’s essential.</p>

3

<p>Insightful post Salacion, can’t really top that! To OP, try raising that SAT Score to 2100 ranges if you have the time and effort to do so. If not, your still a very competitive student,and would most likely make it into most UCs and possibly USC if you show the admins your interesting.</p>

4

<p>Thank you Salacion :).</p>

<p>After re-taking SATs, I think I’ll block out College Confidential until admission results come out. To calm my nerves and all.</p>

5

<p>Your GPA’s good, and your ECs are as well. You SAT I is okay, but it’s a good thing you’re reconsidering taking it. Your SAT II’s however, could quite frankly take some work, especially Math II, so you might want to consider taking it again. UCLA is a definite reach, but the rest should be good matches.
Chance me please? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/974360-chance-uc-colleges-special-case.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/974360-chance-uc-colleges-special-case.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>UCLA, Berkley and USC are a reach but i’d try to atleast get a 2100/2400 on the SAT and a 1440/1600 on the SAT II. And you are a match for the rest of the UC’s. Also you dont need to panic I know someone that got in UCSD with a 3.2 GPA and a 1600 SAT Score and I think he SAT II where around 1200.</p>

<p>Anybody want to chance me?: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/976887-chance-me-please-ill-chance-back-harsh-you-please.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/976887-chance-me-please-ill-chance-back-harsh-you-please.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

7

<p>He/she didn’t even mention Berkeley, ron2324, if you read his/her posts. Anywho, yeah, you need to strengthen your test scores and work hard on your application essay if you want to get into UCLA/USC. The other colleges are matches(except SDSU, you’re in).</p>

<p>Chance “Me” back:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/974587-chance-guy-who-shooting-ucs-csus.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/974587-chance-guy-who-shooting-ucs-csus.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

8

<p>Here was my admission results:</p>

<p>Accepted:
UCSB (I sent my SIR to this school <3)
UCI
UCSD
CSULB
SFSU</p>

<p>Rejected:
UCLA
SDSU (This made no sense)</p>

<p>I did not apply to USC because I had poor senior grades and thought I had no chance (which I was right, since all but one at my school got rejected from USC, and that was the valedictorian).</p>

<p>I would like to make a special note:</p>

<p>My Senior courseload:
AP Literature
AP Calculus BC
AP French
AP Physics B
AP Government</p>

<p>Additional extra-curriculars: I was the volunteer coordinator of the largest Asian-American festival in the United States (listed) </p>

<p>Unlisted:

  • Organized leadership conferences
  • Currently organizing a Youth Conference in regards to democracy in Vietnam
  • Captain of the Swim Team</p>

<p>I could try to appeal to UCLA with my unlisted ECs and letters of recommendation, but I just fell in love with UCSB. I don’t think UCLA can do anything to make me split ways.</p>

<p>I ended up getting a D in Calc BC first semester, but A’s and B’s in the other classes. I was so scared of rescission. I had little faith in my ability in Calculus, so I dropped the course second semester and replaced it with AP Stats.</p>

<p>I sent letters to all UCs. UCI said that they would take me in if there was available space. UCSD said they would review my case at the end of the year. UCSB continued to honor their admission.</p>

<p>So now I’m a gaucho :). My second semester grades are straight A’s except a B in Physics. Calculus BC is a ridiculous class at my school. I found it funny that my grades across the board went up after dropping the class.</p>

9

<p>what the hell, how did you get rejected from sdsu, what was your major?</p>

10

<p>I applied for Bio major. A lot of people I know that got into UCSD got rejected from SDSU, while a lot of people who got rejected from UCSD got into SDSU. </p>

<p>I think its Tufts Syndrome; I’m way overqualified for their school, so they know I just applied there as a safety.</p>