UCLA/UCSD

Hi everyone, I’m applying to UCLA/UCSD this fall and I was wondering what my chances were of getting in.

My SAT is mid 2200s right now (retaking it in October so I’m trying to get it to a 2300). I’m not sure what my GPA is because my guidance counselor didn’t calculate them yet but I’m going to email her today to check. I did get tw C+'s this year, but in chemistry honors and civil/mechanical engineering. My school is #4 in the nation for STEM education, and our courses are all really rigorous. I’m worried about the C+'s hurting me though.

My extracurriculars include: President for GirlUp Club (a chapter of the club based on the UN organization), potential editor for the newspaper (have been on staff for three years), editor of the yearbook (also a 3 year staff member), running a jeans drive for the DoSomething Club (another organization based club), part of the DNA Initiative Club (we analyze DNA sequences), FBLA (made it to states this year). I’m also in ModelUN, Debate Club/JSA, and I’m a 2015 group leader for Greenpeace; I’m also the Director of Business for a student-run media company called Julia Darling Media Enterprises (and a staff writer for two sections of the magazine). I’m also currently learning Dutch and French in my free time.

Volunteering: 2015 Group Leader for Greenpeace; various volunteering opportunities from hospitals, a care center, ACS, and my old karate school (my volunteer work there is teaching the younger children); I also ran a jeans drive at our school as part of our DoSomething Club. I have about 200 hours total, and I’m planning on getting it to at least 250-300 by the end of the summer.

I think you have a pretty good shot at both, I’m guessing you’re in-state. The C+'s might affect ur gpa a bit, but u can probably make up for it with essays and other activities. Also, try and calculate ur UC gpa. chance me back?

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1800105-chances-at-ucla-umich-ann-arbor-johns-hopkins.html#latest

I’m actually out of state, East Coast. I’ll be visiting both campuses in a few weeks though…would that help in any way on the apps?

@polarbear143
You have to worry about nothing. A mid 2200s SAT score can easily get you into UCLA and UCSD, it might even get you in to Berkeley. 2 C’s is nothing to worry about. I live in California, can assure you, you have a great chance.
Chance me back?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1793272-chance-into-lmu.html#latest

First question: can you afford the UCs? There is no financial aid for OOS students. So, your costs would be $58k per year. Are your parents willing to pay over $200k for 4 years? You cannot gain in state residency because you are coming to California for educational purposes. This won’t be cheap.

Visiting colleges might help when writing essays, but other than that I don’t think so

How about course rigour? UCs don’t weight SAT scores as heavily as other schools.

How many B’s you have beside the 2 C’s? (Knowing that gives us an idea about your academic strength now that your GPA is not known)

http://gpacalculator.net/high-school-gpa-calculator/

I don’t think money is a major issue, we’re more concerned about the value of the education there. I think I’m applying ED to NYU Stern, but as a business major I’m trying to figure out if UCLA would be a good fit for jobs, particularly in finance.

I don’t think money is a major issue, we’re more concerned about the value of the education there. I think I’m applying ED to NYU Stern, but as a business major I’m trying to figure out if UCLA would be a good fit for jobs, particularly in finance.

@DrGoogle - my school is a STEM high school (top ten in the nation for both overall high school and STEM education). All our classes are at the honors level, and we only offer two APs during senior year (AP Calc - AB or BC, and AP British Literature and Composition).

@Crystal9ucla - since freshman year?

Without your GPA, we can only guess. They just aren’t that hard to calculate. Use the link above to calculate yours.

I think you should apply to NYU ED. Better chance there.

Update: GPA is a 4.2. Taking the SAT this Saturday so I’ll know more about that in the following weeks.

A 4.2 and 2250 and your ECs make you a competitive applicant. These schools get lots of competitive applicants. Be sure to apply elsewhere as well.

Of course; I have a bunch of other schools I’m applying to as well. Just a heads up, the 4.2 is a weighted GPA.

Updates:

So I might be getting a D or a C- in physics this marking period because I wasn’t in a very good place personally and the class is higher than AP level (despite only being Honors). I’m working as hard as possible to push it up to a B next marking period and keep it around a B or B+ for the other two MPs…if I work really hard and show improvement, do I stand a chance at either UC?

To my ECs, I’ve added blogger for The Huffington Post - I might have a chance at becoming an ambassador for Bystander Revolution (an antibullying organization) but decisions are yet to be released.

SAT is good. Assuming you have around a 4.05 GPA or higher, I’d say UCSD is in your future.

My weighted GPA is a 4.2 - would I still stand a chance with the C+ and D?