Hi,
I am currently a sophomore in high school. I have always wanted to go to UC Berkeley, and am planning on majoring in some sort of medical field; most likely biology.
I have a 3.8 unweighted GPA (I have only just completed my first semester of 10th grade), and am taking my first AP course (going very well!) and I am also enrolled in multiple honors and accelerated courses. Sadly, I received a B in Spanish this past semester, along with a B in math, which has not happened before, and I will be working towards receiving an A in these classes.
I am very heavily involved with Speech and Debate, and am extremely passionate about it. During my freshmen year, I ranked high at many tournaments at Stanford, Berkeley and SCU. I qualified to the State Championships and am currently top 20 in my entire state, out of hundreds and hundreds of students. I also qualified to the National Championships. I have done very well this season as well, although the more prestigious tournaments have not begun yet.
I am a Chair in Speech and Debate at my school right now, meaning I am the head of a specific section of the team. I will be running for VP, as I hope to hold the position during my junior year, and I will be running for President later on, for my senior year. I am very grateful for my chance to advocate for others on such a great platform!
Other than Speech, I used to be involved in sports, mainly volleyball, but sadly due to heavy curriculum, I had to stop playing this year.
I am yet to take the SAT/ACT.
Finally, I am currently writing a book, and I am aiming to publish it before I graduate (hopefully before I submit applications!).
Questions:
- Is my GPA a setback from being admitted to UC Berkeley…What range should I aim for in terms of both weighted and unweighted?
- Is community service a large part of the admission process, and if so, what is a good amount of hours?
-Should I take both the SAT and ACT…Does UC Berkeley receive how many times you took an exam?
-Do colleges check PSAT scores? (for both sophomore and junior year)
-Is hiring a private college admissions counselor a good idea? (affordable)
-What key factors will help me stand out the most?
-Overall, what do you think are my chances, as of now?
Thank you!
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with admissions and all of this is my own personal opinion after going through the admissions process last year (current 1st year student regents scholar at Cal). Cal only looks at the GPA from your sophomore and junior years. They calculate something called your UC GPA, which is basically a weighted GPA that caps the number of weighted classes at 8 (the average admitted student last year had a 4.19 UC GPA). Berkeley doesn’t care if you take both the SAT or ACT and has no preference between the two. I recommend taking a practice test of each and then focussing your attention on the test you prefer. Most colleges don’t care about your PSAT score for admissions purposes, however, getting national merit (determined by your junior year sitting of the PSAT) can be a big plus for you and can come with scholarships at certain schools. Hiring a private college counselor has a couple benefits: they can edit your essays, help you craft a college list, and find scholarships. I would weigh utility vs. cost and decide for yourself. I had one and it was really helpful since my large public high school had limited counseling resources and my parents didn’t want to edit my essays. I think Cal more than most schools I got into looks holistically at an applicant. Try to be authentic and do things that interest you as opposed to things that look good on a resume. Genuine interest and passion will make you stand out more than being yet another applicant that was president of the debate team. It’s impossible to tell someone’s chances as a sophomore. For now, focus on studying for the SAT/ACT, maintaining a good GPA, and being involved.
UC GPA calculator: https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UCB looks at both capped weighted and fully weighted UC GPA.
What UCB considers in their application review:
- Berkeley
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Very important: Academic GPA, Application essay, Rigor of secondary school record, Standardized test scores
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Important: Extracurricular activities, Volunteer work, Work experience
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Considered: Character/personal qualities, First generation college student, State residency
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Note: Thorough review of academic performance; likely contribution to intellectual and cultural vitality of the campus; diversity in personal background and experience; demonstrated qualities in leadership, motivation, concern for others and community; non-academic achievement in the performing arts, athletics or employment; demonstrated interest in major.
- LOR’s by invitation only as of 2017
UCB Freshman profile for 2017:
http://admissions.berkeley.edu/studentprofile