Here is the post with my profile: https://redd.it/7yae1j
Feel free to comment on here or on the reddit post
Thank you
With a 3.29 UC weighted capped GPA, all UCs except Merced are reaches. Merced is probably a high match. CS is generally a more competitive major than the campus overall for campuses that admit by major.
SJSU and CPSLO are also reaches for CS.
Your UC GPA is really going to hurt your chances at all the UC’s. Are you ELC eligible? If so, then UC Merced would be your best chance at any of the UC’s.
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%
25th - 75th percentiles for ACT:
UCB: 30-34
UCLA: 30-34
UCSD: 29-34
UCSB: 28-33
UCD: 26-32
UCI: 26-32
UCSC: 26-31
UCR: 23-30
UCM: 20-27
I see UC Merced as a Match and SFSU as a Safety.
Your essays and Internship will help, but the UC’s are very GPA focused.
SDSU: Low Reach
SJSU: Reach
UCR: Low Reach
UCSC: Low Reach
The rest of the UC’s are going to Reaches.
Congrats on Purdue and it looks like your best option.
Best of luck.
However, the Purdue admission is to web programming and design ( https://polytechnic.purdue.edu/degrees/web-programming-and-design/plan-of-study ), not CS like the OP apparently prefers.
At Purdue, changing into the CS major after enrolling is a competitive process, with no guarantee based on grades. https://www.cs.purdue.edu/undergraduate/codo.html
Within California, starting at community college may be a good option. If the OP does well, then transferring to a UC or CSU can be done without the high school record being an impediment.
Thanks so much man!
As mentioned in the post, I wrote an essay explaining why the grades dropped. I wasn’t lazy or playing games all day. I had some circumstances which affected my grades but I brought myself back up during junior year and showed positive trends.
To what extent will that essay help?
Thanks so much! I don’t think I am ELC eligible and I didn’t apply to Merced.
I understand that the UCs are GPA focused, and I know there isn’t anything I can do to fix my GPA at this point. However, I want the UCs to understand that the low GPA isn’t because I was lazy or playing games all day. I had circumstances affecting my drop in grades - which is why I do not want UCs to look at my sophomore grades too harshly - but I picked myself back up and got much better grades and AP scores during my junior year, which most clearly depicts my real work ethic and confidence to succeed in college.
I conveyed that in one of my essays and hope they will consider it. If those circumstances had never occurred, I’m sure my sophomore grades would’ve been much higher.
Thanks!
I am also waiting on Virginia Tech decisions (comes out on Monday) and I applied directly for CS there. If I get accepted there, I’ll probably attend there if all else fails and if it makes financial sense. I remember watching a video on top 5 underrated CS colleges and Virginia Tech was one of them.
Otherwise, probably Purdue. I know I’m a web design major, but I will try to minor in CS and get a second major in UX design (or something similar).
Also, one more thing: I live in the Santa Clara County, so SJSU will see my GPA as a 3.49
I also had to appeal to SJSU because they withdrew my application (I made a mistake on the CSU app)
I will also probably be appealing to Cal Poly pomona and SLO because of the mistake in my application.
Only SFSU and SDSU are allowing me to fix the mistake before RD results are out
My GPA for SJSU is a 3.49 (live in Santa clara county so I get a .2 GPA boost)
I also had to appeal to SJSU because they withdrew my application (I made a mistake on the CSU app)
I will also probably be appealing to Cal Poly pomona and SLO because of the mistake in my application.
Only SFSU and SDSU are allowing me to fix the mistake before RD results are out
If you have extenuating circumstances which led to your lower grades and you explained them in your essays, then it will definitely help your chances. Were you asked for a Supplemental review by any of the UC’s?
No, none of the UCs asked for a supplemental review.
However, berkeley sent a recommendation request.
And thanks man, I really hope they consider the essay!
Tell us how stuff goes once all your decisions release.
However, you sophmore is really bad (an F dude) and a 3.29 is gonna hurt a lot. Too bad you didn’t apply to Merced, but if your lucky, you can get through ELC.
Hopefully a few CSU’s come through, but atleast you got into 2 great programs so far!
Best of luck!
Thanks man! Unfortunately, the teacher who i got sophomore year for Precalculus Honors is notoriously hard.
People who normally take a year-long Algebra 2 or even Algebra 2 Honors course normally get Cs in the class even AFTER extensive studying and help.
I took a quick 6 week summer course as a substitute regular Alg 2 course to substitute for the year long course. HORRIBLE MISTAKE. Since it was a quick summer course, I didn’t retain the material as well.
Many people avoid the teacher (she teaches Precalculus Honors and AP calculus BC) by taking regular Precalculus and Calc AB.
I wasn’t aware of how tough she is until the year actually began. Even when people told me “Oh, the class might be hard”, I took it as a grain of salt because math used to always be my strong suit. Boy was I wrong.
I didn’t want to put the teacher down in my essays, but I did focus on how I showed personal growth and character development in my essays.
I have taken Calc AB as a junior (and a 5 on the AP exam!!! that’s gotta help) and am taking Stats right now to avoid her BC class.
See her horrendous ratings: https://www.ratemyteachers.com/montgomery/194909-t
What’s ELC?
If you are ELC eligible within your HS or state, if not accepted to any UC’s you applied, you will be offered a spot at UC Merced.