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Re-take SAT or take SAT Subjects for First Time (Attempting UCSD)

JeffMcDooflesJeffMcDoofles Registered User Posts: 1 New Member
in California Colleges
Going senior year. Only AP Junior year was Physics. Taking AP Chem, Calc, and CS senior year. Want to do Computer Science. Out of State (New York). No sob story/minority status AKA Average white kid upbringing.

So I'm in a pickle. My GPA is sort of garbage for UCSD (90.07 UW, which I'm told is ~3.6ish?, and 93.66 W, only 1 AP junior year), while my 2 SAT attempts have been {R/M/W} 710/710/540 (=1960) and 650/730/610 (=1990). I'm banking on my essay crafting skills and work experience (been working since 15, going to do actual software dev. work this summer). Since my GPA won't change, I have a few questions about SATs:

1 - Do UC's take a superscore (which for me would be 2050), or just your best total for SATs (1990)?

2 - I have one more shot, should I take the SAT again, or take 3 subject tests? I'm confident that if I study my heart out I can actually do a good deal better on the SAT, and I also don't feel like the the subject tests (maybe Phyics, Math 2 and US Hist.) would be difficult. So which would be better? A mediocre SAT w/ some decent/above average SAT II's, or a solid (let's say ~2200) SAT with no SAT II's?

And 3 - What are my chances looking like a tier down at something such as Davis or Irvine?

I'm posting in the California Colleges forum because I want answers more tailored towards them. Thanks guys.
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Replies to: Re-take SAT or take SAT Subjects for First Time (Attempting UCSD)

  • ucbalumnusucbalumnus Registered User Posts: 68,603 Senior Member
    http://admissions.ucsd.edu/freshmen/requirements.html indicates that, for UCSD, SAT subject tests are recommended only for prospective engineering or science majors.

    If you are from New York, have you checked whether you can afford any UC? There is no financial aid coverage for the $23,000 additional non-resident tuition.
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  • GumbymomGumbymom Forum Champion UC Posts: 22,163 Forum Champion
    UC's do not superscore. They take the best total score from a single sitting which would be 1990.
    If your GPA is around 3.6, then UCSD/UCD/UCI and UCSB would be Reaches. Average GPA for all the UC's except for UCSC/UCR/UCM is 4.0+ and UC's are very GPA focused. Your SAT score is competitive for UCI/UCD/UCSB but a bit low for UCSD. I think your GPA will be more of a problem than your SAT. As stated in the above post, depending upon your major, SAT 2 subject test are recommended for usually the STEM majors, so I would consider retaking the SAT in October and try the SAT 2 subject test in November. You need to send them by December 2015.

    http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/requirements/examination-requirement/SAT-subject-tests/index.html

    Good Luck and hope you can pay the OOS costs for the UC's $55K/year.
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