UCs and a few LACs...

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>Hi, I'm new here. Please be totally honest.</p>

<p>Intended Major: Either PS/IS or Psych</p>

<p>Schools Hoping/Planning to Apply to:
Berkeley
UCLA
UCSB
USC (my Godfather went here)
Stanford (mega reach right?)
Swarthmore (seems very interesting)
Pomona (same as above)</p>

<p>About Me!
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: White
Location: California
School Type: Small Public (1400 students), Very uncompetitve (only about 1/2 even goes onto college, most of those are Community College)
Income: $80,000/year, both parents over 50 working full time (my mom will stop working soon due to disease dropping out income down 20,000/year)</p>

<p>I'm a first-generation college student who has 2 parents who didn't finish High School.</p>

<p>GPA:
Un-weighted: 3.9ish
Weighted: 4.4
Rank: Top 5%</p>

<p>SAT I:
1970: 760M, 630 CR, 580W (?? essay)
These are probably my weakest points, I'm assuming. Hoping to raise these, I was out until midnight then had the tests 7 hours later, hoping not to do this again :P.</p>

<p>SAT II:
750: Math 2C
710: Biology</p>

<p>Classes
9 AP planned
-Biology (4)
-Statistics (5, only me and 1 other person got a 5)
-Calculus BC (in july)
-Chemistry (in july)
-English Language (in july)
-US History (in july)
-English Composition (Next year)
-US Government (Next year,, Independent Study)
-Possibly more, this is all my school offers</p>

<p>Community College Courses
-Finite Mathematics
-Sociology 101
-Pyshchology 101
-Art 101
-Cultural Anthropology
-Calculus 101C (third-year Calc, Next year)
-More classes, not sure yet</p>

<p>All other classes have been Honors, including taking Pre-Calculus my Freshman Year after school.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
Basketball:
-Frosh Year, got "Academic Award"
-Soph Year, got "Most Valuable Player Award"
-Junior Year, got "Academic Award"
-Planned to play Senior Year</p>

<p>Math and Science Bowl or Academic League:
Played in this for three years on the Main team. Hoping to do better the fourth.</p>

<p>World Affair Challenge:
Two years, helped start this at my school. My Junior year, our team won "Best Team Overall" and I got second or third in the Quiz portion of the competition as well.</p>

<p>Tutoring:
I've tutored, for free, at my school for math after school my freshman and junior years.</p>

<p>Kids Breakfast Club:
I volunteer at the KBC, a program that gives meals and education to poorer families on a reduced or free lunch at elementary schools.</p>

<p>LEO Club:
I am officer of the LEO club, an organization that helps in things like AIDS walk, breast cancer walks, seniors nights, ect.</p>

<p>CSF:
I am the President of CSF, a nationally-recognized scholarship organization.</p>

2

<p>bump for great justice</p>

3

<p>another bumb... i also need to add that i did over 150 hours of comm service over 1 summer at a kids program and then worked the next summer.</p>

4

<p>you might be able to get into a local community college</p>

5

<p>bump :'( and im pretty sure you can get into a CC no matter your grade... what a jerk!</p>

6

<p>I don't know anything about this actually--just that being a first generation college goer is a hook.</p>

7

<p>does anyone know if it helps to have parents that work in educational system when applying to state schools? My dad is a locksmith at my local CC and my mom is a special needs teachers aid.</p>

8

<p>it helps to have people who either work at or attended the school you want to go to, but just having parents who, in general, work in the educational system doesn't do much for you.</p>

<p>in regards to your chances, i'm no expert. but, just based on reading and getting a feel for it, i'd say that your sat scores are a bit low for some of the schools you listed, as you mentioned. aside from that though, you're sort of a cinderalla story, which could definitely work in your favor.</p>

<p>best of luck to you! way to be a trailblazer in your family and make things happen for yourself :)</p>

9

<p>Thanks!!! It really sucks being a 1st gen college students... I have no idea how to do anything in terms of scholarships and stuff...</p>

<p>Would it even be worth it to apply to Stanford just for the hell of it, maybe if I bring up my SAT to a 2100+? Stanford is just really cool, i've been there 2 times for the Math and Science Bowl competition and I would love to be a student there. Also Stanford has 2 of the coolest alum ever: MC Lars and my world affair challenge coach haha.</p>

10

<p>low ucs--ur in as of now, if u want berkeley stanford, raise sats by like 300 min.</p>

11

<p>Does anyone know how much the UCs/Stanford/ect looks at the writing portion of the test? Because my score of a 1390 on math/reading alone looks better... no?</p>

12

<p>from what I know, schools look at your cumulative score, rather than any one specific section.</p>

<p>but, in regards to your chances, i think you have a decent chance at the public schools (UC's). as much as i don't believe in the SATs, your SAT score will definitely need a boost, especially for your private schools, all of which are tough. </p>

<p>I don't know a lot about Swarthmore though, compared to my knowledge of the other schools, but i've heard it's a great school. I applied to Pomona, also a fantastic school, and I know that they have very high standards. USC is also a bit of a challenge, but, with a higher SAT score, you could have a pretty good chance. Stanford is self-explanatory.</p>

13

<p>thanks a lot to everyone who posted. Most of the teachers/counselors at my school (the same as the users mezz) are rather incompetent and most of them push for us to go to the local CC and then transfer to a UC (which is really not what I plan or wish to do). Anyway, thanks for the advice. If anyone else has any input, please add!</p>