Weight placed on academics as opposed to extracurriculars?

<p>How does Berkeley decide how many points to give applicants for grades/test scores and extracurriculars? Do volunteer hours count numerically or is it a sort of subjective approach?</p>

<p>Do you think this would be a rather high or low chance of getting in?</p>

<p>GPA U: 3.89 or something?
GPA W: 4.31</p>

<p>Hispanic on my father’s side, and we don’t live in California.</p>

<p>SAT: Took it two times and got a:
Reading - 640, Math - 630 and Writing -760 for a total of 2030 on the first try.
Reading - 720, Math - 660 and Writing - 800 for a total of 2180 on the second.</p>

<p>ACT: Took it once and got a 31.</p>

<p>Multiple honors courses from freshman year. </p>

<p>APs:
Sophomore - AP World (5)
Junior - AP Bio (4), AP Lang (5), APUSH (4)
Senior (current) - AP Lit, AP Microeconomics/US Gov, AP Stats, AP Chem</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:</p>

<p>Compassion International (2009-Present)
Sponsor a ten year old in Haiti named -----------. Provide basic necessities for his entire family and communicate by letter.</p>

<p>Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) (2008)
I raised $200 for charity donation to the CCF to support a cheetah in their care named ----.</p>

<p>Darfur Fast for Life (July 22-23 2011)
I fasted in the 24-hour global hunger strike, called government officials asking for protection of civilians, and justice for victims of genocide committed in Darfur and throughout Sudan from 2004 until today.</p>

<p>Mu Alpha Theta (2010-Present)
I tutor students at least once a semester and help organize math-related events.</p>

<p>Spanish National Honor Society (2010-Present)
Teach Spanish to elementary school students, tutor classmates at least three times a semester, and participate in group meetings. </p>

<p>National Honor Society (2010-2011)
Organize service-related events.</p>

<p>Honors:</p>

<p>National Merit -
Commended Scholar
Hispanic Scholar</p>

<p>AP Scholar with Honors</p>

<p>Superior at 2009 Solo and Ensemble Festival</p>

<p>Hook(?): Mother passed when I was 11.</p>

<p>I can’t tell you exactly how much weight is given to grades vs. ECA’s, but there are two things you should know:</p>

<ol>
<li>GPA is the single most important thing. It won’t make or break your chances, but it’s more important than any other single thing (like test scores, activities, community service, etc.).</li>
<li>Berkeley does not use a point system; they instead review applications holistically. As you suggested, it is in fact a “subjective approach” in which applications are judged based on the overall impression of the applicant, and there are no fixed weights.</li>
</ol>