Hi, I’m a high school senior planning to apply to UCSD, UCI, UCD, and UCSB as a psychology major.
I have strong extracurriculars, strong personal insight questions, background related to mental health, come from a low income family, and is a first-generation to go to college. However, I have a 3.79 unweighted GPA and I have a low SAT score, 1280. I’m planning to take the SAT again before UC apps and am predicting to raise my score up to 1350.
Here are my extracurriculars and background story related to psychology:
My GPA was lower during sophomore year because I was going through mental health struggles, however I learned how to cope with it during junior year and managed to raise my GPA, SAT score, and I started my campus’ first mental health club.
During my sophomore year, after I have recovered from depression and anorexia nervosa, I started my campus’ first mental health club called Bring Change 2 Mind. Throughout my junior year, I have worked with various mental health/psychiatric organizations, UC Berkeley’s research department and NAMI Santa Clara for example, my school’s social workers, and the school administration on campus-wide mental health events. I have been in charge of a mental health and suicide prevention workshop, been invited to a teen advisory board for Bring Change 2 Mind, and also have worked hands on with multiple self-help workshops and events. I have also done training for a listener position on a suicide hotline called 7CupsofTea, and I have been invited to the County Mental Health directors of NAMI Santa Clara to implement an innovative grant program for funding health outreach in early intervention settings like high schools.
Congratulations on your recovery and turning things around.
You need to calculate your UC GPA (capped weighted) and Fully weighted: https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
Psychology is a very popular major so you want to aim for at least the 50th percentile or higher for the best chances.
You have great EC’s so make sure your essays really highlight your experiences.
Here are the SAT ranges for admitted students by campus:
25th - 75th percentiles for SAT:
UCB: 1280-1490
UCLA: 1280-1500
UCSD: 1250-1470
UCSB: 1290-1450
UCD: 1190-1430
UCI: 1190-1420
UCSC: 1170-1380
UCR: 1090-1310
UCM: 1020-1230
Once you post your UC GPA, I can give you admit ranges based on your UC GPA.
Hi! I forgot to add the rest of my information so here it is, updated:
Hi, I’m a high school senior planning to apply to UCSD, UCI, UCD, and UCSB as a psychology major.
I have strong extracurriculars, personal insight questions that are edited by multiple teachers and alumni, come from a low income family, and I am a first-generation to go to college. However, my academics are not very strong. I have a 3.79 unweighted GPA in a competitive school, which makes me ranking 110/581 and I have a SAT score of 1280 (I’m retaking it and will realistically raise it to 1350). I also received a 4 on the AP Psychology test.
Here are my extracurriculars and background story related to psychology:
My GPA and SAT score was lower during sophomore year because I was going through mental health struggles, however I learned how to cope with it during junior year and managed to raise it.
My extracurriculars and achievements related to mental health:
- I started my campus’ first mental health club called Bring Change 2 Mind.
Throughout my junior year with this club, I have worked with mental health organizations, such as UC Berkeley’s research department for a research study and NAMI Santa Clara for workshops.
- I have worked with my school’s social workers, and the school administration on creating our first campus-wide mental health rallies, documentary, de-stressing events, and workshops.
- I have been invited to a teen advisory board for Bring Change 2 Mind, where a goup of about 20 teenagers around California implement ideas for mental health awareness in our community.
- I have been a listener position on a suicide hotline called 7CupsofTea throughout middle school and high school.
- I have been invited to the County Mental Health of Santa Clara to implement a grant program for funding health outreach in early intervention settings like high schools.
- I have also been the student representative at school district meeting representing the students’ against the district’s decision of firing the social workers in our schools.
My academic extracurriculars:
- I am in my school’s National Honor Society
- I am in ASB as cultural commissioner.
- I have been nominated twice as a problem thinker and effective communicator in my school by my teachers.
- I have 400 community service hours that consist of teaching English to immigrants in my community, and I am an English tutor at my library.
- I am a volunteer at a hospital in my city.
What is your calculated UC GPA (capped weighted) since this is what will be used in your application review?
Not major specific but gives you an idea of your chances based on GPA.
Freshman admit rates (2016) for UC GPA of 3.80-4.19:
UCB: 14%
UCLA: 14%
UCSD: 44%
UCSB: 54%
UCD: 58%
UCI: 65%
UCSC: 85%
UCR: 94%
UCM: 96%
So all decisions could go either way so definitely not Match schools but your involvement in the Mental Health issues should bump up your chances.
Best of luck and apply widely.
Thank you! Can you advise me on what colleges in CA would be solid safeties for me, yet still good for a psychology major?
Solid safeties would be UC Riverside and Santa Cruz. You could also consider some Cal states such as Long Beach or San Diego State. Both have well respected Psychology programs.
UCR and UCM are highly likely to take you. UCSC could go either way and the others, probably not. The CSUs listed above are excellent safetys for you. Sonoma is also worth a look. It is much smaller and offers a very different experience. Good luck
UPDATE: Received a full ride to Cal Poly SLO, got into UCI and UCSD!