UK A levels student applying to UCBerkeley, UCLA, Lehigh U Pre Med (Neuroscience/Neurobiology major)

Student Lounge International Students
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I realized that I have previously posted this on the wrong forum!

Hi everyone,

So this is my first thread, and I’ll start off by introducing myself.
I am a Year 13 (senior) in a UK Boarding school, and I have been studying in the UK for some 7 years. I originally come from South Korea, and I am also a U.S. Permanent resident (California). UC Berkeley is my dream school, and I was wandering if I could get some objective criticisms from any of you out there possibly seeking for a place at Berkeley.

SAT: 2080 (CR 650 M 700 W 730 [Essay 10])
SAT II: Chem 670. <not planning on taking any more, and I am not aiming for colleges that REQUIRE these scores.

UK IGCSE: 4A* 5A 2B
UK A Levels (Predicted): AAA in Maths, Chemistry and Spanish, and possibly A* in maths (A2s have only just started, so although I scored highly in AS, teachers are avoiding to predict me anything higher than an A)

College Essays: Prompt #3, my experiences from summer internships and volunteering in the Philippines (for more info, DM me)

I am planning on taking the SAT in two weeks time, and hoping to boost up my score to a 2200. I have been prepping for the SAT over the summer holiday but the UK curriculum doesn’t give me enough leeway to study for the SATs during school terms. In practice tests, I have been achieving mid 2100 and managed to get 2200 in my latest one. Furthermore, I was ill on the test day and overslept so only managed to arrive on time; I realize that this might be a factor to consider for my recent SAT score.

In terms of Extra Curriculas and Leadership positions, I have a handful, but I wanted to see how far I would go without them being taken into consideration. If anyone here understands the UK system, or Pre- Med applications, or the UC schools it would be great to hear some advices and criticisms.

Thanks in advance, and good luck to you all.

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UC Berkeley and UCLA are public universities which today charge international students $60,000 or so per year. Do your parents have a quarter of a million dollars to spend on your education? If so, with good grades and good SAT score you will be probably accepted.

If your parents won’t/can’t spend so much money on your bachelor’s degree, you need to look at private universities which offer financial aid. And that’s a whole different discussion since then you’re competing with top students from around the world .

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Hi @katliamom, thank you for your reply.
One of the main reasons that I want to go to UCs is the fact that I am a Californian resident. If I can qualify as an In state applicant, going to UCB or UCLA would actually be a huge bargain for such a top quality education.

In terms of private universities, I am still discovering where would be the right fit for me, since there seems to be an infinite number of colleges, each with its own style.

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I’m sorry, I clearly missed that you’re a California resident - which changes everything! My bad. You need to definitely raise your CR score – right now, it’s on the lower side for UCB and UCLA. But overall, looking at percentiles, a 2100 and especially 2200 put you in a pretty good place as far as a percentile of admitted/enrolled students. Your international background may also give you a bit of an edge if you leverage it in your essay.

But I’m not an expert in the UCs per se, so you might post this in the Parents Forum, where posters are more familiar with the UC’s specific requirements/stats. This forum is predominantly about international students. Good luck!

http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/prospect/adm_fr/Frosh_Prof14.htm
http://admissions.berkeley.edu/studentprofile

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Are your parents paying California taxes? You, personally, attending boarding school in the UK, does not make you a resident. If your parents have been paying California taxes for the past 7 years, while you have been away at school, then yes, you might be considered instate, but you also have to establish physical presence.

A problem that arises is that your education has been outside of the state, so your admission review would be based as an international candidate, but your fees might be instate if your parents have held a California residence and lived there (not rented-out the property) paying taxes yearly. If not, then you will be paying full fees of $55K per year. The UC’s are very familiar with the California instate curriculum for high schools. Since you are away at boarding school, your application would be viewed as international. The UC’s seriously consider physical presence for admission as a California resident:

http://www.ucop.edu/general-counsel/_files/ed-affairs/uc-residence-policy.pdf

Your SAT, as of right now is not competitive for Berkeley. Anything over 2250 would be help. Berkeley doesn’t have a PRE med major.

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I forgot to add: Why does the state want you/parents to be physically present in California?

As a resident, you pay for California products and services on an almost daily basis to help local businesses and the economy. If neither you, nor your parents are physically present in California, neither you, nor your parents, can contribute to the state’s economy which helps pay taxes to fund our state’s public universities that you want to attend.

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Your current GPA is a 4.0, with excellent IGCSE results, actual AS results, and predicted AAA at A-Level. (UCs do not distinguish between A and A*). However you need to increase your SAT score - but getting to 2100 should be a piece of cake from 2080.
As a CA resident, I would urge you to apply to more than UCB and UCLA. UCSD, UCD, and Cal Poly SLO should be on your list (or UCSB, especially is the CCS interests you.)
What’s your parents’ budget for your studies?
Look into Occidental; Scripps if you’re a girl.
Any preference beside CA?

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@MYOS1634 Thank you for your thoughtful reply.

In terms of AS results, however, my school (along with a few other private schools) does not officially publish my AS results until I get my overall A levels results. When I went to USA College Day a few weeks ago, a representative from JHU told me that its fine for me to not list my attained AS level. So I hope this isn’t an issue.

Following on from @aunt bea’s previous input, I have found out more about my current residential status. Although I am a green card holder, I do not qualify as an In state applicant (since I do not fit into their two categories 1. Physical presence 2. tax to the state), so I have decided to look to other colleges as well as the UCs. I am still applying to UCB, UCLA and UCSD, but I am not quite sure if I should apply to any more or to apply to some private LACs that I might have a chance to ‘shine’ in. < since I will be declaring as Pre med.

I have also been studying extensively for the November SATs, hopefully bringing up my Math and CR score. If I do well in the Math section, I’m hoping to get 750+. CR, I will be happy at 700 if I could get it.

In terms of budget, my parents are willing to pay as much as they can, and I do not see it as the major factor into my college decisions. I understand that there are various ways of receiving financial aid if I do well in college, so… :slight_smile:

I have another thread (has the same title as this one, but on a different forum) in which I explained some of my college preferences, ECs, etc. Could I direct you to that thread so that I won’t have to write up loads once again? :wink:

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You could always copy and paste it yourself.

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If your school doesn’t provide AS results, it’s fine. However actual GCSE results and predicted A-Levels are required. Some universities will be fine with GCSE only but if you submit A Levels they’ll waive some requirements so even if they don’t require it, it’s worth it to send them. Listing 4 AS Levels with high grades can only help but it’s not a requirement.
Residency depends on your PARENTS: have they lived in CA for more than a year?
Boarding school students are still considered “in state” regardless of where their boarding school is, provided their parents live in California. And if they live in California legally, then they pay their taxes there, have a driver’s license there, rent or own a house/apartment there… and thus are residents. The only exception would be if your parents are on F1 visas.

Unfortunately that’s not the way it goes. Ask your parents how much is their upper limit. Obviously you’ll look for cheaper options, but without taking on any loan, only from their savings and current income, how much can they afford to subtract from their income for your college every month?