On the additional comments section of the UC app, I told them that my December SAT goal was a 1390, 100 points higher than my last SAT score. I studied for a while and was certainly expecting a higher score (at least 50 points better).
Thing is, I literally went from a 1290 to a 1300. Lesson: don't try and predict your score, just tell em you studied and are hoping to improve.
I know this was mainly a result of being cocky and all, but I feel like the UC campuses would really frown on this. Did I ruin my chances? Should I send them an apology email or something? Like if I was an admissions officer, I'd be pretty disappointed, but I would like some feedback on how they would view this type of situation.
1300 is a solid score for most majors at most of the UCs. Send them the score and let it stand. Hopefully your GPA. essays and ECs are also in range.
Good luck.
Agree with @NCalRent, send them the scores and hope for the best. Admissions would only consider official test scores, so putting a predicted score on your application was probably ignored.
Ok thanks so much for the responses! I also heard that some of the UCs have an evaluation process where one admissions officer reads only the personal insights and additional comments, and the other only focuses on the test scores. Is this true? And which UCs apply this method? I know Berkeley is completely holistic, but if the other UCs are different, it might help my situation. Sorry I’m kind of overreacting I’m just a little tense about how this will affect me.
Also just an update:
My UC weighted GPA is a 4.38 (unweighted is about 3.85)
My ECs are pretty strong, but nothing brilliant really
And my personal insight responses were awesome in my opinion- probably some of my best pieces of writing ever
Thanks again!
Since the cap the weighted UC GPA with 8 semesters of bonus points, your weighted UC GPA is usually not more than .4 higher than unweighted. Even so, a 4.25/1300 will keep you in the running - though UCB and UCLA will be a reach.
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Both readers read the entire application and score it. If there is a serious discrepancy between the score from one reader vs the other a third reader reads it.
Chance me please!
@UCB UCLA (heard about their holistic views)
UCSD UCSB
Out of state-Kentucky
Guatemalan (Hispanic) female
Public School and Biomedical Sciences Academy
Stats:
GPA: 3.6(weighted) 3.4(unweighted) UC 3.5(unsure)
Senior year: 4.1(weighted)
ACT: 23
Math:26
English:25
Science:22
Reading:19
AP Classes:
AP Biology
AP Statistics
AP Litrature
AP U.S. History
AP Spanish Language
Dual Credit:
Psychology
World History
Honors:
Chemistry
Pre-Cal
Accelerated:
Algebra 2
Extracurriculars:
-Cross Country Running (Varsity)
-Track and Field (Varsity)
-Spanish National Honor Society
-Senior Internship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital (ranked 3rd children’s hospital in the nation)
-Latino Mentors Program at local University
-Blood donations
-All-state Track-and-Field Team
-PhDreamer
Awards:
-Honorary Cord of life (blood donations and blood drive)
-Gifted and talented at Mathematics and Leadership
-Academic Athletic Association Award
-Dean’s List
-Academic Excellence Award
-Posters-at-the-capital finalist (presented scientific research to state gov. and legislators)
Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?
Here I talked about how I was undocumented along with my family, I live with 3 family members (brother, sister and mother) and how my mother struggled to find jobs but we she did I would work along her side and at some points I worked 60 hours a week (yes during a school week). Meaning, I was able to get only 2 hours of sleep daily and still go to school. I talked about skipping lunch for naps and other struggles that were detrimental to my grades.
Describe how you have worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.
I talked about how I did not receive any help at home from my mother because she is illiterate and I was the first in my family to obtain any education higher than elementary school (first to go to middle and high school). I mentioned that I also never received much help from my school when I brought up my problems, I talked about how my principle told me she didn’t even know what it meant to be undocumented and so she couldn’t help me. Also English was not my first language.
What is the one thing that you think sets you apart from other candidates applying to the University of California?
I talked about how I have been shaped into a different person because of my circumstances and how I attended a public school with a low minority percentage and many students at my school come from high income families witch was not who I was and so I have had to face being the different one at my school.
What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?
Here I talked about how I have been extremely involved in helping my small hispanic neighborhood because we are all undocumented and we live in the middle of high class american citizens. I talked about how when I received a drivers license I would drive people around because many in my area do not have one, also I translated at doctor appointments and tutored children because their parents did not know the English Language.
Any thoughts?.. Thank you!
@Alisonalvarado: You need to start your own thread. It is considered rude to hijack another’s thread.
Also be aware that the UC’s offer little to no financial aid to OOS applicants. Expect to pay $55,000 a year to attend.