Sorry Students!

I have been busy with school, but now I'm out and searching for jobs. What a rough economy. I'll start to answer more questions. Also I will be giving the ebook free to anyone that wants it. Just post a message in the guestbook and I'll send it to your email. Thanks!!! and if you know anyone that's interested, just spread the message. Free books for anyone. The world deserves free knowledge!!!

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