Please Chance Me on UCs + California Privates

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Thank you everyone :D </p>

<p>GPA: 3.93 (UW) 4.13 (W)
Rank: Top 15%</p>

<p>ACT: 27 (Planning on retaking in September. Mock score is 30 right now)
SAT II: Chemistry (700) Math 2 (660) Physics (580)
AP: Chemistry (3), English Language (3), Biology, English Literature, Economics Micro</p>

<p>Honors: Geometry, English, Adv. Algebra, World Literature, World History, Chinese 3/4, Physics, Math Analysis/Calculus A, Chinese 5/6, Chinese 7/8
Overall a rigorous course work. </p>

<p>Recommendations: Strong</p>

<p>ECs:
- Color Guard (9 - 12) [Captain 11-12]
- Varsity Virtual Business (Human Resources) (11 - 12) [VP for HR 12]
- Around The World (10-12) [President 10, Vice President 11, President 12]
- United Community (10 - 12) [Secretary 11-12]
- Volunteer at hospital (12)
- Tiger Link Leader (11)
- National Honor Society (11)
- Juniors Activities Commission (11)
- Sophomore Work & Activities Team (10)
- Tutor elementary students + run enrichment program (10)
- Key Club (9 - 12)
- Red Cross (9)</p>

<p>Awards:
4.0 GPA (Spotlight on Excellence 2012)
3.5 and above GPA (Spotlight on Excellence 2013)
3.5 and above GPA (Spotlight on Excellence 2014)
2nd place in Digital Print Design for California State Fair 2014
5th overall at WGASC Championship Finals Intermediate A Division 2012 (Winterguard)
1st overall at WGASC Championship Finals Intermediate A Division 2013 (Winterguard)
8th overall at WGASC Championship Finals Scholastic A Division 2014 (Winterguard, Bumped up a division)</p>

<p>Other:
Run a review blog for food, shops, and products.
Organize fundraisers for color guard. </p>

<p>Ethnicity: Chinese-Filipino</p>

<p>Major: Biochemistry w/ pre-med and minor in management</p>

<p>Schools Applying to: Set on staying in-state.
University of Souther California (USC is my dream school...)
UC Berkley
UC San Diego
UC Irvine
UC Santa Barbara
Scripps
Claremont Mckenna
UCLA
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Stanford (I know this one is super reach)
Pomona </p>

2

<p>bump~ Thinking of UCSB and Cal Poly as my safety. not sure about the rest. </p>

3

<p>You have competitive STAT’s except for your ACT which needs to be in the 30+ range . For the UC’s you need to calculate your UC GPA see link: <a href=“Cal State Apply | CSU”>Cal State Apply | CSU;
Cal Poly SLO can be more competitive than some of the UC’s, so I would not consider SLO or even UCSB a safety until you increase the ACT score. UC’s also do not accept Letters of Recommendation.
Your EC’s do not reflect your interest in your Major which will hurt you for Stanford and the Claremont Colleges.</p>

<p>Scripps/SLO/UCSD/USC/UCLA: Low Reach
UCSB/UCI: High Match
UCB/Pomona/CMC: Reach
Stanford: High Reach</p>

<p>Get that ACT score up and some of your reaches will be matches.</p>

4

<p>I don’t see Stanford or Pomona happening, even with ACT rising over 30. I’d be inclined to drop them from the list. Biochemistry might be “impacted” at some of the UCs, and at Cal Poly SLO, which make them more difficult to get into. CMC is also probably an extreme reach for you with your existing score. Your ECs are adequate, but lack the impressive leadership credentials that they look for (especially with test scores below their typical range). I would add UCSC to your list as a low-match. </p>

5

<p>I’m going to be really frank, so please don’t take this the wrong way: I think you need to consider the Cal States.<br>
And UCR / Merced.
Why? </p>

<p>Your ACT is simply too low and your target should be upwards of 32 to even be considered for the UC’s. In other words, the only thing you have as a strength is your GPA. </p>

<p>You have no true safeties on your list.
Stanford, Berkeley, and UCLA, admit students with perfect to near perfect SAT’s/ACTs; students admitted to those schools have published novels, won national awards in science and technology, are nationally ranked athletes, these are typically the valedictorians and top 5% of the class, etc. </p>

<p>Remember that these schools are comparing you to thousands of qualified applicants who do have the 35 ACT scores along with perfect scores of 2400’s on the SAT’s. Your AP scores are 3’s when they should be 5’s.<br>
Your GPA counts, but it has to match those national test scores.</p>

<p>Your EC’s are mostly based on color guard. Everything else looks like an afterthought and is inconsistent. Remember that every applicant is in the Key Club and National Honor Society for more than 2 years.</p>

<p>How do I know?
3 academically inclined children and I don’t mean to brag, just adding my family experiences:</p>

<p>Eldest accepted to UCSD, Johns Hopkins, Boston uni, etc. SAT 2200
In her high school Biotech class, she conducted diabetic research at UCSD and was an interpreter for visiting Ph.D researchers (mandarin). We’re not Asian (we’re Mexican.). She is very good with languages and graduated with EE degree.</p>

<p>DD2, visual field difficulties, accepted at UW, Santa Clara, UCD with 2000 SAT but a 4.2 GPA. Her HS biotech experience, was In two positions, working in a vet lab and mapping cells for microscopic imaging. Currently, a JR, works an on-campus job in the UCD lab.</p>

<p>DS accepted to UCLA, USC, Caltech, rejected by Stanford and Berkeley. 2370 SAT, GPA 4.41, Eagle Scout, National merit corporate winner, NHRP scholar, AP scholar, Convair aerospace scholar winner, Varsity Tennis captain, Habitat for humanity volunteer, academic league captain, swimmer, etc. ad “nauseum”. List goes on.</p>

<p>Do you see a pattern? Just being realistic. Please consider some Cal states for safeties.</p>

6

<p>Yes UCLA, UCB, and UCSD might be reaches for you, but I still believe you have a decent chance at the other UC’s. Don’t let what people say on this site discourage you. Just because other people’s children get accepted to certain universities with certain stats doesn’t mean that they won’t accept lower stats. Good luck!!</p>

7

<p>UCLA admitted student profile.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_fr/Frosh_Prof13.htm”>http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_fr/Frosh_Prof13.htm&lt;/a&gt;
O
UCLA is a tough nut, but I believe GPA and rigor rules, and the thresholds for standardized tests are a bit more flexible. </p>

<p>No AP’s? Assuming you are a CA resident, make sure the honors you are weighting are UC approved. </p>

8

<p>If we use Cal Poly’s College of Math and Science admission stats a starting point:</p>

<p>2013 stats (will be even higher for 2014)
Avg GPA: 4.04
Avg ACT: 30</p>

<p>As it stands, your chance of getting into Cal Poly is 50/50 with 2013 standards. Less than that with 2014 stats. </p>

<p>Cal, Stanford, CMC, Pomona = Super Reach</p>

<p>UCSD = Reach
Cal poly = Low reach
UCSB, UCI = High Match/Low reach</p>

<p>Currently, you have no safety or match. You should do what everyone else has recommended, get some safeties. Also, you should recalibrate your expectations for admission. </p>

<p>People that use Cal Poly as a safety typically get into Caltech, Claremont, and Stanford. </p>

9

<p>My son just complete his first year at SLO and had very similar gpa/scores as you (3.96 UW GPA, 4.26 WGPA, 27 ACT, Chemistry Major, attended an academically rigorous California public high school). His results were:</p>

<p>UC Berkley - rejected
UC San Diego - rejected
UC Santa Barbara –wait listed
UCD – waitlisted
UCSC – accepted
UCI - accepted
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo – accepted & attending
Cal Poly Pomona – accepted (honors)
Also accepted to Redlands (received generous scholarships) and couple of out of state privates (Whitman (received a scholarship) & Grinnell). </p>

<p>UCSB and SLO are not your safety. Apply to Cal Poly Pomona and at least one additional CSU that you would like to attend if accepted. Also add UCSC and UCI onto your list (if you really want to attend a UC). </p>

10

<p>UCSB and Cal Poly aren’t even close to safeties. I probably wouldn’t even call them matches unless you get your ACT up. Even if you score well on practice tests, that’s no guarantee. I scored straight 36’s on practice tests but ended up with a 34.</p>

<p>The way I see it</p>

<p>University of Souther California : reach
UC Berkley: reach
UC San Diego: reach
UC Irvine: high match
UC Santa Barbara: high match low reach
Scripps: high match low reach
Claremont Mckenna: reach
UCLA reach
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo: low reach
Stanford (I know this one is super reach): not even worth applying
Pomona: not even worth applying</p>

<p>I don’t mean to be mean, but unless you can get your scores up, I cant see UCSB and SLO being safeties.</p>

11

<p>@SeoulTofu , a bit more information for you about SLO admissions. Cal Poly SLO admissions are based 9th, 10th, and 11th grade using CSU GPA. Essays are not required. Admission is based upon major and an algorithm is used for admissions. . High school coursework GPA accounts for a weight between 45% and 55%. Taking additional semesters of required courses results in bonus points (i.e. 100 extra points for 10 semesters of English, 100 extra points for 8 semesters of foreign language, 200 points for 8 semesters of lab, 50 points for 4 semesters of performing arts, 500 bonus points for 4 semesters of advanced math). SAT score accounts for 25% to 35% (not including writing); Work experience and extracurriculars = 1-10% of admission score. Bonus points are awarded for particular qualities of a student. These qualities include: California recently released veteran, Service Area, Partner Schools, Father’s highest education level (not a high school graduate), Mother’s highest education level (not a high school graduate), and School, Faculty or Staff Dependent. So, GPA/test scores are only a part of the admission process, bonus points can strongly alter the results as to who is admitted.</p>