UC Admissions?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I know that UC admissions can be totally random sometimes, but I need to get some perspective as to which UC's I have a chance at getting into so I know which ones to apply to in November. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get the fee waiver for application fees, so I'll get to apply to four campuses for free. I don't want to apply to too many campuses and end up wasting my parents' money because they've spent enough on tests and other college-related prep things in the past year!</p>

<p>Sophomore Year:
World Literature: A/B
AP European History: A/A
Biology: A/A
Advanced Algebra: B/B
Japanese: A/A</p>

<p>Junior Year:
Expository Writing (English): A
Literature & Psychology (English): B
AP United States History: A/A
AP Psychology: A/A
Honors Chemistry: B/B
Pre-Calculus: D/B (repeated)
Japanese: A/A</p>

<p>I read on the UC website that the D in Pre-Calculus won't count in calculating my GPA because I repeated the class (the B is used instead), but will the D still hurt my chances of getting into a school? </p>

<p>If I calculated my GPA right, I think I have a 4.05 weighted UC GPA and a 3.67 unweighted.</p>

<p>My SAT scores are pretty low right now, but I plan on retaking them in October and I signed up for the September ACT: </p>

<p>SAT I: 1880
Critical Reading -610
Writing - 640
Math - 630</p>

<p>SAT I: 1940
Critical Reading -690
Writing: 680
Math - 570</p>

<p>I don't know what happened with my math scores! o_O;; Math is definitely not one of my strong points, but I was shocked to see the huge drop.</p>

<p>SAT II:
Literature - 730
Japanese - 660
US History - 680</p>

<p>I'm retaking the Japanese SAT II in November, and I'm hoping for a 700.</p>

<p>I was Co-President of my school's Chinese Club in my junior year - I've been invovled in the club since my freshman year, and was the Public Relations Officer in my sophomore year. I was also President of an active volunteering club at my school that I've been a member of since my sophomore year - I was also PR for a semester during sophomore year.</p>

<p>I also was part of CSF for a year, but the D in math disqualified me for a semester. I was also a member of the Japanese National Honors Society for a year before I quit because of the crazy demands to remain as an active member set by the sponsor. </p>

<p>I got a part-time job at a tutoring center (Kumon) at the end of my junior year and I plan on working throughout senior year.</p>

<p>The UC's I want to go to most are: UCSD, UCD, UCI, UCSB, and UCLA. Do I need to apply to a few more as safeties?</p>

<p>BTW - I'm going to be a first-generation college student, and I plan on majoring in something in liberal arts/humanities as opposed to science and engineering, if that makes a difference.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance for any advice! :)</p>

2

<p>I can't comment on the numbers since I am applying to UC at the same time you are.</p>

<p>But personally, if I was an admissions officer, I would give you extra kudos in my mind for being interested in Chinese and Japanese at the same time. It shows that you are very accepting and understanding of other cultures which is great.</p>

<p>Misha</p>

3

<p>Haha. Thanks for the reply! But I'm actually Chinese, so I don't know how impressive "Chinese Club" would look to the admissions officers. I've been taking Japanese classes in school since seventh grade, but I'm not planning on continuing and going on to AP Japanese my senior year, so I don't know how that'll make me look either.</p>

4

<p>It's just the fact that the Chinese and Japanese have really been fervent in saying "yes we know you guys in the west think we're the same, but we're really quite different". So when a Chinese man expresses interest in Japanese, it's like breaking a cultural barrier in my mind.</p>

<p>Misha</p>

5

<p>Not really. I am Chinese, but my Chinese ability rivals my Japanese ability...</p>

<p>I suck at Chinese a lot, but I am one of the better Japanese students at my school.</p>

<p>UCLA - reach</p>

6

<p>Also, your going to need to take an SAT II in Math and Science for the UC system.</p>

<p>Misha</p>

7

<p>Assuming you live in-state
UC Berkeley/UCLA--reach
UCSD-match
UCSB/UCD/UCI--safe match
UCSC/UCR/UCM-safeties</p>

<p>now I see you do live in state--CSF is California Scholastic Federation--so these are the right chances.</p>

8

<p>No you don't. Just SAT II in 2 categories.</p>

<p>There is
math
science
literature
history
language</p>

9

<p>plasti-tak:</p>

<p>UCLA: Slight Reach
UCSD: Match
UCI/UCSB/UCD: Safe Match</p>

10

<p>plasti-tak,</p>

<p>UCLA: Reach
UCSD: Slight Reach to Match
UCI/UCSB/UCD: Match</p>

<p>I don't consider UCSD a solid Match for you because of the increasing competitive climate there. The one thing you might have going for you at UCSD is that your intent to major in liberal arts/humanities may give you a slight edge against a strong rush by science majors. One campus you did not list but should consider is UCSC. It would be a solid Safety for you and might be a better learning climate for you for the academic interests you have.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

11

<p>Thanks for all the responses! :)</p>

12

<p>The UC's seem to be pretty big on numbers, due to their point system. There are handbooks which give the average gpa's and test scores for the current freshman, which can give you an estimate. Also, there is a rubric that will let you calculate your score and compare with the schools.
Some of the UC's are sorta weird with who they accept, most UCSD where I live. Even though it is popular for math and science, at my school, only the science majors were accepted, all the liberal arts majors denied.
Being a first generation college student will give you tons of points for the UC's.</p>

13

<p>Wow, that's kind of weird because I would think that getting into UCSD with a science major would be more competitive since a lot of people would be applying with similar majors. Most of the seniors who are going to UCSD from my school this year are doing something along the lines of Political Science/Economics.</p>