Please Chance Me

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi guys,
I am currently a junior in high school and I have always wanted to Cal BA Computer Science.
I was just wondering what my chances are currently and what I should do this year as a junior so that I can get admission.

-California Resident
-Projected UC GPA: 3.96 [nothing I can do to change this because of bad grades in 10th grade D:]
-Total 11 AP’s projected: AP Calculus AB+BC, AP Computer Science, AP Statistics, AP World History, APUSH, AP Psychology, AP English Language, AP Chemistry, AP Physics C: Mechanics, AP Physics C: E&M
-AP’s so far: 5 on AP US History, 2 on AP Calculus AB
-All A’s and B’s except for C+ in Calc AB second semester
-SAT 1980: 590 CR, 690 M, 700 W (8 Essay) [Superscore 2010]
-Rank Unknown but probably really low because I go to a really competitive school
-I will be applying to CS for reach colleges, EECS for safety/colleges I can probably get into
NOTE: the biggest thing for me and my parents are getting accepted to top programs related to computer science that are renowned. I hate this kind of reasoning but what can you do :frowning:
-Asian Male
-Currently won first hackathon I ever went to (Wolfram Alpha Award)
-Part of Model UN, Stock Market Club (Outside Comp Sci related stuff)
-Leader of Website, Scouting, and Administrator for Robotics Team
-Outreach in the Appalachian Mountains to help restore the environment as part of community service, as well as helping locally for the poor (60 hours) and children in local museum (100 hours)
-In school’s Math Team and Programming Club Leader
-Knowledgeable in more than 10 programming languages (So my friend tells me that my knowledge
-Piano for 7 years
-First one in family to go to American college
-Internship for Comp. Sci. related stuff at dad’s company
-No need for Financial Aid, although scholarships will take heavy load off parents

The only low point that I currently have is my GPA, which is really low compared to others. I know that Berkeley really focuses on GPA, but is there any possibility of me getting in? Also, what should I do next year that will really boost my chances to get in.

Also, with these statistics, which universities will I get accepted to?
-USC (Scholarship, although I am well off w/o it)
-UCLA
-UC Davis
-UCSD
-UCB
-UC Irvine
-Cal Poly: SLO
-UIUC
-UT Austin
-Georgia Tech
-Carnegie Mellon
-Cornell
-UWash
-UPenn

Are there schools that are renowned for their computer science program that I possibly also have a chance to go to? Thanks.

Thank you.

2

Based on your current GPA and SAT scores:
UCI: Match/High Match
UCSB/UCD: High Match/Low Reach
SLO/UCSD/USC: Reach
UCLA/UCB: Mid Reach

Need to bump your SAT score (UC’s do not superscore). GPA will hurt your chances at the top schools along with the C in AP Calc especially for a CS major. Since CS is competitive at all the UC’s, you need to be above the averages in GPA and test scores to have a decent chance. Good Luck and you need some solid match/safety schools on your list.

3

Thanks @Gumbymom . Do you have any recommended safeties for me?

Gosh, I really hate bad grades :confused: If I can raise my SAT to ~1450 (out of 1600), what would you evaluate my list of colleges to?

4

Good safeties in California: UC Riverside/San Diego State/Long Beach state/Cal Poly Pomona. UC Santa Cruz would be a solid match. If you can raise that SAT score to 1450, SLO/UCSB/UCD and UCSD are possible but GPA is still the one of the most important parts of the application. If you can get that UC GPA above the 4.0+ mark, your chances are much better for CS but you would still need around a 4.3+ for UCB/UCLA.

5

Grab an SAT prep book for the summer. Take as many practice tests as you can.

Try the ACT as well.

6

bump