High stats but mediocre extracurriculars

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi all!

I’m currently a junior at a fairly competitive public school in Southern California. My stats are pretty good, but I have essentially zero extracurriculars. I’m starting to get really worried about this. I still have a few months to do things, but I certainly can’t do anything remarkable in this time frame. I’m trying to see what I can do to get around this. I’m mainly looking to get into top UC’s for computer science (in the engineering department).

Background: Asian male from upper-middle class family

Stats:
UW GPA: 3.81 (kinda bad, mainly because I received a C during my first semester of honors English this year, but I have a lot of rigor)
Weighted GPA: 4.43
UC GPA: ~4.1-4.2
PSAT: 1410 (660 verbal, 750 math)
ACT: 35 (35 E, 35 M, 33 R, 35 S, 8 Essay)
SAT 2: Math II (800), Chem (760)
AP: Comp Sci (4), World History (4), Physics 1 (4), Physics 2, Chem, Psych, Calc BC
Community College Classes: Data Structures and Algorithms (A)
Awards: AP Scholar (should have distinction by the end of this year), AIME qualifier

Extracurriculars: don’t even ask. Absolutely NOTHING. Unless playing video games and hanging out with friends counts. :frowning:

Schools:
UCB
UCLA
UCSD
UCI
UCD
UCSB
USC
Cornell
Upenn
Umich
MIT
Caltech
Harvard
Stanford

I just want to get into Berkeley for EECS and feel that my academics are pretty strong, but it’s still hyper-competitive. Could I make it in if I do something EECS related this summer and write really great essays?

Also, do I have a snowball’s chance in hell at MIT, Caltech, Harvard, or Stanford? I still have plenty of time to do something stuff. I’ve been thinking of doing a bunch of personal CS projects and attending hackathons. I’m also planning on doing a CS research project this summer (emailed some professors and have a few offers) and getting Siemens semifinalist/Regeneron STS scholar. Also, I’m going to do the USACO next year and try to reach the platinum level. I’m trying to develop a CS spike. Also, should I try to get some leadership positions next year??

Thanks!

2

I don’t think you have much of a chance at any of you reaches and you might have a chance at some of your UCs, but for the ivies, Caltech and MIT, ecs are an important facet of your application and as you have none your chances are little to none. Adding stuff your senior year helps, but colleges know when people try to add stuff their senior year to get ecs.

3

Your stats are good but to put into perspective, my oldest had very similar stats (her UW GPA was a bit higher, same ACT, slightly lower subject tests, and about the same # of AP tests). She was rejected at Berkeley and wait-listed at UC Davis and Cal Poly. Got into UCSD and UCSC (chose out of state private instead). She was going for bio at the time which is slightly less competitive than CS depending on the campus, I think.
Would you be happy with UCI / UCSD? If so, you are probably fine. If not, I have no idea if your summer plans will help at Berkeley/UCLA (and is USACO in time to be seen on applications?) Maybe think about a couple of other out-of-state private schools that are slightly easier to get into.

4

You have little chance for EECS at UCB. That’s for anyone under 4.3/1580, not just you. If UCB is high on your list you should apply though the L&S route which has a higher acceptance rate.

5

Don’t spend your money or time on IVYs or MIT. They won’t accept you without ECs. Find more match schools where your stats are in the top 75%

Calculate your UC GPA using an online calculator and post that here for advice on UCs

6

How can you tell the story of your extracurriculars? Is there anything to say? Can you do something interesting with them now? You can take your interests and make a difference with them, and tell the story in a way that makes you an interesting candidate.

I know a student who won a full tuition plus full room and board scholarship for four years at a college. One of the major factors was his work with the local public library and elementary students on a Minecraft project.

Otherwise, state schools that admit mainly by stats, or colleges where you are well into in the top 25% by stats, are your best bet.

7

I do not really see any chance of you getting in when you lack any type of ecs. Especially because ecs set you apart from others since everyone who applies pretty much has the same stats. As @suzyQ7 says they won’t accept you, try to find other schools.

8

Look at Canadian universities. Most do not consider EC’s at all.

9

I would remove all the ivies, Stanford, from the list as others have said, probably add a couple more public oos flagships like Washington, Illinois, Wisconsin and Cal Poly SLO.

10

@suzyQ7 I haven’t received the final grades for this semesters yet, but I’m predicting 5 A’s and 2 b’s. If this is the case, my uc gpa should be 4.15.

Also, would getting Regeneron sts and Siemens semifinalist compensate for the lack of ec’s? My research mentor says the proposed project has a good chance. Plus USACO platinum is pretty good as well. And won’t doing all those projects help as well? 6-8 months is a LONG time and I can accomplish a lot.

If I can’t get into privates, can I at least make it to UCB or UCLA?

11

CS is a very tough admit. Definitely add both cal polys, as your high ACT score will help. UC admission for CS will be a challenge with your unweighted GPA. You will likely be waitlisted or admitted undeclared at UCI and UCSD, which are both nightmares if you want CS. Add UCR and UCSC. UCLA and UCB are impossible admits without being active in the community.

12

@washugrad I’d be okay with UCSD, but I’d still prefer Berkeley or LA. I guess I could be content with UCI, but I’d prefer to get in someplace a little better.

Siemens comes out in October, but USACO and Regeneron come out in the winter, slightly after applications are due. But I think I can send in updates.

And as a heads up, those competition awards are pretty significant. Those schools can accept all the winners and have plenty of left over space, so shouldn’t those help significantly?

13

With those awards, absolutely apply to private schools. USC loves high test scores.

14

Those schools like students who show effort in other areas besides the academics.

They know that students who have great grades but have stepped outside the box to: volunteer, play sports, work a part time job, participate in clubs, are those students who will add quality activities to their universities.

Also, those activities show time management and balance skills. Playing video games all day isn’t one of those activities.

(FWIW: Stanford alumni hosts several school information fairs for the children of alumni. We participated in one of those information sessions. At that time, the admissions director indicated that they were looking for students, who were exceptional students but also exceptional humans.

She said they considered students who could step out of their comfort zones, take advantage of the activities on their campuses and do things besides study in their rooms all day “like books”. She said anyone could do that, and that they had plenty of “books”; didn’t need any more.

So, students who had been actively balancing their activities, throughout their high school careers, as noted by the counseling letters were the students who were given a second look.)

15

Submit your act.
Top colleges use ECs to differentiate between top applicants.
Regeneron etc count as ECs but won’t be sufficient for all colleges below UCSB if you’re not a finalist* so pick a couple and keep your fingers crossed. If you win it changes things as indeed winning is very significant but still pushes your odds from under 1% to may 10-15%. Read the results threads for all our universities.
Where are you conducting your research? Will the professor write you a letter recommendation?
What are your budget constraints?
Right now you need to focus on finding two safeties you find satisfactory. ASU Barrett should probably be one of them (look into it). Cal poly Pomona is another one but unlikely youl’’ like it; probably UCSC? Colorado Boulder (but may be unaffordable). Montana State, UMN twin cities for safeties, Nrtheastern, Case Western for matches?
Are you good enough a gamer that you could be recruited to play?

  • You can't "plan to be a finalist"......
16

@MYOS1634 I never said that I was anticipating finalist, just semifinalist, which is like top 300. But since it’s the most prestigious science competition available to high schoolers and there’s thousands of spots of the top privates I listed, shouldn’t they be able to take them all?

I’m conducting the research at USC under a tenured professor and he could definitely write me a great LOR.

Budget shouldn’t be an issue. My family makes over $300k.

I was thinking of having the lower-tier UC’s be my safeties.

lol I never meant competitive gamer. I just play video games for fun and apparently that’s not good enough. :frowning:

17

Semi finalist is good but you can’t really predict it - you know you have a shot and at least you will know in time for UCs. And all the finalists will be applying to your top schools so delicious finalists don’t seem as impressive.
Your EC is that and only that so you better rank nationally- and even that guarantees nothing.
(Have you read science fair season?)
Your best shot at a top University is at USC since the professor will write you a letter of recommendation.

The issue is that Asian males applying for CS are far more numerous than there are spots in CS in the country. If you were interested in classics or anthropology your situation would be different.

UC’s won’t look at LORs or sat2 Results.
Being full pay will help at some places as well as your act 35 - washU St Louis, for instance.

18

Oh, honey.

As you have in-state CA, that is probably true. But if you are looking at privates (or OOS publics), make sure you have a clear, specific conversation with your parents as to what they are able and willing to pay. COA is $72K / year at USC.

19

I’m not really that interested in USC. I’d definitely prefer a top UC, Ivy, or pseudo-Ivy school.

How are my chances for UCB and UCLA?

20

Maybe UCB L&S CS because UCB isn’t as popular with California applicants anymore. Last application cycle was UCLA, UCSD, UCI, UCSB, and then UCB before UCD and the rest. It still seems highly unlikely without community involvement. Of course they’re only $70 a pop so apply to 8 or 9 to be safe.