Hi, I’d really appreciate it if someone could help me out with my chances. I’d wish I could say that there was a reason for my low GPA, but nothing except a realization halfway through junior year that I wasn’t doing as well as I knew I could.
UC GPA: 3.79
SAT: 1220 out of 1600 (Hoping to improve this to, at least, the 1300s before submitting college apps.)
Extracurriculars:
Red Cross Volunteer
3 years of Varsity Tennis (My first year was split between Varsity and JV, but in terms of JV I won the league tournament in singles and also MVP at the end of the season.)
Friday Night Live (Approx 15 hours of volunteering. I attended two leadership camps. One as a camper and another as a leader.)
Key Club (Approx 10 hours?)
Played recreational softball for 4 years- don’t know if I can include that on my apps?
Volunteer at UCSD Health Center with 100 hours.
I regret not taking my grades that seriously in 10th grade and part of 11th but I’ve done all that I can to raise them. My grades aren’t final yet though, worst case scenario, I have slightly below a 3.8.
Also, if you have any recommendations of schools that would be a safety for me I’d appreciate that as well.
I want to get into nursing though I know that UCSD and UCSB (not sure about other UC’s) do not have nursing programs. So, I haven’t quite decided what my major would be for those schools though most likely a major having to do with business if that’s any help.
For CSUs, I’m thinking about CSULB, Cal Poly SLO, Fullerton, and CSUN.
Thank you so much to anyone who offers their feedback!
UC Irvine has nursing, I believe.
Also, CSU northridge has nursing. I know I was considering it for awhile
UCI and UCLA offer a direct admit nursing program along with CSU Fullerton and San Diego State. All are very competitive and with your current stats, they would be all a tough admit.
SLO has no nursing/Pre-Nursing program but has an excellent Business program, again a very tough admit with your current stats.
You have a good chance at CSUN and CSUF (non-direct) as a Pre-nursing applicant and if you do well in your Nursing Pre-Req’s then you could try to transfer into a Nursing progam. This also can be said for any of the UC’s and CSULB.
Here is information for CSUF’s direct admit and transfer nursing progam.
http://nursing.fullerton.edu/programs/elfreshmen/admissionreq.php
http://nursing.fullerton.edu/programs/elbsn/admissionreq.php
A business major would be a good backup plan, but it will be difficult to incorporate your Pre-Nursing pre-req courses along with your major.
You have made a great comeback with your grades in HS. Keep up the good work and Good Luck.
@Gumbymom Thanks for the info! Do all the UC’s have Pre-nursing programs or is it that UCI and UCLA are the only schools that are involved with nursing? Also, if I were to raise my SAT score would that increase my chances or would it not be so influential as raising my GPA? If all ends as hoped for I’ll have a 3.88 by the end of the school year though I know it’s not the 4.0+ that UC’s look for.
Are there any schools you would might consider being safeties in California, not limited to the list I gave in the main post?
Thank you so much again.
Only UCI/UCLA have Nursing programs for a BSN in the UC system. All UC’s offer courses that fulfill the Nursing school requirements to apply, but not a specific Nursing major. As stated above, SDSU/CSUF offer a direct admit program but many of the other CSU’s offer Pre-Nursing and then you apply to the Nursing program after finishing your pre-req’s. You could also do your Pre-req’s at a community college, get your associates degree (ADN) and then apply to a program.
When it comes to Nursing programs in California, there really isn’t any “safeties”. All Nursing programs at the UC and CSU’s are impacted, so getting the highest GPA and test scores possible in high school is all you can really do.
Here are links to the SDSU/CSULB/UCI and UCLA programs. SDSU’s program does not accept transfers, so you need to be accepted as a Freshman. The other programs accept transfer students. I have also linked the Cal State impacted major matrix to show which programs are available at the CSU’s.
https://www.calstate.edu/sas/documents/impactedprogramsmatrix.pdf
http://nursing.sdsu.edu/programs/bs-in-nursing/admissions/direct-admission/
http://web.csulb.edu/colleges/chhs/departments/nursing/programs/NursingBachelorProgram.htm
http://www.nursing.uci.edu/programs/bs/freshman/
http://www.nursing.ucla.edu/academics/degree-programs/bachelor-of-science/admission-requirements/
Arizona State has a direct admit Nursing program that may be of interest and I believe a bit easier to get into.
https://nursingandhealth.asu.edu/admissions/information-sessions
@Gumbymom Do the UC’s consider alternative majors if the first major is denied? UCI/UCLA were reaches I think regardless of major for me so might as well apply for Nursing. I think then for the others, the ones that don’t have a specific major, apply for business econ or a pharmaceutical major. Sorry for so many questions, but without regards to Nursing, how would my chances look at the other UC’s (besides Cal because I know I won’t be applying there) as a business major?
Also, I’ve considered Arizona State as a few seniors I know have been accepted there although it just depends on financial aid and scholarships that I acquire. I think, right now, staying in California is just ideal because of cost.
This is a little bit old from 2014, but gives you an idea in regards to the nursing program acceptances.
UCLA – Nursing. Freshman admit rate is approximately 2.6% (typically only about half of those who declare nursing on the UC application file the required nursing supplemental application and that skews the admit rate) and transfer admit rate is approximately 7.3% (Fall 2014). There is a ranked waitlist for the nursing applicants who are not initially accepted. Alternate major is NOT considered.
Irvine – Nursing Science. Freshman admit rate is approximately 4% and transfer admit rate is approximately 17% (Fall 2014). There is NO waitlist for nursing applicants (if you are offered waitlist option, it is for the UCI campus ONLY, NOT for the nursing major). Alternate major is considered if the student qualified for UCI admission but was not accepted into nursing.
Based on your UC GPA and SAT scores only, UCR/UCM and UCSC would be your best chances with a Business-related major . You also have to realize only UCI/UCR and UCB actually have a Business school. All the other UC’s have Business Econ/Managerial Econ majors.
UCI/UCSB and UCD would be slight reaches and the UCSD/UCB/UCLA would be Reach schools.
If you are leaning toward Nursing and/or Business, I would also consider the Cal states. SDSU/CSUF/CSULB have very good Business programs vs. Econ at the UC’s. It will really depend upon your area of focus for a business major.