Constructive Criticism Please...

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>I am aware of my low scores but do I still have a shot?</p>

<p>1st generation Korean-American
Born in Georgia, now residing in suburbs in California
Income bracket <40,000</p>

<p>GPA: 4.0 unweighted, 4.67 weighted (ELC)
Rank: 4/517 (for now…I think I will be moving up to 2/517 by next year)
PSAT: 190
SAT: ugh…690M, 650W, 640CR----I am currently studying to retake in Oct…my goal is to get 730+M, 700+W, 700CR
SAT II: 660 Math IIC, 670Bio E, 710 US History—retaking in Nov.</p>

<p>Special Circumstances: nothing really, except that I moved from GA to CA in the second semester of my sophomore year and that GA did not offer AP classes to sophomores…so I technically had only 1 semester of AP World History…</p>

<p>10th:
AP World History: A (5 on exam)</p>

<p>11th:
Pre-IB Pre Calc/AP Calc AB: A
AP English Language: A
AP US History: A
AP Biology: A</p>

<p>12th:
AP English
AP Calculus BC
AP Art History
AP Govt
AP Economics
AP Physics</p>

<p>EC’s:

  1. National Honor Society 2 years</p>

<li><p>California Scholarship Federation 2.5 years </p></li>
<li><p>Latin Club 4 years (founder/instructor)
I had previously taken Latin in GA however, moving to CA which did not offer Latin, I decided to create a latin club and teach latin I and the culture to those interested)
I also took the National Latin Exam for Latin I and got bronze medal</p></li>
<li><p>Future Doctors of America 2 years (founder/co-president)
Basically, we bring guest speakers to our club meetings (neurosurgeons to pediatric cardiologists) who talk about their occupations, do volunteer work at local hospitals/Red Cross, and provide hands on experience to those interested in pursuing a medical profession.</p></li>
<li><p>LiNK-Liberty in North Korea 3 years (co-secretary/promotions director/public relations)
Spreading awareness upon the humanitarian crisis in North Korea and doing humanitarian activist promotions (ie: organized an all-day LiNK awareness assembly at school, protests in front of the Chinese Embassy in LA, sending petitions to various embassies and release North Korean detainees, host a benefit concert and raise $5,000 for SAFE Haven orphanages in China that are posts involved in an Underground Railroad to help NK refugees) I am a great advocate for this cause while many ppl in my church have dissapproved b/c they feel that I am simply straining the already tense relations our motherland: SKorea and NKorea and US. Nevertheless, I this issue itself is my passion and energy not only b/c of the horrendous atrocities being committed right under noses but also b/c some of my family members are in NKorea right now…and so, its not only a matter of human decency but of ultimate necessity. </p></li>
<li><p>Model UN 2 years (cofounder/activities director)
My involvement in LiNK led me to intiate our school’s 1st MUN chapter. (our school just opened in 2004…hence our class is the 1st graduating class for 2007!)</p></li>
</ol>

2

<p>my advice is to bring those SAT scores up as much as possible and write some damn good essays...</p>

<p>...i suck at advice. best of luck to you, though.</p>

3

<p>Hmmmmm...your AP/IB class list looks really similar to mine (1 sophomore year, 4 junior year, 6 senior year), as does your rank.</p>

<p>It's always difficult guessing at being admitted, but my advice to you would be to get some SAT prep books. Those things really do work; I think my cumulative score probably increased by about 150ish points. I'd suggest "An Underground Guide to the SAT," simply because it's hilarious. </p>

<p>Anyway, yeah, I'd say test scores are one of the easiest things to get up, because even knowing testing strategies help improve your score; plus you can take them as many times as you want.</p>

<p>But great job on getting both quality and quantity into your EC list! It sounds like you're pretty passionate about what you do. Make sure that shows when you're writing your essays/short answers.</p>

4

<p>ummm... i dont think that you should be THAT worried. i got into the engineering program and the only thing that was A LITTLE higher than yours is my SAT I scores. But your EC's are really good and dude, dont worry too much. You cant really GAURANTEE yourself a spot. hey, this guy in my class got rejected from berkeley but got accepted into Harvard. Just make sure you write good essays. that's all but dont worry TOO much.</p>