I’m currently ranked #4 in my school - but I feel like my SAT/ACT is weak to get into top tier UC’s, even though I have a really solid GPA and great EC’s. I’m just gonna laundry list all this stuff
-I’m currently taking 5 APs and 6 total weighted classes
-Varsity player on school tennis team that just won league (might be a good thing?)
-President of science club and VP of a club on campus that encourages innovation and thinking
-Play the piano and saxophone at an academy of the performing arts
-Involved in medical research (I’ve had my name published in a few medical journals where I helped in the statistics part of it, but I was definitely part of 3 journals that were submitted internationally)
-I’ve worked in India for the past two summers with a humanitarian organization that helps educate people in rural areas with little access to education - I helped teach kids and the families in these villages (along with a large group of people) math and english
I’m genuinely asking this question and I would really appreciate all of your feedback!! (I understand my SAT is low and I expect to raise it, but please look at all my info as is)
Your stuff is good, but 9/10 times those test scores will kill you at the ivies and comparable. I don’t know much about the UCs, but I think with a little work you can meet most of their medians. Consider elite, test-flexible LACs like Bowdoin, Middlebury, Colby, or Wesleyan. Some don’t require testing at all, whereas others allow you to submit, for example, 3 SAT subject tests. That way, if you suck at critical reading, you can just dazzle them with your chem or math skills. GL
I got accepted to UCLA with the exact same ACT as you did… Don’t sweat it. As someone who used to work closely in admissions, I know that essays and GPA play a much greater factor than how you did on one test day. Just continue to thrive in HS and you’re chillin
You’re definitely on the right track. Your grades and ECs are very competitive and show passion and commitment. As you already mentioned, the only weakness I see is your test scores. Try to raise your SAT/ACT and make sure to take a couple of SAT subjects tests either at the end of your junior year or early senior year (I would advice the former). Also, start on your essays early and craft them until your 110% satisfied. Write about something that you really care about and show them what makes you unique. Other than that, I’m sure you’ll do fine next year if you keep up the good work!
I also found out that freshmen GPA doesn’t matter in admissions. I don’t know if this helps you at all but it just goes to show that the way your school calculates grades isn’t the same as theirs. I believe your a strong candidate and if they don’t accept you because of some low test score then they’re the idiots, not you.
PS I’m also looking at UCLA! Could you chance me by chance. The name is UChicago / UCLA / JHU / UW - Madison / Rochester (WILL CHANCE BACK IF LEFT LINK!!!)
OP: As others have indicated, you are competitive except for your standardized test results, which are now essentially unacceptable for the top non-California/public National Research Universities. I have no intent to discourage you; in fact, my goal is convince you to prepared DILIGENTLY for SAT/ACT retesting. Using the SAT I as an example, you need to increase your aggregate score by about 250+ points to become a realistic candidate (but, still, not a “lock”) for the Ivies and their most-selective peer institutions. Were you to do so, you would, in my opinion, have a reasonable shot at acceptance to the first-tier schools. I wish you good luck.