Do you think I can get into UC Berkeley?

Question

I have a weighted 4.33 GPA and 3.8 unweighted. My SAT score is 1970. I am taking a third language and scored a 5 on the AP Spanish test. Oh yeah... and I am Mexican-American (if that changes anything). For our purposes, let's assume I do not have any extra-curricular activities.

Answer 1

Berkeley (and other UCs) will weigh the following components of your application (in the order of importance): 1) your essay (Berkeley publishes a guideline on how to write your personal statement at: http://students.berkeley.edu/files/Admissions/Personal_State_07.pdf ) about your academic achievement, talent or extracurricular activities that highlight your motivation, dedication, and/or initiative to achieve, your potential to contribute to the university, and any special circumstances like hardship; 2) your grades and any grade trends (improvements are better than just maintaining a high GPA); 3) your test scores, including SAT and/or ACT, SAT II; and 4) number of AP courses completed compared to the number of AP courses offered at your high school. Other factors are taken into consideration, but to a lesser extent.

Keep in mind that extracurricular activities literally means anything you do outside of school. So if you participate in school clubs, sports, church groups, take lessons in anything, volunteer, hold a job, help take care of your family/siblings, all these things count as extracurricular activities that you can write about in your personal statement.

Answer 2

You have a good chance, but you're 3.8 unweighted is a little low (since the average unweighted GPA for UCB is 3.9). Also, you definitely need extracurriculars-- the only instance where an applicant would not need EC's would be if they had at least a 2300 SAT and straight A's (which isn't the case here).

The fact that you are a non-asian minority does weigh in-- but I don't know how much.

Answer 3

you should definately apply. The 3.8 unweighted GPA might not be quite high enough though. Discuss it with the counselor at your school. They can help you take the requirements for Berkeley so you can make sure you aren't missing anything.

Answer 4

I'm not an admissions officer, but your grades and scores are quite good, so I say go for it...all you have to lose is the application fee...which is insignificant compared to a college education.

Answer 5

It is matters whether or not you are a California resident. It is very hard to get in if you are out of state.

Answer 6

i think you might make it in, but w/o extra-curriculars, you have a huge disadvantage