Chances for UC/USC/SLO engineering

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Demographics: Male, white, CA

Intended major(s): mechanical engineering if not aerospace

ACT: (32; 35, 33, 31, 28)

SAT II: math 2: 720

Class rank: top 20/200ish

UC weighted GPA: 3.91
My school weighted gpa: 4.6 (which I guess matters for nothing)
Freshman year though I had all A’s in all honors classes (for slo gpa)

Coursework:

AP USH: 3

AP Latin: 3

Plan on taking AP comp sci, calc, lit
Taken all honors every year. APUSH and AP Latin last year. taking 5 AP’s senior year: comp sci, lit, calc AB, government/Econ.

Awards: Some Latin stuff I believe. High honor roll

Extracurriculars:

  • 2 year varsity volleyball
  • investment club member
  • paid internship at aerospace company (focus of one of my essays - was extremely cool- built parts going to space station )
  • tour of Boeing facility through work
  • piano for 10 years (played at 8th graduation if that counts for anything).

Schools: UCLA, UCB, UCD, UCSD, UCSB, USC Cal Poly SLO

NOTES: For the longest time I thought my gpa was extremely competitive with a 4.6 weighted gpa and I thought I was in good shape. However I recently found out that the UC’s recalc your gpa and so mine is now a 3.91. It seems like such a waste of taking all those honors classes and AP (especially apush: got B’s both semesters). Also had B’s sophomore and junior year for math - Extremely difficult teacher/class

Looking at UCLA/berk accepted GPA’s, there’s hardly anyone under a 4.0 - not even including being an engineering major. Am I completely hopeless for those top UC engineering programs?

Also my essays are very strong- shows my passion to go engineering, and I’ve tailored them as such because the engineering dep will be reviewing my app, correct?

2

Your HS rigor is a bit light with only 2 AP classes taken so far, but if that it the norm for your school then you should be OK. GPA is on the low side for most of the UC’s and especially for a competitive major such as Engineering. UC’s are very GPA focused but test scores and essays are considered important in their application review, so your internship could help along with very good essays.

Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.80-4.19:

UCB: 12%
UCLA: 14%
UCSD: 39%
UCSB: 49%
UCD: 52%
UCI: 57%
UCSC: 83%
UCR: 90%
UCM: 92%

Cal Poly SLO uses 9-11th grades in their GPA calculation, so recalculate your UC GPA using Freshman grades.

What is your UW GPA 9-11th for USC?

I see no safety schools so I would add UCR/UCM/SDSU/Cal Poly Pomona and/or CSULB to your list.

UCLA/UCB: High Reach
SLO/USC/UCSD: Reach
UCD/UCSB: Low Reach
UCSC: Match

Good Luck.

3

Thanks for the input.
My unweighted for for USC is 3.66
Not sure about the UC gpa w/ freshman year because my counselor calculated it, but based on the UC scale my freshman year was a perfect gpa (all A’s and honors)

4

I would put USC at a Low Reach/Reach since your UW GPA is on the low side. USC will be more holistic than the UC’s with the essays, LOR’s and EC’s so it could help your chances.

With all A’s Freshman year, SLO would also probably in the Low Reach category but since the acceptance rates for AE and ME are low (below 15%), it will be a tough admit.

You definitely need some solid Match schools on your list.