<p>I'm looking at some of the upper UCs since I don't have a strong chance at the Ivy Leagues, Stanford, etc.</p>
<p>I feel like I have a good chance at UCLA and Berkeley, but I'm considering their engineering programs and I hear they are often much harder to get admission into. While I like the idea of engineer, I really have a very limited idea of what I want to do with my future, so it's definitely not a dream of mine. So my question is, do you think I should apply to the college of engineering at the UCs, or to the main colleges?</p>
<p>Stats:
SAT 1:2170
700 Math (but I think I can do better with a retake) 720 Reading 750 Writing
ACT: 33
34 Math 35 Reading 35 Writing 28 Science (bleh)</p>
<p>GPA: 4.0uw
I took math up to AP Calc, but I don't have any math course for my senior year...</p>
<p>ECs:
Basically just Academic Decathlon and journalism</p>
<p>I did really well in AcDec getting first place at reigonals and third at state, I am captain next year, and I now have an internship writing study materials for it.</p>
<p>For journalism, I've been on for three years as an editor, won a couple of awards, and have a summer internship with the local paper.</p>
<p>However, I don't really have any ECs that pertain to engineering. Will that hurt?</p>
<p>UCLA and Berkeley are difficult to get into too.
Well just look at your scores. Come on. You are very good students based on the scores.</p>
<p>I think you have a shot.
Now you have three things to do:</p>
<p>letters of recommendations - get good one, strong one, people that know you well
build your resume
admission essays - this is the biggest of all three</p>
<p>if scores are expectations, then admission essay is a YES/NO </p>
<p>admission staff can only learn who you are from your essay. It is harder to getting 2400 on SAT, 4.0 in school, and definitely harder than becoming the #1 in math decathlon. I said this because it’s very hard to write something that they might find interesting. LOL</p>
<p>I have read one that is extremely fun. OMG. I don’t remember where he went to. But if I were MIT, Harvard, UCLA, Cornell, or Standford’s staff, I will admit this kid right away. It was funny as hell. I read this about two years ago, and I still remember it. He told the people his life and his goals in a very very funny way. I would go back to high school and ask my teacher for a copy if possible.</p>
<p>You need to bring yourself into the essay.</p>
<p>It is okay that you don’t have experience in engineering. What matter is how you present your interest in engineering / science, and how you tell them who you are.</p>
<p>Hmm…The non-engineering EC’s won’t hurt you much, since UC admission is mostly score and GPA based, but your SAT math is rather low for an engineering major, and the UC’s don’t like it when people skip out on a year of math. Is there any way you can take AP Stats your senior year?</p>
<p>lol okay
forget what i said.
It’s odd to know this.</p>
<p>But I thought nthat most colleges actually weight essays the second most after scores, because having solid scores expected to get into a good program.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice.
I’ll be sure to spend plenty of time on the essays regardless of what they count for. I actually like/ have practice writing pieces about myself, so I hope they’ll be good.</p>
<p>I don’t know what UC GPA is, but I’ve only gotten A’s, so mines probably 4.0</p>
<p>I got an 800 on SAT Math II and a 780 on Chem. Will those help compensate for my relatively low SAT math score if I can’t bring it up significantly?</p>
<p>My school does offer AP Stats, but everyone says it’s a complete joke and a waste of time. I suppose I could take it, but I don’t really like the idea of taking a bad class just for a slightly better college admission chance…
My Algebra I and Geometry classes I took in middle school are on my high school transcript, so I think I technically have 5 years of high school math without a course in senior year. Do you know if that means anything?</p>
<p>Also, should I apply as an engineer if I’m not completely set on the idea?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>if you have a 4.0 uwGPA, then by definition your UC GPA will also be 4.0.</p></li>
<li><p>the UC schools don’t require recommendations (and, in fact, will not read them), unless you receive “the Questionaire” after you have applied.</p></li>
<li><p>At the UC’s, the GPA is the most important.</p></li>
<li><p>Your SAT’s are still considered strong.</p></li>
<li><p>Please consider UCSD, which in many ways is getting close to UCLA in academic quality, particularly in Engineering and the Sciences.</p></li>
<li><p>UC Berkeley engineering is better than any of the Ivies and comparable to MIT, Stanford and CalTech.</p></li>
<li><p>Please apply to a couple of the Ivies and Stanford, you never know what might happen. Cornell and Princeton have the two best engineering programs in the Ivies. Make sure that you get a good look at Harvey Mudd and Carnegie Mellon.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I’ll definitely apply to UCSD, it’s just not a top choice of mine. I’m also planning to apply to Ivies and definitely Stanford, I just think UCLA and Berkeley are more of target schools for me and I was afraid applying as an engineer would make them reaches.</p>
<p>Do you know which Ivies you have to apply specifically as an engineer and which ones you can choose that major for later?</p>
<p>I toured Harvey Mudd, and it looked like a really good school. I’ll apply, but I’m slightly hesitant about its really small class. I don’t know much about Carnegie Mellon, but I’ll look into it.</p>
<p>As for CalTech and MIT, I’m a little hesitant since I think they’re pretty far out of my reach. My 700 on SAT I math is way below their averages.</p>
<p>No, after Bakke vs. UC Regents, the UC’s are no longer allowed to practice affirmative action, so Asians are not at a disadvantage like they are at private schools.</p>
<p>Global Traveler, unfortunately this is no longer that case as engineers, even from top schools such as UC Berkeley and Georgia Tech, are having problems getting jobs…</p>
<p>this was posted in one of the other enigneering threads</p>
<p>What were specific engineering majors with grads having trouble finding jobs?</p>
<p>What were their specializations?</p>
<p>One needs to monitor that THROUGHOUT their college years. I understand having personal interests, but one needs to also do as they say in the music industry “keep an ear to the street”.</p>
<p>Well, if a CS major specialized in compiler design…umm yeah, he/she would have some trouble. If they specialized in information assurance, they may had more opportunities.</p>