SCHOOL: UC BERKELEY
GRADES/SCORES: 3.87 GPA, 1910 SAT, 29 ACT
I am currently in Army Special Operations Forces as a Ranger. Combat deployed 3x, Ranger School, Dive school, blablabla…
Bottom line- I have more life experience than the average 17/18 year old applicant, and have a lot to bring to the table. Do schools like Berkeley look favorably on this, despite my slightly underperforming numbers?
Non-traditional students with interesting stories and essays could attract favorable attention from admission readers.
Where your HS GPA stands does depend on what variant it is. https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/ calculates the three kinds of HS GPA used for UC admissions (most UC pages use weighted-capped if not otherwise stated). http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-california-general/2174563-2019-uc-freshman-admit-rates-updated.html shows historical 2019 frosh admit rates by HS GPA
Thanks for the response! That’s good to hear, and time will ultimately tell. As far as my weighted capped GPA, well, it’s underwhelming
Lots of colleges will recognize what you have done since HS- just remember that it’s not just more ‘life experience’- they want to be reasonably sure that you are able for the academics. That’s where linking the kinds of learning you have been doing - I know you must have done a bunch of modules- to what you would be doing in college is helpful. Reasoning, pattern recognition, project management, communicating complex ideas quickly, accurately and succinctly are all examples of traits that have analogs in third level education!
Depending on your interests some colleges have programs for non-typical students- Columbia General Studies, for example- and others have actively worked with the Vets Posse program (Vassar was the first, now UChicago, UVa, Wesleyan and I think Dartmough).
According to my Joint Service Transcript, I have 40 hours of “non-educational” credits. There’s clear itemization of every module, course, etc. that include all characteristics you listed above. I have also read Philosophy voraciously for the last few years and have subsequently written a number of my own essays on relevant subjects. What I am trying to say is that i am a learner by lifestyle. I dunno, we will see if it’s evident and grounds for acceptance.
It should be- just try and help them see it by connecting the dot in your essays- and by looking at programs that especially value that. Did you look at the Columbia program? A voracious reader would thrive in that!
UCs may consider some military course work transferable:
http://veterans.universityofcalifornia.edu/prepare-for-uc/how-to-apply.html
https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/transfer-requirements/preparing-to-transfer/transfer-credit.html
However, it is also likely that UC will see that as “college courses taken after high school” and require you to apply as a transfer student and meet transfer student requirements (mainly in terms of college course work). Contact UC directly to verify whether you will be considered frosh or transfer.
https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/transfer-requirements/
https://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/admission-requirements/transfer-requirements/preparing-to-transfer/
I reached out to admissions. I am not considered a transfer student because they are not “courses taken after HS”. I’ll knock out all PE, and many electives with it. Only one course credit is “Upper Graduate” (non-GE class).
@jtreefields are you still attached to a base? I highly recommend you connect with an Education center. The academic counselors there are able to help vets and active duty evaluate schools/fit. They can also help you go over your JST for credit evaluation; there are schools that look at Soldier’s military transcript and will actually put it towards a degree. I mean many of those credits won’t transfer as anything but electives toward a 4 year degree, but if you are looking for points for promotion, having an AA will help with that.
They can also go over funding and how various financial aid programs work. There are a lot of opportunities for veterans (are you still active??) to receive special scholarships.
Try reaching out to Service2School, they help vets with all kinds of stuff like this. I’m not sure if they’re affiliated with Berkeley but I’m a vet (11B) and they helped me out a lot during my transfer process. Definitely worth checking out. Good luck!