Chance an average student @...

xRavenx92 · 11-07-2009, 12:35 AM

Chance an average student @...

1. Stanford
2. USC
3. UCLA
4. UC Berkeley
5. UC Irvine
6. UC San Diego
7. Cal Poly S.L.O.
8. University of Chicago

=================

-Hispanic male
-first generation college student
-California resident

*GPA:

UC weighted GPA: 4.0
UC un-weighted GPA: 3.5

Overall weighted GPA: 3.9
Overall unweighted GPA: 3.6

*Class Rank: 13/187

*AP Classes:
I have taken all the APs my school offers except AP Physics (no room in schedule).

Junior Year:
AP US History: A, A - 1 on AP Test
AP Spanish: A, A - 5 on AP Test
AP Chemistry: C, B - 2 on AP Test

Senior Year:
AP Calculus AB
AP Biology
AP Literature & Comp

*SAT: 1830 (re-taking in December, expecting ~2000)
Critical Reading: 580
Math: 570
Writing: 670, 9 essay

*SAT II: Math II, Chemistry, Literature (November)

*ACT + Writing (October...scores aren't up yet)

*Activities and Awards:
-American Legion Scholastic Excellence Award
-Promotion to Cadet Officer

*Extracurricular Activities:
-Air Force Jr. ROTC (member as a junior and senior; 10hrs/wk): Rank: C/Major Positions held in the past: Color Guard Commander. Positions currently hold: Armed Drill Commander, Deputy Commander, Operations/Finance Officer.
-CA Scholarship Federation, CSF (member as a junior, President as a senior; 2hrs/wk)
-Marching/Concert Band (member as a freshman and junior 6hrs/wk): third (freshman) and second (junior) chair trumpet player.
-Mouse Squad (member as a sophomore and junior; 5hrs/wk): I worked as a student technician. I was responsible for fixing, maintaining, and supporting computers on campus. We assisted teachers with technical problems.

*Community Service
-Air Force Jr. ROTC: I coordinate and attend events in which we support retired veterans and offer services such as raising and planting flags on Memorial Day.
-Local Family YMCA: I have completed 120 hrs over a period of two years. I assisted the YMCA as a pool attendant, as a child day-care assistant, as a custodian's assistant, and as a helper for outside yard work.

*Work Experience
-Restaurant busboy (15hrs/wk)

*I live in a small rural community in California's central valley. My school offers very few extra curricular activities. Programs at my school have irresponsible club advisers who have no passion for the club. I have joined the few organizations that are structured and have consistent activity.

*My personal statements and letters of recommendation will be strong.

What are my chances @ these schools? Please and Thank you.

mom2collegekids · 11-07-2009, 12:57 AM

I wish you great luck, but I think you have too many reaches, a couple of matches, and no safeties.

Do you need financial aid? Do you know how much your family can pay each year?

I think that there are many schools that you can get accepted to, but you need to add more matches and safeties.

Herunar · 11-07-2009, 06:48 AM

Stanford and Chicago are next to impossible. The rest are reaches or matches. Find a few safeties.

Batllo · 11-07-2009, 08:01 AM

Better add UCR and UCM for safeties.

FuturePRrep · 11-07-2009, 09:39 AM

i agree with adding some safeties

as a CA resident USC and UCLA are possible I feel

xRavenx92 · 11-08-2009, 05:05 PM

mom2collegekids: I don't know if I will apply for financial aid. I want it to make it easier for my dad to pay for my college but I'm not sure. Does it matter if you apply for financial aid? Will it hurt my admission chances? He is a truck driver btw.

xRavenx92 · 11-10-2009, 01:52 AM

bumpppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp

xRavenx92 · 11-10-2009, 03:23 PM

bump.. =/

I got a 25 on the October ACT btw.

Jersey13 · 11-10-2009, 04:07 PM

Stanford and Chicago are very unlikely based off your test scores and even UCLA + Berkeley are high reaches.

And for clarification, you recieved a 1 on the AP US History exam?

xRavenx92 · 11-12-2009, 03:36 PM

Yes, I got a 1 on the AP US History. Over the last couple years at my high school, most students that went to UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Davis had really low SAT scores (1600-1800 range).

Are students compared to the previous graduating classes of that high school (as far as scores are concerned?)

elizabethh · 11-12-2009, 07:56 PM

I find it really hard to believe that most students admitted to UCLA, UCB and UCD had the low sat scores you have listed, unless its a very under-funded and under-achieving minority high school. That being said, I still think your scores are low, and your gpa borderline, for the top UCs, especially now that applications are through the roof to those schools. UCI and UCDAvis are your best bets.

motion12345 · 11-12-2009, 08:12 PM

If your SATs do go up...you should have a good shot at most of those schools (except Stanford). The fact that you're in the top 7% of your class should be able to help you out with the GPA side of things. Also, Chicago is not 'impossible' for you. The people who are saying that obviously do not know much about the school. If you get the scores that you project that you will get on the SAT, then if you write creative and intriguing essays for Chicago I think you may be accepted.

xRavenx92 · 11-13-2009, 07:08 PM

@motion12345

Lol. Thanks. Finally an optimistic post. Well thank you, I will study even harder and hopefully I'll get into at least one of my choices.

xRavenx92 · 11-13-2009, 07:11 PM

@elizabethh

Trust me, I find it hard to believe that those people got into those schools last year. They were the people with the best SAT scores last year too.

This year, the top people are getting around 1600-1700. I'm actually exceptional with my 1830! Lol. I just don't get it.

In my opinion, my high school is pretty poor and under-achieving. I'd say about 85 percent of the students at my school are Hispanic.

xRavenx92 · 11-13-2009, 07:17 PM

I just received my OCT ACT score: 25.

I know. VERY BAD.

Again, the top people at my school are scoring in the 20-25 range for the ACT.

Are students compared to the previous graduating classes of that high school (as far as scores are concerned?)