<p>Since my GPA and SAT are a little below the average from the freshmen UCI admitted, I thought that I would hopefully boost up my chances by volunteering like crazy and taking harder classes my senior year which is next year. Since the only time to apply to UC schools is during the month of November, will they even be able to see my senior year classes? I'm signed up for AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology, AP Literature, Spanish 4, and then some other electives. But now I'm concerned that they won't even see my senior class schedule to show that I'm trying harder. Do you think that's too much to handle for a senior year too? I know that some of the AP classes are going to meet everyday for 1 semester too.</p>
<p>Also, what's a good range for volunteer hours? Currently, I have 97 hours but plan on volunteering at the hospital over the summer along with at some races. I think I'll be able to get 150+, maybe even 200. Do you think that will help me a little bit or no? I saw on here some people who have been volunteering since their freshman year in high school and have 200 hours from one volunteering job alone on top of all of these other hours. I, on the other hand, have only started volunteering this year, my junior year, which I think might hold me back a little.</p>
<p>You list your planned senior year courses on your UC application. Obviously, they won’t factor into your GPA, but the UC’s do consider the “rigor of senior year coursework.” And they get really annoyed if you don’t take the classes you say you’re going to.</p>
<p>If you can accumulate 200 hours of volunteer work (or even 150) by the time of your application, I think you’ll be in good shape, especially if it’s meaningful work that reflects your passions and concerns.</p>
<p>I hope you’ve picked some fun electives to offset the four AP courses and Spanish 4.</p>
<p>How do they know if I really take the class or not since they get annoyed when people don’t?</p>
<p>That’s good to hear because I was really worried when I saw some other CC members’ number of hours on here.</p>
<p>Haha yeah me too. Do you think it’d be okay if I had some free blocks (2-3 maybe) for all those AP courses? Right now I have 1 free block a day since we go by a 2-day schedule, and they’re both my last classes a day so I can get out earlier to study or relax.</p>
<p>You’re admitted based on your reported schedule, but if your final transcript don’t show those courses, the university can rescind your admission. More generally, you’re supposed to inform them of any change in your senior year coursework.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean by free blocks and 2-day schedule… 5 or 6 A-G courses is a fairly typical senior schedule, though some CC’er may carry 7.</p>
<p>Honestly they dont care about senior year…
They just consider that u dont just blow it off… and the grades will not even be considered… so dont kill yourself.
only hurts u if u get a D or F…
if theres any acceptable reason why your gpa is not where it should be make it clear in your essays.</p>
<p>sorry… just try to get straight A’s this last semester. =/</p>
<p>My school goes by a 2-day schedule so we have classes 1-4 on day 1 and classes 5-8 on day 2. I have class 4 and class 8 free so I don’t have a 4th class everyday. What’s the max number of A-G courses a senior can have there?</p>
<p>Aw man, if they don’t see them, then do you think I should reduce my AP classes or still keep it at 4? My GPA is a little above 3.8 (3.88 right now but I think I might finish with 1 or 2 more B’s and all A’s this semester) and my first SAT score was 1700+, which both are below the averages for getting in. But since they’re averages, as MaMoose said earlier, people have gotten in with scores below the average. I’m going to retake the SAT in May, so hopefully my score will go up. And I’ll probably get 200 hours in volunteering. But with what I have so far, if I did keep my 4 AP classes for my senior year, do you think it’d help me on getting in even just a little more if I didn’t have all 4 of them?</p>
<p>indiowho? is correct that your senior year grades can’t help you (or hurt you, unless you get Ds or Fs, or drop below a 3.0 average). But I do think they look at the coursework to ensure you aren’t switching from honors and AP courses junior year to underwater basket weaving senior year (no offense to our aquatic friends).</p>
<p>And another “metric” they do consider is your total number of A-G courses (number of semesters through senior year). </p>
<p>But frankly (and others should chime in), I don’t think it would make much difference if you substituted a non-AP version for one of your courses. Especially if you could spend that energy raising your SAT score 200 points… because while applicants with below-average scores obviously do get in, you’re a stronger applicant with average or above scores.</p>
<p>yup because honestly I worked my butt off taking more APs while other kids I know would just take the regular classes. I would obvious get a B or w/e while they got the A in reg. so in the end we would get the same weighted gpa… but they would get it easier w/o all the stress -_-
I should mention though that i had higher SATs score regardless.
they didnt get denied from anywhere I applied and vice versa.
So in the end… I could have had it alot easier…</p>
<p>(this doesnt take into account other factors tho. but it shouldnt vary much because the kids im comparing myself to are very similar to myself)</p>
<p>With what you two just said, I might actually just switch out one of my AP classes for a regular one. But which one should I take out? I need AP Calculus, and AP Chemistry to look good for majoring in Biology I think, and then I’ve never taken Psychology yet but heard the teacher isn’t too bad. Plus knowing what people are thinking and how they act should be good if I want to be a Pharmacist since there’s people interaction, you know? So does that mean I should just take a regular English class instead of AP Literature? I heard you just read a lot in the class anyways. Or is AP Lit really useful?</p>
<p>What’d you and the kids who you’re comparing yourself to get for your GPA/ACT/SAT?</p>
<p>^ UC’s only take into account primarily your sophomore and junior year when considering admissions…meaning that no your senior year gpa will not factor into that part of your admissions…however, they do consider the rigor of your senior year classes, meaning that those AP classes will not be useless, as they will demonstrate your desire for learning…</p>
thanx mamoose</p>