Question about UC GPA/Can I get in?

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of California - Los Angeles
1

<p>Background</p>

<p>Boarding School in Pennsylvania
Asian
Location: CT</p>

<p>Test Scores</p>

<p>SAT: 800 M, 660 CR, 680 W (2140)
SATII scores: 790, 750
ACT: 31</p>

<p>Classes/GPA/Academics</p>

<p>No Ranking</p>

<p>Sophomore Year: GPA (3.06...Long Story, more about this later).</p>

<p>Junior Year: GPA (3.90)</p>

<p>Senior Fall Midterm- (4.34 at Term end / 4.6 UC GPA)</p>

<p>Senior Year Schedule
AP Microeconomics
AP Macroeconomics
AP Statistics
AP Chemistry
Pre-Calculus Honors
English Electives</p>

<p>Also taking Calc I at UConn this coming summer.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Varsity Hockey All 4 Years (TAKES UP ALL OF MY FALL AND WINTER, no time for other ECs)- Ranked Top 10 Hockey Teams among Independent Prep Schools</p>

<p>USA Hockey 1992 Birth Year Select Festival Camp in Rochester NY and St. Cloud MN- (Ranked as number 5 defenseman in the East coast in 2004,2005,2006).
Invite to tryout for Japanese U-16 National Hockey Team.</p>

<p>International Club- Executive Member and Country Representative- 3 years</p>

<p>BBoying/Breakdancing/Hiphop dance club- Founder/President</p>

<p>Won tons of bboying crew battles/showcase battles/1v1 battles in NYC/Japan</p>

<p>FBLA</p>

<p>Summer Internships at Yachiyo Corporation in Japan
Volunteer work at Church
Volunteer coaching for club hockey teams.
Princeton University Select Hockey Camp 2007
Boston University Select Hockey Camp 2006</p>

<p>Story:
I came to this boarding school in Pennsylvania as a recruit for hockey. Known for having the best hockey program in the state of Pennsylvania, people from all over the world (as close as Pennsylvania and as far as Russia, Czech Republic, Canada...etc) are recruited there regularly. In 2004, I was selected as one of the top six defensemen in the Mid-Atlantic Region (NY,NJ,PA,MD,DE) and was asked to play in many showcases. This continued until 2006 and I moved onto the new school. I had high hopes of being a pro, the first Japanese NHL hockey player. My focus was always on hockey, I had very little interest in academics. I was heavily recruited to many schools/semi-pro junior leagues, and I knew at that time that I would go to college for hockey. Then during my sophomore year, disaster happened. I had a season ending injury, and I required surgery. My grades at the time weren't absolutely atrcoious, however, my surgery required routine check ups back home in Connecticut, I missed tons of school due to the fact that I had to travel home every week and my grades dropped horribly. Not only that, recruiting stopped, I was depressed and was a horrendous mess. I then soon realized that I need to change my focus from athletics to academics. Ever since then, my academics and attitude towards school have improved dramatically. I still play hockey now, but doctors say that my wrist will never heal fully and that I shouldn't play much longer. (Hell, I need extended time to write in-class essays because I get such bad pain in my wrist). Therefore I am NOT interested in playing hockey in university.</p>

<p>Misc.</p>

<p>Essays: Really Strong</p>

<p>Hooks:
I think I'm pretty damn unique compared to some of the other asian applicants. Will that make me stand out over the other (I play piano, I play violin, I'm in the asian club) asians?</p>

<p>Ridiculous Upward Trend </p>

<p>Question: I know the UCs calculate their GPAs based on sophomore and junior years. However, since I missed a large portion of my sophomore year, do you think they will put less weight on it? Or will my sophomore year completely kill my application?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>I doubt they’ll put less weight on it, but you’d want to include your circumstances on the application.</p>

3

<p>Only your Soph and Junior years will count for GPA. Did you take any APs those years. Depends a lot on the rigor of your coursework already completed (anybody can sign up for a bunch of APs in senior year) … seems weak on Math which may be aproblem. Have you done SAT Math 2? What about three years of foreign language (not english :slight_smile: ?</p>

4

<p>How did you calculate your UC GPA?</p>

<p>3.09+3.9…= 4.6 …that would have to be a lot of AP’s as sophmore ( and I believe there is a cap on how many you can use and honors don’t get extra points outside of California schools).</p>

5

<p>SAT scores are excellent… though it’s too bad you’re not in in-state. Bear in mind, too, UCs see ALL of your grades in A-G courses and will consider earned in 9th grade even if they are not factored into the official UC GPA.</p>

6

<p>If you told that story, I would think they’d let you in :D</p>

7

<p>@ Shrinkrap
As a sophomore, I was forced to drop a few classes due to my absence from school (which of course dropped my GPA). Therefore, I was ineligible (according to school rules) to take any AP courses for my Junior year. However, I took many extra elective classes to make up for them and I achieved a 3.9 out of a possible 4.0 scale. </p>

<p>If you take my grades from my first trimester of my senior year, I have a 4.6 UC GPA. I think its a good showing that I can handle a tough courseload (4 AP classes+1 Honors course). </p>

<p>Of course I told them in my essay and additional information section about my complications during my sophomore year. However, in my essay I not only wrote about the injuries and misery I had, but also the life lessons I learned from it, and how it turned me from a hockey jock to a scholar.</p>

8

<p>“If you take my grades from my first trimester of my senior year, I have a 4.6 UC GPA.”</p>

<p>I agree it’s a good showing, but I don’t think it’s a UC GPA. I didn’t think the application would let you enter senior grades…Good luck to you though. My son has a big sophomore hole to dig out of ( albeit with a less compelling story), and I thought it meant no UC’s for him.</p>

<p>P.S. My son is also into bboying… are you sure that’s not how you got hurt? (smile)</p>

9

<p>Actually, surprisingly, there was a place to input my senior year grades. So I guess thats a good thing for my app.</p>

<p>But you are probably right, it doesnt factor into my UC GPA.</p>

<p>Thanks shrinkrap.</p>

<p>Haha, I love bboying, but I actually shattered my wrist on the ice so I was twice as depressed because I couldnt play hockey and bboy for an extended period of time!</p>

10

<p>Anyone else have any input?</p>