Pitzer - Economics
Chapman - Business
UCSC - Game Design
UCD - Economics
UC W GPA: 3.66 (Major upward trend).
W GPA: 3.6
(5 AP 2 Honors)
SAT: 1380 with a 720 on math and 660 on English & Writing.
ECs: Soccer referee, a computer tutor for seniors, 100+ hours of volunteer-work.
Internships: An intern for a startup focusing on student health (6 mos), interned at a well-known art studio (1 mo) and interned at an architecture firm (1 mo).
I’ve played soccer for 8 years and am a black belt in Taekwondo, although I’ve stopped both to study more.
Chapman is probably your best shot but, i think your GPA is going to make all of those schools a challenge. I encourage you to apply but, add a few more to your ap list. SDSU, CSULB and CP Pomona are good candidates.
I agree with @NCalRent, that Chapman is probably your best chance. UCSC is possible and you may get into the University but not into your choice major.
Are there financial considerations? (i.e. what is your max yearly out-of-pocket, and would you qualify for financial aid?)
I’m having trouble wrapping my head around what kind of program appeals to you. You’re interested in art… econ… business…and possibly game design, which is quite CS-heavy…? It seems as if you have several paths in mind and would be best served by a school that has offerings in several areas of interest and would give you time to explore before declaring a major. (The CSU’s, while they do offer a great education, are not known for this kind of flexibility for the most part - you have to apply to your major and then it is A Process to change it.)
Would you consider schools in Oregon?
Willamette U seems to me like a great fit, both stats-wise and flexibility/options-wise. http://willamette.edu/academics/majors-programs/index.html
Major and minor options cover the whole range of your interests, with some interesting options for combining them - for example, you could major in econ with a minor in Studio Art or Arts, Technology, and Multimedia. Business-wise, you could do a five-year BA/MBA with an undergrad major of your choice. Salem is the seat of government in Oregon and the University offers tons of opportunities for involvement in state government and related agencies. (Econ department, for example, states, “Our major internship program enables students to gain “real world” experience in both private and public sector enterprises, including the Legislative Revenue Office, Office of Economic Analysis, Department of Forestry and other state agencies located adjacent to or near campus.”) Competitiveness-wise, it’s in the same ballpark with Chapman but a slightly easier admit (and a slightly lower “sticker price” as well).
U of Oregon (sometimes whimsically referred to as “UC Eugene”) could also be an option if you’re interested in a larger university with lots of art-related major options like Interior Architecture, Product Design, Art & Technology, Arts Management, as well as many variants of studio art, and econ and business administration.
There are also all of the public U’s in adjacent states with the WUE discount for CA students. Many of them will give you a CSU-or-better quality education for a great discounted price, if you’re willing to go to nearby states. You can search institutions by major programs offered here: http://wue.wiche.edu/search2.jsp
UCSC Game Design is only one major I’ve chosen out of the schools I’m applying to. The rest are solely Design/Economics/Economics & Business.
I’ve got both Willamette and U of Oregon on my list for Economics and Design, respectively. I’m doing my best to stay in California, however, I’ll consider applying to a few CSUs.