Chances of transferring to UC Berkeley?

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

<p>I currently go to a community college in Illinois. I will be starting my second year in the fall, therefore I will be transferring as a junior. What would my chances of transferring to UC Berkeley be? Here are my stats:</p>

<p>GPA: 3.857 (If I get all As in Fall 2014, it will be a 3.9 for when I send my transcripts with my transfer application)
ACT: 24 (I'm retaking it this June and hoping for somewhere in the 30s...that's where I have been on practice tests)
Race: White
Gender: Male
Legacy: None
Major: Molecular Biology</p>

<p>High School:
GPA: 3.75--top 10% of class.
Was in the orchestra and on Cross Country all four years.
3 APs</p>

<p>Accomplishments/ Extracurriculars: Honors Scholar; Honors Academic standing; had my Biology 1 research paper published in the digital commons at my school; my Biology 2 paper was published in the student academic journal, which contains the best writing by students in the school nominated by professors; Volunteer at the Arboretum; I play the violin; had a summer job at a grocery store; held a student job during the year; family responsibilities; Member of Phi Theta Kappa (International honors society for 2-year schools); Presented my Biology paper at a couple symposiums; I'm a member of the Honors Student Advisory Committee at my school (basically a club).</p>

<p>Fall 2013:
General Biology 1 Honors: A
English Composition 1 Honors: A
Macroeconomics Honors: A
Speech Honors: A
Calculus 1: A</p>

<p>Spring 2014:
General Biology 2 Honors: A
English Composition 2 Honors: A
Ethics Honors: A
Calculus 2: B</p>

<p>Fall 2014 (Grades not received yet, but hoping to get all As):
General Chemistry 1 Honors:
Environmental Biology Honors:
Film as Literature Honors:
20th Century World History Honors:</p>

<p>I should be getting 2 excellent letters of recommendation. The only prerequisite I won't have by the end of my sophomore year is Organic Chemistry, but I plan to take it during the summer going into junior year. Would this matter to Berkeley...like would my chances be hurt A LOT? I'll tell them that in the additional information section of the application. Sorry this is a lot! What do you think my chances are? Thanks so much!</p>

2

<p>well first off, if your a junior level transfer in community college, why are you taking the ACTs? UC’s dont look at that stuff for junior level transfers. well to be honest, nothing you do in HS really matters anymore unless its like some EC that continued on into your college years or is something you feel is important. As for your stats, you definitely have a shot because your GPA is very high; in fact, it is right on par with the average admitted GPA for the college of letters and science specifically for the biological sciences was ~3.82. but because you are an out-of state applicant, it could potentially hurt your chances because they kinda give priority to California community college students; but it could also help, cause it kinda brings diversity from someone out-of-state, but who really knows. as for missing O-chem, a pre-req, it might make it harder to get in, because alot of other students will be applying for the same major as you with similar stats but will have o-chem, which will give them the advantage over you. But your ECs like having papers published and presenting them will be a plus for you cause they like to see that kinda stuff in their applicants. i honestly think your admissions will come down to your personal statements ; like what you write about, and how well its written… ect will probably play a big role in their decision since you have stuff going both for and against you. Good luck!</p>

3

<p>I’m not really in to chancing people, but I just wanted to give you a little info. When you’re transferring to a UC school as a junior, they don’t care about your HS records or test scores, except AP exams. SAT and ACT scores are irrelevant. You also don’t need letters of recommendations for admission, but you may need them for scholarships.</p>

4

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I’m a 1 year transfer to UC Berkeley, so my extracircs. were very thin when I applied this year. Therefore, I put high school activities on my application. My friend, who is also a 1 year transfer, did not put their high school activities, and got rejected from UC Berkeley. College extracircs. matter, but if you find space in your application, definitely put some high school activities in there. I am sure UC Berkeley still wants to see what type of student or leader you were even before college, so putting it on your application will only help you. </p>

<p>As for statistics, ACT does not matter if you are a transfer. They do not ask for anything from high school besides AP test scores. </p>

<p>In general, UC Berkeley average acceptance GPA is 3.77 for transfers, and for your specific major (which is normally harder than Humanities), your major is normally near lower 3.7. Therefore, your GPA of 3.8-3.9 should be looked highly on from admission officers.</p>

<p>Then it comes down to your personal statement, make sure you have a good hook and not to be too “cliche”. Your college extra circs. are great. Your chances at UCLA are very high, but for UC Berkeley, they are completely random. My friend with a 4.0 got rejected, whereas I also have a 4.0 but got accepted. Also, just seeing your amount of honors courses, I would put you in the 90%-tile to be accepted into UC Berkeley, to be honest.</p>

<p>You are a high match for UC Berkeley, and almost a for sure in for UCLA, in my opinion. But do not completely take my word on it. It comes down to your personal statement.</p>

<p>As for your pre-reqs, they give you until the END of the year when you apply to finish them. I got in and I was in-progress for one of my pre-reqs.</p>

<p>Also, since you did quite well in high school. I would recommend applying to Stanford or some high private universities for the hell of it. Those schools normally ask for your high school transcripts and test scores. These schools normally look at you from high school into college. I highly recommend it! Please apply to Stanford and update me next year!</p>

5

<p>@imaplealot‌ i agree, Berk is pretty random :l i got rejected from Berk with a ~3.85 which i guess is a little low for chem majors i guess, with all pre-reqs but one not articulated at any schools pretty much, and working ~25 hrs a week, with decent PS. but oh well off to UCLA</p>

6

<p>If you’re not transferring into anything engineering related, you’re good to go (3.8+). GPA is everything outside of engineering (4.0 is pretty much required for CoE).</p>

7

<p>Sounds like you have a decent shot. They are accepting more OOS due to higher tuition. I guess one issue, which they might not care about, is how many of your classes are transferable. Have you checked that all your major req courses from Illinois are accepted at UCB? And yes, ACT not needed, although it might be needed for other universities, of course.</p>

8

<p>Chancing for UCB is really difficult because it’s pretty random I feel… I got rejected as a history major transfer with a 3.9 GPA total/4.0 major GPA and I know people in the threads who’ve gotten in with lower GPAs. I guess that just means that GPA isn’t everything (though yours seems to be climbing up well!) which is contradicting what chaoscuber said, but I don’t know. I know a number of people who got rejected with good GPAs.</p>

9

<p>Don’t mention your HS extracurriculars unless you’re still continuing them in some way. ACT scores and letters or recommendation are not necessary either. </p>

<p>I think you have a decent shot. Your extracurriculars are good. Berkeley likes that, lol. </p>

10

<p>Ochem matters a lot. I stayed another year in CC to finish Ochem since Berkeley’s counselor (I was in the TAP program) told me I have 0 chance getting in to any science major without my Ochem done (at least one semester, but 2 are preferred). I also asked about the summer session before acceptance, she told me they accept these classes up to spring semester, so figure this out until then. There are different colleges around your area that probably offer Ochem during the summer (not the one before you transfer) and winter breaks, so take it then or cry later.
GL.</p>

11

<p>I would say you have a good chance. However, as previously commented by other users, Berkeley’s admissions are very hard to tell. I know of a lot of people with 4.0s who were rejected and others with low GPAs but amazing personal statements that got into Berkeley but rejected to UCLA or UCSD… So yeah everything is possible at Berkeley, they truly do review the whole app not just grades etc. I’m also an MCB major and just got in for Fall 2014, so I truly hope to see you here next year :slight_smile: I wish you luck, keep getting good grades, apply for internships, do some research, do something you truly enjoy doing (I did research, had a publication at a journal, took honors, and volunteered at a program I truly liked, etc…), you’re definitely on the right track. GOOD LUCK! </p>

12

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<p>Are you are an Illinois resident? Is so, can you afford the OOS tuition of UC Berkeley?</p>

13

<p><a href=“http://admissions.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/docs/Transfer_Flier.pdf”>http://admissions.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/docs/Transfer_Flier.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>According to this UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS (with admit rate) is 41% to L&S, so that is pretty good. </p>

14

<p>Lol, chance me threads in May? I have no idea what your chances are but I wouldn’t suggest Berkeley if you’re planning on entering grad school. OOS tuition and grade deflation isn’t worth it IMO. </p>

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<p>0% /thread.</p>

16

<p>Please delete; I made a mistake.</p>

17

<p>@imaplealot They ask for EC from 9th grade on because they are looking for a pattern. They want to see that if you volunteer, you didn’t just start the year before you’re applying. They look for years-long commitment or leadership. ADD THEM! Everything you’ve done counts a lot. Absolutely, do not omit them. Even the rules for the alumni scholarship interviewers say look for leadership/volunteering/ECs that span many years, thus showing character traits. </p>