u/1stfrog

I am a rising senior. I am FGLI (-1,500 SAI, 5k AGI) with a single parent, rural-ish (live in a rural area but commute to an urban school), California resident, transgender woman, and looking to go into Civil Engineering and maybe double major in Political Science or Sociology.

I have strong academics - 3.7 cumulative GPA, 4.0 GPA excluding 9th grade and strong course rigor (AP Calc BC, Multivariable Calculus, both AP Physics C Mechanics, AP Chem). I also have a 1460 on the SAT I'm planning on retaking.

I am hoping to go to UC Berkeley or Davis but it looks like there will be about 10k not covered by financial aid each year.

Are there any scholarships I should check out? It's been kinda confusing for me to find reputable places to look.

Demographics:

Gender: transgender woman

race/ethnicity: jewish

state: California

type of school: T-10 California public school which is kinda a Berkeley feeder (30%ish acceptance rate)

hooks: FGLI, rural-ish (live in a rural place but commute to an urban school)

Major: Civil engineering, also interested in a Political Science or Sociology double major

GPA and Rank: 4.0 UW, 4.3 capped weighted, 4.4 uncapped weighted, school doesn't rank but I'd probably be pretty low due to 9th grade grades

Coursework: APWH (5), Honors American lit, AP Calc BC (expecting 5), APUSH (expecting 5), AP Physics C Mechanics (expecting 3 or maybe 4), dual enrollment intro to engineering course (2 credits over the summer)

Senior year course load: Honors Multi Calc, AP Chem, AP Physics C E&M, AP US Gov and Poli, AP English Lit

Idk if they even see this but I had 2.6 gpa 9th grade first semester so definitely have a strong upward trend. Also I have 4 years of foreign language and 3 years of VAPA

Awards: Questbridge College Prep Scholar (also expecting to be a NCM finalist), Collegeboard First Generation Recognition Award

Extracurriculars:

Activism (9th, 10th, 11th): lobbied school board to pass resolution affirming support for transgender and queer students, helped organize two walk out protests, helped create a queer survival zine as a part of my counties QSU (COE program), presented it to the COE board

Volunteering (10th, 11th): cooked free food at a Hindu temple (long story)

Speech and Debate Club (11th): was one of like three members lol, I am going to be co-president 12th grade and will hopefully be able to turn it into an actual functioning club

Mock Trial (11th): understudy, went to a bunch of scrimmages and participated in just one trial at county competitions, got voted best witness by opposing team for that trial

Engineering Club (11th): literally just a member lol, might have some random leadership position in 12th grade

Martial arts (10th, 11th): did both BJJ and Capoeira, got my yellow cord in Capoeira

I may get some more extracurricular opportunities this summer (internship at COE data analysis and tutoring a kid with a learning disability and maybe doing some homeless garden project volunteering) but it remains to be seen what happens.

Is this normal lol? I am a Prep Scholar but got rejected from the 9 summer programs I applied to.

I'm an in-state California student (1st generation) and going to apply for civil engineering.

My grades/courses are as follows:

I took Algebra 1 8th grade (C both semesters).

9th 1st semester: Art 2 (C), Biology (B), English 9 (C), Geometry (A), Latin 1 (B), Medieval World History (C)

9th 2nd semester: same courses with all As besides a B in Art 2

10th and 11th I have all As.

10th: Algebra 2, AP World History , Chemistry, English 10, Latin 2, Video Production

I took Pre-Calculus summer before 11th grade (A both semesters).

11th: American Literature Honors, AP Calculus BC , AP Physics C Mechanics, AP US History, Graphic Art 2, Latin 3

I took DE intro to engineering (2 semester credits) summer before 12th grade (A).

12th: Honors Multivariable Calculus, AP Physics C E&M, AP Chemistry, AP English Lit, Constitutional Law and the Supreme Court (first semester) then AP US Gov and Politics (second semester), Latin 4

My overall Cal Poly GPA is 3.975.

I believe I have all course suggestions fulfilled besides the 5th year of English. Also I have volunteering/community service, leadership in extracurriculars, and might get an internship.

Is my course rigor enough to make up for my low overall gpa?

Demographics:

Gender: transgender woman

race/ethnicity: jewish

state: California

type of school: T-10 California public school which is kinda a Berkeley feeder (30%ish acceptance rate) and an Irvine feeder (50%ish)

hooks: FGLI, rural-ish (live in a rural place but commute to an urban school), transgender

Intended Major(s): Civil Engineering, will apply for Structural Engineering at UCSD

GPA and Rank: 4.0 UW, 4.3 capped weighted, 4.4 uncapped weighted, school doesn't rank but I'd probably be pretty low due to 9th grade grades

Coursework: APWH (5), Honors American lit, AP Calc BC (expecting 5), APUSH (expecting 5), AP Physics C Mechanics (expecting 3 or maybe 4), dual enrollment intro to engineering course (2 credits over the summer)

Senior year course load: Honors Multi Calc, AP Chem, AP Physics C E&M, AP US Gov and Poli, AP English Lit

Also have 4 years of foreign language and 3 years of VAPA

Awards: Questbridge College Prep Scholar (also expecting to be a NCM finalist), Collegeboard First Generation Recognition Award

Extracurriculars:

Activism (9th, 10th, 11th): lobbied school board to pass resolution affirming support for transgender and queer students, helped organize two walk out protests, helped create a queer survival zine as a part of my counties QSU (COE program), presented it to the COE board

Volunteering (10th, 11th): cooked free food at a Hindu temple (long story)

Speech and Debate Club (11th): was one of like three members lol, I am going to be co-president 12th grade and will hopefully be able to turn it into an actual functioning club

Mock Trial (11th): understudy, went to a bunch of scrimmages and participated in just one trial at county competitions, got voted best witness by opposing team for that trial

Engineering Club (11th): literally just a member lol, might have some random leadership position in 12th grade

Martial arts (10th, 11th): did both BJJ and Capoeira, got my yellow cord in Capoeira

If you couldn't tell my main concern is my extracurriculars, ik the activism is decent but everything else is pretty random without a lot of impact or any relationship to Engineering (though a Berkeley AO did tell me that extracurriculars don't have to be aligned with major). Also idk if they even see this but I had 3.2 gpa 9th grade so definitely have a strong upward trend.