<p>Your odds of getting into UCB with a 3.1 GPA are far higher than a winning lottery ticket, and I spend roughly $60 a year on the lottery. In fact, I’d be willing to bet a 3.1 GPA with all prereqs filled and an interesting essay would have a better chance getting admitted than a 3.9 GPA with half of their prereqs filled in 1 year and an utterly awful essay.</p>