UC chances for a normal guy?

<p>Hey guys,
Californian resident
UC GPA: 3.41
ACT: 26
SATII Lit: 580
SATII USH: 630</p>

<p>EC's:
Not much. 2 part jobs. 50+ hours at a local hospital and I represented my homeroom in student government in 10th grade.</p>

<p>But here is the only thing I think I got going for me. Between grades 10 and 12 (the only grades the UC's look at?) I will have taken 1 honors level class, 4 IB classes, 1 AP class, and 7 CC classes. I am hoping this course load will help me out..</p>

<p>Chances for the UCs?</p>

<p>You should join some summer programs, I joined two and I think that helped me out alot. My stats were similar to yours and I got in all except berkeley.</p>

<p>ACT/SAT II/GPA are all low. Not that many ECs. If that really is your UC GPA, then </p>

<p>UCLA/UCB/UCSD: Reach
UCD: Low Reach
UCI/UCSB: Low Reach/Slight Reach
UCSC/UCR: Match
UCM: Safety</p>

<p>While what Tien is saying may well be true, the fact of the matter remains is that the probabilities of getting into the first and second tier UCs with your application are too low to be taken for granted. Sure you have a crap shoot at them, and sometimes that crap shoot will work, but nothing at all stands out. The only thing you can do now is retake your standardized tests to get a better shot at the second tier. I think UCSB or UCI are still within reach. Aim for a 30+ on the ACt and break 700 on the SAT IIs.</p>

<p>If you really have 7 CC classes, why not take 3 this summer, then 10 next year and transfer as a junior-year college student after that (you'd apply around January to February of the coming year--2008--for the UCs in what would be your junior year of 2009-2010). They wouldn't care about your relatively lower SAT and ACT scores--and if you could get about a 3.6 + you'd be good for UCLA and UC Berkeley. This would also give you a chance to work on your ECs. And you'd only need about a 3.3 to 3.4 GPA for UCI/UCSB/UCD.</p>

<p>Best of all--you'd be saving a lot of money and graduating earlier than everyone else in your class (which might impress some employers).</p>

<p>For SD, there is a point calculation page where you can see if you make the cut off or not.</p>

<p>Berkeley/UCLA: big reach
UCSD: reach
UCSB/UCD/UCI: slight reach - reach
UCSC/UCR: slight reach - high match
UCM: match</p>