<p>I like to think I'm a relatively intelligent person. However, I'm lazy, poor effort, unfulfilled potential, yadda yadda yadda you've heard it all before.</p>
<p>SATs
Reading 690
Math 630
Writing 640
Total 1960
Can definitely bring this up. That was my first time taking it...retaking in Dec. Expecting at least a 2010</p>
<p>Waiting on ACT and SAT II scores.</p>
<p>Junior Year
AP World A A
AP Comp A B
AP Psych B B
Hon Chem B B
Music Theory A
Precalculus B C</p>
<p>Senior Year
AP Euro
AP Lit
AP BC Calculus
Hon Physics
2 Periods of computer class nonsense</p>
<p>You might be wondering why I took BC Calculus. I got a B first quarter and I took this class on purpose to prove I have had...unfortunate luck and poor effort with math in the past. Regular level math classes pretty much all my high school career. Taking a jump to BC Calc and doing decent in it should help things right?</p>
<p>Good reqs, Great Essay</p>
<p>4 Years Football (Captain 1 year, got Sportmanship Award and MVP)
2 Years Wrestling
2 Years It's Academic! (Jeopardy type thing)</p>
<p>Colleges : USC (I know, a long shot) UCSB, UMD, NYU, Clemson, South Carolina (applying to the honors college)</p>
<p>I really want to get into UCSB, so if you chance me on anything, do that please.</p>
<p>UCSB is quite popular with kids from both ends of the state (N.Cal and S.Cal), and since UCLA and Berkeley (and UCSD to a lesser extent) are so highly competitive UCSB is often the safety of the UC schools for our students. </p>
<p>Why have you singled out that school in particular? Can I help suggest another school that might have similar attributes?</p>
<p>Oh I forgot to mention, I got 4 4 3 on my AP exams and am an AP Scholar.</p>
<p>It really is my dream school. It is a relatively prestigious school (in my range), I am thinking about majoring in Political Science, and UCSB has a strong program from what I've heard. The campus and campus atmosphere is a HUGE draw for me, I'm a big nature guy and I would love to get one of the dorms that are right on the beach. I also want to expose myself to different ways of thinking (California), and I want to test myself out in the world. I want to see how I fare away from people I know, away from the life I have set up. Also, going to college near home would not be the same. If something goes wrong, I always have a safety net to fall back into. In California, I would be completely on my own.</p>
<p>Alex, you might want to look at UC Santa Cruz as well then...not as warm..but then you're from Maryland and you'd think it was heaven. Beautiful campus...redwood trees, hiking galore...beach just minutes away...with primo surfing. Might be easier to get into. Have you looked at Pepperdine? Loyola Marymount (campus has a shuttle to take you right down to the beach-Marina del Rey, talk about a dream place to study!). </p>
<p>There are more campuses in the Cal State system that might be of interest...CSU Monterey Bay (approx.65% live on a gorgeous campus), CSU Channel Islands...minutes (like 5-10..20 if you want to go to Zuma/Malibu) to the beach, San Diego State. The CSU's are not as competitive so it might offer you a good safety.</p>
<p>You would have had a good chance if you were in state but being OOS....You need a 3.45 UC GPA at least if you are OOS to have a solid chance for UCSB.</p>
<p>Wow, thanks a lot! I looked at those colleges you mentioned, they look great. I will definitely start doing some research on them. Especially Pepperdine and Loyola Marymount. Are my chances with those schools about the same as UCSB?</p>
<p>Well the minimum gpa for OOS is 3.4. So you really are just scraping by. The UCs are just brutal on OOSs. If you absolutly MUST go to CA, and it asolutely has to be a UC, then you should be shooting for Riverside, Santa Cruz and Merced.</p>
<p>And if you chose SB for the scenary and 'by the beach' status, then you may want to consider Pepperdine. Smaller, but more expensive but won't discriminate OOSers.</p>
<p>also second Santa Cruz which is much more "nature" than SB.</p>
<p>But, to answer your question. USC & UCSB are both big reaches, unless you can be recruited. Moreover, in my opinion, at more than $40k per year for OOS, private schools offer much better value than the UCs.</p>
<p>Better since they're are private and aren't required to take CA residents. Look at it like this, I don't know SB's average gpa but it's safe to assume its well above 3.5. And that's with mostly instate.</p>
<p>A 3.4 UC GPA for in-staters would make UCSB a reach. For out-of-staters, even more so. I believe a 3.4 is the minimum GPA for OOSers to have in order to be eligible for admission, and so you've just barely passed that by .01.</p>
<p>Haha, things look pretty grim for OOSers huh? Should have taken my GPA more seriously ><. Thanks a lot for all the great responses. Any more info on my Pepperdine/Loyola Marymount chances? And, looking at my application list, do you guys think I need a safety school? </p>
<p>
[quote]
For admitted freshmen for Fall 2007, the average weighted GPA was 3.98 and the average SAT Reasoning score was 1866. The average SAT writing score was 614, the average SAT math score was 636.
See UCSB</a> Admissions FAQ
[/quote]
Think they have a typo with that reasoning score ;) </p>
<p>But the OP's weighted GPA of 3.45 is a lot below the average admit's 3.98. Anyway, I agree 100% with bluebayou; for the 40K that you'll spend to attend a UC out of state, you might as well go to a private where you'll have smaller classes, an advisor, etc. The UC schools are a good deal for in-state kids, but don't provide the level of attention that many private's do (and often for less than 40K)</p>
<p>"UCSB is quite popular with kids from both ends of the state (N.Cal and S.Cal), and since UCLA and Berkeley (and UCSD to a lesser extent) are so highly competitive UCSB is often the safety of the UC schools for our students.</p>
<p>Why have you singled out that school in particular? Can I help suggest another school that might have similar attributes?"</p>
<p>UCSB's average incoming weighted gpa is around 3.8/3.9...you way over estimate how easy it is to get in.</p>
<p>And no OP, you have no shot at USC, UCSB, and not a good one at all at NYU.
UMD, yeah. I dunno about the other 2 though</p>
<p>I really don't think it's actually 3.8/3.9. It's realistically probably around 3.6-3.7 Take out the over achievers who applied there as a safety.</p>
<p>3.8/3.9 is the average for admitted students and that means there are people with lower GPA got admitted. This school is also a safety school for students with 2400 and 4.5 UC GPA, that is why it is so high. Same with all the UCs. Not every admitted student will attend this school.</p>