<p>I have been told by one college counselor that I am a long shot for all of the UC's because of my GPA. (3.1 unweighted, 3/39 weighted, new SAT 2090) Lots of B's in AP classes, a C in AP Bio. My EC's are mostly music workshops at Stanford, summer construction for Habitat for Humanity, varsity baseball and basketball in 9th grade - had to stop school sports to be in top Jazz performance group. </p>
<p>2 questions - (1) What can help me get into the UC's other than Merced and Riverside? I still plan to apply to all UCs, but need some safe schools that are of good quality. I would probably go out of state before going to Riverside. (2). What about private schools?? Are B.U., U of Michigan, Univ of Washington or USC more possible than UC's? want schools with biz, psych, writing/journ, some music - not major. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>Do you go to a competitive school? Private or public? Because for some schools that's very good. (At my school, your GPA would be well above average.)</p>
<p>I'd say you have a chance at all of them except maybe Berkeley.</p>
<p>You can probably get into BU. Mich, Wash, and USC are a little more competitive.</p>
<p>I'd say you need to add a solid safety to that list.</p>
<p>fwiw: Univ of Pacific has a terrific participatory music program, and if you apply early they may throw some money your way for SAT scores.</p>
<p>Tips to UCs: write a great essay; and/or you are first generation to college/low income. UCLA, UCB and UCSD will be a real challenge. Excellent essays will give you a look at the others, assuming your SAT scores are balanced (all ~700).</p>
<p>I know I will get tons of advice on this now that I am getting started - but when people say "write a great essay" I am really intimidated. I am a good writer but what do you think the UC's are going to consider "a great essay"?</p>
<p>Isn't there a GPA requirement of 3.2 now? Or is that for the class of 2007?</p>
<p>Don't forget that GPA is for A-G courses in your 10th and 11th grade year.</p>
<p>UCR gets a bad rap, but it is really not that bad. You'll get a decent undergrad education; it may not be Cal, UCLA, or UCSD nor HYPS but it is better than going to the Yukon for undergrad.</p>
<p>Your SAT scores are pretty good and your EC's look interesting. Taken any college coursework (at a community college or university before?)</p>
<p>I think you may be right about the 3.2 as the base GPA for guarnteed admission, but the UC's use an index and my scores bring me back in to it. (The new index is ot posted yet, but it is not going to be much different that the old one - just have to estimate without the essay score.) That is only if using my 3.1 unweighted GPA. My weighted GPA with the AP's is 3.39 before this spring grades. It should go up a bit with the next set of grades. Still I know I am borderline enough that I may get booted into the deferred pile or UCR - That's why I am looking for alternatives.</p>
<p>As for essays - it seems like everyone strying to break the norm. I was consdiering writing about the experience of winnning a jazz festival competition, or working with ridiculous/hilarious kids at an asthma summer camp. This may be too mundane/"what I did on my summer vacation" kind of stuff...</p>
<p>Or if you have a "common" experience, put a twist on it to make it unique.</p>
<p>I came to the U.S. when I was six. The immigrant experience can be overdone...but I added a twist to it and transitioned it into a different experience. Whether or not if was good and unique is up for the question but peer editors thought it was different. </p>
<p>It should have emotion too: not necessarily tears or sadness, but some effect on the reader.</p>
<p>Um.. I don't think your UC essays matter at all. In fact, if you look at the point system, the onyl thing they use your essay for is to assess hardships or such. Personally, i think that if you ahve taken a lot of AP classes, you are justified in your modest gpa. Me, i had a lower gpa, higher sat scores and legions of EC's and a pretty good essay (but i had no hardships, i wrote about speech and debate) and i got into the uc's i apped to, except berkeley- davis and santa cruz. apply to UW earlier in the year and you should definitely getin.</p>
<p>What is your UC GPA? Is the "weighted GPA" you talk about above your UC GPA or the weighted GPA for all classes you've taken since freshman year? If it's the later, you need to figure out your UC GPA in order for anyone to accurately gage your chances.</p>
<p>The UC's will be raising the minimum UC GPA next year - right now, it is 2.9 but next year it will rise to 3.2, plus, of course, the required test scores. If your test scores are high enough, or you rank high enough in your class, you can get around the GPA requirement through eligibility in the local context or eligibility by testing.</p>
<p>I'd need much more information to tell you your chances for the UC's (PM me privately if you'd like), but if your UC GPA is above next year's requirement, I'd say go ahead and give UCSC, UCR, UCM and even UCI a shot. You have nothing to loose.</p>
<p>But, I'd also suggest that you look at some other good options too. The University of Michigan is going to be just as iffy as some of the top UC's, especially as an out of state student. The University of Washington would be a realistic reach, the University of Oregon (which has excellent psychology and music programs by the way) could be a match. I'd also suggest you take a look at Indiana U and the U of Wisconsin. As for privates, I need more information before I can make recommendations: do you have any restrictions on price, location, or size? There are many, many great schools out there that would be thrilled to have you --- just let me know some more about you and I can make some more targeted recommendations. Again, PM me if you'd like.</p>