Chances of UC Berkeley?

Colleges & Universities University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>I’ve read a lot of “How to get into UC Berkeley” discussions and none of them are really helpful. My high school counselor isn’t very helpful at all, so I am asking the College Confidential Community to help me out, and determine if applying to Berkeley is a rational decision or is it just a waste of $80… Here are my statistics: </p>

<p>4.48 cumulative GPA (However, I did get a D in one of my classes, but it was an AP class, so it’s technically a C)
I haven’t taken the SAT, but I take SAT classes and my average on practice tests is a little over 2000
4 in AP Chem, 5 in AP World (Sophomore year)
I plan on taking the APUSH, AP Lang., APES, AP Psych, and AP Stats exams this year as a junior
EC’s - President of the Animal Photography Club and Model UN; VP of UNICEF and Archery Club
Currently volunteering at my local hospital and a science museum (I plan on accumulating at 150 hours by the time I apply for college, hopefully more because I really enjoy volunteering)
I did cheerleading for one year as a sophomore
And I am half Asian Indian and half Pakistani (born in Texas, residing currently in Southern California)</p>

<p>So what do you think? Should I apply or will it be a waste of money? Any other colleges that I might have a good chance at? I’m mainly worried because of the D I got in one of my classes, I’m afraid it will ruin my chances at a 4-year university, and I’ll have to go to community college instead. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with junior colleges, but my parents would be so disappointed and I wouldn’t be able to experience the actual college lifestyle, which is one of the many things I am so excited about. Sorry if this seems like such a stupid thing to ask, but like I said, my counselor is useless. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>No, a D won’t kill your chances. But Berkeley admissions are always hard to predict, so don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Assuming you GPA stays high, I’d say you’ve got a shot. Keep in mind that the college/major you apply as can affect admissions too.</p>

<p>CC: Have some safety schools, don’t make the choice be between Cal and CC. But if you do end up going the CC route, it’s not the end of the world. Most students spend 2 years at a CC, then transfer to a 4 year for their last two years. You miss out on the freshman experience a little bit, but it still works out in the end. It’s also much cheaper!</p>

3

<p>So are you entering your junior year or are you already a junior? That 4.48 gpa is actually your Weighted GPA because the cumulative only goes up to 4.0. UC’s view your sophomore/junior year grades when considering your admission, but if you get accepted, they may also request a high school transcript and they can still reject you after they accepted you.</p>

<p>But I believe you have a great chance and should apply.</p>

4

<p>Thank you both very much. I am currently a junior and my grades are pretty solid right now so a 4.48 will most likely be the one seen by the UC system. And thanks again for your opinions and views, but is it possible for SmoothAl to elaborate on this reject after accept thing? </p>