<p>I’ll be a senior next year, living in Oregon. </p>
<p>Freshman year grades were so-so, in the range of unweighted 3.3. Each year I’ve shown steady improvement and ended this year with unweighted 3.5. I go to one of the highest rated college-prep high schools in the nation. I’ve heard from transfer students who got all A’s at their old schools but can hardly maintain a C at this one. </p>
<p>Taken ACT + writing and waiting on results. </p>
<p>I’m looking to major in industrial design, and while UC schools aren’t even close to the only option, I would like to look around at my realistic options. I realize these are not particularly realistic options.</p>
<p>While my grades are fairly… average, it’s the extra curricular where I shine. Been on state champion video game design team, competed in FIRST robotics for 5 years and won in Oregon this year and went to World Championship in St. Louis last month. Co-founded video game design company (501(c)3 non-profit) with robotics team members to raise money for diseases (working on Malaria game/funding now). Over the past year I’ve made several thousand dollars making scale parts (metal fabrication in parent’s garage) for RC cars and sell them online all over the world. I’m in the process of filling out forms for my own business licenses to legitimize my business. Finally I’ve been working for the past year at a local medical clinic for a doctor.</p>
<p>It’s all right, the admissions will know that you went to a tough high school, providing that your class rank is top 10% or something. Your EC’s will definitely help you and if you can get a 32+ on the ACT I think UCD and UCLA are low matches and UCB is a match.</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply! Also forgot to mention I’ve earned a black belt in TaeKwonDo. Can’t say how much that will help, but worth adding. Next year I am planning on joining my schools DECA team/club which is new as of this past school year, and will be taking two or three AP classes. </p>
<p>I’m overall just curious what schools I should apply to and which ones would be a “waste” of money. UCLA would be my top pick given the location over Davis. Both seems to have very similar programs that I think I would like at either college, but UCLA’s seems more serious, for lack of better words. UCB is probably shooting too high. As far as my class rank, I’m not sure at the moment, but I’ll ask my counselor.</p>
<p>Also, as I continue to look at options in California, CSU Long Beach is another.</p>
<p>I would apply to College of Environmental Design, but UCB is actually lower on my list given their lack of basic non “urban” or “enviro” design. In fact it’s not really on the list (semi-ordered) right now: </p>
<p>Not interested in leaving the West Coast. Washington, Oregon and California are where I would like to look. I realize this limits my options but there are great schools in in these states.</p>
<p>UCD would be a high match simply because of the low GPA. however, showcase the passion and focus in your ECs and you could maybe get in. UCLA and UCB are reaches though (unless your ACT score is incredible). Do as much extra stuff as you can to make up for that GPA</p>