[transfer] Chance for UCSD and UCI if I was homeschooled and never took the SAT tests

Chance Me / Match Me
1

LOOONG post I know, but I appreciate your help.

I will transfer fall of next year. I am majoring in Quantitative Econ for UCI and Econ/Math (1 major) for UCSD. I was Homeschooled and transferring to my CC (Saddleback college) did not require taking the SAT tests, so I never took them. I also cannot take them now, per UC admission guidelines. However, the UC application makes it seem like an important part of the process, even for transfer students. In addition, I’ve been reading stories about how brutal the UC is on homeschooling transcripts (at least for direct homeschool -> UC applicants), and my HS XP is pretty miserable.

college----------------

Good:
4.0 GPA (48 units)
4.0 Major GPA (~60% complete of all classes I can take)
All required transfer classes completed
IGETSI Certified
will have AA-T in Economics, which I think means a 0.1 GPA bump. I don’t know if that works on a 4.0
UCI coursework will be completed this semester, UCSD coursework will be completed in the Spring

Bad:
taking 1 extra semester as I started in the Spring and UC accepts in the fall. (combined with high school that means I dropped a year.)
matriculation scores were low because I was a little rusty from not doing school for ~8 months (scores: math ~75% Reading 97% Grammar 88%) though I got into all the transfer level classes I needed (calculus, transfer level English, no remedial reading)

High School-----------------------

Bad:
No standardized tests of any sort
No awards
small amount of EC’s (just our local church, ~3.5 hr volunteer work every week, but it landed me my current job)
1 semester off between high school and CC to work full time
Not affiliated with any homeschooling network, I design all transcripts, report cards, school ID’s etc (all kids in our family homeschool)

Good:
work XP (6 months 50+ hour/week working for contractor before starting CC; 3.5 years ~15hr/week working as facilities for our local church)
GPA 3.7 (this is straight unweighted GPA. I didn’t have Honors or AP classes available to me. I know a 3.7 is miserable for a normal HS student with all the GPA bumps they get). I would have receive a 3.8/3.9, but I rushed my Cal AB to be ready for full time work and I received a “D” grade

Again, thanks.

2

As a transfer applicant, your HS GPA and test scores aren’t considered. You start fresh. Extra semester doesn’t matter at all. You’ve earned a well above average GPA - You’ve got a great shot at both schools - Still, i’d use TAG to apply to UCI. You are well above the threshold and should sail right in.

UCSD uses holistic admission so, people with your GPA and sub standard ECs/essays are rejected every year.

Just to keep doors open, how about also applying to UCD?

3

@NCalRent thanks for the info, I can breath a little easier.

Do you think my EC’s make UCSD a stretch school?

I’m trying to commute to school. I’ll probably go with UCR as my backup and UCLA as another stretch school.

as a side note for anyone else reading this, the AA-T’s and their benefits only apply to CSU’s. The UC admission form has an option to specify whether you recieved an AA/AS-T or an AA/AS degree. I’m not sure why they care. I will talk to a counselor to see whether to receive an AA-T or AA, then share their information here in case it helps someone.

4

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/transfer-admissions-summary

You can use that tool to show you a tremendous amount of info on UC transfer stats. Take a look at the Transfer Admit stats for UCSD - you’ll note applicants in your GPA band had a 86% acceptance rate. Pretty good but, 500+ in your band were rejected.

Other than TAG (sadly, UCSD doesn’t participate) there are no guarantees in UC admissions.

Apply broadly and see what happens.