Chances: UCB, UCSD, UCSB, UCD

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>What are my chances of getting into UCB, UCSD, UCSB, or UCD with my following stats:</p>

<p>9th Grade (No AP/Honors available):
Algebra 1: A-/A
Spanish 1: A/A
Physical Science: A/A
Social Studies: A/A+
English 9: A-/A
Computer Skils (satisfies elective requirement): A/A
GPA: 4.0
10th Grade (AP/Honors available, but I didn't take any because I didn't feel ready enough):
English 10: A/A
World History: A/A
Geometry: A-/A-
Biology: A+/A
Spanish 2: A+/A+
GPA: 4.0
College Prep Oral Interpretation (elective): A/A-
11th Grade (this past year):
AP English Language: A-/A-
AP US History: A-/A-
Honors Chemistry: B/B+
Algebra 2: A/A
Spanish 3: A/A
Student Leadership: A/A
GPA: 4.33
Anticipated Senior Classes:
AP English 12
AP American Government
Trig/Pre-Calc
Student Leadership
Physics
***I could not take Spanish 4 Honors because it conflicted with Leadership - I am an ASB officer and need to be in Leadership; I don't want to just carry around the title, I want to fulfill my duties. Does this look bad?</p>

<p>Test Scores (I think I'm a bad test taker because my scores are not that great. I hope they don't indicate that I will fail in college):
SAT I (taken once): 1590 - CR530, M520, W540; Essay: 9
ACT (taken once): 24 - Reading: 27, Math: 23, Science: 20, Writing/English combined: 26; Essay: 10
SAT II: US History: 650
AP USH: 4; AP ENG LANG: 2 :(</p>

<p>Extra Curricular Activities:
*Overall Talents:
• Bilingual: English & Gujarati (in the process of learning Spanish).
• Moderate knowledge about computers, software, web site building, etc.
• Ethnicity: Asian
*9th Grade:
• Helped former middle school teachers with computer repair
• Continuous work at family business: web site maintenance, electronic
lock maintenance, front desk clerk/tasks, computer repair/related tasks
• Junior States of America club
• Math Achievement Award for Algebra I
(Not many EC’s because of illness with Crohn’s Disease.)</p>

<p>*10th Grade:
• Helped former middle school teachers and Brook Haven Middle School
with computer repair
• Speech & Debate Team (Degree of Honor) – 2nd place in Lion’s Club
Oratory Contest
• Helped Analy Education Foundation during October 2006 Phone-a-
thon
• CSF for 9th grade Semester 2 grades and 10th grade Semester 1 grades
• Analy Independent Newspaper (Business Manager)
• Lead organizer of Caesar Chavez Oratorical Contest for EL students
• Track & Field – Sprints, 100m and 200m: Scholar Athlete Award
• Relay for Life (first year)
• Continuous work at family business: web site maintenance, electronic
lock maintenance, front desk clerk/tasks, computer repair/related tasks</p>

<p>*11th Grade:
• Helped former middle school teachers and Brook Haven Middle School
with computer repair
• Analy Leadership – Junior Class President: Plan Homecoming ’07, Bob
Burke’s 8th Annual Auction, Prom ’08, various other Leadership
Activities (Rallies, committee participation, dance set up/clean up, etc).
• CSF for 10th grade Semester 2 grades and 11th grade Semester 1 grades.
• Analy Independent Newspaper (Leadership liaison; calendar)
• Tutor for Spanish II student
• Continuous work at family business: web site maintenance, electronic
lock maintenance, front desk clerk/tasks, computer repair/related tasks.
• Relay for Life (2nd year, 1st year Co-Captain)
• Certificate of Award: Rhetorician Extraordinaire
• Certificate of Award: Outstanding Student Spanish 3
• Leadership Camp</p>

<p>***I am applying for an internship at the District Attorney's office. The internship will take place during my Senior year if I get it.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>umm higher sat scores is must</p>

3

<p>get the SATs up. ill evaluate ur UCs for u. (i put in the other UCs incase u want a clue)
UCD-match
UCI-match
UCSB-match
UCM-in
UCR-in
UCSC-match
UCSD-high match/low reach
UCB-high match/low reach
UCLA-low reach</p>

4

<p>Hey,
Okay, call me stupid, but what does "low reach" mean? I'm assuming reach means that people with my stats aren't usually accepted into that college.</p>

<p>Socalsoccerdude,
You made me feel so much better with your evaluation - my top three are UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Davis. I know my test scores are low. My test scores do not reflect my ability and intelligence. I know some say that GPA should correlate to test scores, but truly, I have worked very hard to earn the grades that I have earned, and I have put the utmost effort into everyone of my classes - I don't think my tests reflect that, but I will def. retake them.</p>

<p>For UCB, UCSB, UCD - what SAT/ACT score should I shoot for?</p>

<p>I really hope my GPA/ECs compensate in the case that my scores don't rise drastically.</p>

5

<p>low reach means ur chances in getting into that the university is like 50/50. reach means ur chances decreases even further say 25-35%. then high reach means its going to take a miracle. </p>

<p>go for 1800 on the SAT(if applying for UCB, then go a little higher then that). i too am a bad SAT person (no kid, 134 on the PSAT and 1500 on a practice SAT? i couldve done better on them if i stop falling asleep in them. haha)</p>

6

<p>Here are the 2008 Freshman Profiles for all the UCs. Choose your campuses from the column at left and you can see average SATs and GPAs for all the campuses: University</a> of California - Admissions</p>

<p>Use these instructions to calculate your UC GPA (it is different from your regular GPA): <a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman/scholarship_reqs.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman/scholarship_reqs.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

7

<p>I think my UC GPA, if calculated correctly, weighted, is 4.2.</p>

<p>I hope my low scores don't indicate that I am stupid. I am in the top 10% of my class, and I truly strive to do well to the best of my ability. I don't know why I don't seem to do well with the tests.</p>

<p>How is my 24 on the ACT? I found the ACT to be better...it was the first time taking it, so I think I may have better success with it. Around what score on the ACT should I shoot for?</p>

<p>UC Berkeley is a toss up for everyone - they reject some of the best students, so I am trying not to stress if I do not get in. UCSB and UCD are wonderful schools, and I would be very happy if I got into them.</p>

8

<p>Double check to see that your college prep oral interpretation and leadership course is on the UC approved course list for your school: <a href="https://doorways.ucop.edu/list/servlet.jsf;jsessionid=3C76BF86D17C7F66C0C93D176724C96F?_flowExecutionKey=_cE8AB5D6B-1A26-FA4E-BE27-46FD210714FA_kAE164D07-BB76-6B02-6666-19D3CD5CB023%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://doorways.ucop.edu/list/servlet.jsf;jsessionid=3C76BF86D17C7F66C0C93D176724C96F?_flowExecutionKey=_cE8AB5D6B-1A26-FA4E-BE27-46FD210714FA_kAE164D07-BB76-6B02-6666-19D3CD5CB023&lt;/a> If they are - great, if not, do the calculation without them. In any case, you have an EXCELLENT GPA. The UCs consider the transcript to be the most important factor, so that is good news! (Your ACT essay score is great, by the way - so you will probably be able to write a great personal statement.) I don't do chances (what do I know???), but you seem to be pretty well informed about the UCs... So you already know the top three are reaches (for almost everyone!), the middle three are perfect matches for you, and you might think about tossing in one of the other three as your safety. Definitely keep a reach or two on your list - you have that great GPA, a good list of ECs, and skillful writing. Good luck!</p>

9

<p>Hey.
Leadership is not college prep, so I did not include that. Oral Intep is college prep and that is included in the 4.2 UC GPA. Here is a list of colleges that I do plan to apply to: UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, Pitzer College, and Cal Poly, SLO. UCs seem perfect for me because of the tuition and for their wonderful reputation. </p>

<p>Thanks for the compliments on my writing score - at least that is one score that is decent. Hopefully I can get my ACT score from a 24 to at least a 27. Is a 27 a pretty good score for the schools that I want to apply to?</p>

<p>Also, I know I need to take another SAT II, but how is my SAT II US Hist. score of 650?</p>

<p>I also got a letter requesting transcripts for ELC - I don't know if I've qualified yet, but will that help considerably?</p>

<p>Thanks so much guys! I appreciate the positive energy and all your help. It truly makes me feel so much better!</p>

10

<p>ELC pretty much doubles your chances at the more selective UCs. Look at the ELC admission rates on that freshman profile link (post #6).</p>

<p>I think you have put together a great list. Really. You have some excellent matches, believable reaches, and good quality safeties. With your excellent record, look into Pitzer's option of not submitting ACT/SAT scores: </p>

<p>Quote from Pitzer website:
2. I heard that Pitzer offers a testing-optional admission process? How does that work?
Pitzer’s admission policy for first-year students provides applicants with greater flexibility in presenting application materials that accurately reflect their diverse academic abilities and potentials. Pitzer will exempt students graduating in the top 10% of their class, or those who have an unweighted cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 or higher in academic subjects (i.e., courses in the humanities, mathematics, sciences and social sciences) from having to submit any standardized tests (i.e., ACT or SAT).
Source: Pitzer</a> College - Claremont, California</p>

<p>For all but the top three UCs, it is important to TAKE the two SAT subject tests, but the scores don't seem to be a big factor. A 650 is very good. Your second one should be in a different area than History - Math (level 2 only), Biology, etc... whatever you are best in.</p>

<p>Good luck!!!</p>

11

<p>Hey,
You say that ELC almost doubles chances at competitive UCs, but how do they increase chances at the middle range: UCSB, UCD? Their ELC rates are 99% Is UCSB and UCD considered competitive? (obviously not as competitive as UCB, UCLA, and UCSD, but generally speaking in the wider scope...?)</p>

<p>Pitzer stood out to me because it is a wonderful liberal arts school (I plan on majoring in Political Science), and they don't factor in SAT/ACT if you reach the requirements they suggest - the only bad part is that acceptance rate is 26% and tuition is outrageous...that's why I am leaning towards UCs.</p>

<p>You say that I have some pretty good reaches/matches/safeties - can you categorize them for me in terms of your evaluation?</p>

<p>Lastly, in the case that my ACT/SAT scores don't go up by much, would it affect me harshly when it comes down to admissions?</p>

<p>Sorry for seeming so obsessive about this whole process. It's so stressful, and I cannot wait to apply and get it out of the way; it's been eating away at me since the first day of freshman year.</p>

12

<p>All the UCs are definitely competitive (far more than they appear in all the "rankings"), because only the top 12.5% in the state can even apply.</p>

<p>If you received the request to submit your transcript, then you have already been identified as in the top 10% in your school. (Congratulations!) In September or October you will get a letter saying that you are either 1. ELC, 2. On Track to Statewide Eligibility, or 3. Not On Track to Statewide Eligibility (meaning that a student is missing one or more A-G courses that they will not be able to complete in the one year of high school remaining.) If at graduation you have Statewide Eligibility, you are guaranteed a spot at a UC Campus (of UC's choice). If you have ELC, you will be guaranteed a spot at 4 or 5 specific campuses that vary year-to-year. For 2008, the ELC guaranteed campuses were UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, UC Riverside and UC Merced. (You get to choose.) Santa Cruz was not on the ELC guarantee this year, but their ELC admit rate was 99.2%, so that is pretty close to a sure thing. As you can see, UC places a great deal of weight on your accomplishments in high school regardless of your test scores.</p>

<p>If you just threw that college list together without having to carefully consider and work out which is a reach, match and safety, that was a HUGE piece of luck! I think you know exactly which is which, you just want some outside confirmation. I know nothing about "chancing," I can only look at the same statistics as you are looking at and guess. So... my guesses about the general grouping of your list: Berkeley, because of the huge volume of applications and amazing qualifications of the applicants is a reach for everyone, including you. UCSD inches closer and closer to the "big two" every year and because of its emerging popularity and the way it attracts students in the sciences (and their big test scores) is a reach. Your qualifications make you a match for Pitzer, but it has a low acceptance rate and so it has to be considered a match/reach. Your excellent matches are UCSB and UC Davis. Your safeties are UC Santa Cruz and Cal Poly (CPSUSLO is actually VERY competitive - the most competitive of the CSUs - but as a UC-eligible student you have an advantage in admissions). I really like your safeties - they are excellent schools and I know several people who have attended and LOVED them both.</p>

<p>If your scores do not go up much, you still have put together an excellent list that will almost certainly result in a choice of wonderful universities using the credentials you have already assembled. Really.</p>

<p>Believe me, I know how stressful it is - I JUST went through it. And the stress continues until May first when you make that final choice. But you are WAY ahead of a lot of your classmates in college planning and you have a great record to present to admissions readers. Do what you can and then take a deep breath and try to relax. (I know -IMPOSSIBLE!)</p>

<p>Don't forget to fill out all the financial aid stuff - most importantly the FAFSA after Jan 1st.</p>

<p>GOOD LUCK!</p>

13

<p>tocollege (as well as others),
Thank you so much for your help. Your help has put my mind to ease. I have been hearing nothing but, "get your scores up", and I have been trying as hard as I can.</p>

<p>I just want a valuable education and successful future, just like all of us dream of!</p>

<p>tocollege and others: I wish all good luck at the universities you have applied to /attend. </p>

<p>I will def. apply for the scholarships.</p>

<p>This whole college thing is actually quite exciting now - I have never seen it this way before, surprisingly.</p>

<p>Anyway thanks to all and take care!</p>

<p>Sean</p>