What do you guys think is a good enough score on the new (2016) SAT to be accepted by UC Berkeley or UCLA?
I’m aware that SAT scores aren’t the only factors of consideration for admission, but I ask because I’m getting conflicting messages from various guidance counselors at my school (he says that a high 1300 score is “great for Berkeley and UCLA,” something I frankly have a very hard time believing – one would think it would be higher!)…
Well, the average (Reading & Math) score for admitted students at Berkeley is 1396 and the average for UCLA is 1377.
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/campuses/ucla/freshman-profile/index.html
But many factors are considered. For instance, my son went to a low income, high minority school that was ELC (Eligible in the local context). This gives all students from those high schools additional consideration in the 14 factors used to evaluate applicants.
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/california-residents/local-path/
In other words, there is no one factor such as scores or GPA that ensures acceptance, but you need to evaluate your entire application against all the factors used. For example, If your high school is not ELC, then your SAT score should be higher than the average to compensate.
@Yomama12 Thank you so much! I appreciate your response.
The thing I’m primarily confused about is this: when I asked my guidance counselor about SAT scores for UCB and UCLA, he brought up the average reading and math scores of admitted students (as you mentioned above). However, he also added something along the lines of, “Since the new SAT is scored on a 1600-pt. scale, you can’t just refer to the average reading/math scores of admitted applicants, because those are now irrelevant since they are the old SAT averages. You have to pay attention to the overall SAT score, too.”
When I asked him for clarification, he essentially told me that I should aim for a higher reading/math score than the average of accepted students. Here’s where I’m confused though – while he previously told me that a “high 1300” is “great” and a “target score” for Berkeley and LA, he later added that I should aim to surpass the averages of Berkeley and LA (which is of course very understandable, except for the fact that their respective averages are 1396 and 1377…so if I aim to surpass these – especially Berkeley’s average – I’ll no longer be in the 1300s, but in the 1400s).
He left me by saying that I should aim to score the equivalent of ~2300 on the old SAT; however, this corresponds to neither a score in the high 1300s on the new SAT (which he said was a “great target score”) nor in the 1400s (which would be achieved by surpassing UCB/UCLA averages, as he advised me to do).
So overall, I’m very confused! I always considered the average values you posted above, but now my counselor has given me a variety of conflicting advice, including that the averages are no longer relevant! Very confused :S
Edit: I also go to an ELC school.
I can understand the confusion! And when he is referring to 2300 on the old SAT, is he including the writing score also?
I wouldn’t overthink it, anyways, Try to get the best score you can get. I just wanted to caution you that any one item, such as test scores, is only one factor of the overall application.
I just noticed your edit, so I am editing my response. The ELC should help, but I don’t know how much. I know my son had a UC weighted GPA lower than the average (3.7), very high scores (35 ACT), no volunteer hours, two EC’s that he was very passionate about (robotics and jazz band) and took the hardest classes offered at his high school. These were his results (he is a computer science/math double major):
Berkeley - accepted, going there.
UCLA - accepted, honors college (L&S)
UCSD - accepted, honors college
UCSB - accepted, honors college
Davis - accepted, honors college, $13k merit scholarships
Cal Poly - accepted, $17k merit scholarships
I think his high test scores were mostly responsible for getting in and getting offered honors college and merit scholarships. He did not get offered any regents scholarships. The students at his high school who did get regents offered had far better GPA scores than he did, and I think that was the big factor.
@Yomama12
I’m glad to hear that someone can understand my confusion!! I tried asking other guidance counselors at my school, but they only redirected me to my counselor, saying that he’d be the best person to approach with “my specific needs” :-?
I imagine he is including the writing score when he says 2300 (which is not even included in the 1600-pt. new score), because even perfect critical reading and math scores on the old SAT would amount to 1600 
Thank you very much for your response!! I appreciate it! I guess I’ll find out if my SAT score can get me accepted soon enough :)) !!
I think either you misunderstood your counselor or (s)he is completely ignorant! I did read somewhere that there is a published chart which shows the equivalent scores between the old and new tests and according to that you need to get even a higher score now to match the old score in each section of the test (as the test is becoming easier).
For the best chances at any school, you want to aim above the averages, especially for competitive majors. As stated in the above posts, do your best and apply. There is more to your application than SAT scores so try to present the best possible application you can which includes GPA/Test scores/EC’s and essays.
@Yomama12 Wow! Congrats to your son on all the great acceptances and merit scholarships!! I would be ecstatic if I were in his place 
@uclaparent9 I really do hope I can get a clear answer from my counselor, but I unfortunately don’t think I misunderstood him (at least, I hope not! :D); my friends and I recently had question about superscoring, and when we approached him, he verbatim told us to “look on Google” because “counselors are busy at the end of the school year” 
At least we have knowledgeable parents and students on CC!
Anyway, I will try to find the conversion table you are referring to. 
@Gumbymom I agree – this seems like the best approach.
Thank you all for your responses!! You all have been MUCH more helpful to me than my counselor has been :’(