<p>Ok, since everyone on this Berkeley forum is saying how hard it is to get in, I'm starting to have doubts about my chances. I've always thought I could get into Berkeley because my school sends a few there every year, and I'm in-state. But looking at some posts, I'm no so sure anymore. So here are my stats:</p>
<p>Asian (Vietnamese) Male, California
First-generation, low-income (would this be considered a "special case" by UC?)</p>
<p>UW academic GPA: 3.9 (I have two Bs for 10th and 11th grade, 1 B being from an honor's class)
Weighted GPA: Around 4.3 (reach maximum cap of honor and AP classes)
Courseload: most rigorous the school offers (school doesn't offer much though)</p>
<p>SAT: 740 CR, 630 M, 740 W
US Hist: 700
Math 2: 640
(I also took lit, and scored well below 600, will this count against me, since UC only looks at two subject test?)</p>
<p>ECs (very generic): church youth group, piano, ecology club officer</p>
<p>Work: Congressional page in United States House of Representatives (6 months in Washington)</p>
<p>Essays: after writing my essays for my private schools, I realized how BAD my UC ones are. I don't they'll throw me out for it, but could have been much much better. </p>
<p>Well, I think my ECs and SAT II scores will hurt me most. What are my chances? Thanks.</p>
<p>slight reach/reach because of the lack of substantive ECs or work experience. also, your SAT IIs are low. Your SAT I's are just a tad bit above average. MANY people with your stats get rejected. For example, even though your SATs and GPA are just about at the average at Berkeley, that doesn't mean that they reject hundreds, if not thousands, of people with the stats at the average. Just take a look at what % of students with GPAs of above 4.0 are admitted: 58%. If you have a SAT Math score in the range of 700-800, you have a 47% chance of admittance. You are DEFINETLY no shoe in. You are at the average as far as SAT I and GPA, but lower on average on SAT IIs, ECs, work experience, and apparently your personal statement. I'd say slight reach.</p>
<p>The stats were taken fro the below website:</p>
<p>by the way, lhdcpage06, you said Cal recruits at your school. Well, they don't. Cal doesn't recruit at ANY school. You recruit Cal, they don't recruit you (unless you're an athlete). You are WAY to cocky given your relatively unexceptional stats.</p>
<p>Fine, if I don't get in, I'm sure that no one else is getting in at my school. I'm considered like a super-genius (maybe not super, but nonetheless) at my school with those stats. So if I can't get in, I guess nobody will get in. </p>
<p>Yes, there are Asians with around 1800s SATs and decent GPAs that get into Cal every year at my school, so I bet I'm gonna be one of them. </p>
<p>And seriously, Cal barely considers ECs as long as you have decent stats. Once you reach like 2000 on the SAT, and have above 4.0 Weighted GPA, and especially if you are first-generation, you are a virtual lock-in. Wait, I don't' even know why I made this chances thread!</p>
<p>But apparently 2000 is good enough to get you into Berkeley in-state.</p>
<p>ECs don't mean anything near test scores and grades at a public school.</p>
<p>Dude, trust me. All you have do is have a decent GPA, and a 2000 SAT scores and you can get into cal, and of course be in-state. Its not as hard as you make it to be. Stop having to inflate you ego just because you go to Cal.</p>
<p>2000, yeah right. i got a 2310 and got into Brown, Dartmouth, Penn, and accepted off the waitlist at Yale. I chose to come to Berkeley because i feel they have programs superior to those simliar at those other schools i got into. 2000 is some BS # you came up with. And which genius told you that ECs dont matter at public schools? Berkeley isnt some random public school in the U.S., it is the best public school in the US and b/c it gets SO many high-quality applicants, it has the ability to select on the basis of ECs, work experience, and personal statements. Your record is WAY below the average at Berkeley in each of those categories and your GPA/SAT Is and just at the average. SAT II's are MORE important than SAt I's and yours are definetly below average.</p>
<p>As much as I would like to join you in condemning his pretensions to grandeur, based on most of the statistics I have seen, I would not find it shocking if he were admitted. But yes, his scores, especially the SAT II's, are below average.</p>
<p>Just based my personal experiences, Berkeley isn't that hard to get into as people make it out to be, especially compared to other top schools. I'm not saying I'm too good for Berkeley obviously, but that Berkeley accepts students in-state just because they are in-state. They would rather have an instate 1900 than an OOS 2200, or 4.5 GPA compared to 4.1.</p>
<p>^I think lhdcpage06 is being less pretentious than some people I know, including a girl who thinks she can get into Stanford with a 1400 SAT and 400's in the her SAT II's.</p>
<p>you'll be fine..goodness. GoldenBear10, if you look around at school, you'll notice that the majority of people accepted aren't outstanding and amazing <em>shrug</em>..I highly doubt that ECs are 'HUGE'..I think that the OP's look a lot like other peoples' probably. match/slight reach</p>