I’m an international student and planning to apply for architecture at UC Berkeley, USC, U of Oregon and Cal Poly Pomona and Fine Arts at UCLA.
SAT scores:
New: 1390 (1970 in old)
Old: 1940
My SAT scores are rather low for some of my targeted schools and I’m planning to take the SAT again or maybe the ACT.
I don’t know my GPA yet but my school is one of the top ones in the region and I am the top 6%. I ranked top 3 in Physics and Economics and top 10 in Math.
Awards: Service Awards, First in Physics, Math, awards from drawing competitions, awards from taekwondo competitions which I got long time ago.
ECAs: Chief editor and designer of the school year book, School Prefect Team, Service club member, Writing Club Member, Learnt drawing for 10 years and did a portfolio, learnt taekwondo for 7 years and got the black belt few years ago, learnt flute for 9 and learnt music theory
I am an Asian and have joined two architecture summer programmes organised by an Asia top university and another one by an international architecture firm. I’m not sure if these programmes will be useful for my application or the essay.
Thank you in advance.
What were the SAT subscores? Your post is well written and you suggest your math skills are strong so I’m wondering why the composite SAT number isn’t higher.
Thank you 
For the new SAT: R+W= 620, Math=770
Old: R= 610 W= 600 M=750
There was a typo and the old SAT composite should be 1960 instead of 1940.
As I’ve already taken the SAT for three times but the results are still unsatisfactory, I’m considering taking the ACT in Sept.
I’m predicting this:
Univ. of Oregon - Accepted (very likely!)
Cal Poly Pomona - Accepted (Very likely!)
UCLA Fine Arts - Rejected (low SAT)
UC Berkeley - Rejected (low SAT)
USC - Rejected (low SAT)
Your SAT is below average for UCLA, UCB, and USC. This puts you at a huge disadvantage for those schools. Aim for a 31+ ACT or a 2100+ SAT to have good chances. Your college list has only safety and reach schools. Why not put a few match schools? - UC Davis (great art department!), UCSB, UC San Diego, UC Irvine
I agree with @emory323 on the UCs, with the caveat that last year a full pay international or OOS applicant with your stats might have seen better results. This year, in contrast, pressure to accept more in state students is going to make it tougher on non Californians.
Thanks a lot. I’ve heard that the ACT is easier than the SAT. Is it true? Also, will it be easier if I attend community college then transfer to the UCs? Will community colleges consider my SAT scores?
The UCs will be expensive for you @$55k per year.
ACT is different than the old SAT, not easier. New SAT is being revised to be more similar to ACT. ACT cannot be superscored in way that SAT is. Unfortunately I can’t answer your questions about California CCs and transfers.