How impossible is it for an out-of-state resident like me to get admitted in to UCD or UCSB?

Great question Tiffany!

It is not impossible for an out of state resident to get into either UCD or UCSB, but your GPA and SAT test scores must be higher. It is hard to determine how much higher, but from older statistics from when I applied, it seems out of state residents will need scores ranging from 1950-2000+ for both UCD and UCSB to have a good chance at acceptance. In terms of GPA, a 4.0 UC GPA or higher is a minimum. For students who cannot meet the minimum GPA, one can improve their chances by scoring higher than average on the SAT II or SAT I as it demonstrates clear understanding of material beyond the classroom. Please do not take this as a means to do poorly in class :D, but a safety in case grades do not turn out as expected. Goodluck Tiffany, and hope you get in! If you have more questions post them and I will answer them when I have time.

Appeals

I am in the making of writing an appeals section, and will be getting help from my friend who appealed to the UC schools and got into a few of them. He finally decided UCD, and I am proud that his method actually worked. Not much has been discussed about appeals except for the basics so maybe he will update this page about everything you guys need know.

What makes a strong candidate???

A strong candidate is a person who is well rounded. This means you should do well in both schools and join social groups or other types of clubs to understand your own passions. Many people I have spoke with claim, for example, that Boy Scouts can't get them into a college. The point isn't that Boy Scouts can't get you into college, but that you must do more then Boy Scouts alone and maintain a good GPA and SAT score to also be considered. So remember that when you go to apply, do not just focus on one tool to help you into college. Utilize your whole arsenal because you need whatever it takes to get in.

Update

I haven't had much time to come here because Berkeley midterms kick butt. Anyways, I am glad to help you with any questions. You can ask them below. Jim W asked what books I would recommend for the SAT. I mentioned my favorites already which include College Board's Blue Book, Princeton Review's large SAT book, and Princeton Review's Word Smart. I can discuss them in the future, but at all costs get College Board's Blue Book.

Question - ACT and SAT Scores

I just received my December ACT scores, and they are lower than my SAT scores. Will this hurt me? Or will the UCs choose my higher score between the two?

No. The UC will take the higher of the two scores. Just make sure you haven't taken the test more than 3 times.

How do I get accepted to UC Berkeley

It is easy to see the steps:

1. Become the average
2. Do great extracurricular activities
3. Write a great essay!
4. Fill in your application completely and on time

However, not everyone can do this because there are many challenges involved. I have written this blog to help you with FAQ so check out my posts!

Will the UCs deny my application if i send my satI and II scores late??

Definitely not! As long as you send your scores before the first week of January or have them postmarked by Dec. 31, you scores will get accepted. They would probably deny your application if you didn't fill in any scores or anything else, and you finally decided to send them the information.

The Kindle Version is now out!

Kindle Book

Squidoo Has a section of the book!

http://www.squidoo.com/ucadmitme

Do UC's care about my senior year grades once I've been accepted?

Yes. The UC colleges want you to get above a D, so please maintain all C's or higher. In some circumstance, UC's will revoke their decision if your grades are bad.

What is ELC, and how does it allow people to get their acceptance notices early?

ELC refers to Eligibility in Local Context. The top 4 percent of students in each participating California high school class receives this letter that guarantees acceptance to sevearal colleges but does not include UCB or UCLA. Basically if you get the letter and apply to these colleges, you can get your acceptance earlier.

For more information you can visit the official website. http://www.ucop.edu/sas/elc/

Requirements for ELC:
# Graduate from high school with a UC GPA of 3.0 or higher
# Complete all coursework requirements for freshman admission by the end of senior year
# Take two SAT Subject Tests and either the ACT Assessment plus Writing or the SAT Reasoning Test no later than December of senior year of high school.
# Apply to the University by the November 30 application deadline

Do UC Colleges look at my freshman grades?

The UC colleges will look at your UC grades, but they will not affect your UC GPA. Your UC GPA depends on your 10th and 11th grade courses, so make sure to do well when it counts. This does not mean to bomb your freshman grades because this may hurt your chances, but doing mediocre will not kill you.

Ranking UC Campus

Ranking the UC colleges is very hard because each school has its strong points. I would rank the academic abilities of the schools in terms of tiers rather than numerical numbering. Here's my view (1 being highest to 4 lowest)

Tier 1
UCB
UCLA

Tier 2
UCSD

Tier 3
UCI
UCD
UCSB

Tier 4
UCR
UCM

My GPA is down the drain. Do I still have a shot?

Yes, but your chances are much slimmer compared to others. IF your GPA is above 3.5 you still have a great shot at many schools, but it starts to get much harder when your GPA is below 3.5. THe only thing you can do to improve your odds is to increase your grades in the coming semesters and write an incredible essay about overcoming all odds. You can also try and join extracurricular activities, but make sure to write in the essay how you show improvement and growth.

What factors affect the decision process?

There are many factors that affect your decision process, but the top 3 things are your GPA, test scores, and extracurricular activities. The UCSD admission comittee has a chart discussing how much each affects your decision, and also show other interesting factors. Here is what I've taken from UCSD's website.

http://www.ucsd.edu/prospective-students/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/freshmen/process.html


Selection process

Drawing upon the broad guidelines established by the Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools (BOARS), the UCSD Faculty Committee on Undergraduate Admissions has approved the following procedures for freshman selection which are implemented by the Office of Admissions and Relations with Schools.

Step I: Academic review (Maximum Consideration on the right of each criteria)
Uncapped Grade Point Average (GPA) 4,500
Scores of all required exams 3,200
Number of "a-g" courses beyond the minimum 500

Step II: Additional academic factors
Eligibility in the Local Context (ELC) 300
Educational environment 300

Step III: Socioeconomic factors
Low family income 300
First generation college attendance 300

Step IV: Personal characteristics and achievement factors
Demonstrated leadership 300
Special talents/ achievements/ awards 300
Community and volunteer service 300
Participation in academic development preparation programs 300
Special circumstances/ personal challenges 500

Total: 11,100

When do UC's notify me of the decisions?

All the UC schools do not notify you the same time. For example, some schools such as UCB will release their decisions on March 25, while others maybe release decisions later. So the answer is that each school differs, but you can always check them online.

UC GPA

I know that the UC's calculate their "UC GPA" based on the applicant's 10th-11th grade grades.

However, what happens if something out of the ordinary happens during those years?

I know there are many people who face problems in their life, but the UC will still take your GPA for what it is. The only means to explain yourself is through your essay, which will definitely help if you can scope your essay to describe how you overcame your circumstance. I would try to relate to them how I improved my grades or how I did well academically after the incidence because of what I learned.

Supplement

As a supplement to the previous topic, I suggest purchasing Princeton's 11 tests and working on the math problems. Once you catch on to the concepts, take the math questions from College Board's Blue Book and you'll be on your way to that high score.

Improving Math

Math is one of those subjects you can learn quite quickly as long as you don't get frustrated. The best way to improve your SAT Math score is to digest many practice problems and learn from your mistakes. If you don't know how to solve the problem, either ask a teacher or as others in the College Confidential Community. Remember that the math test is not just about understanding, but also about speed, so learning the fastest methods are valuable.

Is there a maximum to how many tests i can retake?

Yes and no. Theoretically, you could take every test over and over, but if you repeat tests too often, the admission will not look to highly on your scores. This is my suggestion and the suggestion given to me by many successful individuals.

SAT I - 3 times max
ACT - 2 times max
SAT II - 1 time (twice is a pull, but acceptable if the test was a fluke)
AP - 1 time