Hi am an Out-of-state applicant who is really interested in UCSB Physics.
Black Male
UC GPA (weighted)- 4.28
UC GPA(unweighted)-4.0
ACT- 33(35E 32M 34R 29S 7W) (what kind of physics major am I lol)
Subject Test-780 Math 2 770 Physics
AP Scores- AP Physics 1(3) AP Physics 2(3) AP Human(3) APUSH(3) AP Seminar(3) AP World History(3) AP Lang(4) AP Stats(4)
EC: Varsity Tennis all four years- Senior Captain This Year,
USTA Tennis Player-UTR of 7 and 16s boys champ(texas thing)
Bunch of other tennis camps and stuff
Carnegie Mellon Summer academy for math and science-rigorous summer program for STEM Students, EQT and Siemans fellow Nominee
Harvard Precollege- Took Intro to Quantum Atomic and Particle Physics,
Worked for about 1.5 years now
Awards:
National Merit Commended
AP Scholar with honors
Academic Honors
Academic Letter
EQT and Siemans Fellow Nominee
I can write essays pretty well and my Teacher recs should be good.
I really don’t know what else to put so just tell me if you need more. Thx
I think you have a good shot at CCS Physics. I would highly recommend contacting CCS for an on campus visit where you can meet faculty and attend a few seminars. Its a very intense program and I am not aware of any other undergraduate public university with something similar. You really owe it to yourself to see if its for you. The students I know who have been through the program loved it and are attending top notch PhD programs.
That being said I would encourage you to apply to every elite private school you could see yourself attending. With your background and excellent academic record I think you have a very high chance of snagging a merit scholarship at any number of schools- think Ivy League, Stanford, MIT and some of the top LACs. The reality is that the private schools have much more money to offer compared to UCSB. Your family may not need the $$, but I am sure if Princeton handed your full ride they would not turn it down!
Unfortunately my parents are pretty wary of me going OOS for college so the only way they would let me visit is if I got in And got money from them.
I am also applying to some elite universities but I don’t really think I’m good enough for them plus UCSB is VERY appealing. I’m pretty sure I’m not getting a full ride to Princeton XD
@JNicEIce, unfortunately, UCSB won’t give you a dime to attend because you are a non-resident and your parents have not paid California taxes.
The UC’s are public schools and are funded by California taxpayers. The state is out of money and cannot afford to fund non-residents. Your parents would have to pay $60K per year.
Also, the UC’s cannot admit based on race or ethnicity: it’s illegal in California.
I agree that given your stats and activities, you should try to get into the ivies that will fund your education. USC may fund you, so it may be worth an application there. Also, given your background, send an application to Caltech.
@psywar
Yeah my EFC is like 80k but my parents didn’t really save a lot of money for my college and they aren’t willing to put in much more so I’m relying strictly on scholarships
Well, then UCSB would cost $60K a year that your family doesn’t have. I’d strongly suggest finding colleges with strong merit-based scholarships. Many of those colleges have honors programs you can apply to.
@JNicEIce You are in the top 0.1% of black male applicants given your outstanding test scores, GPA, and ECs. DO NOT SELL YOUR SELF SHORT! I would apply to every elite university you could see your self attending. They will give you far more in $$ than any UC school. I have a feeling in the Spring you will be back on CC asking for advice as to which scholarship you should take.
UCSB Physics is great, but since you are OOS, you are out of luck. That is, unless you can find some general scholarship money from a non UC source. I agree with others who say “use your ethnicity” to full advantage and aim for some privates.