UC Berkeley Chance Thread Class of 2020

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
21

UC GPA uncapped, weighted: 4.68
UC GPA capped, weighted: 4.36
UC GPA unweighted: 3.94

California Resident (San Diego)

ACT:
English: 35
Math: 35
Reading: 33
Science: 34
Essay: 9

SAT II Scores
Math II: 790
Bio M: Taking in November

Which college are you applying to? (Letters and Science, Engineering, Chemistry, etc.): L&S Biology

List a few of your most important ECs (a list of 20+ items is not needed)

Bioengineering lab internship, Summer 2014
Bioinformatics internship, Summer 2015
Hospital internship, June 2014 - Present
Content Editor for science magazine
Quizbowl Team
President of Rap Genius club
President and founder of Non-profit for education in 3rd world countries

22

@blackwiz55 you are definetly going to get in

23

@blackwiz55 You’ll get in. I had verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrryyyyyyyyyyyyyyy similar if not the exact same stats.

@2019goldenbear I’d say yes. A 4.36 is is pretty average if not a bit above, and a 2100 is a bit below average. You’ll be a high match.

24

@Musa42
my stats were pretty much identical to yours (3.96 unweighted 4.42 weighted UC GPA, 2230 SAT, 800 Math 2, 800 Chem, 800 MolecBio) and I was rejected from UCLA Engineering, and barely(spring admit) got into Letters and Science at Berkeley (which means I would have been rejected from Berkeley Engineering). However your ECs seem very strong, definitely much stronger than mine so you may have a better chance - they don’t seem engineering related, though I don’t know if College of Engineering looks specifically for strong engineering-related ECs or not.

25

GPA: 3.93 (UW) (Got 3 B’s total during sophomore-junior year)
SAT: 1930 (will take this another time, looking for 2000+)
SAT II: Planning on taking USH, Math Level II, and French (try to score 700+)

Freshman courses: Honors English 1, Geometry, Adv. Programming, Biology, PE, French 1
Sophomore courses: AP Psychology, Honors English II, Honors Chemistry, World History, Algebra II, French II, Interpretive Dance
Junior courses: AP Studio Art, APUSH, AP Human Geography, AP Language and Composition, AP Physics, H Precalculus, French III
Senior courses: AP Government, AP Microeconomics, AP Literature and Composition, AP French, AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, AP Art History, AP Biology
18 Honors/AP Courses taken (as listed above): Honors English 1, AP Psychology, Honors English II, Honors Chemistry, AP Studio Art, APUSH, AP Human Geography, AP Language and Composition, AP Physics, H Precalculus, AP Government, AP Microeconomics, AP Literature and Composition, AP French, AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, AP Art History, AP Biology

Awards/Honors: NHS, CSF, 1st Place Literature and Poetic Composition, 2nd Place Public Speaking, 4th Place FBLA Business Law, 3rd Place FBLA Business Communications, AP Scholar with Distinction, and a bunch of other smaller awards

Extracurricular Activities: FBLA Activities Chair and State Delegate (4+ years), CHP Committee Chairman Leader, CYD President/Founder/California State Delegate, WHF Newspaper Publication Staff Writer and Secretary, Link Crew Leader and Commissioner, MUN Lead Ambassador and Youth Board, Peer Counseling Co-chairman of Public Relations Committee, Volunteered at local library (200+ hours), USC Young Women’s Political and Civic Leadership Program Alumni, attended several FBLA conferences for 4+ years, Library Volunteer, Elementary Student Assistant

Ethnicity: Asian American
CA Resident, Looking to major in business or poli sci
Very, very low family income; first generation college student

26

Hi guys I just wanna ask is it much harder for us to apply for computer science in berkeley then for other majors? thx

27

UC GPA: 4.23
Unweighted GPA: 3.975
Weighted: 4.625
Ranked Top 5%

California Resident

SAT
Math: 650 Reading: 650 Writing: 620 = 1920
Planning to retake in October; originally took the June one with the printing error :frowning:
I’m at the 99% percentile for each section at my school. However, I believe that I can do much better.

College of Letters and Science (looking at Cognitive Science major)

APs
1 freshman year: Human Geography (4)
2 sophomore year: Statistics (4), European History (3)
4 junior year: Chemistry (3), English Language (5), United States History (4), Calculus BC (1 w/ subscore of 1)
3 senior year: Government, Macroeconomics, English Literature

3 Years of Spanish, skipped Pre-Algebra, took ever Honors course I was able to

Only B+ (ever) was semester one of AP Lang :’(

Due to my family situation, I’ve always had to mooch rides off my friends. Anyways, never really had the opportunity to join too many clubs or anything. (I plan on explaining in my personal statement.)

Hospice (3 years)
NHS (2 years) Secretary Position
Summer Job at engineering firm w/ connection to LA MTA and OCTA
CSF (3-4(?) years)
Interact (1 year)
MESA (1 year)
Solar Cup (1 year)
I also am really involved with visual arts and am part of a California Partnership Academy.

Awards: AP Scholar (calculus killed my average to get w/ Distinction), (CSF and NHS?), Honor Roll, Awards from my design class

For my personal statement, I plan on explaining my socioeconomic situation (struggling single mother, emotional issues, foreclosure, community, being a minority, etc.) and my love for the arts and analyzing human interactions.

28

UC GPA : 4.21
Unweighted GPA : 3.72
Weighted GPA : 4.10

California Resident

Grades :
(soph)
AP Euro -B/A
Honors Trig -B/A
Honors physics first semester C, dropped down to regular physics, got a B
French 3 -B/A
English 10 -A/A
speech and debate -A/A

(Junior)
AP Calc AB -A/A
AP USH -B/A
AP Bio -B/A
AP ES -B/B
Honors French 4 -A/A
English 11 -A/A

SAT Reasoning Scores :
Reading 620
Writing 800
Math 800
For a total of 2200 my first/last time of taking it.

SAT II Scores
Taking Math II and Bio in October!

Which college are you applying to? (Letters and Science, Engineering, Chemistry, etc.)
College of Natural Resouces as Undeclared

List a few of your most important ECs

  • I’m an archer (something interesting) and I’ve gotten a couple 3rd/4th best in the state of CA rankings
    -volunteer at a Korean school every week
  • been part of the school track team since freshman year - I do pole vaulting!
    -Some miscellaneous volunteer work like bookclub leader is all I can think of
  • Only a part of a couple clubs, mainly NHS, CSF and a science fair club
    -going to be working at target soon, getting trained right now!

Any other significant accomplishments in a specific field

  • I wish I could say I did some type of science fair or something but no I don’t think I have any specific accomplishments

I feel okay in everything but my GPA. Even my rec letters and essays seem like they’ll be great, if not above average.
I slumped preeeeetty badly first semester sophomore year, getting my first C so I worked a lot to get almost straight As except 1 B next semester. (Skipping sciences and going into physics was a huge mistake!)
I guess I’m also pretty sad I got 3 Bs first semester junior year; mostly B+s too…

anyways this has really been stressing me out so it would mean a LOT of someone chanced me!! I’m a typical asian girl who lives in California, but I’m getting a letter of rec from a college professor who teaches at Berkeley… finding a way to slide that in… I’m hoping that will help?

sorry for such concerns, thanks to all who read this far!

29

UC GPA : 4.07
Unweighted GPA: 3.5ish
Weighted GPA: 4.3

OOS

Test scores: 2280 SAT 34 ACT/11 Essay
SAT II Scores: None yet, expecting 750+ in World, 700+ In Bio E and maybe Spanish for an easy 800

Which college are you applying to? Letters of Sciences

List a few of your most important ECs (a list of 20+ items is not needed)

  • Over 2000 service hours (2152), mostly in music. I give kids free private classes in addition to serving as a teacher in junior orchestras. I've put in about 7-8 hours a week since freshman year with the exception of some trips that count as 24 hours per day. *Co-Founder of orchestral organization that allows me to have all these nice trips and hours. Do IT, financial, and planning (such as future venues) in addition to being the concertmaster.
  • Director of a company that's been around for 13 years (Although it's owned by a family member). Do IT, finance (Competent with Quickbooks and excel), and deal with clients (more customer service than anything)
  • Model UN, Science honors society (Non-Officer)
  • Math honors society (Top 10 school in the nation, am on stats team) (Non-Officer but very involved)
  • President of Music honors society
  • First chair in school orchestra (concertmaster), have traveled to Washington DC, Orlando, Italy, New York for non school-related trips. First clarinet in band. Disney and New York for school related trips.
  • Have played in the Vatican for an Italian organization centered on world peace and education access for kids with students from at least 30 different countries. Played for the pope in October of sophomore year. Received a blessing from the new pope in addition to playing in several other cathedrals in Milan, Asisi, Turin, and Rome. They're very well known for bringing different cultural atmospheres in (There were a couple kids from greenland one year) and they're selective in their invitations due to the quality that is required by the organization(At least they pay for most expenses). I've gone 4 times (5th, 7th, 10th, and 11th grade) so far and the possibility for a 5th trip is still plausible.

Any other significant accomplishments in a specific field:

National AP scholar? Not much here.

Other Stuff:

First generation (One parent with high school education)
I will revise the essay with several qualified people. Berkeley is my top choice so this essay is probably going to take the most time.

30

UC GPA : 4.12
Unweighted GPA: 3.7
Weighted GPA: 3.9

life long in state resident (central coast of California)

Test scores: 1810 SAT
26 ACT/10 Essay

  • will retake both this month

AP Scores:
AP Euro (3)
AP Capstone Seminar (3)
AP Environmental (4)
AP Psychology (5)
AP Language (5)

CURRENT 12th GRADE SCHEDULE:
AP Capstone Research (new, rarely offered research program)
AP Statistics
AP Government
AP Art Hist
AP Spanish
AP Literature

Which college are you applying to? Letters/ Sciences

List a few of your most important ECs (a list of 20+ items is not needed)
Speech and Debate Team member for 4 yrs- President
Destination Imagination (problem solving competition) for 3 yrs
Art Smart art appreciation club 4 yrs- Vice President
Gay Straight Alliance Club member 4 yrs

4 yrs volunteering for local Humane Society
1 yr working at a dog kennel (PAID JOB)

Any other significant accomplishments in a specific field (Honors and Awards):
Winner of County Lions Club Speaking Contest for Original 10 Minute Speech

5 in Original Oratory in California State Level Speech and Debate Contest

1st Place Destination Imagination Creativity Award and 11th Place in Global Competition
Awarded Highest Level Honor Roll by Principal for 4.2 Grade Point Average
AP Scholar with Distinction Award for High Scores on Multiple AP exams

31

UC GPA uncapped, weighted: ~4.7
UC GPA unweighted: 3.97

California Resident (Los Angeles)

SAT:
CR: 720
Math: 700
Writing: 69
Essay: 11
ACT
English: 34
Math: 34
Reading: 34
Science: 32
Essay: 9

SAT II Scores
US History: 760
Math ll: Taking in October

Which college are you applying to? (Letters and Science, Engineering, Chemistry, etc.): L&S Undecided

List a few of your most important ECs (a list of 20+ items is not needed)
VP of Tech Club
Treasurer of American Red Cross Club
IT Assistant at Chamber of Commerce
~400 hours of volunteering (mostly at a hospital)
Math Tutor

32

International Student
GPA: 3.89
SAT: 2250 (800 Math, 720 CR, 730W), probably will try to raise over 2300 this fall
SAT II: 800 both on Math II and Physics

Awards/Honors: National Math Olympiad (3rd place), National Linguistics Olympiad (3rd place)

Extracurricular Activities: Soccer (3 years), Volleyball(2 years), Math club(7 years), Physics club(2 years), Programming club(2 years)

Intended major: Applied Math

Ethnicity: Asian Ukrainian

33

Male, Asian (Chinese)
GPA: 4.0/4.0 UW GPA (only male in my class w/ 4.0 GPA) , 4.33 UC Capped GPA
SAT: 2280[2290 superscore] 780CR,730M[740M superscored], 770 W
SAT II scores: 800 Math II, 800 Bio E
9 AP’s: World Hist 4, AB Calc 5, English L&C 5, US Hist 5, Psych 5
(Sr year AP’s= BC Calc, English Lit, Physics, Stats)
All core subject classes are either honors or AP exclusively (4 AP’s JR year, 1 AP Sophomore year (sophomores can only take one))

Applying to: College of Engineering (Bioengineering)

EC (listed in order of importance to me)/Awards:
Authorship on a published scientific review (collaborated with researchers at Fred Hutch Cancer Research Center, NOT first author). Based on recent research done on cancer growth inhibitors.
Community College Biotech lab volunteering (2 weeks [17 hrs] so far, might do more)
Debate club officer (“Captain”)
Science club
1st in statewide biotech science competition
1st in division orchestra festival/2nd overall
Commended national merit scholar
Student of the month
AP Scholar w/ distinction

34

UC GPA: 4.27
Unweighted GPA: 3.96
Weighted GPA: 4.57

California Resident, Out-Of-State, or International

CA Resident

SAT Reasoning Scores (by section) or ACT scores: 800 Math 800 CR 690 W 2290
SAT II Scores
800 Math II 760 Physics

Which college are you applying to? (Letters and Science, Engineering, Chemistry, etc.)

L&S Computer Science

List a few of your most important ECs (a list of 20+ items is not needed)

President of Anime Club
VP of Japanese Cultures Club
President and Founder of Psychology Club
Volunteer at German Saturday School
Volunteer at local library
Self-taught languages (Javascript, PHP) and program during free time (work on game projects)
Write short stories (wrote a script for a HS play)

35

@Defeat. Good SAT scores except writing is a little low, no worries though. From my experience, Berkeley is definitely going to holistically review your application so make sure to really emphasize your extracurriculars. Also remember that it’s quality over quantity, meaning it’s more important to list and talk about the things which you have done for a long time or are important, rather than listing all the small ec’s that would not hold meaning to your application. Good luck and Go Bears!

36

Hello~ this is my first post on here so help is greatly appreciated!

UC GPA: 4.57
Unweighted GPA: 3.97
Weighted GPA: 4.3? (9th grade grades were particularly bad because of a family situation but thankfully UC’s do not look at 9th grade/ I have gotten straight A’s since then)

AP Classes taken:
AP Biology 4
AP World History 4
AP US History 5
AP English Lang 4
AP Psychology 5
AP Statistics (didnt take AP test yet)

currently taking 12th grade AP’s:
AP Calc AB
AP Lit
AP Physics C: mechanics
AP Gov
Mandarin 4
Painting

California Resident, Out-Of-State, or International: California Resident

SAT Reasoning Scores (by section) or ACT scores: (CR: 640 WR: 700 Math: 730)
(my current SAT score but I am waiting on the results from October SAT to be released, hopefully they will be better!)
SAT II Scores:
Biology E: 770
Japanese: 780
Plan to take Math 2 in Nov.

Which college are you applying to? (Letters and Science, Engineering, Chemistry, etc.)
Letters and Sciences undeclared/ leaning towards physics/ science major.

List a few of your most important ECs (a list of 20+ items is not needed)

-Team Captain, Varsity Swim team 9-12th grade
-Director, School Heal the Bay Club 9-12th grade
-UCLA Medical Radiology Center internship w/ head associate professor 11-12th grade
-Wushu/Martial Arts team (outside of school) 9-12th grade
-Vice president, Academic Decathalon team 11-12th grade
-School Robotics Team 11-12th grade
-VHS Knights and Ladies school service organization 11-12th grade
-Historian, MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement) 9-12th grade
-Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP) 10-12th grade
-Piano/ music theory 9-12th grade

Work:
Actress 9-12th grade
Small business founder 9-12th grade
(all money has been put towards college savings)

Any other specific accomplishments:
-2015 Junior Honor Guard: (basically top ten students on UC GPA chosen to oversee graduation for class of 2015
-2015 CIF LA City Swim Championships: (4th overall in 200 medley relay)
-1st Degree Black Belt (after about 8 years of doing Martial Arts)
-Music Theory up to Level 5 from Trinity College London with High Honors
-USC Mesa Day 3rd place in egg drop
-AP Scholar with Distinction
-NHSS Scholar

Demographics stuff:
Gender: Female
State: CA
Race: Mix of Japanese/Pakistani/Iranian
Both parents attended college and both have bachelors
Income Bracket: 100,000-150,000
Public school
Hook: underrepresented minority (possibly?), am going to continue swimming + wushu in college.

Thank you so much for reading and I apologize for the length!

37

Hi guys,

Student from India. I’m looking for the CS program. My scores :
ACT : 34 (36 Math, 34 Science, 33 English, 31 Reading )
SAT II : Math 800, Physics 780
11th grade : 85%

ECs :
Soccer U-17 Nationals. Several inter-school soccer certificates as well.
School Prefect in the 10th grade.
World Math Day 4th, 7th and 10th ranks for 3 years, before my 9th grade though.

38

OOS male (from South), no hooks
35C (36M, 35S, 34R, 33E)
UW 3.6 (due to football/concussion soph year–most As since then), 4.02W, 11APs
2 summer programs taking college credit comp sci classes,Harvard CS50
primary EC for last 6 years: game developer on multi-player open platform website (eg, game launched in July has had 960k+ players; game launched two days ago already has 280k+ players)

I know UW GPA is very low but perhaps that holistic thing will work in my favor…

39

Hey guys I am not here to chance. I am a CS/Cognitive science double major at UC berkeley this year I remember how stressful it was applying to college last year so I would really be interested in helping you if you have any questions. I am in L & S. direct message me if you want personalized feedback. I do not have time to read and respond to all chances on the chances thread. I go to cal after all! Good luck to you all and no matter what you may here apply because a sliver of a chance is better than no chance at all . And in all honesty (i know it seems like BS when you are in highschool) they do care alot about the contents and quality of you as a person perhaps even more than your test scores. I have met kids here who got perfect SAT scores who are in the same classes as kids who got 1700 .

40

UC GPA: 4.08
Unweighted GPA: 3.78
Weighted GPA: 4.25
Top 9 % (my school doesn’t let us know what specific rank we’re in, so it’s either you’re in the top 9% of your grade or you’re not)

California Resident

ACT scores: 32 C (34 E, 35 M, 30 R, 28 S) 10 W
35 C (34 E, 35 M, 36 R, 35 S) 8 W ;(

SAT II Scores:
700 Bio M (going to retake)
(going to take Math 2 this November)

AP Scores: I only have a single 3 in APUSH as of now (I’m currently a senior), will this hurt my chances a lot?

Which college are you applying to? L&S Pre-Business

List a few of your most important ECs (a list of 20+ items is not needed)
-President of Key Club (organized collection drives, UNICEF Halloween drive, etc.)
-President/Founder of Stock Market Club (planning to participate in state/regional virtual investment contests)
-VP of DECA club (state comps, etc.)
-Coached elementary/middle-school kids soccer at a Korean-American soccer organization in a local city for 3-4 years.
-Paid internship as a business marketing apprentice at an import/exporting company.
-Worked as a regular employee at a web designing company with an above-average pay than just minimum wage. I got recruited as a web design for their company for 2 summers, since I couldn’t work during the school year. Although I have some interest and ability in computer graphic designs, I don’t wish to pursue this as a possible major of mine in college.
-Raised a collection drive for a non-profit organization (New Eyes, a 501c-nonprofit organization) and collected hundreds of glasses during this summer, and looking forward to continue this project for a couple of more months into my senior year.
-Started an online business and planning to create a kickstarter, but don’t know if the results and accomplishments of this business will prevail in time for application deadlines (I wrote my essays about this, explained the growth and development, and showed how this business has shaped my interests for entrepreneurship).