<p>So I have a few C's on my transcript (personal family problems). Am I out of the running for UCLA even thought I have a 2150 SAT and tons of very solid long-time EC's?</p>
<p>bumppppppp</p>
<p>no. i had 3 C's on mt transcript (2 during junior year) and still got in. </p>
<p>you're definitely not out of the running.</p>
<p>i had an F on my transcript and several C's, like 3-4. i had a good explanation for them and good essays, and it sounds like you can explain your grades as well, so make sure to do that. Those grades will hurt you no doubt, but if the rest of your app is solid they won't keep you out.</p>
<p>I had 4 C's (all 4 semester of math....) and I explained that math is definitely not my strong point and tried to convince them that UCLA would be making a big mistake if they didn't accpet me just because I can't do Pre-Calculus while I had A's in every single other subject.</p>
<p>rasta23:</p>
<p>Assuming the rest of your sophomore/junior grades are equally distributed between As and Bs and you are a California resident,
UCLA: Match</p>
<p>There's no telling your chances with the info u provided, but if you have solid performance in the rest of ur courses those C's won't matter too much. Hopefully those C's occured early in ur high school career so you can prove that you have improved. Even if you got ur C's later like in 10th or 11th grade, you have a chance to explain yourself. </p>
<p>Word of advice with ur essays: Don't stress the C's too much. Mention them as a consequence of ur family problems but focus more on how you grew and developed as a person as a result of the problem.</p>
<p>Anyways good luck!!</p>
<p>Like everyone here said, stating the problems that caused the C's (family problem as you mentioned) is extremely important. Just don't dwell on the topic too much. On one of the guidebooks by the University of California Regents they even explicitly stated that if you had bad grades, be sure to explain. Otherwise they can't sympathize and consider "Well if this person didn't have these problems, he /she probably would have done better". They like long-term and committed activities as well. I got in with only KEY Club as a solid activity (board membership really helps). My GPA was 4.26 at the time, extremely weak extracurricular compared to everyone else, but I think the personal statement made a really big impact on my application.</p>
<p>pXalpine, i have the EXACT same problem.</p>
<p>i got 4 c's all in math.</p>
<p>how exactly did you explain it? in your personal statement?</p>
<p>I told them in my personal statement that even though I knew math wasn't my strong point, I still challenged myself and took Honors Pre-calculus in my junior year and tackled it with enthusiasm and blahblahblah.</p>
<p>I had all A's in all the other classes though, even science :P</p>
<p>awesome.</p>
<p>perhaps i shall do that as well.</p>
<p>I had a couple of bad marks that I explained in my third essay. I emphasized how much I had changed from that and how I was improving and continuing to challenge myself regardless of circumstance. So, stress change, growth, and responsibility.</p>