Help! Chances at UCs and some privates?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>If someone can help me calculate my GPA score correctly, that'd be awesome. I've gotten so many mixed UC GPA scores ranging from a sad 2.9 to a 3.7.</p>

<p>I plan to apply for these UCs: Riverside, Santa Barbera, Davis, Irvine, San Diego, UCLA, and Berkeley.</p>

<p>Some other schools I am just going to apply for include UoP, USC, UoSD.</p>

<p>Honestly, if I can make at least one school out of UCSB, UCD, or UCI.. I'll be satisfied.</p>

<p>Currently, here are my grades. I am a current Senior and I live in North California.</p>

<p>I will be as honest as I can so you guys can give me your honest opinions as well. Hopefully you can give me constructive criticism!
All classes that are weighted I'll put a W by it.</p>

<p>Class Rank: 80
Class Size: 450
Rank (%): Top 17.78%
Unweighted GPA: 3.459
Weighted GPA: 3.784</p>

<p>Fresh. Year:</p>

<p>Beg. Ceramics B+
Algebra 2 C+
W Honors English A
W H History B
PE A
Spanish 2 B</p>

<p>3.5</p>

<p>SEM 2
Beg. Ceramics A
Algebra 2 B-
W H English A
W H History B
PE A+
Spanish 2 B</p>

<p>3.87</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:</p>

<p>Basketball (PE) A
Spanish 3 B-
PreCalculus D-
W H English 2 B
W H Biology B
Student Government A</p>

<p>3.33</p>

<p>SEM 2
Weight Training (PE) A
Spanish 3 B
Algebra 2 B+
W H English 2 B
W H Biology B-
Student Government A</p>

<p>3.67</p>

<p>Junior Year:</p>

<p>SEM 1
Precaculus: B-
Chemistry: B-
Student Government: A
Spanish 4: A-
W AP History: A-
W H English 3: A</p>

<p>4.0</p>

<p>SEM 2
Precaluclus: B
Chemistry: A
Student Government: A
Spanish 4: A
W AP History: A-
W H English 3: A-</p>

<p>4.17</p>

<p>I was ranked 91/463 after Sem 1 of JR. Year, so I'm quite sure I moved up after sem 2.</p>

<p>SATS were about average for my school.. I got a 1660. I believe 640 in math, 500 in Writing, 520 in Reading. DEFINATELY plan to improve. I didn't study and I regret it, so I'm going to dedicate a lot of time to SATs. I forsee at least 1800 on my next go around.</p>

<p>SAT 2 scores were poor, with 530s in both Math 2 and US History. Not sure what to do there.</p>

<p>Some facts:</p>

<p>I have been in Student Government/Council for 2 years, currently in my 3rd year. I was the Student Body Treasurer last and this year, as well as next, the technical 3rd highest ranked position.</p>

<p>Last year I tutored in the library Mon-Wed after school from 3:00-4:30.</p>

<p>Our school has 2 blood drives every year, last and this year, I will run both of them. I hold current school records for most blood collected.</p>

<p>I have been in Key Club since freshman year, and I'm currently Public Relations officer.</p>

<p>I have been in Asian Club since freshman year, I'll be co-president this year.</p>

<p>I am also officers of more than 6 clubs as either VP, Secretary, or Treasurer. But these are all recreational.</p>

<p>I have been a volunteer at the National Tree Foundation, a group out to clean the environment and plant trees.</p>

<p>I am Chinese.</p>

<p>I can speak Mandarin fluently.</p>

<p>I've visited many countries, including China, Taiwan, and Japan.</p>

<p>Well.. I think that's all I got! Hopefully you guys can give some opinions on how I can improve my chances at ALL UC schools.</p>

<p>Thanks for your time!</p>

2

<p>Based on what you provided, I think your UC GPA is a 3.55 in that you only weigh the one AP class you have with the "extra point". </p>

<p>I honestly don't see much strength in your application. Officer=/=good EC, president/vice president/maybe secretary/treasurer is. Your EC with student government helps I suppose, but that slot in your schedule could likely have been better placed taking another AP or 2, which further detracts from the course rigor of your application. The only plus that can be safely assumed from your GPA is that it has an upward trend, which could help you get into mid tier UCs. </p>

<p>Your SAT scores are a whole different matter. Unless you'll resign yourself to going to lower tier UCs, those have got to increase by at least 200pts. SAT IIs would have to go up substantially (~50-100 pts) as well. Even then, you're not competitive in the common sense for the top tier. To sum that up:</p>

<p>Top Tier-Crap shoot, not likely
Mid Tier-Bring the SATs up, and it could happen, but good chances overall (at least you're competitive)
Bottom Tier-Match</p>

<p>UCB/UCLA/UCSD-Reach
UCD-Slight Reach (provided you bring up the SATs dramatically)
UCSB/UCI-Slight Reach/High Match (provided you bring up the SATs dramatically)
UCSC/UCR-Match/Safety
UCM-Safety</p>

3

<p>Actually, Peppers, that's not true. As you can see by this website:</p>

<p><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>University approved honors courses also get extra points if taken during the last 3 years of high school.</p>

<p>Here's the website with details on this--see the bottom of the linked site:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/educators/counselors/adminfo/freshman/advising/admission/agr.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/educators/counselors/adminfo/freshman/advising/admission/agr.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>My guess is that all of the OP's honors course taken during the sophomore and junior year count. This would give the OP 8 extra grade points. But you have to average the D- gotten in the first precalculus course with the B- gotten the second time around.</p>

<p>Also, you have to throw out the PE classes and the Student government classes (none of which are considered academic classes). The first website above addresses this. Lastly, throw out all the plus and minus grades since the school isn't considering them.</p>

<p>This gives the following: 7 As, 10 Bs, and 1 D. The OP took eight semesters of honors/AP courses.</p>

<p>The OP gets 28 grade points for the As, 30 for the Bs, and 1 for the D giving you 59 grade points in 18 courses (yes, you count the precalculus course you took over twice). You then add in 8 extra grade points for the honors courses. This gives 67 grade points in 18 courses. </p>

<p>So the UC GPA is 67/18 = 3.72222</p>

<p>Based upon this and the OP's SAT I and SAT II scores, peppers and I tend to be pretty close on chances, though.</p>

<p>UCB/UCLA--Big Reach
UCSD--Reach
UCI/UCD/UCSB--Slight Reach (need SATs to be about 1900 to go with that GPA to have good chances here--because your upward trend helps, but your SATs and UC GPA are both below the averages here)
UCSC/UCR--Match
UCM--Safety</p>

<p>Just so you are aware, the average UC GPA at UCI/UCD/UCSB is around 3.90 and the average SAT scores at these schools is around 1850.</p>

<p>Other schools:
USC--Reach
UOP--Safe Match to Match
University of San Diego--Match</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

4

<p>Berkeley/UCLA: reach
UCSD: reach
UCSB/UCI/UCD: slight reach - reach
UCR/UCSC: match
UCM: safe match - safety</p>