Chances for CS programs

This is the most important thing you can take away from this thread. If you are applying to all the UC’s, it appears from what others have said, that you have some safeties. Again, I don’t know the UC system well enough to comment. However, please make sure that you are actually willing to attend any of those schools. I don’t want you to be one of the many kids who will post next spring, miserable, because you only got into your safety and you hate it. The best gift you can give to yourself are a couple of safeties that you LIKE and can afford. After you have that locked down, then go ahead and think about the others.

You keep asking how you can make your application stronger. I think you have already been given that advice. Some here think there is not much you can do. I and others think that you can keep working on your ECs and especially find someone to help you present yourself in the best light. Even if that won’t move the needle much on the very top schools, it will help a lot with the next tier down. However, we all agree that no matter what you do, your chances are minuscule at the very top. As @bogeyorpar said, (And I mentioned in an earlier post) as an Asian male CS hopeful, your chances are even less. You are a math kid. You should know what a 98% chance of rejection means.

There is a thread on here somewhere from an Asian male student who made headlines for being one of only 5 students in the nation to get a perfect score on the Chemistry AP. He had a higher GPA then you and excellent scores and he didn’t get into his top choices either. I wish I could find the thread.

No one is trying to denigrate your achievements. Clearly you are intelligent and have a bright future. We just don’t want you to be one of the many students that we have to talk off the ledge next spring.