Chances at some UCs, other colleges in CA

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am a white male resident of California. I am coming into my senior year this year and will be applying to colleges for entry in fall 2006. I have pretty good grades and test scores, but I'm worried because I have virtually nothing for EC's and absolutely nothing for volunteer work/community service. Here's my stats:</p>

<p>I don't know my exact GPA, but should be about 3.8 unweighted, 4.5+weighted.</p>

<p>The public school I attend is the most competitive and highest quality school in our district.</p>

<p>All honors classes available (pre-IB for 9th/10th, IB and AP for 11th/12th)
AP scores are: US History 4, Chemistry 5, Calculus BC 5 (AB subscore of 5), Stats 4
**I have no idea if this is helpful to me, but my calc class was only AB and I studied extra and independently to take the BC test</p>

<p>Plan on taking the AP civics/econ, physics, and spanish tests this year.</p>

<p>2060 SAT I (710M, 700W, 650 CR), I don't plan on retaking because I don't think I'll get much higher than 2100.
31 on the ACT
SATII's: 800 Math IIC, 770 Chemistry</p>

<p>In school, the only significant clubs I'm in are CSF and Mathletes. Mathletes is just a math competition group with the top seven kids in the JV and Varsity levels, for a total of 14. I have been in it all three years and expect to this year. Other than these, a couple 'just for fun clubs' (Hockey Club, Kendama Club, etc.) with no leadership positions.</p>

<p>For EC's, I play guitar, have been for almost five years now. I also just started taking golf lessons over the summer and plan to keep up with that. I'm very dedicated to playing guitar, most of my teachers tell me I'm very advanced for how long I've been playing, and plan to be dedicated to golf (maybe something I can explain in the essays?)</p>

<p>No community service or volunteering (yes I know that's bad).</p>

<p>Awards: Standard school honor roll for straight A's and whatnot. I've gotten a couple department awards, which are given to the top student in each subject every year. I have gotten these for Spanish 1 and 2 and first year Chemistry. Also sophomore year I was second place Mathlete in the district we compete in, which has about six or seven schools. Can't think of anything else right now.</p>

<p>I plan on majoring in some type of engineering, maybe aerospace since I live here in Southern CA, or possibly chemistry. Haven't made up my mind yet.</p>

<p>I'm looking hard at the UC system. I'd like to get into UCB, UCSD, or UCLA, but I'm thinking these are probably a little out of reach due to the fact that nothing stands out for me. Others I have considered are Caltech and Cal Poly SLO. How are my chances looking for these schools? Are there any other schools geared towards my intended major choices that I have a nice shot at getting into?</p>

2

<p>Your stats are excellent. Mathletes and guitar are great ec's. You have a shot at UCB and UCLA, a good chance at UCSD. If you don't get into one of those, UCSB and UCI are excellent engineering schools. You would have no problem getting into UCSB and UCI. I think your right on track and should NOT worry.</p>

3

<p>mercinator:</p>

<p>UCLA/UCB: Slight Reach (Engineering)
UCSD: Safe Match (Engineering)
UCD/UCSB/UCI: Safety
UCSC/UCR/UCM: Super Safety</p>

4

<p>Thanks both of you for the responses. I feel better now, I just get worried because there are soooo many more people out there that actually get deeply involved with the school, play lots of sports, get involved in the community, etc., and I have basically nothing to show there. Any other opinions or suggestions? How are caltech and SLO looking?</p>

5

<p>bumpin it up</p>

6

<p>hah is this brian mercer?!</p>

7

<p>That's me. Who are you?</p>

8

<p>pinky hahah</p>

9

<p>Never mind I figured it out.</p>

10

<p>Bumping again. Anybody else?</p>

11

<p>bumpbumpbump, anybody please.</p>

12

<p>I'd go for the UCs. You've got the scores.</p>

<p>And if you've been playing guitar, you've probably done more than you think you have. It's all the way you present it. Have you played gigs? Taught anyone? Do you compose?</p>

<p>Mathletes is cool too. I'm in Science Olympiad, which is as close as you get at my school. Just hook 'em with the essays and recs.</p>

<p>How about one of the Claremont colleges? I haven't done much research on them, but I'm going to a seminar thing on the 15th. Good luck.</p>

13

<p>Forget Cal Tech. You ahve good chances all UCs. Maybe Berkeley and LA will be hard, but who knows, you got chances. BTW: Do you live in West LA ? Your name is familiar...</p>

14

<p>tkm256: Thanks for the response. No I have not played any gigs. Well, there was one awhile ago (couple years), my teacher was giving a performance and he invited me to play one song with him, but that doesn't really count I don't think. I've gotten offers from a couple people to give lessons to them, but none of them have followed through with it. And I've written like two jazz songs and they suck. But I can probably make all that sound a lot better than I did here. If I started giving private lessons, even for free, is it like too late for it to help me out as far as getting in?</p>

<p>namaste: I'll take your advice on Caltech I think. After looking at it more it sounds way too 'hardcore', if you know what I mean. Even if I get in I imagine I wouldn't get along too well with most of the people there. I like math/science/school, but not that much. Would my chances increase significantly if I were to raise my SAT I scores, say, 100 points (I've only taken it twice, so a third couldn't hurt I suppose)? Since October is 2 months away and I'm just chillin during summer vacation, I could study hardcore the next two months and maybe pull off a 2150 or 2200 if I get lucky. But I would only do that if it would help me out significantly, like bringing UCLA/UBA down to match instead of slight reach. Oh yeah and to answer your question, no, I don't live in LA. I live in Palmdale, about 60 miles north of LA.</p>

15

<p>Just bumping it back to the first page.</p>

16

<p>Caltech is majorly stats oriented (GPA & SAT). Chances are low w/o close to perfect in both of these categories. </p>

<p>Caltech: huge reach
Berkeley: slight reach
UCLA: slight reach
UCSD: match
Other UC's: safety
SLO: safety</p>

17

<p>Anybody else on how much raising my SAT scores would raise my chances of getting to UCLA/UCB?</p>

18

<p>Sorry guys, I'll stop bumping if somebody could let me know how raising my SAT scores would increase my chances of getting into UCLA or UCB.</p>

19

<p>SAT scores are a big part of the UC application, so you should get them as high as possible. Even 50 more points makes a big difference. Also, anyone who gets an 800 on Math IIC should easily be able to get 800 on the SAT Math.</p>

20

<p>Haha yeah, stupid SAT math always screws me up though...this doesn't make any sense, but it's like too easy and I overlook stupid stuff. Plus you can miss like 5 on the SAT II math and still get an 800, as opposed to SAT math you miss 5 and you're like 700 or less. But thanks for the advice, based on what you said I think I'll study up for the next two months and see if I can't do 800 on math and raise CR and W up a little too, that should get me a good score.</p>