AP/IB Scores: one 4 and four 5s; one 6 on IB test (still in progress to complete diploma)
List your HS coursework
English: English 1 Honors, English 2 Honors, IB English Lit HL 1 and 2
Math: Algebra 2/Trig Honors, Precalc Honors, Calc BC, IB Math AA HL 2
Science: AP Bio, Honors Chem, AP Chem, AP Physics 1, IB Biology HL 1 and 2
History and social studies: Honors World History, AP Euro, APUSH, IB History of the Americas HL 2
Language other than English: Spanish 1, Spanish 2, Spanish 3, AP Spanish Lang
Other academic courses: English 101: Freshman Composition
Awards
Eagle Scout
National Merit Commended Scholar
Department Math Award (9th and 10th; 3 out of 567)
Department Spanish Award (9th; 1 out of 567; only person ever to receive award from teacher)
High School Young Man of the Month (12th; 10 out of 567)
Extracurriculars
High School and Competitive tennis (3-star recruit; four-year varsity and three-year captain; D2 high school team champ for SoCal high schools; 2024 Team MVP; League Doubles Champion; Ranked as high as 52 in recruiting class; 2023 Most Inspirational; Sponsored by Adidas and Yonex)
Medical Internship (8% acceptance rate; learn about medical innovation and healthcare professionals)
Boy Scouts (Eagle Scout; project helped feed over 200 people; Patrol Leader, Troop Historian)
President of Peer Tutoring Club (tutored for 3 years in math; worked up to become president and head math tutor)
President of Service Club (held positions like Treasurer and Secretary; inaugural member of club; helps special needs kids in service events)
Vice President of Red Cross Club (help plan meetings, blood drives; represent school at monthly Red Cross district meeting)
Job (helped sell Christmas trees to fundraise for BSA troop)
Tutor (tutored for Khan Academy and CollegeBoard in SAT math due to high score)
Meeting Planner for Cultural Club (planned and promoted meetings in 11th grade)
Essays/LORs/Other
Personal Statement - made it about superstitions and overcoming them
Supps - they were okay but I am not sure about how well they really were
LORs - None of my teachers offered to let me see them so not much info
Schools
UC Davis (target)
UCSB (target)
Cornell RD (reach)
Northwestern RD (reach)
U Chicago RD (reach)
Williams RD (reach)
UCSD (target)
Yale RD (reach)
Dartmouth RD (reach)
Notre Dame RD (reach)
I would really like to see where you guys think I could get accepted into since I really have no expectations. Thanks!
If they prefer a public school, why is your list littered with private schools? Do you qualify for need based aid? The schools you applied to (privates) only give aid if you need it.
Did your parents fill out a net price calculator?
Here’s one linked below - but interestingly enough, often times private schools that offer merit are cheaper than public!! But when you choose schools that don’t offer merit, obviously that cannot be unless you have need as the schools determine.
Your test will not count for UCs.
You have excellent rigor and ECs. Tell us more about recruiting for tennis - are you being recruited - is that an in?
Otherwise and I don’t know what your UC GPAs are and Gumby Mom can help you with that - but I’m not sure I see an assured admit on here - so what is your assured admit?
What if you strike out?
So - where do you get money - schools like U Denver, Whitman (which will tell you up front your award), schools in the midwest like Kalamazoo, Allegheny (close to midwest), Depauw, and more will throw money at you. Alabama - you’d be $20K all in per year - so cheaper than a UC - and there’s other publics too - whether KU, MIssisppi State, Ole Miss. At Purdue and UMN, you might be $40K per year - so sort of inline with UC.
Best of luck - but your issue, if they don’t have need is, if they want to save money, your list outside of the UCs was built incorrectly.
You are a strong candidate and I’m quite sure you’ll have many great acceptances! Congrats on your hard work and list of accomplishments!
As mentioned, @Gumbymom can give you a more specific idea of your UC likelihood, but you should understand that applicants with similar stats have been denied admission from UCD, UCSB and UCSD, so they should not be considered targets, particularly for your (Bio) major.
I would use the NPCs for the private schools on your list and ask your parents if they will pay. Do not count on outside scholarships. You need a few safety and target schools- your list has a lot of reaches. I would also discuss a budget.
There are many public schools that you can apply to. A few that come to mind are Ohio State, the University of Delaware, UMD (apply early), Pitt, UVA, UNC (both are reaches given you are OOS), Cincinnati, SUNY etc. There are others mentioned above.
Are you being recruited for tennis?
You are a strong candidate (congrats!) and there are many schools out there for you, but I do question the private schools on your list given what your parents told you. This warrants a conversation with them.
Are you a high school senior now? It seems so if you know you are NM commended.
Have you sent in your applications to these colleges already? Are any of the colleges on your application list sure things for acceptance and affordability (which is a conversation with your parents)!
I agree with all the other posters in stating you are a competitive applicant for the UC’s listed.
Are you being actively recruited for tennis at any of the UC’s you listed?
I also do not see any Very Likely/Safety schools on your college list and have you taken any Visual/Performing arts course which is a UC Requirement?
The UC’s calculate 3 UC GPA’s based on your 10-11th a-g course grades and then gives you an extra Honors point for each UC approved Honors, AP, IB or UC Transferable DE course taken during this time.
34% for College of L&S/ Capped weighted 4.14-4.29. Average Unweighted 3.91.
34% for College of L&S/ Capped weighted 4.14-4.29. Average Unweighted 3.91
Good luck but make sure you have some guaranteed/Very Likely admission schools on your list. I would add a couple more UC’s and some Cal states if you want to stay within the Public University system.
Made me smile. Thank you. This will make you a memorable applicant. (But is your high school class really composed of 567 male students ?)
Northwestern & U Chicago will be tough in the RD round. Will need specific reasons for NU. Of course, Yale, Dartmouth, & Notre Dame will be tough.
Based on your strong interest in tennis and on your intended major area of study, Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia would have been an interesting choice which awards significant merit scholarships.
You should be accepted to one of the 3 UCs based on your stats. But I will not be surprised if you get rejected by all of them. I know people got rejected by all of them with similar stats. Hopefully you already apply to some safety schools. Like other said, some OOS publics offer merit aid, such as Ohio State and Oregon State. They would be good options in case of rejection from UCs. Good Luck.