<p>Hey everyone.
I just wanted to realistically know if I should apply for any of the UC's at this point since my grades aren't even close to where the UC standards are.
My dream school and motivation was UC Berkeley..but that looks extremely unlikely right now.</p>
<p>Overall GPA: 3.44
Major GPA: 3.71</p>
<p>My intended major was supposed to be Sociology, but apparently, Berkeley has almost a 50% acceptance rate in the Spanish major, and if that were my major, my major GPA would be even higher, but I'd have to get the pre-req's out of the way my last semester in the Spring.
Should I bother switching it?</p>
<p>EC's: None. I've applied for plenty of them..but something always comes up. I can hopefully get some done in the Spring.
Financial Aid: Yes
State: Virginia
Ethnicity: Latino </p>
<p>I really want to apply to Berkeley just because I want to submit an application. My high school GPA was horrible..below a 1.0..so the fact that I even have a reach of a chance means a lot. I don't wanna knock it 'till I've tried.</p>
<p>I was thinking UCR, or maybe Merced, but are there any UC schools that I'd actually have a fighting chance in?
My community college counselors haven't been much help...one even asked me, "What's Berkeley?"</p>
<p>So any help would be greatly, greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>High school doesn’t count for transfers. Being OOS will mean $0 for financial aid. If you can afford the $50K+ per year, then apply. Good luck!</p>
<p>^ I second this. If you have the time and money to apply, why not? You seem to understand your chances.</p>
<p>I have to caution you though. Do not explain your lack of ECs as “'I’ve applied for plenty of them…but something always comes up. I can hopefully get some done in the Spring.” It comes off as whiny and making excuses. Unless it was some outstanding problem (major health issues in you or immediate family, etc), it is not an excusable reason. Many students have families, work, attend school and still make time for ECs. </p>
<p>Plus, what does ‘apply’ mean? There are tons of ECs where you just have to show up and clean the beach or walk for a cause. </p>
<p>Ethnicity is not a factor in UC admissions by state law. Berkeley is possibly the top Sociology program in the country and it is an impacted major there. Spanish would be more likely. However, don’t expect to be able to change majors once you are in.</p>
<p>If u need FA, then it makes no sense to apply to schools where you’d be ineligible for it.</p>
<p>By the way, congratulations on moving from a D- cumulative high school grade point average to an A-/B+. That is very impressive! It must have required a lot of discipline, a change in friends, habits, and focus. Can you tell us how you did this? That change alone is something to really applaud. Kudos!</p>
<p>UC financial aid will not cover the $23,000 additional out-of-state tuition. Try the net price calculators and expect the net prices to be too expensive.</p>
<p>Being a Virginia resident, will you be applying to the fine Virginia public universities?</p>
<p>@Happy2Help I thought there was still some kind of financial aid you could apply for being OOS, but I guess not… :(</p>
<p>@luckie1367 Ah, I’m sorry it came off that way. I’m in a program to where EC’s go through our counselors and then our counselors get back to us. When spots are filled or the events are cancelled…we don’t get an email back. However, I should’ve taken farther initiative, and the fault does lie with me. Thank you for the advice!</p>
<p>@ItsJustSchool Why wouldn’t I be able to change majors once I’m accepted? A few people have told me once you’re in, you can just change your major and there’s nothing the school can do about it. This really changes things if true, so thank you so much for letting me know.
Thank you! I don’t think I ever really took school seriously until my Senior year, that I realized everyone was going to school and I was staying behind. And these 2 years in community college have really stunk, but have taught me so much. I studied for the first time in my life my freshman year of community college…how sad, but true.
My number one help and motivation was Cal. Visiting the school, keeping it as a background on my computer. Just constant reminders of what I was doing everything for kept me going.
Although I’m still not in the best position to get in, it’s nice to see that hard work can really pay off.</p>
<p>@GMTplus7 I was not aware that OOS got absolutely no financial help from the government. I thought the pell grants were taken away, but I’d still have some (even if very little) financial aid to work with.</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus I knew there was some level of financial aid for being OOS, but I do plan to take out a few loans if necessary.
Just a couple low-key schools, but my heart is definitely in California.</p>
<p>Well, suppose you could just change majors and there is nothing anyone can do about it. That would be fine for a few years, but pretty soon, nobody would be applying to impacted majors with more stringent requirements. Everyone would come in undecided, and then switcheroo once they were in (or did you think you were the only one to contemplate this ‘loophole’?).</p>
<p>A place like MIT advertises that you can choose any major once admitted, but then admission is tough across the board to MIT. Do check it out. The internet is a good place to get ideas, but believe nothing without checking it out for yourself.</p>
<p>OOS get federal financial aid (such as Pell Grants). California taxpayers do not subsidize out-of-state applicants. Thus, the differential tuition between in-state and out-of-state, is not covered by any financial aid.</p>