The Official UC Chance Thread

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - GENERAL
761

Chance me please!!! All UC’s (I already got accepted into UCM and UCR, but for the rest I still need this)
In state(but less than 3 years), female
GPA 4.2 (UC GPA I’m really not sure because it could be higher or lower)

Upper middle class/lower high class income bracket

School: Public school ranking in nationals around the 200~300s.

AP classes/exams(since some of them I didn’t take the class) taking/taken:
AP Environmental Science
AP Spanish Lang (5)
AP Chinese (5)
AP Government
AP Chemistry
AP English Literature
AP Spanish Literature

Accelerated/Honors math 2&3
took dual enrollment community college classes, Communications (A), Psychology (B), Criminal Law (A).

Problem: I came to the US halfway into my junior year, and now I’m a senior that already applied to colleges. The courses listed were all taken in the US.

SAT: 1420 (700 reading, 720 math)

Extra activities:
Active volunteer in my community as a translator
Speech & Debate (1 year)
Student Tutor (basically a student TI)
Private tutor for K-8 kids as a part-time job
Science Olympiad (1 year general member, 1 year secretary)
ISEF interpreter for 3 languages last year
Piano, and violin player.

Essays were about my personal experiences being born and raised in a foreign country, my diversity, what inspired me to come to the US, and some challenges I faced in my life. I would give them a 9/10.

Applied as psychology/international studies major.

Thank you!

762

you are right that the UC’s don’t look at race, with that said, some UC’s coach readers to look for signs. Involved in BSU or Asian Social justice coalition etc. More reasons when applying to create a full holistic application.

763

Hey everyone, I’m an Indian American high school student from Northern California and I just got rejected from Davis for CS and I just want to know what my chances to the UC’s below are so if you guys can calculate my chances that’d be great!

UCSB Major:Comp Sci Alt:Undeclared
UCSD Major:Econ. Alt:Undeclared
UC Irvine Major:Information and computer sciences (undeclared). Alt:Business

Unweighted GPA:3.27
Weighted Capped GPA:3.64
Weighted uncapped gpa :3.91
Do they look at uncapped or capped gpa?
SAT Scores:
1450 (710 RW 740 Math)

SATMath 2: 750

Coursework:

10th:
-Project lead the way: Intro to engineering and design
-Honors Algebra 2/trig
-Honors English
-World history
-Honors chemistry

11th:
-Ap US history
-Marketing 1
-Ap physics
-Ap psychology
-Honors precalc
-Regular English

12th:
-Ap physics C
-Ap calculus AB
-Regular English
-Ap computer science
-Digital imaging
-Ap Econ/gov

Ap Test scores:
Apush:4
Ap Physics:3
Ap psych :4

-Decent essays (don’t know what’s amazing)
Work experience
-Took a CS course after Junior year at community college
Lots of Ec’s clubs+other recognitions volunteer experience
-Varsity tennis captain for four years league first team singles/dubs three years

764

On the UC website, it says if you are a California resident, and you are in the top 9% you are guarenteed admission for at least one school… what if you didn’t apply to all of them? Does that mean you should be accepted for one of the ones you applied to?

765

@1Dluver: If your ELC eligible (top 9%) then you are guaranteed that if you are not accepted at any UC of your choosing, that you will be given a spot at the default campus UC Merced if there is availability in your major. You do not get to select the UC. Your UC application will be automatically forwarded in Mid-April if this is the case.

766

Chance me for UC Berkeley (Business) please and thanks in advance!

Out of State, Asian Male
UC GPA: 3.93 UW, 4.5 W, 4.21 W&C

- 2 B’s since I took Calculus BC in 11th grade
Rank: Top 2.5% of 1400 Students (competitive)

SAT: 1530
SAT II: Math II - 800
ACT: 34
AP (17 Total): Already took 9 exams, but 4’s on all

EC:
(1) Habitat for Humanity - President
- Fundraisers, meetings, and construction builds for 150 members
(2) Business Professionals of America (BPA) - Team Lead
- Placed 2nd at Regionals for Global Marketing Team (state qualifier)
(3) Chess Club - Vice President
(4) Junior State of America - Student Representative
(4) Dentistry Summer Intern - Clinic Clerk
(5) Ericsson Inc. Summer Intern - Cloud & IT Learning Services Intern
- Presented my own seminar to employees about improving project management
(6) Presidential Volunteer Gold Service Award (200 hours as part of a school club)
(7) National AP Scholar
(8) Membership in assorted clubs (Key Club, National Honor Society, Student Council)

Update Letter Additions (after applying):

  • 3rd place at State in Intermediate Word Processing (BPA Nationals qualifier)
  • 5th place at State in Financial Math and Analytics Concepts (Nationals alternate)
767

Please chance me. All my friends are getting their decisions and I haven’t heard back from any. I’m getting so nervous.

Major: Bio(medical) Engineering (Pre-Med)
Campuses: UCI, UCLA, UCSD, UCD, UCSC
UC GPA: 3.48
TAG: UCI for BME:Pre-Med (but did not fulfill course in MATLAB, only 6-8 schools in CA offer transferable course)
Demographics: Female, eligible for Blue & Gold Opportunity, East Asian, Jewish, White
EC: SHPE Treasurer, Engineering Club, UCI Inspire 2016 (summer engineering program), various community engagement
Jobs: College tutor, electronics technician
Coursework-
Physics (All Bs, 3 classes)
Chemistry (All As so far, 3 classes, 1 in progress)
Math (As in Calc 2, DiffEq, Linear, C in Calc 3) (5 on AP Calc AB test)
Biology (1 B, 1 in progress)
Compsci (C programming & Assembly Language) (All As)

I am a transfer student from a CCC. Please let me know if I’m posting this in the wrong place.

768

So, for all of you guys out there, that you are looking for “chancing” please find below some information on what you can achieve with grades similar to mine:

Applied to 7 UC’s (see list below) for Math subject.

My stats:
GPA, before senior year: 3.7(uw), 4.0(UC) , 4.25(w), and 1st and 2nd semester of senior year straight A’s (but UC’s will usually see only the 1st semester)
SAT: 1540 (780-Math, 760-R&W, 24/24-essay)
SATII: 790-Math, 710-Physics
AP’s: 8, mostly 4’s, one 3, one 5 (only 4 AP’s were available to UC’s when I applied)
EC’s: Rich but not something extremely impressive, no awards on state or national level. Around 80 hours social service, but many hours, for last 3 years, internships in technical (STEM) related projects. Only one club: Debate and UN club but for many years, with regional awards becoming team chief and club president. Summer schools for 4 years in Math related topics at John Hopkins CTY-program and Northwestern CTD-program, 2 summers each)
LoR’s: I was not asked for any
Essays: Worked for them many hours, revised again and again, asked, repeatedly, for parents’ and school English-teacher’s feedback. I cannot say they were superb, just well-worked and for sure polished.
Race-Other: White, male, no hooks, middle class, no 1st generation.
California resident.
Attended public school (with rating in CA 8)
Class rank: approx 65/480 (around 13.5%)

Tips:

  1. Provide consistency on your application regarding your targets (love for math in my case, taking the most challenging math classes available, including summer schools and relative internships)
  2. In your essays be sincere, be yourself
  3. Explain why you got any B’s or C’s if any
  4. Explain any family or other issues that they didn’t allow you to reach your full potential

Results:
UCM-didn’t apply
UCSC-didn’t apply
UCR-Accepted to requested major with merit
UCD-Accepted to requested major
UCI-Wait-listed
UCLA-Rejected
UCSD-Accepted to requested major
UCSB-Accepted to requested major, plus invited and accepted to CCS to requested major
UCB-Accepted to requested College

I will choose one of the last two, big dilemma, not decided yet.

Remember: US’s are not fully predictable in admission process, and each one is using its own unique admission methodology. So it is better to apply to more than less. Also check their “common data sets” for latest admission statistics and trends.
And finally:
No need to be a genius to be accepted at a good university! You can also do it!

769

Intended major: probably any engineering, data analysis, or anything else

Cumul. Unweighted GPA (Predicted by end of 1st sem. senior year) : 3.47

Cumul. Weighted GPA (Self-calculated because our school does not weight): 3.9

UC GPA: 3.97

10-12: 3.7 UW, 4.15 W 9th Grade GPA: 2.92 UW/W (No AP or honors offered freshman year)

10th grade goals: 3.42 UW/ 3.6 W

11th grade GPA: 3.75 UW/ 4.25 W

CC GPA( 1 weighted course): 5.0

12th grade GPA 1st sem. (predicted): 4.0 UW/ 5.0 W

Note: Large upward trend from rough freshman year (2.9 GPA) and some of sophomore year (3.42 GPA), with around a .3 GPA rise each year

Class Rank: N/A

Asian male

Income bracket: N/A

California

High School: In top 50 high schools in America, students frequently admitted into T20s

SAT: 1530

ACT: 34

SAT Essay: 24

SAT II Math: 800

SAT II Physics: 760

ACT: 34

NOTE: I believe that my writing skills are well above average, so hopefully I can bang in a good essay APs and honors: AP Calc AB (5), AP Physics 1 (5), AP Physics C Mech. (5), AP Comp. Sci Principles (5), AP Econ (5), Chem Honors, French 4 Honors, AP Stats (5) AP French (5)

ECs (Not impressive) - 2 years varsity debate team - Been playing the cello since 6th grade (self-taught) - 8 years competitive soccer (wasn’t able to join school team for personal reasons) - passion for baking and cooking for others - Volunteered at a children’s orphanage in India during summer vacations - Self-studied courses (Java, multivariable calc, intro to astrophysics) - Physics and Engineering Club at school - 250+ Volunteer hours (mostly comprised of humanitarian volunteering) - Job shadowed/interned for a family friend in the computer hardware industry - Student tutor at school - Paid internship at engineering camp

  • Two gold medals for national french contest
    I understand my GPA may be under par for some of these universities, so feel free to suggest matches or closer reaches!

Hoping for one of the following UCs: UCSB, UCSD, UCD, UCSC, UCI, UCR, UCLA (Massive reach), and UCB (gigantic reach), and Cal Poly SLO.

770

I’m looking to apply to most UC’s but prefer UCI the most. I am applying for Fall 2019 as a Neuroscience major.

Stats:

GPA: 3.72 W/3.5 UW
UC GPA: 3.81
AP: APWH(4), APUSH(4), AP Language & Composition(4), AP 2-D Studio Art(3), AP Physics(planned), and AP Biology(planned)
Test Scores: ACT(29 & 29), SAT(1240 & 1310); planning to take one of each once more in December
EC: Key Club(4 years), Filipino Club(3 years, Board member this year), Yearbook(1 year), and various volunteer work(100+ hours)
Other: Part-time fast food job for 3 months

My stats are sub-par but I believe that what sets me apart from others is that I had to move around a lot as a military kid so I never had a solid environment until 10th grade. From grade 9-10 I was largely unmotivated and got averages of 3.5-3.67s each semester, but changed to semester GPAs of 4.00 and 4.17 both semesters of junior year. All my hope is on the fact that I had drastic change in my school work from sophomore to junior year and that I can write on it for my personal insights.

771

Major: Biology

GPA: 4.2 UC

ACT: 35

SAT Subject Tests: 800 in Bio-M, Math 2, and Chemistry

AP: 5 on Chemistry, Bio, Calc BC, and APES

EC: Eagle Scout, USABO Semi-Finalist, EMR

UCLA, UCI, UCSD, UCD, UCR

772

Hi here are my stats, please chance me for the UCs.
UC GPA: W: 4.21 UW: 3.88
ACT Score: 34 Composite; 35 English; 35 Math; 33 Reading; 32 Science
SAT Subject Tests: Physics 800; Math II 740
AP Tests: AP Physics 1 and 2: 5 APUSH and AP Lang: 4
Class Rank: School Doesn’t Rank
Extracurriculars: 1. Doing theater all four years of high school.
2. Playing Piano all four year.
3. Doing theater camps in the summer.
4. Graphic Design Club in 11th and 12th grade
5. Doing theater club in 11th grade
Volunteer Hours: 1. 50 hours volunteering as a counselor for the boys and girls club. Did this both junior and senior year.
2. 12 hours doing resurf club in 11th grade. We helped underprivileged kids surf. It became inactive at my school after 11th grade.
3. Key Club: 5 hours in 12th grade. I joined this after resurf became inactive. That’s why don’t have many hours.
4. Helping my piano teacher for about 24 hours. I helped my piano teacher teach younger students. It was only before they played in concerts so about twice a year for all four years.
Hooks: I have Autism which makes academics hard for me. I wrote about this in an essay.
Campuses and Majors:
UCB : 1st Choice: Management Science
2nd Choice: Don’t Offer
UCLA: 1st choice: Economics (Didn’t put engineering cause I thought there was no chance of getting into that)
2nd choice: Undeclared Social Science
UCSB: 1st Choice: Biomedical Engineerig
2nd Choice: Undeclared Social Science
UCSD: 1st: Biomedical Engineering
2nd: Undeclared Social Science
UCD: 1st: Biomedical Engineering
2nd: Undeclared Social Science
UCI: 1st: Biomedical Engineering
2nd: Undeclared Social Science
UCSC: 1st: Biomedical Engineering
2nd: Undeclared Social Science
UCR: 1st: Biomedical Engineering
2nd: Undeclared Social Science
Chance me for my first and second choice major at each school.

773

UC Forum Champion note:

If you want to be chanced for the UC’s, you should post your individual thread in this forum.

Closing Thread.

774

Weighted capped UC gpa - 3.64 (I know, yikes)
SAT score - 1540
PSAT (junior year) - don’t remember but 96th percentile

AP Classes:
-Freshman Year
AP Human Geography: Score of 4
-Sophomore Year:
AP World History: Score of 5
AP Physics 1: Score of 3
AP Computer Science A: not being submitted
AP Environmental Science: not being submitted
- Junior Year:
AP United States History: 4 (prediction)
AP English Language: 5 (prediction)
AP Biology: 4 (prediction)
AP Calculus BC: 4 (prediction)
AP Physics C Mechanics: 3 (prediction)
AP Physics C Electricity and Magnetism: 2 (prediction)
AP Spanish Language and Culture: 5 (prediction)
-Senior Year:
AP Phycology
AP Seminar
AP English Literature
AP Spanish Literature
AP Chemistry
AP Statistics
AP Government
AP Economics
AP Physics 2

Extracurriculars: Younger then grade level (will be 16 at time of graduation) thus internships/volunteering was limited due to age restrictions. Same thing with work experience.

  • Arabic School Volunteering
  • Teaching math to elementary School students who don’t speak English
  • Possibly hospital volunteering this summer when I am of age.

Immigrant, first generation US college student, moving many times inside of the US including across states, low income family, couldn’t work bc of age/immigration papers, 16 at time of graduation

3 clubs sophomore year, none junior year (covid)

Significant improvement in GPA from sophomore year to 1st semester junior year to 2nd semester junior year

775

Science Major

776

Asian male, large public school in CA (in-state)
Major: CS or Engineering (mechE or electrical or computer)
GPA: 3.92 UW, 4.49 W (9-12), 4.62 W (10-12)
UC GPA: 3.94 UW, 4.18 W (capped), 4.30 W (uncapped)
Rank: 49/538, top 9% california
**SAT/ACT:**no test scores
Coursework AP CompSci Principles (3), APES (2), AP Lang (3), AP Psych (3), AP Art History, senior year: AP Calc AB, AP Physics 1, AP Spanish, AP Lit

I don’t really have any extracurriculars or awards unfortunately, and I am worried this will hinder my chances.
Awards: AP Scholar, Honors Gold Robe List
Extracurriculars: California Scholarship Federation member, PURE - People for Urban and Rural Education volunteer (volunteered for 1 month before covid hit)

I have good grades almost no extracurriculars
Chance me for all UC’s for CS or engineering!