<p>Eagle Scout (Helps at a lot of the private schools, especially Pomona)
Guitar
Co-Founder of 2 clubs
200+ community service hours
SCUBA dived around the world</p>
<p>Great Letters of Rec (for private schools)</p>
<p>Great Essays (I've had private college counseling and a former admissions officer from
Caltech and U of Chicago read and loved my essays)</p>
<p>Does this sound about right to anyone and do I have much of a chance at my reaches? I know I haven't explained my ECs and my GPA is a bit low but I don't think I'm out of the running. These schools love kids from my school, from last years class 46 went to Berkeley, 3 to Pomona, 65 to UCSB, and 59 to UCSD.</p>
<p>Alright. Here is my take (and by no means a good one...just my opinion). Your UC GPA and Regular GPA are fairly low for the schools that you really want to go to. Your SAT I and II's are very good, but the fact that the GPA is low doesn't really help the situation.</p>
<p>Well you've definitely have a shot at Pomona, but they're getting anal about admitting people. I had a friend last year with similar stats, a little better GPA and actually worse EC's and they rejected him. He's at Amherst on a full ride. I'd apply to more reaches if I were you. Have you visited Reed? I'm a Reedie if you've got questions. Oh, and I recommend more reaches.</p>
<p>Reach:
Pomona (ED)</p>
<p>Matches:
UC Berkeley- unless you're applying as an engineering major or another capped program.
Reed
UCSD
Occidental
Whitman</p>
<p>Safeties:
Pitzer
UCSC
U of Puget Sound
UCSB
UCI
UCD</p>
<p>Don't play up the scuba unless you were in those countries doing community service. You do not want to scream affluent. UCs should be safe other that UCB or a few majors at SD. GPA is under their average by a few points. Do a thoughtful application to maximize your shot. Pamona 50/50, everything else safe.</p>
<p>Thanks hellhathnofury, I actually am applying to Reed, I'm surprised I didn't mention that as it is my second choice. What reaches would you suggest, Amherst, Williams....? How is Reed, I just got their app in the mail today. Will an Orange County suburbanite adjust to the Portland climate easily? I'm really looking for a school with suburban surroundings but access to a big city, is Reed like that?</p>
<p>-Lisa
I did do some ocean cleanup while diving in the Florida Keys and I have a funny personal story I could tell about that experience. Is that an ok supplementary essay topic? I'm applying to the architecture program at Berkeley, how does that affect my chances?</p>
<p>Just off the top of my head, have you looked at Swat? Albeit, you'd probably freeze your "rear" off there. But yeah, odds are you won't get in to most of the upper crust East Coast schools if you even want to go back east. It's worth a shot though so if you've got your other apps done start shooting away; I did that with Midd and Bowdoin and got soundly rejected. </p>
<p>I'm from Pasadena and I'm doing fine. I'm a freshman and it was great for the first month, but now it's starting to get into the rainy season. The way I look at it is that the rain makes the time when the sun is out even better. It is very very easy to go downtown or over to Hawthorne or Belmont. Buses are great. We definitely have lots of access. If you decide you want to do it you can normally get off campus Friday and Saturday before you head back into the library for half of Sunday. I like Portland alot, kicks the **** out of LA and I dare say Frisco.</p>
<p>I have looked at Swat and Pennsylvania doesn't sound like a state for me. I've always liked California rain so I hope I'll be able to adjust to Portland weather if I do end up at Reed. Portland sounds like a pretty cool place, and I must agree LA is a squalid hellhole and I was just in San Fran visiting Berkeley and that has to be the smelliest city of all time. If Pomona rejects me as they are likely to do I just might see you next year. Thanks for your suggestions.</p>