Chances for a USC Merit Scholarship!? USC= DREAM, please help

Chance Me / Match Me!
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<p>I think both are very good option right NOW - with your current profile - in terms of admission. (But not neccessarily for *merit *aid.) You are in the middle 50% at USC (and a bit above in GPA, actually) which makes it a match. The average SAT at UCLA in 2009 was 2010 - you are already above that. The average UC GPA was 4.16 for UCLA - again, you exceed that, so another match.[University</a> of California - Admissions](<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/selecting/camp_profiles/camp_profiles_ucla.html]University”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/selecting/camp_profiles/camp_profiles_ucla.html)</p>

<p>An acceptance at UCLA would cost you $25,000/year less than USC, so I think it would be an excellent option. Santa Clara is a great university that has a great business school and might offer some merit, so don’t forget about that.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your help!</p>

<p>Okay, good to know that UCLA seems like a match. I still feel like i should raise my stats a little bit just for a bit more security and so I have decided to take the ACT for sure.</p>

<p>Isn’t UCLA really tricky on its admissions though? Is it as much of a numbers school as Berkeley is or does it look at overall rounded students as well?</p>

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<p>Do we know that the OP in in state?</p>

<p>When looking at what it takes to get into a top UC, it’s important to understand things like they want diversity within the state, so it’s quite a bit harder to get in if you live in LA, Silicon Valley and SF than it is if you live in Redding or Fresno. So yes, get your stats as high as you can in general.</p>

<p>As for cost, it’s important to compare the 4 year graduation rates of your schools. Fewer students are getting out of a UC in four years every year. It’s easier in some majors than others to get the classes you need to graduate. Many need to plan for a fifth year.</p>

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<p>“I took 3 honors classes, and I got solid A’s- 4.5 weighted”</p>

<p>Yeah… honors classes don’t count for weighted GPA, at least in my school. If that was the case, I think everyone would have inflated GPA’s.</p>

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<p>hey bsmd, i understand you’re trying to help, but theres no reason to come off as rude. My school weights honors classes. I’m sorry yours doesn’t.</p>

<p>and everyone else, thanks! :)</p>

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<p>Redroses: yes, per post #15 OP is in-state California.</p>

<p>Another thought for snickle - you qualify for an **automatic $19,500/year **University Scholarship at University of San Francisco (qualifications: uwGPA 3.8+, SAT M+CR 1320+), and they have very good IR and Business programs. You would have to apply by Nov 15th to get it (this one is automatic with your stats, so if you get the app in by 11/15, *you get the scholarship *- it would feel good to have that in your pocket while you wait for the other acceptances).

</p>

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<p>Oh, and don’t worry about bsmd11’s comments - based on the screen name, he/she has a brutal road ahead and we should cut some extra slack. The bs/md programs are probably some of the most selective in all of college admissions - looking at the stats of the *rejected *applicants would make any potential applicant grumpy.</p>

<p>Good luck bsmd11!</p>

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<p>Perhaps you all have misunderstood me. My intention was not to be rude. I was just confused about why your school is weighting honors classes. That might be an issue, especially because some universities recalculate your GPA when you apply. I am merely pointing out that you may want to look at your GPA without weighting those honors classes.</p>

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<p>bsmd11, maybe it is a California thing - each high school weights things differently, and the OP attends a private school - they can do things how they want. We end up with a buch of GPAs: overall… academic… weighted and unweighted versions of each… AND the *UC GPA *which is different from all of the others…</p>

<p>Also, some honors courses are weighted in the UC GPA calculation - particularly at private schools - there is a list for each California high school that we have to consult to figure out which honors courses are given extra weight. Early on, decrescendo asked for the unweighted GPA for that very reason - it levels the playing field.</p>

<p>I am very sorry you were confused, bsmd11. I hope it has been cleared up for you now!</p>

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<p>USF sounds good, I’ll look into it more, thanks!</p>

<p>and bsmd, sorry, i understand. I did calculate my GPA unweighted and it did come out to a 3.925- with no AP’s or honors.</p>

<p>and my UC GPA is a 4.22, I calculated it with my counselor this past semester, so it is quite accurate. </p>

<p>Hopefully I’m looking at UCLA, but you never know with the way admissions are going nowdays :[</p>