You won’t know for sure until you try.

In general, to prepare for UC schools, you should complete the a-g requirements (ask your counselor for the approved courses at your high school or check online at http://www.ucop.edu/doorways/ ), study and do well in your high school courses and standardized tests (SAT Reasoning Test and/or ACT with Writing Assessment, and at least two SAT Subject Tests), take as many honors and/or AP courses as you can handle (or take community college courses in the a-g subject areas that are UC-transferable), participate in educational preparation programs available at your high school (see a list on my blog), and commit to one or two extracurricular activities in which you develop leadership skills (more is not better, quality is better than quantity).

UCs (including Berkeley and UCLA) will weigh the following components of your application (in the order of importance): 1) your essay (the UC System publishes the topics and guideline on how to write your personal statement at: http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissions/undergrad_adm/apply/how_apply/personal_statement.html ) about your background, 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.

You actually sound ok for UCLA/Berkeley. Definitely worth applying. Yes, it’s pretty hard to get in from out-of-state, but you’re a decently strong candidate. Not totally out of the question. The lower down the UC system you go, the better your chances obviously. There’s a HUGE difference btw UCLA/Berkeley and what you need to get into UC Riverside.

You have decent statistics. I’m sure you could get into Irvine or Santa Cruz. Maybe Davis too. I’d say your chances of getting into Berkeley or LA might not be so bad. Your GPA isn’t the best, but you do have a lot of extra curricular activities. USC might be pushing it, unless you have a lot of $$$ and can pay for tuition. Make sure you do really well your first semester of senior year and if you can, try to improve on that SAT. Since you’re an immigrant, you could try to incorporate that situation (difficulties and hardships and how you overcame them) into your personal statement if the circumstances allow it. Good luck.

UCLA and UC Berkerly would be the hardest to get in, Next is UC San Diego, UC Irvine and UC Davis, followed by UC Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Merced (new) and Riverside. Your GPA should let ytou get into one of those. Yes it’s possible.

USC is the best, as good as UC Berkerly, much better than UCLA, but very expensive, though they do give financial aid

Anything is possible. It sounds like you are very active in school. Definitely apply to some UC schools. As the other poster stated USC is $$$$ unless you get a scholarship from the school or outside sources.

I got into UCSB (Santa Barbara) with less than what you’ve got.

You can apply to a lot (maybe all) of the UCs at once, with one application, so do that. Write a really good essay: I’m convinced that’s the most important part.

It’s definitely possible, but you might have to explain failing two math courses. By all means, try and never lose hope. If you don’t get in this year, you can always transfer in later. And when you transfer, they only look at your college GPA (and no SAT scores).

Good luck to you kid!