Chance me, please? (posted elsewhere, didn't get any responses)

State Forums
1

Very preliminary, but:
UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, UCI, and maybe UCR/UCM(idk, Merced)

University of Southern California

SAT: 740 CR, 740 M, 760 W (2240)
SAT II: 800 Math II, 780 US History, 770 Chinese
GPA: 3.92 UW, 4.2 W

AP’s (done): APES, APUSH, AP stat, AP Chinese
next year: AP Comp Sci, AB Calc, Psych, Econ

Wanna do computer science so that probably hurts my odds. Female, Asian. You know the drill.

EC’s: lacking and sad.
Swimming most of my life, club + high school, wopo for 2 years, piano about 6, art maybe 3?
library volunteer (2+ years), volunteered at a kid’s camp 3 summers, office work (2+ years), have an internship at a startup lined up for this summer
Hopefully looking at National Merit, but we shall see.

Would appreciate any other college recommendations.

2

You are a solid candidate for all the UCs. Nice job so far!

Good luck.

3

@NCalRent Thank you. Do you know how much emphasis UC’s place on EC’s? I feel like my EC’s (or their absence) hurt my chances at some of the “better” UC’s.

4

UCLA/UCB and UCSB are more holisitic and will focus on your essays and EC’s more than the other UC’s. Actually UCSB states on their website that 50% of the application will be based on GPA/Test scores/Course Rigor and the other 50% on EC’s and essays. Your EC’s are not bad just not outstanding. Academically you have a good chance at all the UC’s, so apply and see how things turn out. Good Luck.

5

@Gumbymom Thank you for your honesty. Could I consider UCSB, UCSD, and UCI to be matches and maybe UCB a /UCLA reaches? (low reach hopefully for LA?) I know Comp Sci is very competitive; I’d feel much better about my odds otherwise.

6

I think UCSB/UCI would be solid Matches and UCSD more of a High Match. With the UC’s, it really can be a crapshoot and if you look at some of the acceptance threads this year, many high Stat applicants were waitlisted or rejected. All you can do is apply and hope for the best. UCR would be a safety and I would throw in Cal Poly SLO since their CS program is excellent and as competitive as many of the UC’s. SJSU also has an excellent CS program which would be another safety.

7

@Gumbymom very helpful, thank you for the suggestions!