<p>IDK if this is the right section to ask but,</p>
<p>I got a 3.3 uc gpa right now (junior), and a sat score of 1660, 6-7 ECs, no awards or anything though.</p>
<p>I was wondering what are my chances of getting into UCSC.</p>
<p>Once I get in, I am hoping to maintain a higher GPA because i realize what i did worng during my high school years (and am going to try as hard as i can to make sure my Senior year is good). In the end I am hoping i can have a high gpa at UCSC (3.8-3.9?) and transfer to berkeley's computer science BS degree.</p>
<p>I need some advice on chances and like an overall evaluation of my plan.</p>
<p>That is a good plan. Get the Sat score up a little more if you can during this year. You are below the averages, but people tend to get in with similar stats. Make sure you have other stuff going on in your life besides school that you can talk about in your essays if you expect to get a break.</p>
<p>On the condition that you get into UCSC, getting high grades is always a good idea. The computer science major at CAL is a little competitive so I hear and it is a little hard to get in no matter where you come from and what gpa you have. It is good to aim high, but just understand engineering majors at Cal are hard to get into and nothing is a sure thing.</p>
<p>I think you have what it takes to get into UCSC. It is one of the "easier" UC's to get into while still being ranked in the top 100 in the nation. Obviously you want to keep your GPA and SAT as high as possible, and EC's are huge especially applying to a top university like Berkeley. The applicant pool is SO HUGE that good grades and good SAT's are a dime a dozen. Engage yourself in extra curriculars as much as possible without getting the the point where it is compromising your academics. </p>
<p>But keep in a mind...a big mistake that a lot of kids make is that they candy coat their application with as many extra curricular activities as possible. Nobody cares if you've volunteered at 5 different food shelters and 3 different hospitals, because for the most part they are all the same. Anybody can sign up and show up for the minimum amount of weeks to put it on their resume/application. If you are currently engaged in 2-3 extra curriculars, focus on those instead of taking on more. This is especially important if the EC is based on community involvement rather than school sponsored clubs or athletics. It is MUCH more valuable to say that you organized and ran a local AIDS walk, or held a fundraiser for your local food shelter, than to aimlessly list a bunch of other EC's where you didn't really lay an impact. Admissions committees see candy coated applications just as often as they see high GPA's. Set yourself away from the crowd. </p>
<p>Also, think about community colleges. I know it will be hard going to a CC straight from high school, but I did it and I know a lot of other people who did as well. Its cost effective, but more importantly, it will be easier on your Berkeley admission. Keep in mind, admission committees prioritize the spots as follows: high school graduates, cc transfers, 4 year transfers. CC transfers get a higher priority because, among other things, it allows students who were financially hindered by the cost of a full 4 years of college to attend a good university. Transferring from a 4 year to another 4 year will just make the admissions committee wonder...why didn't they come straight here? Remember... going to UCSC for a year just to transfer will not increase your likelihood of acceptance to Cal, just because it is a "better school" than a CC. Unless you are comparing CSU Bakersfield and Princeton University, a 4.0 is a 4.0 anywhere, a 3.5 is a 3.5 anywhere, and a 1.8 is a 1.8 anywhere. Ace your community college classes after high school and you'll get into Cal and save yourself a load of money.</p>
<p>Ok I'm done rambling. Hope I helped. Good luck</p>
<p>Cali Trumpet: Thanks for the evaluation, I do have a plan to get my SAT scores up over the summer. I will try to stick to it as much as possible.</p>
<p>And you are right, Engineering Majors at Berkeley are very competitive, and it is something I need to think about. Thank you very much again.</p>
<p>NoMoSacto: Thank you very much for helping me understand how ECs are evaluated at admissions. When I said 6-7 ECs I meant during the past 3 years in high school. Right now I really only have 3 ECs where I am really participating.</p>
<p>Just one questions about ECs, are ECs as important when transferring as they are in Freshmen Admissions?</p>
<p>Also, I already knew that I had a MUCH better chance of getting into Berkeley if I go to CC first. But in my area/city the people that go to CC usually transfer to a CSU, and I realized I was afraid of ending up like that (not at all trying to offend anyone). Why go to CC and then transfer to something I could've gotten into before?</p>
<p>You really made me think about things, when you said "Transferring from a 4 year to another 4 year will just make the admissions committee wonder...why didn't they come straight here?"</p>
<p>I will definitely consider both CCC and UCSC into my plan now. Thank you very much NoMoSacto.</p>
<p>Well when you're talking statistics, at any cc, more "people" go to a CSU than a UC just because...well...more people go to CSU's. They're more abundant and much easier to get into save for a few. That being said, it doesn't make CC a bad option. If a bunch of hungry kids show up with you at the buffet, and they'll eat anything, they'll gobble up all the mashed potatoes all around them, and it will seem like "everyone who goes to the buffet ends up eating potatoes". But that doesn't mean you aren't gonna sell yourself short. You'll sit there and wait for the prime rib. </p>
<p>And ECs are important in transfer AND frosh admissions. Generally, though, when you're applying as a transfer, your transfer gpa AND EC's during your transfer years will be evaluated. Not saying that your EC's during high school won't be evaluated, but the EC's you will be evaluated with will be the ones that took place during the grades you're applying with. EC's, along with finding out your personal interests, have one main purpose: to gauge your ability to handle outside jobs and activities WHILE handling a full courseload. So if you want them to look at your high school transcripts, they'll emphasize on your hs EC's. And same for transfer years. But remember to take everything u read on here with a grain of salt. All of us, after all, are students doing just what you are, only a few years ahead of you. If we were professional guidance counselors we wouldn't be here. Take what you read, absorb what you think is important, and if something you read will sway your decision do your fair share of research before jumping it.</p>
<p>You seem like an awesome student, fully motivated. I'm sure you'll do great bro. Take care</p>
<p>consider the 3/2 program.
its quite hidden and rarely advertised.
it is a program that lets you earn two degrees in 5 years. one from santa cruz in a humanities/social science area and one from berkeley in an engineering area. however there are limitations. i cannot remember if computer engineering is still an option (i despise writing programs for computers so i havent kept up with it).
generally you're suppose to apply to the program as a freshman.</p>
<p>I feel your pain about CCs. I went to Gavilan, a little CC in Gilroy, and everyone I knew dropped out, went to San Jose State, or is still there except one girl I barely know. I transfered to UCSC recently, I enter in the fall.</p>
<p>It's important for you to know, I got in to Berkeley. I chose to be at Santa Cruz. </p>
<p>So it is possible, and if you're willing to do two years at a CC (I know I'm breaking your heart here) and work your ass off, your gen ed is done (be sure your IGETC is done and certified) and they don't even look at your high school transcript, nor you SATs. </p>
<p>Extra Curriculars are great, but be consistent about it. Find something you like and do it a lot, instead of hopping around. I had experience doing theatre and camp counseling (sometimes at the same time) through three different organizations, and that was enough to get me in. </p>
<p>When I got in to Berkeley as a transfer, I had one advantage you don't, I was 18 and applying as a junior. But, that said, I had a 3.765 gpa. So you'd wanna work for all A's if you want Berkeley. But it's totally do-able, and looks a helluva lot better than "er, I didn't like SC/didn't get into Berkeley the first time I tried".</p>
<p>Hey thanks for your response. I do agree with your statement about the dislike of SC and being denied from Berkeley.</p>
<p>Anyways, how do you like UCSC? US News and World ranked UCSC lower than UCR (I know these shouldn't mean TOO MUCH), and I was wondering what that meant to new undergrads?</p>
<p>When I saw the 2009 U.S. News ranking.. I was extremely disappointed. On the other hand, ranks shouldn't matter so much. MOST IMPORTANTLY, the ranking were supported with the data from FALL 2007 admissions. I'm confident that UCSC will jump back into the rankings next year.. The Freshman Admission's for Fall 08 was extremely competitive. The acceptance rate dropped 10%. So always keep in mind with the rankings (they are always two years behind). Check it again next year, and tell me what you think!</p>
<p>The 3/2 is in no way an easy way into Berkeley. The program excludes any engineering major that is offered at UCSC (electrical, computer, etc.) But beware, the program sucks. It's incredibly hard... the 3.2 gpa they require in print apparently isn't close to what you need. Three of the around 12 third-year students in the program who applied to Berkeley actually got in this year. They got stuck. By far most people leave this program, and the current advisor is considered by everyone to be a total *****. Seriously, she will chastize you for a B in the "acceptable" 6-series physics sequence. The Physics 5A/B/C series is extremely hard to get the needed A's in. I thought this would be a backdoor into Berkeley engineering. Beware, it is not.</p>