Please Evaluate My Chances

<p>I originally posted this on the Transfer Board, being that I am going to transfer in Fall 2006. I posted this here so that I could get more opinions on where I have a chance and where I really have no business applying.</p>

<p>I did this about six months ago and I am doing it again now to see where you think that I have a viable chance to get accepted at and where I should go from here, being that I apply to the CSU's in October, the UC's in November and various privates between September and next April. I noted my grades and the amount of units next to each class and in parentheses noted any notable personal situations that affected my coursework and classes.</p>

<p>Classes Taken at Lake Tahoe Community College (On the Quarter System)
Fall 2003</p>

<hr>

<p>(Worked Full-Time in the California Conservation Corps, so could take only one class)</p>

<p>English 101- B (5 units)</p>

<p>Winter 2004</p>

<hr>

<p>(Was Homeless from November until June in Tahoe)</p>

<p>English 103-C (5 units)
Spanish 102- A (5 units)</p>

<h2>Spring 2004</h2>

<p>(Was Working Graveyard Full-Time and Going to school during the day, as well as being in the Theater Department's Musical. Was Homeless for the majority of the quarter, lived in a motel room for the rest of the quarter.)</p>

<p>Theater 128A-A (Class for the Musical) (1.75 units)
Music 211- A (Classes for the Musical) (2.00 units)
Spanish 103- A (5 Units)</p>

<h2>Summer 2004</h2>

<p>Worked Full-Time Graveyard and a part time job during the day</p>

<h2>Fall 2004</h2>

<p>(Found out that my Father was dying of Cancer and went into a big depression, as well as being extremely ill so I withdrew from all of my classes.)</p>

<p>Spanish 201- W
Math 152A- W (Elementary Algebra 1st half)</p>

<p>Classes Taken at Riverside Community College (Semester System)</p>

<h2>Spring 2005</h2>

<p>(My Father Died, and I withdrew from most of my classes. I remained in 6 units during the spring.)</p>

<p>Theater 3- B
Political Science 1- B</p>

<p>I have planned for the rest of my time at my CCC</p>

<h2>Summer 2005</h2>

<p>Math 52 (Elementary Algebra)- 4 units
Geography 1 and Lab - 4 Units</p>

<h2>Fall 2005</h2>

<p>Math 35 (Intermediate Algebra)- 5 units
Political Science 2- 3 units
Political Science 4- 3 units
Psychology 1- 3 units
Sociology 1- 3 units
Health Science 1- 3 units</p>

<p>(20 units)</p>

<h2>Winter 2006</h2>

<p>Nutrition 1 3 units
Sociology 2 3 units</p>

<p>(6 units)</p>

<h2>Spring 2006</h2>

<p>Math 12 (Stats) 3 units
Biology 10 3 units
Geography 2 3 units
Dance 3 3 units
Spanish 12 3 units
Speech 1 3 units</p>

<p>(18 units)</p>

<p>I think that with my uneven pattern of progress, I know that I won't be able to get into any of the top schools. My goal is to take as many classes as possible this upcoming year so that I can get my A.A and transfer.
I would consider a few CSU's, but as I want to go to Law School I'm afraid that the Law school admissions will look down on me if I go to Fullerton or CSSB or another CSU nearby. I will consider private colleges, but in order to go to one, I'd have to take out a very large loan.</p>

<p>With my current grades, and if I do well (A's and B's ) in the rest of my planned schedule for next year, where do you think that I have a chance to go to, and where would you feel that I was wasting my time?</p>

<p>I've thought of the following UC/ CSU/Private schools that I am considering . I grouped them under Safety and Reach, as I don't know any schools that would be a Match. Please put your own opinions beside each one. Add schools that you feel that I should consider.</p>

<p>I know that this is a long post, but I really need to figure out where I'm going to apply to and I thought that some of you may be able to help me with your ideas.</p>

<p>(BTW: I am not considering UCI because they have a calculus requirement that would take me another year to finish and a Computer Science Requirement that I wouldn't be able to complete by the end of next spring either. I also do not want to consider Universities with a Religious background. I know that it would be much easier for me to go part-time next year/the year after and graduate in June 2007, but I want to push myself this year and finish my time at the CCC as soon as possible.)</p>

<h2>Safeties</h2>

<p>UCR (Poli Sci)
CSU Fullerton (Poli Sci)
CSUSB (Poli Sci)</p>

<h2>Reaches</h2>

<p>UCSC (Politics)
UCLA (Jewish Studies Major)
Smith (Poli Sci)
Mills College (Poli Sci)
Wellesley (Poli Sci)
Swarthmore (Poli Sci)
Mt. Holyoke (Poli Sci)</p>

<h2>My hooks</h2>

<p>Former member of the California Conservation Corps</p>

<p>Former Foster Child</p>

<p>150 hours of volunteer work</p>

<p>African-American</p>

<p>Can read and write in Hebrew. ( Finding out that I had Jewish ancestry inspired me to teach myself how to.)</p>

<p>I also am the owner of my own tutoring business (registered with the city and the IRS) and tutor within the business and as a volunteer.</p>

<p>My GPA is currently 3.36 ( I was able to get an "F" removed for a class that I dropped before Fall Quarter 2004 began and the school never dropped in it's records for some reason. My GPA was 3.08 before the "F" was removed.)</p>

<p>So, if you can evaluate my stats and EC's and unique situation and give me your honest opinion on my chances at various schools, please do so.</p>

<p>Also, I am going to take my SAT's for good measure. I know that some of the colleges on my list require them.</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

<p>Bump..............</p>

<p>Bumpety bump bump. </p>

<p>I REALLY need your imput guys because no one on the transfer forum is considering any of the private schools on my list and since some of them are top LAC's, I thought that you guys in this forum would have opinions on what I should to to increase my chances of admission and what my chances are right now.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>To evaluate the privates, we need more info such as SAT scores.</p>

<p>I took the SAT I in High School (In 2001, but my grades and class selection kept me form admission at any college other than an CSU. I also had a bad case of the flu on test day and I wasn't about to not show up to the test....so hence a not so hot score.) and got a 1320. But I'm a transfer now and haven't taken the new SAT. I will take it in December.</p>

<p>I also took the SAT II tests in Math Level II, Spanish, Hebrew and Writing and got a 690, 770,780 and 750.(I took the SAT II's later than my SAT I and did much better on them.)</p>

<p>I think Smith is a great option, as they really reach out to older women and minorities. It would be a top pick if I were in your shoes, but go ahead and apply to all of those you like. You'll probably do better financially than at a CSU and I'm pretty sure you'll have less loans that at a UC.</p>

<p>Fullerton is now associated with Western State, a respectable (if not top) law school - so Western State won't "look down on you" for graduating from CSUF. BTW, their Bar pass rate is pretty good, I hear.</p>