NEW SAT. Chances please! + ED?

<p>Hi everyone. I recently retook the SATs and my score for SATs raised alot !! :] Before i really wanted to apply ED for SLO (Architectural Engineering major; Alt: Electrical Engineering) but now i feel like the chances for me to get into UCs (Berkeley and LA) are much higher and im starting to question my old opinions. ALSO, i heard that for ED, a person can’t really negotiate his/her financial plan (and I really need a good one). So here are my stats! please tell me my chances for Regular Decision and give me your opinion about whether i should do Early Decision.</p>

<p>UC GPA : 4.21 (10 -12) – this is the GPA i put on the APP because it asks for 10-12; i know that cal poly wants 9-12; but i think ill just follow the instructions on the app ( 10-12 is higher too ^^)
(9-12 GPA) 3.88 (did really poorly freshman year)</p>

<p>SAT 1 : CR: 650 MATH : 740 CUM: 1390
ACT: ENG:29 MATH:35 SCIENCE:26 READING:26 CUM : 29</p>

<p>EC (about 11-15 hours a week) </p>

<p>Class rigor : 7 AP classes and numerous honors classes
(junior year) : AP Chem
AP Calc aB
AP US History
(senior year) : AP Calc BC
AP Language and COMP.
AP. Econ ( first semester only. second semester is civics)
AP Psychology</p>

<p>** THANKS EVERYONE!!! :].</p>

<p>PS please reply! only 2 days till ED deadlines! i already filled out my app, i just need to submit it</p>

<p>Is your 9-12 GPA weighted? I think you have an ok shot at Cal Poly. Your UC GPA is good as are your SAT scores. You’ll need SAT IIs for the UCs - have you taken those yet? I don’t think Berkeley or UCLA will be easy for you to get into, but worth applying especially if you can get points on the other areas of the UC application.</p>

<p>The cost of attendance at UCs is about $5000 higher than the CSUs.</p>

<p>You can’t really negotiate financial aid from CSUs or UCs. You’ll get the Federal and state aid you’re eligible for (Pell, Stafford loans, Cal Grants) but the public schools in California aren’t giving out very much in the way of merit aid these days. Have you run a FAFSA calculator to see what your EFC is? </p>

<p>You should only apply ED to Cal Poly if it’s your top choice, since it’s binding. You can be released from ED at Cal Poly if you can’t afford to attend, but do the calculation first so that there are no surprises.</p>

<p>Here’s the Cal Poly ED policy:</p>

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<p>yea my 9-12 gpa is weighted :/. and i know it wont be easy for me to get into UCB and UCLA, but if I do get in, id rather go over cal poly slo. I mean i really like Cal Poly SLO and their upside down cirriculum (and arch. E major which other colleges in CA don’t have), but the names of the other two colleges are larger and i feel that it might increase my chances of getting well-paying job after i graduate. Also since all my cousins went to UCs, my dad has this belief that cal states are not good. When i try to explain to him how great SLO is (especially engineering program which ranks so high), he doesnt really listen to me. He told me he doesnt want me to apply ED b/c its binding and he wants me to have a broad range of choices later. idk what to do b/c ED ends Sunday and i dont want to have missed my chances of being accepted into Cal Poly (im not saying ill get accepted, im just saying that i have a much higher chance of being accepted if i apply ED) </p>

<p>2) For UCs. I have about 350 hours of volunteer and 200 hours of internship. Not really any “leadership” positions though (except my dramatic increase in grades from 9th to 10th grade might show maturity) and im taking my SAT2s Nov. and DEC ( my writing score for SAT 1 is 710- im saying this b/c i forgot to mention in first post)</p>

<p>If it isn’t your first choice, don’t apply ED.</p>

<p>In the end, you need to do what YOU feel comfortable with. I realize your dad (and to some extent, you) feel that the UCs are more “prestigious”. But, as for the ability to get jobs, have you checked the stats on Cal Poly SLO? They’re doing a very good job of putting graduates into the workplace. Best wishes for whatever you choose to do.</p>

<p>@Dignified1 Cal Poly is tied with UCB as my first choice. The reason why im kind of afraid is b/c if i dont apply to SLO for ED, my chances of gettting in are so much lower, but if i do, I dont even have a choice to choose UCB if i get in. </p>

<p>@2Leaches. yes i checked the “graduate status reports” for 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. there are alot of students who received jobs but the salary the students recieved when they came out for my major was signifcantly lower than the other eng. majors. It was better in 2007-2008 but recently its almost the same as a starting salary for an architect grad. Plus I know that everyone says that SLO has a really good job recruiting and alumni system for enginnering but what about Architectural Engineering? Isnt it a relatively new program? Its the only school in CA that provides it. </p>

<p>Thanks guys for your replies and your time:] i really appreciate it</p>