<p>Hello
UC Berkely, UCLA, UCSD, and Caltech are one my top choices list
Reasons:
1.) Top mechanical engineering programs in the country
2.) California is the best state in the world</p>
<p>I would like to know tips on getting in and the social life of these schools. </p>
<p>I am OOS</p>
<p>As you are OOS, have you investigated the A-G requirements to be sure you have them all? The one most often missed is the VPA.</p>
<p>Tips for getting in: high grades and test scores. An 800 on Math 2. UCSD is on point system; seach SD’s thread on cc and you’ll need how the points are calculated.</p>
<p>And you probably know this, but you included it in your “UC” question so I’ll point it out anyway - Caltech isn’t a UC.</p>
<p>Oh yes sorry about that, i just wanted to put emphasis on Cal schools.
Im not exactly sure what A-G is, but if it means course requirements, im taking 4 years of everything (math, science, LA, history, lang, and electives)</p>
<p>A big issue for the first 3 is whether or not you need financial aid. They do not work out for most OOS students who do as they have very limited OOS aid and are pretty expensive for OOS students ($45K/yr).</p>
<p>I’m focusing on getting in for now than tuition</p>
<p>
Admission tip: find out what the admission requirements are for the schools to which you are applying. The UC requirements are a bit rigid - if you do not have them, you are not eligible for admission except through “Admission by Exception,” which is very rare and usually for recruited athletes. Everything you need to know can be found here: [University</a> of California - Admissions - The University of California offers one of the broadest ranges of study of any institution of higher learning in the world, all at an affordable price.](<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergraduate.html]University”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergraduate.html) Things to pay attention to: Calculating UC GPA, A-G requirements (including VPA), and testing requirements.</p>
<p>do you know specifically how to calculate the gpa for UCs?</p>
<p>THANK YOU FOR THAT LINK!!!
I found out now that UCs look at weighted grades (it looks like thats all UCLA looks at) for OOS students. I was getting freaked out because im taking all the hardest courses next year offered to sophomores. Im going to work twice as hard as i did this year. UCLA looks more in reach now and im going to try my hardest for Berkley! (For OOS, Berkley accepts less OOS % and UCLA more than in instate)</p>
<p>Not so fast…the only weights for OOS are AP/IB courses. But that won’t hinder your app bcos it will be read in its context; they’ll understand that honors courses are not weighted for OOS. Unlike instate kids, you won’t be expected to have a ~4.2+ gpa.</p>
<p>There is a maximum number of courses which they will weight. AND the A-G requirements include VPA (Visual/Performing Arts) that is the one most OOS students miss. You HAVE to have a full year of VPA, no exceptions.</p>
<p>As budget cuts loom in CA you should think long and hard about the COA as an OOS for a UC. Don’t expect a lot of Financial Aid as an OOS student.</p>
<p>Im not expecting financial aid. I hope I at least qualify. We have college funds started since I was little.
Anywhere i go i have at least 30k to go through a year.
It said that “award 1 extra point for approved honor AND Ap”</p>
<p>itry, good luck. </p>
<p>Your question was humorous to me. I live in California and most of my friends look at the UC system as a place to go if you can’t get into an Ivy school or similar with a great fa package. I had three friends who had to “settle” for UCLA or UCB. One was accepted into Cornell but with no fa. Another was accepted to Hopkins with no significant fa. The third was accepted into some pretigious LACs, including CM, but the fa wasn’t great. All three are actually bummed by the idea of attending a UC. I keep hearing, “I’ve wasted four years of my life; I didn’t have to work so hard to go to ______” It’s kind of nice to see someone actually excited about the possibility of going to a UC.</p>
<p>For the record, the UC system is hurting for money, more now than every before. They are raising tuition and fees. They will probably focus on rich kids of the 2010 class and rich internationals. Anyone who can pay the full load is going to look very attractive to the UC admins this winter.</p>
<p>Texas > California</p>
<p>really? It’s not like that on the east coast. I want to do g
Film and engineering so there isn’t a better place than ucs. I want to go to cornell as well</p>
<p>itry - Re: UC GPA. Yes, you may add 1 point for each AP, IB or UC-approved honors course. The UC maintains a list for every California public and most private high schools that shows which honors courses are “UC-approved.” As OOS high schools do not have lists, OOS students may only add 1 point for each AP or IB course. The UC is aware of this and considers your GPA accordingly. (By the way, at my daughter’s California public high school, NONE of the honors courses were UC-approved for the extra point, so you not at as much of a disadvantage as you might think.)</p>
<p>A quick rundown on calculating:</p>
<p>-10th and 11th grades ONLY
-A-G courses ONLY
-No more than two AP or IB courses may be awarded the extra point in sophomore year
<a href=“http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman/scholarship_reqs.html[/url]”>http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/paths_to_adm/freshman/scholarship_reqs.html</a></p>
<p>Re: Film and Engineering - if that is the order of importance (Film before Engineering), you might also look at USC. (Which is not a UC)</p>
<p>Engineering then film</p>
<p>are you sure? I selected non residential and honors still showed up.</p>