<p>hey, everyone. so, my dad has been pushing me to give him a list of california schools to visit over the summer so we can plan a trip there. except, i honestly don't know if the UC system is even realistic for me [apparently they except very few kids OOS], even though my SATs are above the range for some of the 'lesser' UC schools [UC-SC/UC-SD/UC-D]. my dad insists that these are very good schools, & so i should apply because i would technically be more qualified than their typical admitted student.</p>
<p>i guess i'm just wondering exactly how selective the UC schools are for OOS students, even those who have better test scores than many of their IS students.</p>
<p>for some background-
GPA-will end up being 4.0-ish weighted [something like 3.3 uw...low, i know, but i've always taken all ap/honors classes in a rigorous high school]
ACT-30
SAT-2020 [1330]
really good leadership/volunteering stuff.
interested in biology/psychology</p>
<p>would it be worth it to visit/apply? [btw, money isn't an issue...whatever provides me with the best education possible].</p>
<p>oh, of course while we’re there i’ll be looking at some other schools too. but i’m asking specifically in the context of OOS students for the UCs, because acceptance is really different.</p>
<p>USC (University of Southern California) is a good school as well. It’s private by the way.</p>
<p>What state do you come from? If you come from an underrepresented state then you will have a better chance.</p>
<p>If I were you I would definitely look into UCLA. UCLA has great academic programs especially in biology I think since there are quite a lot of premed students here. The campus I heard is gorgeous; there’s great weather; and you’ll be in the city of LA.</p>
<p>Look into Berkeley as well. Great school but I heard it’s very challenging. I don’t think it’s as fun as LA though.</p>
<p>You basically named the other UC’s. </p>
<p>Just curious though, why does your dad think the UC’s are great schools. I’m sort of debating whether or not I should go to UCLA.</p>
<p>yeah, i was actually looking at usc too, but i think it’s really communications-oriented & isn’t that strong in the sciences…but i could be wrong.</p>
<p>i live in nj, so i’m assuming we’re not that under-represented, lol. i kind of consider myself a urm though…turkish. i was born here though, so idk if it counts.</p>
<p>thanks for the info. about biology & ucla…i didn’t know that was a particular strength. i would like to apply there, along with every other kid in the country :/</p>
<p>& my dad went to berkeley for graduate…i’m assuming that’s why he loves the UCs, LOL. no, but he’s just mentioned that ‘he knows’ Santa Cruz & Davis are great schools…who knows where he’s heard that though :p</p>
<p>but would my scores even put me in the running for some of those schools?</p>
<p>Honestly, your stats seem low for the UCs. Even instate students admitted to Cal/UCLA have near unweighed 4.0 and very high SATs. And yes, your dad is right - the UCs are outstanding, if big. </p>
<p>That said, hey, take your dad up on the invite. Check out the campuses (my suggestion would be to do San Diego, UCLA, Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz and Berkeley) see some spectacular scenery, and spend some time with your dad. Come fall, apply and see what happens. If you don’t get in, you can’t say you didn’t give it a try. And had a nice time & a great trip with your dad. It seems like a nice thing to do before you go away to college, no matter where that college turns out to be.</p>
<p>The good thing about the UC’s is that you fill out one application and you can send it to all the UCs as long as you’re willing to pay the fee for each school. If you do that, I’m sure you will get into at least one of them haha (I’m thinking you will get into more than one though).</p>
<p>My personal experience with the UC is that its definitely possible to get in OOS. I applied and I’m from NY. I didn’t have the best sat scores, just slightly better than yours but you can always retake. I wrote a truthful, well thought out essay, took the toughest courseworks available at my school, and my GPA was pretty good. I know UCLA is pretty holistic so your achievements outside of academics will not be overlooked: leadership, voluteering, etc. When decision time came, I was accepted at the two schools I applied to, UC Berkeley and UCLA.</p>
<p>So yeah, there definitely a chance you will get in. Try to be unique though.</p>
<p>After looking at this year’s results and the stats for UC’s, I’ve come to believe it’s a myth that it’s harder to get in from OOS. UC’s took more OOS students this year and UCLA, for one, has a higher admit rate for OOS candidates than in state. It is lower for OOS students at Cal by a few percent. I haven’t look at the rest as most OOS demand seems to be for these two.</p>
<p>The simple fact is that the UC’s desperately need the high tuitions OOS students bring. It’s also a myth no aid is offered to OOS students, a quick read on the boards here shows many are offered some aid, but I believe most pay full freight.</p>
<p>So if you want to go to a mid or lower tier UC, I think you will do fine if you just have their average stats.</p>
<p>“Just curious though, why does your dad think the UC’s are great schools. I’m sort of debating whether or not I should go to UCLA.”</p>
<p>Our east coast friend, because they ARE great schools. Everyone is ranked in top 100 (US News) and Six are ranked in the top 45. </p>
<p>I think you would get into UC Riverside and UC Santa Cruz. The mid UCs would be a 50/50 shot (UCSB, UCI, Davis,) UCSD, UCLA and Cal would be a reach. </p>
<p>But if you get into Irvine, Santa Barbara or Davis, you are in GREAT shape.</p>
<p>I don’t think there are many folks on the planet that would spend $45K/yr for Riverside or Merced! Hard in my mind to justify that cost for any of them given the budget crisis and 4 year graduation rates and given that a private is just a few thousand more.</p>
<p>smarteenangel…make sure you show Dad just how much the fees (technically not called ‘tuition’) are going to be for an OOS admit. You can count on those prices going higher (10-20%) per year besides because our state is in such financial trouble. And, just in case your dad is hoping that his status as a Cal alum will help get you in…it won’t. Legacy does not matter w/UC’s or other state schools in CA.</p>
<p>I’d like to see that data from Cal and UCLA that you’re talking about.
On Berkeley’s thread, for example, OOS and International Students with impressive stats weren’t accepted. There were 7 OOS guys with perfect SAT scores, 4.3 GPA and very good ECs that were denied.
So, please substantiate your claim to at least sound believable.</p>
<p>the data you’ve provided does not by any means indicative of the level of difficulty of the admissions of both UCLA and Cal. You do not have any data of the admitted OOS and IS students’ academic records (GPA, SATs, etc.) Like I said, over at the Berkeley thread, some OOS students were terribly ****ed for not getting admitted despite the perfect stats.</p>
<p>And you want to use anecdotal evidence of ‘a few kids’? There are plenty on these boards with the average stats who got in. So are we to assume the OOS applicants have much higher stats? Come on!</p>
<p>The UC’s are desperate for the money. While there is political pressure to limit OOS students, the schools are pushing back and taking more each year. I highly encourage anyone interested to give applying a try.</p>
<p>Your previous statement said that the belief that OOS students would find it harder to get into Cal than the In-State students is actually just a myth. My friends’ experiences and some anecdotes of a multitude of people who have actual experience on this would contradict your statement, that is why I asked for evidence. </p>
<p>Your assumption that there are loads of in-state students with poor stats admitted into Cal…would also suggest that OOS students would normally have higher stats… </p>
<p>And, in all honesty, I have yet to meet an OOS at Cal who has a lousy stat or lousier stats than the vast majority of in-state students. All my acquaintances at Cal would lead me to believe that Berkeley would normally ask for higher stats from its OOS and International applicants than from its In-State applicants. You even said that yourself just now.</p>
<p>
Yes, but then again, from what I’ve gathered, OOS and International students at Cal have superior stats than the vast majority of In-State students. As a State U, do you think Cal would rather accept the OOS applicant when his stats are tied with an In-State applicant???</p>