What Are My Chances of Getting Into Berkeley?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Long Post. Be warned.

Hello everyone! I’m currently a Junior in High School and as the end of this school year gets closer, the stress of getting into college is starting. I’m 100% sure that I will be applying for Film/Video major wherever I go. 1st on my list of schools, is Berkeley. I know the film program there isn’t that great, but I love the environment and I love Film theory (what their school focuses on). As I see my surrounding friends with a 4.0-4.5 GPA, I’m getting really nervous as to whether or not I’ll be accepted at Berkeley. As anxious as I am, I decided to ask you all what my chances of getting into Berkeley are (or any UC) and what I can do to improve my chances.

Before I provide information, I would like to note that I have chronic depression and generalized anxiety that I have to take medication for everyday . You’ll understand why I bring this up as you look at the information I’ll be providing.

I’m a 6’2" Mexican/ Spanish male living in California. I attend a public school in the bay area. My classes/grades from my past years are the following:

Freshmen Year:
FIRST SEMESTER
Biology: B+
Drawing: A+
English: A
Geography: A
P. E. : A
Geometry: B

SECOND SEMESTER
FIRST SEMESTER
Biology: B+
Drawing: A+
English: A
Introduction to Comp Apps: A
P. E. : A
Geometry: A

Sophomore Year:

FIRST SEMESTER

AP World: C-
P. E. : A
Spanish 2 : A
Chemistry : B
Algebra 2: B
Advanced English 2: B

SECOND SEMESTER

AP World : C-
P. E. : B
Spanish 2 : A
Chemistry : B
Algebra 2: B
Advanced English 2 : C+

Junior Year :
(P. S. I took U. S history over the summer at a community college.)

First Semester

Pre Cal : B
Video Productions : A
AP World History : B
Teacher Assistant: Pass
Spanish 3 : B
AP Psych : C-
Honors English : C-

Second Semester

Pre-Cal : B-
Video Productions : A
Sociology : A
Spanish 3: B
AP Psych: C-
Honors English C-

Classes taking over the summer this year:

-American Government
-Economics
-Intro to Music Theory
-Intro to commercialized Art

Classes taking Senior Year
-English 4
-Video Productions

  • Intro to Film (College Course class that gives college credit)
    -Intro to Film Music ( Same as above)
    -Photography
    -Ceramics

Taking at a college in senior Year

-Music Analysis

(P. S. My high school allows us to take classes at a community college. Those classes count as high school credit and college credit. In a way it’s AP with no AP test.)

Extracurricular Activity

  • 2 years of Track
  • 1 year of soccer
  • 1 year of cross country
    -over 130 hours of community service
    -Club Officer for 2 different clubs
  • Independent Filmmaker
    -Musician
    -Play in a band
    -Perform at community festivals with my band
    -and intern at a local video company that makes commercials for local companies.

ACT Score :

31

As you can see my grades took a sudden drop sophomore year. That’s when my depression and anxiety that was passed onto me from my mom, really kicked in and became apparent. Again, I’m applying to the film program at Berkeley. I wouldn’t have a chance at all of getting into Berkeley if I was applying for business. People Say that art majors have a higher chance of getting in, so that’s why I’m actually trying to get into Berkeley. But then again that can be a lie and I don’t really have a chance at all.

Thank you for reading this. If you can, please leave information below regarding my chances of getting in and what I can do to improve them. Thank you again.

2

First: Calculate your UC GPA, there’s a calculator for that somewhere online.
Does your school differentiate between C+'s and C-'s? If not, I calculated your GPA to be around a 3.22 Unweighted.
Maybe take the ACT again and aim for a 2-3 point improvement? A 33-34 is much more competitive than a 31.
To be perfectly honest, your chances are not extremely high. You should still apply, but your GPA is definitely holding you back.

http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/california-residents/admissions-index/
This is a link to the eligibility index for UC’s. If you meet the requirements, you’re automatically in one of them (Generally it’s UC Merced that you’ll be put into). I had a friend who got denied at all the UC’s but since she qualified via the eligibility index she was guaranteed a spot at one of the UC’s and she was placed in UC Berkeley for some random reason.

Overall, definitely apply! I think you should meet the eligibility index since you have taken fairly rigorous courses and your ACT is pretty high. Can you still work to improve your grades? There’s still a month of school left, I would buckle down and 100% focus on improving those grades, they are the single most important factor in college admissions.

Definitely mention your chronic illness in the additional information section in the UC Application.
Good job on still being able to mostly succeed in very rigorous courses despite your illness!
I’m sure the colleges will take notice, but I’m not sure how that’ll play out with your GPA. You never know unless you apply.

Good luck. Hopefully you’ll get into Berkeley!

3

UC GPA calculator: http://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

Based on your posted grades for 10-11th, your UC GPA is around a 3.19. You should address your illness in your essays, but based on your GPA and HS course rigor, you will have a difficult time in getting into any UC. UC’s will also not take into account your ethnicity. If you have your controlled your illness, I suggest you consider a community college and then transfer to UCB after 2 years. This will give some experience in a college setting without being too overwhelming and give you a chance to excel. There is no harm in applying to UCB, but make sure you have some good Safeties and Match schools on your list (Cal States or some privates). Good Luck to you.