Horrendous Freshman year...Is it even worth a prayer now?

<p>I am afraid the mistakes of my past will catch up to me now...!</p>

<p>Personal Circumstance #1:
I had an absolutely horrible freshman year of high school, with a 2.1 and 2.8 GPA for the semesters, 6 Cs and 6 Bs. I missed over 1 month of school because of a terrible sickness around finals, had to go back to school extremely sick with bronchitis. </p>

<h1>2: My mother has schizophrenia and was not medicated for the disease until my junior year. It caused me alot of grief at school and with friends. I had to move out of my house and live by myself in hotels, friend's houses,etc for much of my early high school career.</h1>

<p>Alright, enough pity...</p>

<p>GPA 10-12th weighted: 3.96
GPA 9-12th weighted: 3.51</p>

<p>My horrible freshman year prevented from me taking any honors/APs my sophomore year. Took 3 APs junior year-- A's in all of them both semesters.</p>

<p>Test Scores:
SAT I- 1890 (first time without any prep) Will take 2 or 3 more times, get higher than 2000
SAT II- US History 800, Biology 660 (will retake)</p>

<p>APs
AP US History- A-, A 5
AP Biology- A-, A 3
AP Statistics- A-, A 3
AP Art History
AP Government
AP Economics
AP Computer Science</p>

<p>ECs, Work Experience, Volunteer
Freshman Year</p>

<p>• Community service with animals- 20 hours
• Model United Nations delegate
• Chess club
• Underwent student training for an internship at Law Forms Center, an Orange County based paralegal corporation. The training included concepts such as legal document processing, conducting legal research and drafting legal documents. In a 4 month period, I had over 30 hours of training under personal supervision of a paralegal.
• Student internship at Law Forms Center. Worked as a paralegal aide which included various roles and responsibilities including filing legal documents with various government offices and courts.</p>

<p>Sophomore Year</p>

<p>• Founder and President of the “National Association of Young Libertarians.”
o Founded in October, 2004.
o Mission is to increase participation in public affairs among young people and to advocate the organization’s ideals.
o Using my experience with filing legal documents, I filed the necessary forms and documents with the Internal Revenue Service to have my political organization become a 527 tax-exempt organization. Officially became federally tax-exempt in 2006.
o Drafted the organization’s platform on issues.
o By November, 2004, membership included about 450 individuals in over 25 states.
o As President of the NAYL, I gave the organization’s official endorsement to over 60 candidates for office at nearly all levels of government for the 2004 November elections. In addition, NAYL provided contributions through fundraising to state and national party organizations.
o 15 hours per week from beginning of sophomore year to 2004 elections. 5 hours per week for the remainder of the school year.
• New Life Christian club
• Chess Club
• In n’ Out Honor Roll- Semester 1 & 2
• Model United Nations delegate
• Law Forms Center
o Paid internship starting in December 2004. Continued to provide assistance to a team of paralegals in the areas of conducting legal research and filing with government offices. Part Time: 10 hours per week from December 2004 to March 2005.
o Worked for the company’s pro-bono services by helping newly arrived and often socio-economically disadvantaged immigrants. More specifically, helped the clients to file immigration law forms necessary for legal residence of family members and recommended them to other departments when necessary. Part Time: 10 hours per week starting in March 2005.
• Founder and President of the Libertarian Institute
o Libertarian Institute is a project and political “think tank” under the National Association of Young Libertarians. The Libertarian Institute publishes the official platform and endorsements of the NAYL.
o Consists of contributors, including myself, that write editorials and endorsements.
o Created website for the Libertarian Institute.</p>

<p>Junior Year</p>

<p>• “Youth for Digital Progress Foundation” Founder and Director for the Non-Profit Organization; Chairman of the Board of Directors
o Raises money and has received tax-deductible donations from local businesses, school districts, and private individuals. We have sent over 45 computer systems including monitors, multi-media PCs, scanners, printers, keyboards and other computer components overseas to impoverished schools in countries such as Nigeria, Cambodia and Ecuador. The computers are transferred from my organization to the World Computer Exchange non-profit organization. The World Computer Exchange ships the computers and sends the systems to schools around the world that are in need. Our computers have also been donated to aid the relief efforts in response to Hurricane Katrina. To aid these efforts, the YDPF provided the Red Cross with computers that were used for video-conferences between family members and loved ones that were displaced in the Gulf region.
• American Professional Consultants, LLC
o Intern
Legal Affairs Department
Served as advisor on the Executive Committee of the Corporation
o After a paid internship with the company, I became a junior immigration consultant. This is a similar position to the one that I held in Law Forms Center. As an Immigration Consultant, I help immigrants that are in need in legal assistance in areas such as bringing family to the country. Vast majority of immigrants that I aid tend to be lower-income and from 3rd countries that are unfamiliar with American law and society.
o November 2005- present
o 15 hours per week during school year, 32 hours per week during summer
• New Life Christian club
• Law Forms Center- 10 hours per week from September to November 2005.
• Model United Nations delegate
• La Vista school newspaper Opinion article; Accepted as staff writer
• In n’ Out Honor Roll- Semester 1 & 2
• Chess club</p>

<p>Senior Year</p>

<p>• “Youth for Digital Progress Foundation” Founder and Director for the Non-Profit Organization; Chairman of the Board of Directors. Continued the organization’s efforts (see Junior Year).
• Continued work with my National Association of Young Libertarians and the Libertarian Institute.
• New Life Christian club
• School Newspaper contributer
• American Professional Consultants, LLC
o Work within the legal affairs department to provide immigrant clients with legal assistance and conduct research into their cases.
o 15 hours per week during school year</p>

<p>Summer Experiences</p>

<p>• UCLA Political Science undergraduate course—Completed an undergraduate Political Science course during UCLA Summer Sessions (which allows high school students to enroll). One of the few high school students in the class, set the grade curve for both the midterm and final. Grade: A
Summer 2006
• Law Offices Of Marjan H. Bahmani—Encino, CA law firm that specializes in immigration law. Internship in Summer 2005 and 2006.
• American Professional Consultants, LLC—Worked within the Legal Affairs Department as a junior Immigration Consultant. 32 hours per week during Summer 2005 and 28 hours per week during Summer 2006.
• Mira Costa summer courses taken in Ceramics
• Continued work on my non-profit organization “Youth for Digital Progress Foundation” and 527 political organization “National Association of Young Libertarians”. I was able to finally achieve federal tax-exemption status for both organizations with the Internal Revenue Service.</p>

<p>Planned major- Political Science
Schools applying to- Georgetown, George Washington University, all the UCs</p>

<p>Any schools with great Political Science/History/International Relations programs that I should be applying to? Any schools besides UCs that don't include freshman grades into GPA?</p>

<p>More personal circumstances to bring up in interview/essay:
My father immigrated from Iran in the early 1970s to continue his higher education by obtaining a master’s degree in management sciences from West Coast University. My father was the founder and publisher from 1988-1994 of the Persian Tamasha International magazine, a bilingual magazine that focused in Iranian politics and culture. The magazine was distributed for Iranians and Farsi-speaking people worldwide, including Iran, where it was banned. The magazine was primarily promoting Iranian artists, intellectuals, and political opposition to the Islamic Republic of Iran. This led to the magazine being blacklisted by the government. My father was able to get opposition leaders that supported the establishment of democracy in Iran to write for the magazine. The magazine was published in over 50 countries. Since then, my family has owned an international consulting business in Orange County.</p>

<p>Well, one thing I would suggest is to at least make comment in your essays, if not center your personal essay on, your difficuties during your Freshman year. I believe that your efforts and obvious dedication to education will show through and you'd be able to explain your situation to the school you're applying to. :D Don't give up! I think you'd have a great chance at a lot of schools once you get everything you need across ^^</p>

<p>I guess you aren't aware that the UCs don't even consider freshman grades in determining who gets in to which campus. Based upon your 10th through 12th grades, you chances at the UC campuses are about as follows:</p>

<p>UC Berkeley/UCLA: Reach
UC San Diego: Slight Reach
UC Santa Barbara/UC Irvine/UC Davis: Match
UC Santa Cruz: Safe Match to Match
UC Riverside: Safe Match
UC Merced: Safety</p>

<p>P.S. These chances are based upon you being an in-state student (which you seem to be). If you are out-of-state your chances are slightly lower for each school.</p>

<p>Here's some links to check out that explain the process and how the colleges determine who gets in:</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><a href="http://www.ucop.edu/news/factsheets/2006/freshman_admit_profile_2006.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.ucop.edu/news/factsheets/2006/freshman_admit_profile_2006.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Also, check out this link that tells a bit about each campus and what they look for in applicants.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/selecting_camp.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/selecting_camp.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>Harding292:</p>

<p>Assuming you are a California resident,
UCB/UCLA: Reach
UCSD: Slight Reach
UCI/UCD/UCSB: Match
UCSC/UCR/UCM: Safe Match</p>

<p>Thanks for all the help guys. I have a few more questions. </p>

<p>Do all the UCs have admission factors where they score points such as UCSD? <a href="http://www.geocities.com/kisasong/UCSDComprehensive.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.geocities.com/kisasong/UCSDComprehensive.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Because, I notice that I would have besides the GPA and SAT scores that I posted:</p>

<p>40 or more courses: 500 pts
Less than federal TRIO low-income cut-offs: 300 pts
300 pts for one or more major leadership roles, (President. or VP of class or school, Editor-in-Chief, Eagle Scout, Girl Scout Gold Award)
Special talents, achievements and awards 300 pts
Volunteer/community service: 200+ total hours: 300 pts.
Special circumstances and/or personal challenges 500 pts</p>

<p>That is an additional 2200 points! Plus the 3960 points for GPA and 2680 for SAT.</p>

<p>Total for UCSD- 8840 points</p>

<p>While I know that the UCs give different amount of points for each admission factor, all these admission factors nonetheless apply to all the UCs? If so, doesn't this change my chances for UCLA and UCB drastically?</p>

<p>you have to understand that the scoring system was from 2004 and that was when the time students were still taking the old SAT. Now the UCs accepts ACT and requires two different sets of SATII, so I would say the chart is outdated.</p>

<p>I understand that the test scores part is outdated but do all the other non-academic factors still apply?</p>

<p>Btw, I'm sure this will be useful for alot of people wondering about their chances.</p>

<p>from what i have heard is that berkeley's readers assign a numerical score from 1 to 6 based on an overall impression of the application. these readers then present your case to the director, and the decision is the made by the director or the menager.
that's all i have heard.........</p>

<p>At UCSD they still use the additional point total stuff. Here's the link you need to check out that tells all about it:</p>

<p><a href="https://tritonlink.ucsd.edu/portal/site/prospective-students/menuitem.24134797e5e2fd95a0b86710514b01ca?storyID=20690%5B/url%5D"&gt;https://tritonlink.ucsd.edu/portal/site/prospective-students/menuitem.24134797e5e2fd95a0b86710514b01ca?storyID=20690&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>I think most other UC campuses do the same, but I don't have website links for them.</p>

<p>Also, note that we try to take lots of this stuff into account in giving chances--which is why we ask for your ECs, whether you are a first generation college student, or from a poor area. Since not everyone posts this stuff, however--and because we get tired of asking for it over and over again, we mostly just go by whatever people post on here in giving chances unless they are really a borderline case. Plus, you have to keep in mind that not every campus uses the exact same scoring method--and it's impossible for us to memorize all nine campuses' methods.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

<p>I think if you wrote about the troubles you mentioned above in a non-condescending way in the essay, you would have an excellent chance at getting accepted to a place like UCSD or even UCLA. Assuming, you are in-state, but even out of state you'd still have a good chance.</p>

<p>George Washington University is also quite possible, and if you can raise your math verbal combined to above a 1400, you'd probably get some sort of scholarship.</p>

<p>People on these boards hold grades and SAT scores as waay too high of factor.</p>

<p>Do you know of any private colleges that don't look at freshman grades? Does GWU or Georgetown look at them?</p>

<p>Oh ya, I forgot to add first-generation college attendance.</p>

<p>Why aren't you applying to the University of Michigan? I hear they have a decent Political Science department and Michigan doesn't even look at Freshman grades. You are going to have to raise your SAT, but otherwise, you have a shot.</p>

<p>Neither Princeton nor Stanford looks at freshman grades.</p>

<p>


</p>

<p>But you said your father has a college degree in management...</p>

<p>Not in this country...plus the university is no longer in existence and he has no actualy degree</p>

<p>"Neither Princeton nor Stanford looks at freshman grades."</p>

<p>Thanks, but I am not even going to attempt applying there...</p>

<p>Why aren't you applying to the University of Michigan? I hear they have a decent Political Science department and Michigan doesn't even look at Freshman grades. You are going to have to raise your SAT, but otherwise, you have a shot.</p>

<p>Thanks Alexandre, I will definitely look into applying to the University of Michigan. </p>

<p>Anyone know of any other schools that don't look at freshman grades?</p>