Hi. I am preparing to enter my senior year of high school, and I want to be a mathematician, and I think that Berkeley is one of the best in the nation (plus I am in-state). I am, however, uncertain of my qualifications.
-I scored a 33 on my ACT (35 English, 36 Reading, 30 Math, 31 Science),
-have a cumulative GPA of 3.81 weighted, taking every AP/CP course offered by my school (not many).
-I founded and captained my school’s mathletes program last year,
-I have captained the science bowl team the last two years.
-I have won a medal at the Kern County Science Fair every year from 4th grade, excepting 6th, and in that process have earned four trips to the California State Science Fair, though my top award there has been honorable mention.
-I brought the science fair to my high school and run it single-handedly.
In the special academic accomplishment category:
-I took two years of Spanish in one year, I spent the summer before my junior year making a six hour commute by train and bus to audit differential equations and Calc 3 at Cal Poly Pomona,
-Spent this summer working on a research problem for a math conference, though it does not look like I will solve it.
-Also, I have subbed in as the teacher for math classes when one math teacher at my school is out for some reason, running classes from algebra through Calc AB, my school’s highest offering.
Athletically: I have run cross country three years, though the first two were cut short by injury.
-Last year, despite no talent, I tried out for and made the basketball team, and successfully warmed the bench, picking up league all-academic honours in the process.
-My freshman year, I was in the varsity golf team.
Overall, I know that this isn’t anywhere close to an outstanding resume, but do I have any shot with it?
You have a shot for sure, with that ACT score. What’s your UC GPA? If your UC GPA is 3.81, then your chances are slim.
I’ve read through your description and have an issue with the validity of some of your statements.
If you are at a public high school in California, you would not be allowed to sub in math classes. I don’t thinks it’s even allowed at charter schools. That would be against the law and your school would be charged. Your school would be in a heck of a lot of trouble. I don’t know how that would be allowed. Teaching credentials are lengthy in process and need to be renewed by CEUs. No one who is not credentialed is allowed into the classroom to teach.
You made the basketball team and picked up league all-academic “honours” in the process, while riding the bench.
So if I am having issues with the validity of your statements, you can bet an admissions committee will see those same issues.
BTW: your 3.81 is not competitive for Berkeley.
Not him but is a 34 ACT with a 4.0 UC gpa anywhere close to competitive?
I’m 1st generation hispanic and my ECs are decent but i’m OOS. Not going into EECS
Perhaps admissions officers will think otherwise, but I would be highly unlikely to admit a prospective math major whose lowest ACT subscore is a 30 in math.
I’d also be skeptical of OP’s ability to keep up with math students who’ve taken AP calc BC, or college-level math, when he’s taken neither.
@alundari, make your own post, please don’t hijack his post.
OOS at Berkeley pay $55K. URM isn’t used in UC’s admissions as it is against the law.