[eskimo]

-edit 20 characters zzzzzz

[becky]

I don't think just the fact that his GPA is "low" but his SAT score "high" would bar him from getting into those schools.
I actually don't think his GPA is that low anyways. Plus, I think the fact that he has ECs and many volunteer hours would sort of balance a low GPA for the better.
Honestly, I don't know much about UCs but I think he would have an okay chance getting in if he wrote some killer essays and particularly highlighted the factors that he's confident in (emphasize where/how he's volunteered and such).

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If he's a senior though, shouldn't he have turned in his apps already anyways?
There's not much he can do now, but maybe apply to some safety schools where the deadline hasn't passed yet. :[

[TheFrontline]

I'd say Brown and Northwestern are reaches (people admitted have high GPA, high SATs, solid ECs) but UCs he might have a chance since they used weighted system.

[chinese tears <3]

^ Yeah, what above person said. 3.5 is normal for unweighted GPA; for a lot of UC students their weighted goes up a lot. UCs look at everything now, so the extracurricular stuff make up for that.

[clairdeluned]

Brown and Northwestern are probably reaches. In my experience, a good GPA is more important than a good SAT score, but his GPA isn't atrocious or anything like that, so he shouldn't worry too much. However, if he is applying as an out of state student (you didn't mention if he is in California or not) he will have a tough time getting into the UC's, which tend to discriminate against out of state students.

[eskimo]

ah i'm not sure if he already handed in his apps...probably did though i'll email him when i get the chance (i think this was more as a chance thread for him..)

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and he's from Indiana :-3

[Voltage]

if he applied early action/decision to brown and northwestern...he's got a very very good chance. I think they accept like 75% of early action or something ridiculous if you have above the 2200 SAT threshold.