Grades + Test Scores
hi! my name is lian and i'm a rising senior based in cali. i'm mainly interested in staying in-state and would LOVE to go to a UC.
my main concern atm is my test scores + GPA compared to other applicants who might be interested in Berkeley, UCLA, etc. i believe i have good if not great ECs I'm just worried about my current academic rigor.
by the end of senior year i will have taken 6 aps (chem, bio, calc ab, psych, apes, stats) and have passed all of them so far (chem (3), bio & calc waiting but think i got a 5 on both).
i have a 4.0 uw and about 4.2 w. i've taken the sat 3 times; my best score is 1430. given all this info, how do my chances stack up against other applicants? many of my peers at school are taking 7-12 aps by the end of their senior yr and I'm worried i haven't taken enough aps / gotten good enough scores.
Let's clarify all those doubts. Firstly, UCs have their own method of calculating GPA. It's called Capped GPA and it only accounts 10th and 11th grade. UC will look at the Capped GPA and sometimes unweighted GPA. You're fine for the GPA part but noticing that you've taken less rigorous courses, you will have a lower GPA, but not by a lot. All the UCs have a holistic review of student applications. ECs matter just as much as GPA. UCs are also test-blind so even if you submit your SAT, they won't look at it. ECs and essays play a crucial role to make up for the GPA that you might think is low. SInce ECs are clear for you, there is nothing else for me to clarify. Test scores could be a flex but from what I have learned from other admissions officers they are mainly to get credits, and I'm not sure about the UCs' policies about those. I was in a somemwhat same position as you but then after some research, I figured out that they have a unique method of reviewing student application. As long as your passion aligns with your actions and your essays demostrate your uniqueness, you're solid!
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