I live in Santa Clara, and will graduate from a Santa Clara County highschool, I am interested in attending UCSC because of their technology programs.
Major I will apply to: Technology and Information Management or Bioinformatics(ve heard these programs are little bit easier to get into within the technology department.
UC GPA: 3.3 <— i know this is low(UC´s look at weighted gpa right)
Extra curriculars: VP of programming Club(will be co-president by senior year), Secretary + Founding Member of Model UN, Member of DECA, internship at a startup
Honors/AP courses: AP computer science principles (3 on AP exam), AP computer Science A(3 on AP exam), AP Seminar-Buisness(4 on AP exam), AP GOV/ECON(senior year), AP Environmental Science(senior year), AP Statistics(senior year), AP Calc AB(senior year) + Human Physiology Honors
*Only took 2 years of language
SAT(highest): 1340
ACT: 30(basing this off my practice test scores, I will be taking it this February)
MY questions:
- What is the easiest major within the technology department to get into
- What chanced do I have for getting into the college in general?
- What chances do I have for getting into either bioinformatics or Technology and information management?
As you are aware that your UC GPA IS well below the 25th percentile but your SAT is on target for UCSC along with UC Merced and Riverside. Your HS rigor is solid and your EC’s are major related but the UC’s tend to be very GPA focused so do you have a compelling reason for lower grades?
Since it sounds like you are a Junior since you state you will be taking the ACT in February, so you have another year to increase your GPA. Here is the UC GPA calculator and UCSC/UCR and UCM will use the capped weighted UC GPA for admissions consideration:
https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
GPA and test scores of middle 25%-75% students for UCSC:
UC GPA capped weighted: 3.76 - 4.16 Average: 3.96
ACT Composite Score: 26 - 32
ACT English Language Arts: 24 - 30
SAT Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 590 - 700
SAT Mathematics: 620 - 750
SAT Essay: 14 - 18
- There is no easy major if you are applying to Baskin School of Engineering at UCSC where your 2 choice majors are housed.
**UCSC:
Important Note for Prospective Engineering Students: Choice of major does not influence the selection of first-year students, except for those applicants interested in a major offered by the Jack Baskin School of Engineering (BSOE). Freshmen who are interested in a BSOE program should be sure to indicate a BSOE proposed major. Students who do not indicate a BSOE program or who apply as undeclared might not be able to pursue a BSOE program. **
- Admit rates for the UC’s based on capped weighted GPA and not major specific so unless you significantly bump up your GPA by end of Junior year, UCSC will be a Reach, UCR a High Match/Low Reach and UC Merced a Match to High Match.
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.00-3.39
UCB: 1.1%
UCLA: 0.9%
UCSD: 0.9%
UCSB: 1.4%
UCI: 3.1%
UCD: 4.1%
UCSC: 14.3%
UCR: 22.9%
UCM: 56.7%
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.40-3.79:
UCB: 1.8%
UCLA: 2.2%
UCSD: 7.2%
UCSB: 10.1%
UCI: 11.1%
UCD: 16.6%
UCSC: 43.8%
UCR: 63.3%
UCM: 88.7%
- Chances are low for either major with current GPA.
Hey there! I’m a student at UCM and although I do not have as robust of statistical knowledge as gumbymom, I would say that based on your GPA, extracurricular activities, and especially your SAT (good job!), you would not have a problem being accepted by UCM. Don’t doubt yourself too much based on your GPA, I had an extremely high GPA but a low SAT score and somehow still managed to get into Davis. Schools will look at every single component of your application, whether or not they accept you won’t be based on one single factor.
Sorry I could not be of more help on your major/ucsc specific questions! Good luck 
kiah831: Can you tell me your SAT score and GPA? my son is in the same situation.
thank you.