Of course you’re fine @DPattt your 3.2 UC GPA getting into freakin’ UCLA is amazing and an inspiration
This is literally crazy to see because UCLA is a school I’ve really wanted to go to for some time now, and I thought I had no chance… but seeing some of the stats on here, gives me hope:
UW: 3.72
W: 4.3
APs: (Currently) AP Lang, World, Psych; (Last Year, got a 5) Govt & Politics; (Senior Year: AP Statistics, AP Comparative Govt & Politics, AP Spanish, AP Literature)
Extra-Curriculars: President of community service club (Action Squad… we do A LOT), Vice President of Social Studies Honors Society, Member of Tri-M Music Honors Society (former Historian), Member of National Honors Society, Member of English Honors Society, LitMag writer, Member of A-Cappella singing group (The Acabellas), Held Internship at Montgomery County Circuit Court (10th-11th grade), Attended Mission Trips with church since 10th grade, Played piano since 4th grade
SAT: 2010 
…taking again in October
ACT: taking in September
World Subject test/Literature Subject Test: taking both in June, hoping to get 780-800s (i’ve been studying for MONTHS)
Foyle Young Poets Award Competition: Entering THIS summer! really optimistic about my chances of winning lol… gotta stay optimistic, always
Ethnicity: African American Female
Accepted to UCSD but rejected by Berkeley and UCLA. My UC gpa was 3.67 and I got a 33 on my act along with an 800 on math 2. Essays were alright. Not many extra curriculars. Can’t attend UCSD because UC schools are ridiculously expensive for OOS students (48k even after fafsa). If anyone wants I can post the rest of my info. Congrats to those who got into the school they wanted to. I had my mind set on California but I just don’t think it would be worth it for the cost of a top private school…
Accepted to UCD. 3.95 UC gpa and 1300 SAT. Decent essays. Decent extracurriculars. ???.
GPA: 3.5 UW, 3.6 W (3.57 UC) - 28 ACT - My two junior year semesters I had a 4.06 and a 3.87. 1 AP and 1 Honors so far. Taking AP Calc AB and AP Physics B next year. I’ve aced math and science every year (struggled a bit with ENG although I got a 31 on the ACT). Very little ECs but quite a bit of Community Service Hours.
My best options for UC schools? Most likely engineering; I know, very difficult. I’m very much open to other majors however. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks
It’s funny how I used to look at this thread and it would give me that small glimmer of hope.
I was accepted this year (Class of 2019) to UCLA (waitlist), UCD (waitlist), UCI (Campuswide Honors), UCSB (Chancellor’s Reception) UCR (Chancellor’s Scholarship) UCSC. Denied to Berkeley.
Here is my profile:
Objective:
SAT I (breakdown): 2170(730 CR, 770M, 670 W)
ACT: 34 (12 essay, 34 E, 32 S, 36 R, 35 M)
SAT II: Biology (730) Math II (790) US History (690)
GPA (out of 4.0): 3.86 UC / 3.54 UW / 4.21 W (10-11 uncapped)
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): top 20% (unweighted rank)
AP (place score in parenthesis): Bio (3), English Lang (5), Calculus AB (5), US History (5) European History (4)
IB (place score in parenthesis): N/A
10th 1st Sem/2nd Sem
Chemistry H A/A
Eng 2 H B/A
Math Analysis H(Precalc) B/B
AP European Hist B/B
German 2 A/A
Orchestra A/A
PE A/A
11th
AP US History A/A
AP English Lang and Comp B/B
AP Calculus B/B
AP Biology B/B
German 3 H A/A
Orchestra A/A
Senior Course Load: AP Chemistry, AP English Lit, AP German, AP Gov, AP Calc BC, Orchestra
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): AP Scholar with Distinction, President’s Gold Volunteer Award, Bronze at CA Jr Taekwondo Championships, National Merit Commended
Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parentheses): Basketball Service Club (Vice President) Amnesty International (Secretary) Student-led Non-profit 501©(3) (COO) Class Council (member of 20 person council representing 750+ students) Varsity Debate Team
Volunteer/Community service: Hospital Volunteer (100 Hrs) Taught Taekwondo (Instructor, all ages, 4 hrs/week) Volunteer Orchestra (80 hrs/yr performing for senior centers and natural disaster relief; treasurer)
Summer Activities: volunteering
Other:
State (if domestic applicant): CA
School Type: Large, public (~10-15 went to top privates and even more to UCs) API 900+
Ethnicity: Asian
Gender: Male
Income Bracket: ~100k
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): none
As you can see, my GPA was clearly lower than the average for many of these schools. I believe that my course rigor, which was close to the hardest available in my school (1 AP 10th grade, 4 APs 11th, 5 APs 12th) and high test scores helped offset my GPA a bit. I tried my best to dedicate myself to my extracurriculars and I think that definitely shined when I wrote my personal statements. I knew early on that my GPA was not great, so I tried to look to other parts of my application and see where I could improve.
To those who are looking at this thread in the same situation that I was before this process, I advise you to not lose hope and strive to constantly improve. Remember that every single person is unique in their circumstances and it’s not worth it to get too hung up over what other people do and compare yourself. It doesn’t always end the way you want, but there are many ways to get where you want in the end. Feel free to message me if you want to hear about my approach.
Good Luck from a UCLA Bruin (:
Hi Im currently a juinior who will soon e applying to colleges. Please reply back if you dont mind if i ask you some info on admissions. I would appreciated if i can get your email. Thanks and I hope to get reply from you asap.
@Premonition Now this gives me a glimmer of hope. I’m just wondering though, but what were your ECs?
@Shibykin Hi! I’m going to be a senior this year and I have a 3.4 something gpa and a 2140 kind of like you! I have been told from college prep institutes and people everywhere that it’s basically impossible. Everyone tells me to try for something else because schools I want to go to like UCSD and UCSB are “too far out of reach” for me. I’m curious as to how you did it! 
That’s impressive to me. I have a fair amount of extracurriculars and currently doing 7 more including many leadership roles and sports. I have been extremely regretful because my gpa dropped drastically my junior year because I didn’t give it my all. I went from a 3.8 to a 3.4. I really don’t know if it is possible for me now to get into schools that have averages of 3.7-3.8 gpa’s. Please give me some insight into this, thank you!!
@shibykin my bad I meant to say from a 3.6 in freshman year to 3.4. Once done with high school I will have taken 8 ap’s and rest honors.
this thread slightly gives me hope…
I’m really glad this thread exists! I kept going back to it when I was feeling down… However, I’m still worried since most of you are in-state, and I’m out-of-state :/.
Just to let all of you out of state students know, most UC’s admitted you guys at a higher rate than california residents in 2015 since you will pay higher tuition and will receive little to no financial aid.
http://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/_files/factsheets/2015/fall-2015-admissions-table2.pdf
@Teslaa That’s great!
@muzzles Not really; the UC’s are funded by California taxpayers and were intended to provide a decent-priced world class education to California citizens. It’s kind of disheartening to see them admitting out of state students at a higher rate than instate students; I think they are really defeating their own purpose and I hope they again make admitting California students their main priority in the years to come. Good luck to you nonetheless
@DPattt Oh, I didn’t mean it in that way. I meant it was a great opportunity for students that are out-of-state like myself. I’m sorry if I offended you in anyway, but I’ll agree that it’s illogical to accept out-of-state students at a higher rate. From a marketing perspective though, it makes sense; UC schools are getting a ton of money out of it.
@muzzles No need to apologize, i wasn’t offended. Good luck again
You have good credentials. Why was it suprising you made it in?
Love this thread, it gives me hope! If anyone would be able to look at my stats and let me know, I would greatly appreciate it!
Hello everybody,
I am currently a junior and I wanted to know that if I get a C one semester in AP Biology (my counselor told me to take AP Bio, however I hate the subject) will it ruin my chance of getting into UCs (especially UCLA and UC Berkeley). My UC GPA is currently 4.0, and for my rank I am at 6%. I am taking 4 AP classes at this time and I have a feeling first semester of this year I will have two Bs (APUSH & AP Bio) (hopefully my 79.7 in AP Bio goes up in 3 weeks). Usually I have second semester in clutch because I know what is expected of me and what I need to rectify. My goal is to get into UC Berkeley, UCLA, UCI, UCD, UCSD, and UCSB. I have a lot of ECs so far (volunteer at local hospital, VP of a club, I’m in many clubs, and I also volunteer in small increments around the town). I will be taking the SAT and ACT, therefore sorry that I do not have scores for those available. But any hope will be greatly appreciated. I am really scared that I won’t get into one of those UCs.
Class of 2017
Semester 1 has not ended yet: 3 weeks left