<p>Hi, I'm currently a senior living in california and am in the process of applying to the UCs.
Here's the breakdown...
UC GPA: 3.69 or 3.72 (depends on a grade change from junior year)
Upward Trend:
Fresh Year - 2.2/2.4
Soph Year - 3.16/3.83
Junior Year - 4.0/3.83 <---3.83 may be changed to a 4.0
My overall class rank is obviously pretty poor, because of my early sophomore and freshman years...but UCs don't count freshman year right?..
Terrible at French III, so I got Bs both semesters...</p>
<p>SAT - 2140 (700R-720M-720W 8E)
SAT IIs
Math IIC - Pending
Biology - Pending
I expect both of my SAT IIs to be somewhere in the 700s range, if not better.
APs Taken:
AP Biology - 3 :(
AP Calculus AB - 4 :(</p>
<p>APs in progress:
AP Physics
AP Gov/Econ
AP Calculus BC</p>
<p>ECs:
Summer of 2008, 110+ hours working at the infectious disease department at CHLA (Children's Hospital of Los Angeles)
I worked on a lab project, 8 hours a day, 4 days a week, for about a month. </p>
<p>Schools applying:
UCLA
UCB
UCSD
UCI
UCSB</p>
<p>I know UCLA and UCB are big reaches for me, but would UCSD be reasonably within my reach?
Oh and, should I retake my SAT Reasoning in December to get a higher score to make up for my very poor UC GPA?</p>
<p>I think UCSD is certainly attainable for you. You are guaranteed in, but I think you have a pretty good shot of getting in, your sat score is pretty good for them. If you honestly believe you could do significantly better (2200+) and you dont mind taking it again then go for it, but if you'd really rather not, or dont think your score will change that much its probably not worth it.</p>
<p>Well, I had major insomnia (maybe cause I was nervous?) the night before the test and ended up sleeping for only an hour, from 12-1 and then was up the rest of the morning till the test. Not sure if that affected my performance though, hahahah.</p>
<p>I prefer not taking them again, but if I have to, I will, which is why I'm asking for your guys' opinions on whether or not I need a higher SAT to offset my poor GPA a little.</p>
<p>UCSD--Match to Slight Reach (that good SAT score and wonderful upwards trend really helps you at this school--and I think you don't need to retake the SAT). Consider retaking your SATIIs instead (if the scores aren't up to where you expect them to be).</p>
<p>UCI/UCSB--Match</p>
<p>You need to consider other ECs to put on your application, and you need to focus on your first semester grades--and consider sending them to UCSD if you get a 4.0 in the first semester--and say that you sent them to help sway their decision in your favor since this is your #1 choice school. (I would consider not applying to UC Berkeley and UCLA for just this reason--it makes it appear a lot more likely that you really are "shooting" for UCSD==and that you would go there even if you had the grades to go to UC Berkeley or UCLA instead.)</p>
<p>^To be honest, I want to see if I can get into UCB by some stroke of luck (that's the college I want to go to) but I realize that it is a college that is beyond me due to my poor GPA, but crazy stuff happens sometimes right? </p>
<p>It's just I know I have a much better chance of getting into SD and I definitely would love to go there, instead of UCSB or UCI, if possible. </p>
<p>Your UC GPA is very low for UCB/UCLA and even UCSD. You may have a chance with UCI and UCSB. Please do not retake your SAT, it does not help. UCs discount SAT heavily.</p>
<p>
[quote]
So I have absolutely no chance at UCB/UCLA/UCSD? And a rare chance at UCI and UCSB?
That's pretty harsh...
[/quote]
</p>
<p>You asked for chances right? I did not say no chance, but there are people from D'shigh school with higher GPA than yours got rejected from UCLA/UCB( unless you are female applying for engineering). There are people with your GPA that was rejected from UCI.</p>
<p>"There was a student last year with 2300 SAT with 3.5 uw GPA got rejected from UCSD, he only got into UCI.
Sort of an Unexpected Result."</p>
<p>I was talking to some people recently (in college) and they said, when a brilliant person is rejected fm almost all of the UC's except for the lower ones, it usually means he/she was caught in possession of drugs, got suspended from school, arrested, etc.</p>
<p>UCSD is heavy on course rigor. I knew a girl with 2 AP classes but a 4.0 uw got rejected b/c her course program = not hard enough.</p>
<p>
[quote]
"There was a student last year with 2300 SAT with 3.5 uw GPA got rejected from UCSD, he only got into UCI.
Sort of an Unexpected Result."</p>
<p>I was talking to some people recently (in college) and they said, when a brilliant person is rejected fm almost all of the UC's except for the lower ones, it usually means he/she was caught in possession of drugs, got suspended from school, arrested, etc.</p>
<p>UCSD is heavy on course rigor. I knew a girl with 2 AP classes but a 4.0 uw got rejected b/c her course program = not hard enough.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Not for this case, because he said he called and he missed by 2 points.</p>