I have no options for college..I screwed myself over

Applying to College
1

<p>Basically, I am a complete idiot. I'd like to believe everything happens for a reason, but I completely screwed myself over on this one...</p>

<p>I have a 3.66 (weighted) gpa..honors and AP classes
1850 on SATS
and 660 and 480 on sat IIs ..not so great</p>

<p>I only applied to UC's - Mistake #1.
The UC's I applied to are Davis, Berkeley, LA, Merced, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Irvine
The only one I got into was UC Merced.</p>

<p>I am hitting myself over the head for this mistake. I took advice from an intelligent man - he told me I should think about majoring in Mechanical Engineering...because I wanted to create my own business and that having that background will be good for understanding how things in your business actually work - if I were to make something.</p>

<p>So, like an idiot, thinking my chances of getting into college would be better, I applied to all schools as a Mechanical Engineer - unaware of the concept of an impacted major.
Yeah, now I realize how stupid I am. - I didn't even want to major in Mech. Eng. I was going to change majors later on. - Mistake #2</p>

<p>Now, I have no clue what to do.</p>

<p>I actually decided I'd like to major in business economics and later get my MBA and I'm hoping to get into Investment banking. I-Banking is extremely competitive and I need to go to a top school - I want to go to either UCB or UCLA</p>

<p>Seeing as that I can't appeal - since changing my major is NOT a basis for an appeal..I dont know what to do.</p>

<p>My options are:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Go to Merced and transfer to UCB - HOPING to get in...chances of transferring from UC to UC are very small</p></li>
<li><p>Go to community college and then transfer to UCB - I dont even know if I can do the TAP program because I think you have to keep the major the same</p></li>
<li><p>Wait until next year and apply to state schools..like Cal Poly SLO (they have a good business program)</p></li>
</ul>

<p>I can't believe this situation I put myself in. At the moment, I am just completely lost. </p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Hey, UC Merced is still a UC. Be proud. Some people didn’t even get as far as you did.</p>

<p>Considering how hard you worked on the application process, I think you should stick with UC Merced. I did a quick search of their website, and what you’ll need to do is fill out the change of major form during the first three weeks of school, and switch to a Management Major.</p>

<p>Is your spring break coming up? Before you accept, you might want to call the office of the Management department, and make an appointment with an undergraduate advisor. Get an overview about the program, and find out how easy it is to change majors. Also, take a tour of the school. You might find that you actually like it there.</p>

<p>If you find that you’ll never be happy at Merced, then go to a local community college, where education is much more affordable. The enormous cost of going to Merced will only make you more miserable. Plus, it is simple to change majors at a community college – I know first hand, I’ve been there.</p>

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<p>u can still apply to Univ of Arizona. hawt girls!</p>

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<p>lol im not a girl…but I’m sure univ. of arizona has other things going for it…including extremely hot weather in the summer…</p>

<p>I read somewhere online that when you appeal you can’t change your major or at least that can’t be a reason to appeal…is this true?</p>

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<p>Orange…</p>

<p>If money isn’t an issue, you could try to apply to other schools that are still taking apps. However, you’d likely be paying full freight.</p>

<p>If money is an issue, then…</p>

<p>1) go to a CC as a business major and then transfer.</p>

<p>2) go to Merced.</p>

<p>3) take a gap year.</p>

<p>If money weren’t an issue, I’d apply to more schools. If money is an issue, then I’d go to Merced.</p>

<p>(For others reading this thread…don’t just believe what “smart people” tell you. Many smart people have NO IDEA about the college process and therefore their advice can sometimes be too risky or just plain wrong.)</p>

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<p>Crazy year for UC’s.Did you get on my waitlists?</p>

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<p>Orange–no offense but your stats seem a little low for the UC’s you applied to, especially in engineering. I know you now see your mistake but why didn’t you research this before applying (that was only 4 months ago)? I think at this point you may not be ready for a UC and that you would have found it very difficult. Why not just apply at a CSU? They provide a great education and are often better at getting people ready for the job market–UC’s are more researched based. You could still transfer later if you wanted.</p>

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<p>Agree with limabeans–your stats are low for most of those UCs. If it makes you feel any better, you would probably have ended up with these same admissions results even if you applied as undeclared. </p>

<p>You could hold off and reapply next year. The SAT II testing requirement goes away for next year’s UC applicants, which would be very helpful for you. But, I don’t know how UC admissions regards students who reapply for freshman status. You’ll need to research that question and find out if UC lets you put in a new freshman (not transfer) application next year. </p>

<p>Another issue is California’s budget problems. Admissions were tightened up this year. for both UC and CSU. Next year could be no change…or more difficult. My crystal ball is hazy. :wink: Accepting the Merced offer is a bird in the hand; up to you to figure out if you want to take a shot at the two in the bush.</p>

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<p>Ooops!</p>

<p>Crazy year for UC’s.Did you get on ANY waitlists?</p>

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<p>Money isn’t an issue for in state public schools because I have a full ride for tuition since my dad was disabled in the military. </p>

<p>Yeah, my stats arent THE best, but I think I wouldve gotten into Davis and SB, I have my doubts on SD, Berk, LA, but I thought I’d get into the others.</p>

<p>To be honest, Limabeans, the reason was because…like many…I think I already know everything, when obviously I don’t…I thought that you could change majors after getting in, I had no interest in mech. eng., and didn’t even know then that it was within a different college in the univ…my ignorance isn’t an excuse, I just wish I had done more then, I guess this is a great life lesson, just too bad I had to learn it this way.</p>

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<p>Lol, shrinkrap, no unfortunately I didn’t…</p>

<p>And it was a crazy year…I completely do not understand it this year.</p>

<p>I just wonder if anyone knows what my chances are at appealing under a different major…/what the UCs would think of that…or does that seem like reapplying as a different major. My dad told me he was rejected, but appealed as an anthropology major and got in to UCD…but that was years ago…in like the early 90s… so it’s probably different.</p>

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<p>You know, the cc option is not all that bad. Sounds to me like you are not really sure of your major at this point anyway. Why don’t you go to a cc, get your IGETC and then apply to UC’s and Cal States in 2 years. You would save a ton of money, you could take classes to get a better idea of what you want to major in, and you would have a chance to get your grades up so you might see better results. Remember that employers don’t really care where you start out, only where you end up.</p>

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<p>Also keep in mind that Cal Poly SLO is EXTREMELY competitive for entrance right now and your stats are on the low side for acceptance there.</p>

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<p>thanks takeitallin, cc doesn’t seem too bad, it’s just I feel like it’ll be even HARder to get in in a few years, and even if I do the TAP program, I have to maintain above a 3.5 gpa. Not impossible, but I just want something more secure. But I guess, I will just have to wait and see what happens with my appeals.</p>

<p>Do you guys think its a waste of time to even appeal to the higher schools like SD, LA, and berk?</p>

<p>I mean I’m kinda hoping for a miracle, but lets be realistic…I might have just a .0002% chance…maybe less…</p>

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<p>You should check the detailed profiles for your schools first to. Here are the 2010 profiles. Checkout the odds with your GPA. Seems more in line with results them does odds based on SAT’s, at least for my son.</p>

<p>[University</a> of California - Freshman admission profiles](<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/profiles/index.html]University”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/freshman/profiles/index.html)</p>

<p>For Cal, and LA, the odds for admission are 50 percent with a 4.0, and 10 percent for anything less.</p>

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<p>I have seen other people in your situation and the cc often works well. As long as you stay focused and get the grades you can transfer to a UC. Since the cc’s can be less demanding you might consider getting a job which would also help in your transfer goal. The work experience will also help long-term when you go into business. Good luck and things will work out.</p>

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<p>Go to community college. Then you can have the best chance of transferring into Berkeley or UCLA. Or at least you have a higher chance of getting into a better UC. They give priority to community college transfers.</p>

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<p>OK, I’m going to shoot straight with you, as I somehow think your experiences this month has made you open minded…</p>

<p>1) forget about I-banking. You’re either top tenth of one percent in intelligence and accomplishment by age 18, or you’re not. You’re not. I’m very close with someone who got a summer internship at Goldman two years ago. There were 200 applications from her school (Top 15), and two (2) internships awarded. She was an all League athlete as well as NMF. She is now a 2nd year associate. 999 out of 1000 people don’t have the combination of attributes required to get a summer internship at the top Ibanks, VC or Hedge funds. I’m not picking on you… just the way it is.</p>

<p>2) Your smart friend gave you very good advice. It is easier to get into B-school with a Mechanical Engineering degree (or math, or physics, or chemistry) than as an Econ or Biz major… fact.</p>

<p>3) You can appeal to several UCs. I heard (I think) that a person high up in UCLA admissions has an active duty military husband. I’d research that if I were you and then call that person directly… don’t screw around with the normal admissions personnel. Work the angle of your Dad.</p>

<p>4) I was having a conversation TODAY with a very successful businessman about where he went to college. He went to College of the Canyons when it first opened, when there were 250 students. He LOVED it. He then went on to Cal State San Bernardino when it first opened… under 1000 students, 6-10 students in the average class. a PRICELESS education. where could you go now with that type of interaction with full professors?</p>

<p>Lastly, UC Merced has a world class faculty but still a small student body. With your stats I’d take that over UCLA anyway… you’d be swimming against the current (all the 2250 UCLA engineering students). Take advantage the way my friend did. The smallest of the UCs may very well be the BEST of the UCs for your purposes.</p>

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<p>Thanks Dunnin LA. I will consider all of what you said as well…</p>

<p>And also, do you guys think that going to a community college in SoCal in the LA area will give me a better chance of getting into UCLA (from what I’ve read - ccc’s in socal have a higher admit rate than anywhere else in CA and internationally)</p>

<ul>
<li>I am from Norcal. I wouldn’t mind going down to socal for ccc, I just want to do whatever would be best for my education.
Thanks</li>
</ul>

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<p>if you’re from norcal, check out de anza college and foothills – both are considered very good and have very good transfer rates.</p>