Chance Me Please - for University of California Colleges

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

Hi I am a male Asian high school senior from California looking to apply to UC San Diego, UC Riverside, UC Merced, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine .

I am looking to apply as a computer science (Davis, Merced, Riverside,Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz) and data science major (Irvine and San Diego). My statistics are listed below. It would be great if anyone could predict my chances of getting in to the 3 schools and give their opinion. Thanks

Highest Single Setting SAT: 1420 (770 Math, 650 English)
Superscored SAT: 1430 (780 Math, 650 English)

Highest Single Setting ACT: 32 (35 Eng, 33 Math, 31 Read, 30 Science, 9 w/ writing)
Superscored ACT: 33 (35 Eng, 33 Math, 33 Read, 31 Science, 10 w/ writing)

Cumulative Weighted GPA: 4.15
UC 10-12 Weighted GPA: 3.94
10-12 Unweighted GPA: 3.7
Cumulative Unweighted GPA: 3.7
*Notes on my grades: I did not perform great in 10th grade, did a lot better in 11th grade, and there was a trend of improvement for GPA per semester

SAT Subject Tests: Math: 800 Chemistry: 670
APs: Calc AB: 5, Chemistry: 3, Psychology: 3 (Self-studied in two weeks) , Computer Science A: 3 (Our teacher wasn’t that great)
Current APs: Ap Calculus BC, Ap Statistics, Ap Microeconomics
College Courses: Business Introduction, Music History (Did it for Visual/Performing Arts Credit), introduction to mySQL, microsoft access
Class Rank: Top 15 %

Extracurricular Activities:
.Volunteer for Tech Support program, helping out other students with technology problems (90 hours) (10 and 11th grade)
.Mentored other children in programming for an organization (8,9,10,11,12th grade)
.Editor for My School Newspaper and interviewed many school athletes (9-12 grade)
.President for a Computer Science Club where I taught programming to 20-30 other high school students. Organized club events for teaching coding to 100s of elementary or middle school students (10-12 grade)
.National Honors Society Member (10-12 grade)
.Lead Programmer for Robotics Team, Won Awards at State Level (10-12 grade)
.Volunteer for Senior Tech Support Program at a local library where I helped out seniors with tech-related problems (9th grade only since program became discontinued)
.Part of a committee to organize a hackathon at end of the year (12th grade)
.I play an Asian Instrument and performed solo in several temples (6-12 grade)
.I sing an Asian style of music, performed at numerous temples and venues, won 1st place at regional competitions, Runner Up with a group for a national competition (5-12 grade)
.Volunteered for Asian Music fundraiser that raised $70,00 for a charity (12th grade)

Work Experience:
.Intern for a company with a medical life-saving mobile application and create several features for the app (11 - 12 grade)

Awards:
.CollegeBoard’s Scholar with Honor Award
.Won 5th place 2 times at Regional Science Fair for Computer Science project
.Received Certificate of recognition from state assemblywoman for my science fair projects
.Won 1st place solo and group several times at regional competitions for Asian Music and Runner Up with a group for a national competition
.Won Awards at State Level for Robotics
.175+ volunteer hours

Thank you for your time and please let me know my chances for the universities listed above

2

Just based on stats and taking ECs into account:

Reaches: UCSD, UCSB
Match: UCD, UCI, UCSC
Safety: UCM, UCR

3

You have chosen to apply to competitive schools with a competitive major. Your SAT/ACT and subject Math test score are well within range. Your UC GPA will be an issue with 6 of the 9 campuses that have averages above a 4.0. You have some solid EC’s and awards along with some major related work experience that is a plus.

UC Merced is your Safety, UC Riverside/Santa Cruz are solid Match schools.

UCI, UCD and UCSB are High Match/Low Reach schools while UCSD will be closer to a Low Reach.

Some UC statistical admission data:
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.80-4.19:

UCB: 12.6%
UCLA: 11.7%
UCSD: 38.7%
UCSB: 53.6%
UCD: 56.5%
UCI: 52.1%
UCSC: 75.7%
UCR: 90.1%
UCM: 96.1%

2018 UC capped weighted GPA averages:
UCB: 4.23
UCLA: 4.23
UCSD: 4.16
UCSB: 4.13
UCI: 4.13
UCD: 4.11
UCSC: 3.96
UCR: 3.81
UCM: 3.71

2018 Data:
25th - 75th percentiles for SAT:

UCB: 1360-1540

UCLA: 1340-1540
UCSD: 1300-1520
UCSB: 1270-1500
UCD: 1220-1480
UCI: 1230-1490
UCSC: 1210-1450
UCR: 1130-1380
UCM: 1020-1280

25th - 75th percentiles for ACT:
UCB: 30-35
UCLA: 31-35
UCSD: 28-34
UCSB: 28-34
UCD: 26-33
UCI: 26-33
UCSC: 26-32
UCR: 22-30
UCM: 19-26

Best of luck.

4

Thank you for the reply! I did have additional questions about my SAT Subject and AP Scores. I am worried about my SAT Chemistry Subject Test, where I got a 670. I am additional worried about my ap scores. Should I or should I not include these scores in my UC application

5

The UC’s accept AP scores of 3 and higher so I would self-report them. AP scores are not a major consideration in reviewing your application so they can only enhance your application.

Since SAT subject tests are recommended not required, you do not have to submit the Chem score and you will not be penalized. On the other hand, submission of these test scores (just like submission of AP and/or IB scores) may add positively to the review of your application.

You will not be rejected for one low SAT subject test but only you can make that decision.

6

UCR and UCM are your best shot. UCSC is a slight reach and the others are a bigger one.

Apply to as many as you like - but add a couple of CSUs like SDSU, CPP and CSULB to your ap list so, you are sure to have a viable option come May.

Good lcuk.

7

@Gumbymom Please help me out here.

UCB: 30-35
UCLA: 31-35

Does this mean 25% of incoming freshmen have a perfect 36 on the ACT or 25% of their applicants have perfect 36 or neither. Thanks in advance.

8

25% of incoming freshmen admits would have 35 or higher.

9

According to their website the total intake for UCB and UCLA in 2017 was approx 12k take off 1k for international students… so roughly 11k students x .25 = 2.75k … By these numbers 2.75k kids at these two schools have 35-36 ACT?.. According college board around 18.5k kids get a 35-36 ACT so approx 15% of total go to these 2 schools. Only 3.7k get a perfect 36. Even with super scoring this seems an incredible number. What am I missing, beside possibly math skills?

10

@elguapo1: UC’s do not superscore. I am only quoting numbers posted by UCB and UCLA and these are admitted stats, not enrolled stats which are usually slightly lower.

11

So ‘slightly lower’ than 2,750 kids of the total 18,500 kids with 35-36 ACT attend UCLA and UCB. I don’t know but intuitively that seems awfully high.

12

@elguapo1 it probably sounds right. My kid got a 35 and he’s in a sea of smart freshman students and I guarantee you he’s maybe only one deviation above the mean, at most, grade-wise in all his CS classes so far. Remember, the concordance for 35 is SAT 1540 (which not so coincidental is also what my kid got).

13

Remember not all submit an ACT (perhaps half submit SAT only if it’s better). And many of those top 25% will likely be admitted to both. But the total admit pool is about 30K kids, of which 15% are international. So more like 6400 kids from the US are in the top 25% and removing the SAT only and double admit kids I’d estimate you are talking about 2500-3000 kids at most (in state and out of state), roughly 15% of all top scorers in the country, being admitted.

When the in state kids have slightly lower scores and CA is well over 10% of the HS population and accounts for nearer 20% of the NMFs, that is not at all surprising.

Looking at who actually enrolls, UCB was 45% yield and UCLA 39% this year. But lower stat kids are more likely to enroll. So of those 2500-3000 ACT kids you probably have no more than 1000 attending one or other institution. Plus maybe another 500-800 equivalent SAT (but non ACT) scorers. Again that doesn’t seem at all unreasonable.

14

My mistake is looking at the Raw numbers 25% at 35-36 ACT does not equate to 3,000/12,000 attending.