Yep. Living in California and seeing first-hand the UC results from the past few admissions cycles for stellar students from an excellent school district is WILD (even for the less-selective campuses). The OP has no idea.
3 Likes
May be the intent…but the likelihood of an international student transferring from one UC to another is small, and one can’t even try until they would have 60 credits at the time of transfer (two years of college).
Also, 4 year school to 4 year transfer applicants are low priority…95% of UCB transfers last year came from California CCs, while 94% of UCLA transfers came from Cali CCs.
6 Likes
I know this thread has become an echo chamber, but I feel compelled to put this in here (why? I actually don’t know).
University of British Columbia…
1) #12 Environmental Sciences program in the world (QS World Ranking), and #1 in Canada;
2) #11 Environment/Ecology program in the world (USNWR), and #1 in Canada.
3) it is beautiful;
4) far easier transit to Asia;
5) a substantial international Asian student body;
6) safety admit;
7) As MWfan correctly points out, once you’re in the UC system, it is hard to transfer within it to a more “prestigious” campus.
I mean, come on…seems like a no-brainer over McGill, and no, I am not bashing McGill.
UBC Science subject area rankings
| Ranking Agency | Global Ranking | Canadian Ranking | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ecology | ARWU Shanghai Rankings 2022 | 19 | 1 |
| Natural Sciences | QS World University Rankings 2023 | 17 | 1 |
| Environmental Sciences | QS World University Rankings 2023 | 12 | 1 |
| Earth and Marine Sciences | QS World University Rankings 2023 | 16 | 1 |
| Geology | QS World University Rankings 2023 | 16 | 1 |
| Geophysics | QS World University Rankings 2023 | 17 | 1 |
| Environment and Ecology | US News and World Report Rankings 2022 | 11 | 1 |
| Plant and Animal Science | US News and World Report Rankings 2022 | 7 | 1 |
| Applied Microbiology | US News and World Report Rankings 2022 | 22 | 1 |
| Microbiology | US News and World Report Rankings 2022 | 47 | 1 |
| Life and Earth Sciences | CWTS Leiden Ranking 2023 | 23 | 1 |
| Computer Science | Maclean’s Magazine 2023 Rankings | NA | 1 (Tied) |
1 Like
very much in D24s eyesight, between Toronto & UBC, great programs. She likes McGill/Montreal, dunno why so many posters object to McGill.
If that is your understanding you are getting some very poor information. UCLA and Cal are cutting full pay seats to make room for more in state. And, as 2 of the most applied to schools in the US they are not starving for anything in terms of applicants.
9 Likes
UC flagship admissions are as Opaque as Ivy admissions. There are never any guarantees for UCLA or Cal unless you are a recruited athlete.
8 Likes
If by UC you mean UC Riverside and UC Merced you are likely in good shape. If you are thinking that holds for UCLA, Cal, UCI, UCSD, UCD you are really off target. The median GPA at Cal is 4.0 using the UC calculation system. 3.95 at UCLA.
4 Likes
I think every poster here will happily accept that everyone has their idiosyncratic/sentimental/whatever reasons for liking a particular school. We all have our preferences which not everyone will agree with.
What is bothersome to me is that you purport to use some sort of standard which has no internal consistency. You equate quality with low admit rates but then allow for some schools to be exempted but not others. You say you are looking at the strength of the environmental sciences program but then favor schools with much weaker programs over others. I feel there is a lack of directness- just admit, 'hey, in my circle, these are the schools which are acceptable to attend."
7 Likes
her standard is her standard, principally measured by how much she likes the school. Everyone is entitled to have a different list, because every person is different
She came up with the sub-20% acceptance rate threshold as acceptable to justify a U.S. college expenditure, or you did?
3 Likes
This has absolutely nothing to do with the actual acceptance rates at these colleges. Plus…the ones with huge %ages of international students don’t meet your top school criteria.
This is absolutely not true for a good number of these campuses, and especially the higher ranked ones. UC acceptances have become extremely unpredictable in the last several rounds of admissions, and particularly at places like UCLA, Cal, and several others.
If you are OK with UC Merced, then yes, you are a statistical shoe in. But your have indicated you won’t pay a lot except for a highly ranked school. So…
3 Likes
Are we still discussing varsity swimming opportunities? If so, out of the UCs, only Santa Cruz has a D3 women’s program. And they appear to be too fast.
2 Likes
Did anyone suggest she ED to Dickinson? I believe the recommendation was to develop a relationship with the coach and include it in the RD list as a likely/low target
10 Likes
time is limited, and it is not her intention to get in touch with coaches at schools where she might walk-on. Her time is better spent on swimming, ECs, and writing her essays plus the plethora of things teenagers do
This statement would make more sense…as a parent guiding a 17 year old during a critical process, it is the OP’s job to stay in touch with reality…
2 Likes
When assessing the schools for which your daughter will apply as a regular applicant (no coach support), there are 3 unique things about her that, together, strongly work against her in this process: (1) she is international; (2) she has a 1480 SAT; and (3) she is limited to 10 applications.
When looking at “average SATs” for her schools, it’s sort of common understanding that internationals need to be weeeeell above the 50th percentile. As a point of comparison, for unhooked domestic applicants applying to these super reach schools – and are from privileged backgrounds – many private college advisors say you should be at the 75th percentile! (that may be overkill, but that’s what we have been advised)
And, as I understand it, swimming and swim-related volunteer work are your daughter’s main ECs, with no major awards or demonstrated non-swim passions. I understand Stanford being on your list, given she is a double legacy. But the other reach schools are just way too reachy (as others have advised) given her profile.
If she did not have a 10-school limit, no harm in shooting for the stars! But given the limit, I don’t think giving 5 spots to schools like Brown, Dartmouth, JHU, CMU, Tufts, Claremont, Bowdoin is wise.
Parents don’t see what the AOs see: thousands and thousands of kids with 4.0s that are club swimmers. And those are just domestic ones! At this point, I would honestly hire a private college advisor that focuses on international applicants to give your daughter a sense of what is remotely realistic. Because I don’t think an international student that is a non-recruited swimmer can realistically apply test optional – especially with her lack of non-swimming ECs.
The worst thing is having regrets. If she gets rejected from everywhere but McGill, F&M, and UC-Merced, for example, would she wish she had done anything differently? Because without coach support, even Grinnell is a stretch for her. That 1480 is tough for internationals, imo.
It seems like your daughter has modified her swim list based on coach feedback. Now, in my opinion, she really needs to modify her non-swim list. If you think the people on this forum are wrong, maybe worth hiring an advisor for an objective opinion.
I wish her the best! Just don’t want either of you to look back and wish you had done things differently.
20 Likes
It’s tough for anyone, really, but specially a FP international.
Good advice, with the caveat that many international advisors seem to suffer from the same tunnel vision as OP. I’d look for a US one with experience with international applicants.
2 Likes
I think NiVo has accepted the risk of a shut of for swimming and that his D might end up at McGill rather than a sunny California school. I really doubt she’ll end up at Riverside or Merced. He’s also said she could take a gap year to do military service or go to a college in her country.
I think if she doesn’t get any athletic offers her list of 10 schools will change, and she doesn’t have to apply to all 10 schools on Sept 1. Maybe some of the coaches will say "Well, I don’t have any more slots of ED/EA, but please stay in touch as things may change for ED2"and that may be appealing for OP/D.
There is still a lot of shifting to be done before the final rosters are made.
4 Likes
I believe OP said their daughter has retaken the SAT so maybe there has been an increase? @NiVo amy score update? Also do US colleges look at predicted IB scores because I believe OP’s daughter has very have predictive scores so that may help.
But ultimately I agree that the idea that the UCs are safeties is a bit of a stretch
1 Like
I believe so…@skieurope?