Chances for someone with few ECs but a high GPA?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Unless I make any extremely last minute decisions, I'm only applying to five colleges. But I'm just now realizing that I might be condemned to either UCR or UCI with my weak extracurricular activities and volunteer hours. </p>

<p>GPA: UW 4.00; W 4.56
Rank: 9/938
Eligible for ELC</p>

<hr>

<p>SAT REASONING TEST</p>

<p>Date taken: 11/2006
Mathematics: 520, Critical Reading: 690, Writing: 670
Total = 1880</p>

<p>Date taken: 03/2007
Mathematics: 570, Critical Reading: 630, Writing: 620
Total = 1820</p>

<p>Date taken: 10/2007
Mathematics: 650, Critical Reading: 630, Writing: 740
Total = 2020</p>

<p>Superscore = 2080</p>

<hr>

<p>SAT SUBJECT TESTS</p>

<p>Date taken: 06/2007
Chemistry: 660, Literature: 640, Math Level 2: 660</p>

<hr>

<p>ADVANCED PLACEMENT TESTS</p>

<p>Date taken: 05/2006
Psychology: 5</p>

<p>Date taken: 05/2007
Chemistry: 4
Calculus BC: 3; AB subscore: 4
English Language and Composition: 4
United States History: 4</p>

<hr>

<p>CURRENT COURSES</p>

<p>AP Biology
AP Government/ Honors Economics
AP Literature
AP Statistics
Contemporary Media
Lab assistant for a chemistry teacher</p>

<hr>

<p>AWARDS</p>

<p>Varsity letter in Academics (9, 10, 11)</p>

<hr>

<p>EXTRACURRICULARS</p>

<p>Copy editor of the school newspaper (10, 11, 12)
CSF (10, 11, 12)
NHS (12)</p>

<hr>

<p>VOLUNTEER WORK</p>

<p>Re-shelved books at the public library to ensure that they were properly organized according to the alphabet and Dewey Decimal system. (32+ hours)</p>

<p>Worked in the public library's Homework Center from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. to tutor elementary school students. (23 hours)</p>

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<p>PROSPECTIVE UNIVERSITIES</p>

<p>University of the Pacific
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Irvine
University of California, Riverside
University of Southern California </p>

<hr>

<p>I should probably mention that we don't do much of anything in CSF and we haven't had the opportunity to do anything in NHS. Is there still any chance of good news for me?</p>

2

<p>You have a perfect GPA with a rigorous courseload. You’ve earned a spot at UCLA and they will admit you. You also have solid test scores. If for some reason you weren’t admitted, you could appeal and get admitted. [I assume you aren’t applying for any special program like engineering.]</p>

3

<p>Ah, I had no idea you could appeal. I don’t really see why any college would reconsider its first decision though… </p>

<p>But thank you for reassuring me about UCLA. I’m not applying to any special program there; I’m just hoping for some sort of springboard to its School of Dentistry.</p>

<p>Anybody else know about my chances for the other schools?</p>

4

<p>I don’t a high GPA will help you get into more selective colleges like UCLA, that is, if you don’t have enough ECs. Many applicants have a similar GPA, with better test scores (yours are good, but to overlook your lack of ECs you would need near perfect scores) and ECs. I think you may be overlooking some ECs, such as school- related ones(lab assitant).</p>

5

<p>skp, you don’t know what you are talking about. </p>

<p>eh3322, you’re not going to need to appeal. You’re going to get in. You are exactly what UCLA is looking for. They are going to note your heavy courseload, look at your perfect GPA, add up your test scores, and stamp admit on your application.</p>

<p>Here are some statistics:
<a href=“http://www.aim.ucla.edu/Statistics/admissions/SATdistribution.pdf[/url]”>http://www.aim.ucla.edu/Statistics/admissions/SATdistribution.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

6

<p>I was actually worried that my period as a lab assistant would work against me because it’s not exactly an academic sort of thing. It’s not like I spend time outside of school for it; I just do what the teacher asks of me for the two hours I have with him.</p>

7

<p>For most students, the UC admission process isn’t that convoluted, complicated, or even that detailed. Your combination of grades and test scores pretty much determines where you get in and where you don’t. They look at the whole application, but that only comes into account for borderline cases. Most people are put into admit/reject piles based on grades and test scores. You have perfect grades with a rigorous courseload and good test scores. No one is going to spend a split second thinking about your work as a lab assistant.</p>

8

<p>I don’t see any reason why you would be “stuck” with UCR/UCI (though, might I add, both are excellent schools). You definitely have a shot at LA, especially given that you’re in-state.</p>

<p>Remember, though, UCs don’t superscore.</p>