Chance Me for UC Berkeley or MIT

[tmbsfan01]

Standardised Tests:
-SAT: 1530 (760 R/W, 770 M)
-No ACT or SAT Subject Tests (damn you COVID)
-GPA: 4.00 UW/ 4.93 W

AP Tests:
-AP Physics 1 (5)
-AP Physics C: Mechanics (5)
-AP Physics C: Electricity & Magnetism (5)
-AP Calculus BC (5) (AB Subscore: 5)
-AP English Language (5)
-AP Human Geography (5)
-AP US History (5)
-AP US Government (5)
-AP Biology (4)
-AP Chemistry (4)
-AP Microeconomics (4)
-AP Chinese (4, IDK if I want to submit this, I’m Chinese lol)
-AP Comparative Government (4)

EC’s/Awards:
-Science research project finalist award at virtual INSPOScience Research and Innovation Competition (international level)
-Out-of-school research on synthetic biology project with local uni professor
-President of school’s Quizbowl and History Bowl Clubs (founded the latter)
-Treasurer of my school’s When We All Vote club
-Officer in school NHS chapter
-Volunteering for When We All Vote
-Volunteered for Bernie 2020 Campaign
-Volunteering for Kara Tutoring
-National Merit Semifinalist
-National Qualifier at HSNCT, NHBB National Competitions (Quizbowl and History Bowl)

Misc.
-JSA Summer Program at Stanford (2019)
-Phonebanking for Ishanne Leckey’s campaign alongside other Brand New Congress candidates

Also, for my essays, can I talk abt my passion for politics?

[DadTwoGirls]

For MIT you are a competitive applicant. So are 80 or 85% of other applicants. It is hard to do much more than place you in the 85% of applicants who are seriously competitive. I think that you know how many are actually accepted.

Are you in-state for UC Berkeley?

[tmbsfan01]

No, but my father works in California, so I think I qualify for in-state tuition at least

[Gumbymom]

UC’s calculate your GPA differently, only 10-11th grades for the a-g course requirements. They look at Freshman grades to make sure you passed all the a-g course requirements and Senior year courses are reviewed for rigor and completion of these requirements.

Have you taken a year of Visual/Performing arts course which is a UC requirement?

A-G courses: https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/freshman-requirements/subject-requirement-a-g.html

Here is the UC GPA calculator so please post the Unweighted, Capped Weighted and Fully Weighted: https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/

Based on your academic and EC profile, you look very competitive for UCB.

Does your Father live in California for work?

For in-state tuition, you need to meet the following requirements:
Residency requirements

**There are four requirements you must fulfill in order to be a California resident for purposes of tuition at UC. All these requirements must be met by the residence determination date (generally the first day of classes) of the term for which you request a resident classification.

1. Physical presence

You must be continuously physically present in California for more than one year (366 days) immediately prior to the residence determination date of the term for which you request resident status. If you moved to California primarily to attend the University of California, you are here for educational purposes and may not be eligible for a resident classification for purposes of tuition.

1. Intent to remain in California

You must establish your intent to make California your home one year prior to the residence determination date of the term for which you request resident status.

1. Financial independence

If you’re an unmarried undergraduate under the age of 24 and your parent(s) are not California residents, you must be able to verify financial independence for the two full years immediately preceding the term you wish to enroll. Graduate students are presumed to be financially independent unless they were claimed as a dependent on their parents’ federal tax return for the most recent tax year.

1. Immigration status

You must have the legal ability to establish a permanent domicile in the United States, meaning that you must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold a valid, qualifying nonimmigrant visa.
**

https://www.ucop.edu/residency/residency-requirements.html

[thumper1]

No, but my father works in California, so I think I qualify for in-state tuition at least

Judging from what @Gumbymom wrote, I can’t see how you would be eligible for instate tuition because you don’t fulfill the #1 requirement of physical presence in CA. This will be very easy for the CA publics to figure out as your HS transcripts will be from an OOS high school.

@Gumbymom is there any exception to this physical presence criteria?

Also, number 2. If you currently don’t reside in CA, how would you prove your “intent to remain in CA” which needs to be done the year prior to enrolling?

Assuming you are OOS for tuition purposes, you would be a full pay student at the UCs. It’s possible you could get a small scholarship at Cal, but it would be a drop in the bucket.

[Gumbymom]

@tmbsfan01 @thumper1:

You would be eligible for in-state tuition based on the following:

If your father has a permanent address in California, but you live part- or full-time with a parent who lives in another state or country, or you attend boarding school in another state or country

OR if you can establish that a parent/guardian has a permanent address in California, than you may apply as a California resident by meeting the Physical presence criteria.

[thumper1]

@tmbsfan01

So…does your dad have a permanent residence in CA, or does he just work in CA?