Chance Me/Reverse Chance Me (UC's, Possibly Ivys?)

I’m currently a junior in southern California (graduating class of 2022). I’m hoping to gain some insight about realistic choices for colleges to apply to, and to see if I have a shot at some of these colleges.

  • I will need financial aid (I qualify for free/reduced lunch fees)
  • I’d like to stay in state to take advantage of in-state tuition, but willing to travel to other states if there is a good opportunity

Hope to major in biotechnology/biomedical engineering with a possible minor in CS
Here are my stats:
Asian female
UW 10-12 GPA = 4.0 / Weighted GPA (not capped) = 4.45 / Weighted, capped = 4.4 / UW Total GPA = 3.85
No SAT score, have yet to take it due to quarantine restrictions
Classes taken:
10th grade: AP Calculus AB (5), AP World History (5)
11th Grade: AP Calculus BC, AP Computer Science A, AP US History, AP Chemistry, IB English

Extracurriculars:

  • Started my own club that supports and teaches girls about STEM/coding (President and founder)

  • Competed in Science Olympiad for 2 years (Soph-Junior)

  • Science Club for 3 years (Fresh-Junior)

  • Mock trial for 2 years (Soph-Junior)

  • NHS (Junior)

  • CSF (Fresh - Junior)

  • Key Club with a total of around 30 volunteer hrs (Soph-Junior)

  • Attended a coding camp and participated in many hackathons (Kode With Klossy)

  • I have an opportunity to participate in a UC Berkeley professor’s research team with a project in computer science, but have yet to hear a final decision about this

My reach school would definitely be UCSD, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and Cal Poly SLO
A match/safety school would be UCI, UC Davis, Cal Poly Pomona

I think you have a good list so far and you are a strong applicant.

I would put UCSD and Cal Poly SLO into the High Match/Target category. UCI and UCD as Target/Match schools. CPP as a safety.

If you can afford a few more applications, I would add UC Riverside as a Low Target/Match, Stanford as a High Reach and San Jose State as another Safety.

Best of luck.

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