In your opinion, what are my "percentage" chances of getting into UCLA?

I would think you have an excellent chance. Do you have any backups? I’d advise applying to at least 3 places. Your essay and interview will also count. Good luck!

Sorry, I added a description. TYPO! We work to erase Stigma OF Mental illness. Can you guys help with any other similar schools that might work as a backup and reach?

Cappex.com has a fairly accurate “chances calculator.”

I am assuming you are primarily looking at public universities. I’d apply to UCD, UCSD, and UCSB too. And perhaps CU Boulder, U Washington, and U Oregon.

And really, apply to Stanford. It is expensive but they have a lot of help to get an accepted student through. Same with Yale and Harvard.

UCBerkeley (hardly a back-up).

Make sure to have someone proof-read your essay. You write well but have made some odd mistakes here.

Here are the stats for the freshmen admitted in 2011. The applicant pool looks very good on paper.

23% of instate applicants admitted…you fit that profile well.

http://www.admissions.ucla.edu/Prospect/Adm_fr/Frosh_Prof11.htm

Thank you so much for your help. What other private schools can be backups, matches, and reaches? I’m looking into schools with either a good neuroscience or business program. I really haven’t decided yet!
I really wanted to apply to UPenn, but I don’t think I have much of a shot.

I think you have an excellent chance at Penn or Princeton.

really? I tried on Cappex and they said I’m in the middle, so it probably won’t happen.

@saraccina: If you can afford the application fee, by all means apply to Penn. You certainly will not be turned down on academic grounds. And you are what admissions offices label GD (geographically desirable). If money is no object, look at Cornell also.

They might love a Farsi-speaking, flute-playing girl from LA. (if you do decide to apply, write a little extra essay in proper Farsi…short being the key word. Two paragraphs at best.)

There are also the seven colleges in the Claremont consortium in Claremont, CA. The most interesting for you would be either Pomona College, Harvey Mudd or Claremont McKenna.

There is the advantage of going to a small, prestigious liberal arts college with the possibilities of taking courses at the other schools.

“The seven institutions in the group cooperate in their academic programs and in the use of certain common facilities. Within the limitations described elsewhere in this catalog, the undergraduate colleges open their classes, without tuition charge, to students at the other undergraduate institutions. Also, selected courses at Claremont Graduate University are open to undergraduate students.”

” Pomona is currently ranked 4th in National Liberal Arts Colleges by U.S. News & World Report and is the 9th most selective private university in the United States.”

^^That means it is ranked with Williams, Amherst, Wesleyan and Swarthmore without being on the east coast. Source.

How many schools is appropriate to apply to? I don’t think money is a factor.

Thank you that is a fantastic idea! I will be sure to do that.

I was looking into Claremont McKenna (My good friend just graduated from there, and he loved it!)

It depends on your pocketbook, your energy and your sense of reality.

Two or three “reach schools (Penn, Cornell, Pomona, Berkeley), three “good odds” schools and two back-ups.

Your school guidance counselor or college advisor should be giving you this info.

Questions for you.

Public or private in terms of cost?

Small or big?

City, suburbs or country?

Distance from home?

Big classes with famous profs. or small, with dedicated teachers? (Oversimplified POV, remember)

Stress, pressure, competitiveness? What’s your usual operating mode?

What will you narrow your non-academic interests to when you are at college or uni? You can’t spread yourself as thin as you are now, in high school.

Cost doesn’t matter, I prefer a medium or large school, although I don’t mind a small school either. I want to be able to continue to take classes to improve my italian. Location doesn’t matter.
I’m going to keep up my piano and flute during college.