<p>So, I'm thinking of taking the SAT and study overseas in America. My grades are pretty average (equal to C in America), but does it matter much if I get a good SAT score? </p>
<p>I already speak 4 languages fluently, and that should count for something right?</p>
<p>For UC admissions, the #1 criteria is your high school transcript. All other things are secondary. Yes, high test scores would make you eligible for admissions, but low grades on a transcript would hurt your candidacy.</p>
<p>Good luck</p>
<p>How high test scores do I need to be sure to get in?</p>
<p>whoa whoa....no man...i dnt meen to be mean or anything but forget berkeley and all the UCs...ur an international rite?...berkeley is public,which meens that its funded basically by the California taxpayers,therefore,they are the priority...so unless u have a 4.8 GPA with a 2300+ on ur SATs...id say its going to be rllllllly tough...</p>
<p>i cnt tell u for sure...but um....yea u need around 2300+ on the SATs with a rly high GPA...one C nd ur out...try harder</p>
<p>Are you serious? High school grades count that much? I thought the SAT scores were the most important factor. Guess I'll have to aim for an Asian/European school.</p>
<p>You really have to take into context the school you are applying for. You probably have not done much research on UC Berkeley because a C average would rarely ( and I mean rarely as in NEVER) get someone in, especially an international. Berkeley is a public school- so if you apply, you are competing against other VERY intelligent internationals for a very limited quota. You will be competing against Koreans with 2300+ and perfect GPA; the fact that you can speak four languages fluently will not matter because transcripts/grades/test scores are primary and EC's factor in after- and I'm willing to bet a good number of internationals are also handy with a few languages on their belt. You would do better to apply elsewhere.</p>
<p>Scared4college: What do you mean by applying somewhere else? Somewhere else like in " a worse college" or somewhere else as in "an equally good, but private college?"</p>
<p>Well that depends on you.</p>
<p>Here's my thing. It's already excrutiating for US students to get into selective private schools. The competition and rate of admission for internationals is EVEN higher. Essentially, you have to have a flawless academic record and brilliant EC's. Think of it like this: why would Columbia or Duke or Cornell want an applicant with a C average, mediocre test scores, and good EC's when they can get thousands of US students and MANY internationals that have 2300+, great GPA and wonderful EC's? So you have to take into account the odds against you as an international( because if you were a US student, I would be singing a different tune) and weigh your options- I'm not familiar with European/Asian schools. You should certainly apply to the schools you want to but YOU HAVE TO make a more thourough, reasoned search that would include safeties, matches, and reaches. You have to look at the schools, what type of students they need, and see if you can worm your way into that. And also, does the school match you? In terms of acadmics, location, diversity, etc. blah blah. I could tell from your UC Berkeley post that you aren't seasoned on the colleges- and you have to be in order to get in because you are such a different applicant.</p>
<p>Best of luck to you in this horrid process!</p>
<p>My friends got in (Cal residents) with a 2090 and that range.</p>
<p>bluebayou is correct. I have a great transcript, but my SAT scores were ok. Also, I did not write good essays for the UCs.</p>
<p>Sometimes, academics and ECs can help you alone, but you have to have very good stats.</p>
<p>I'll disagree slightly with bluebayou: to Berkeley, GPA, rigor of course load, and essays are equally important. SAT is not.</p>
<p>With a weak GPA, Berkeley will be about impossible. No SAT score, even if it's perfect, will make up for that. Consider that Berkeley gets tons of qualified international students (whose GPAs and SATs are both very high), and yet it has a 10% acceptance rate for internationals.</p>
<p>kyledavid80, that is true, but what is was trying to convey was that a decent SAT/ACT score, great GPA, and good extracurriculars could make up for an ordinary essay.</p>
<p>However, I do not advise anybody to take this risk (as I did).</p>
<p>My son got in with a 30 ACT and high 1900 SAT. He had a high GPA and really good ECs. I thought his essays were very good. He got in as a Fall admit but his friend with high GPA and high SAT got in as a Spring admit. His friend didn't have as good ECs. I don't know about his essays. My son was also accepted to UCLA whereas this same friend was not.</p>
<p>Was your son and his friend internationals?</p>
<p>lol i got in with 1900. spring admit</p>
<p>Are you sure you're eligible to apply in the first place though? Your GPA has to be.... 3.5 unweighted, right?</p>
<p>You have to reconfigure your UC according to the UC GPA system, I believe.</p>
<p>If you have a "C" average or even a "B" average, I doubt you would be eligible and even if you were, it would probably be a futile effort.</p>
<p>So, I checked out Berkeley's website. Looks like there was over 800 students that enrolled with a GPA below 3. (2,80).</p>
<p>^
where?...</p>