USC/UCLA/UCB/UCSD/CMU/CALTECH for computer science?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

I was wondering what my chances are of getting into the schools in the title. Thank you for reading in advance!

Note: My school doesn’t allow freshmen or sophomores to take weighted classes, with the exceptions of H Pre-Calc, AP art history, and AP music theory.

Race: Asian and White
No School Rank
W GPA: 4.33 (for UC’s)
UW GPA: 4.0
SAT I: (first) 800 M, 700 CR, 690 W, (second)800 M, 760CR, 760 W: aggregate: 2320
SAT II: 800 Math II, 800 Physics
AP: 5 Computer Science, 5 Physics, 4 Environmental, 4 Chemistry, 5 Music Theory

Freshman:
H English 9 A/A
H History 9 A/A
H Geometry A/A
Science 1 A/A
Spanish 1 A/A
Choir A/A

Sophomore: (Dropped out of my honors humanities courses, but I enrolled in honors science)
English 10 A/A
History 10 A/A
H Algebra 2 A/A
H Science 2 A/A
Spanish 2 A/A
Choir A/A

Junior:
European Lit A/A
AP Physics A/A
AP Comp Sci A/A
AP Chemistry A/A
H Pre-Calc A/A
Spanish 3 A/A

Senior: (First semester grades have not been finalized)
AP Government
AP Bio
Calculus (There is no AP calculus at my school, but this class is still weighted)
AP Statistics
AP English Lit (I have a B in this class as of now)
H Spanish 4
ASB

Extra-curriculars:
AAA Travel Ice Hockey
Varsity Lacrosse since 10th
Lacrosse Team Captain
Class Council freshman through junior year
ASB pep-rally commissioner senior year
Habitat for Humanity President
Computer Science Club president
Science Olympiad since sophomore year

I don’t have an exceptional number of notable extra-curriculars compared with some of the people here, but what are my chances? Thanks again if you read this in completion.

2

Well, you never know with CMU CS and Caltech, but your scores, course load, and GPA all seem fine (well, more than fine :stuck_out_tongue: ). I would say the math classes you’re taking aren’t the highest level, but your school doesn’t offer AP Calc, so I’m assuming you’re taking the highest level at school, which is good. Your extracurricular activities aren’t mind blowing, but still pretty impressive and diverse; how you did in the Science Olympiad is also a factor (say, if you placed nationally or something).

Overall, I think you have UCSD in the bag with your scores and GPA. I’d say you’ll probably get into UCLA and USC too. UCB depends. If you’re applying to EECS, then the competition is pretty stiff, and you never know what may happen. If you’re applying to CS in College of Letters and Sciences, then I think you got a pretty good chance at UCB too (mind you have to meet certain GPA requirements freshman year in order to declare CS - I think). Like I said, CMU CS and Caltech are reach schools for just about anyone, but I’d say you’ll be considered for them; it probably just goes down to the essays and how well you portray yourself at this point. Anyways, good luck!

3

USC/UCLA/UCB - (high)match
UCSD - low match
Caltech - reach

4

Your ECs, particularly CS related, will hold you back for CMU, Caltech, UCB and UCLA. Your school doesn’t rank but most kids have a rough idea where they fall in the class. Are you top 10%, 5%, or what in your opinion? A lot of times AOs will estimate where you are in the class based upon their knowledge of the school and/or the school profile that the school provides in which many provide grade distribution by deciles or quintiles even if they don’t specifically rank. Good luck!