Won the California state stock market game placing #1 out of over 3000 teams
-Tech challenge won most innovative design
Extra Curriculars:
Had a Vice Branch/Fundraising lead position in a nonprofit managing over 20 people
Did DECA ICDC(INTERNATIONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE) event and placed 7 out of over 262,000 students in marketing
Personal Finanace challenge placed #5 at state out of a total of 150 teams
-Financial Advisor challenge placed 5th
-DECA ICDC did 8 other events (Personal Finance, Fashion, Accounting, Hotel management, Retail management, restaurant business, Sports business, Entrepreneurship)
-created a 3d printing business with over $10k in sales
-placed #3 in a global 3d design competition with over 200,000 visitors and over 650 contestants
-Flex Factor placed 4th(design and present challenge like shark tank)
-JV football, swimming, and wrestling
-Freshman football
-DECA International Stock Market Game placed 97th percentile
-Bentley university stock market game with a peak position of 1 out of over 550 people
-Internship at Bank Of America and Golden One Credit Union
-Started my own Fintech Company helping people manage their finances better (created application and website for it)
-created a forum type of website for people debate and talk about finance
Schools I am interested in too:
SJSU
Every other UC
SCU
USC
NYU
Sat:1150
Sat retake expected score: 1320-1400
US resident and CA is state, bay area(to judge competitiveness)
Intended Major: Business with a concentration in Finance
Letters of Rec:
Have 1 from finance teacher that back up all my claims about finance and business things I did
have 1 from English teacher (9 and 11 grade teacher) that highlight how good of a student I am
Junior:
-AP stats
-Physics
-US History
-Financial Literacy
-Financial Investing
-English 11
TOTAL GPA: 4.08
Senior:
-AP Macro(1st sem)
-Caluclus
-AP Physics 1
-AP Computer Science Principles
-AP Gov(2nd sem)
-ERWC(Expository Reading and Writing Course)(standard English for seniors at our school)
Expected GPA: 4.6
Extra Courses:
-Spanish 3 (A) → out of district course
-Financial Investing college credit
-MicroEcon at CC(planned)
-AP Bio ( online)
AP Chem(online)
UCs and CSUs are test blind. You would not use that SAT at your privates. UCs and CSUs domt use LORs either.
I can’t chance your UCs and CSUs as they have a formula others are more familiar with.
Do you go to a private school?
I don’t see any way you can get into NYU or USC.
SCU not likely but if you are full pay, maybe they’ll be wowed by your ECs. But ECs aren’t typically a sub for academics.
Is your desire to be a money/wealth manager ? You can do that from any school. Maybe I need to hire you to trade my money!! You’ve been getting it right.
You might consider adding a school like U Denver or Elon, very solid in business but easier admits.
Anything’s possible, especially with the UCs, but I would make sure you apply to Merced and Riverside, which would be your best shots. I would also add in a few CSUs - is SJSU your local CSU? If not, what is? Cal State East Bay, SFSU, etc. Unfortunately, your GPA is on the low side for the schools on your list, but do calculate your UC GPAs in order to better gauge where you stand: GPA Calculator for the University of California – RogerHub
Spend A LOT of time on your PIQs for your best shot at the UCs. The other issue…Not all UCs offer a business major. Would you be OK with an econ major or some alternative major? If you want business, that would remove several UCs.
Final advice: add in some real safeties to your list. The schools on your list are, I fear, all reaches for you based on your GPA. That doesn’t mean you don’t have a chance, but you def need a backup plan in case you do get shut out.
In terms of classes: only two years of foreign language, is that correct? Is video production your art class? Did you take geometry?
With concern that I don’t see a geometry class listed, make sure you are compliant with the UC C requirement. It is possible that Calc covers this? I am not certain, so definitely check on this.
C) Mathematics
UC-approved high school courses
Three years of college-preparatory mathematics that include the topics covered in elementary and advanced algebra and two- and three-dimensional geometry; a fourth year of math is strongly recommended. A geometry course or an integrated math course with a sufficient amount of geometry content must be completed. Approved integrated math courses may be used to fulfill part or all of this requirement, as may math courses taken in the seventh and eighth grades if the high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses.
UCs won’t look at your senior year grades. The GPA of the middle 25%-75% of students admitted for Davis in fall 2024 was 4-4.26 (weighted), so if you’ve listed your UC GPA, you’d be well below the 25th percentile. You could get in, but it’s likely a reach. The stats are 3.87-4.22 at Santa Cruz - you’re still below the 25th percentile, although closer. Of course, none of the schools look just a GPA. I’d recommend you look at acceptance rates for your high school, which are likely more useful (although not a guarantee of course), here. Admissions by source school | University of California
Given the limited time, I would focus more on the PIQs and less on SAT. The SAT is of no use for the UCs and the private schools on your list have very high SAT average. UCR is the best bet among UCs as it has a business school. UCI and UCB are reaches for business. The rest offer Economics as the closest business related major.
my desire is like a wealth manager, but I want to be an investment banker and see how much i can make with a companies money. If i was to go to SCU I would have a decent bit of my cost removed as I have a friend who lives near campus who would let me stay for free. I did also hear ASU is good in terms of business so I will consider that along with Elon.
for foreign language I took 3 years, Spanish 1-3. Geometry was online but it was before a policy where my school counted it in your gpa. As for safeties I think SJSU could be one and I add Elon university and ASU as another commentor said they were good for finance/business. and I will apply to Merced and Riverside too.
I think if you apply Merced - and they don’t have business I don’t believe - but it’s got a very high acceptance rate so if it interests you over others, you can shrink your list.
mines is a 3.7 weighted but if you were to include Senior year GPA if i got deferred it would 4.04 and if i include out of district courses ( online) it is 4.05 without my senior year grades