Hi im a junior at high school in California, I would like to know my chances at getting into SDSU, UCSB, UCSD, Cal Poly Slo, UCSC, and UC irvine. My freshman GPA was a 3.2 with while taking English I, algebra I, Spanish II, Boys Soccer, Biology, and History. Sophomore year I had 3.4 GPA while taking English II, Geometry, Boys Soccer, Physiology, Spanish III, and World History. This Year I am predicting getting a 3.8 with AP Computer Science Principles, Honors Chem, Algebra II, English III, Ceramics, and US History. I have 30 hours of community service and I am predicting by the end of this year I will have 45. Because I have a rising GPA through out high school will that help my chances of getting into the listed schools? I would also like to major in civil engineering and join the army after college. I also have experience working for my dads construction company if that helps. I have not taken the ACT yet but have signed up to take it in December, say I got a 28 on the ACT. What would my chances of getting into these schools look like? Thanks
If you’re intent on Civil Engineering, be aware that UCSB and UCSC do not have that major. Engineering is super competitive at the UCs - a near 4.0 UW GPA and 2300+ SAT is no guarantee as one of my kids found out. Based on what you expect on the ACT, I’d also say Cal Poly is unlikely because they are very formula driven and engineering is very competitive there too - as competitive as mid to upper tier UCs. You can try a few UCs, but I would suggest focusing more on CSUs other than Cal Poly for Civil Engineering.
Thank you for your input
What If I was not decided on a major when I applied to college?
By the way, @elmur27, the UCs don’t look at freshman grades/GPA. Just throwing that out there.
UC’s are very GPA focused and as @youcee stated a high GPA 4.0+ is the average for the majority of the UC’s along with competitive test scores.
After Junior year, calculate your CSU/UC GPA using this calculator: https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
All the UC’s and CSU’s (except Cal Poly SLO) use the capped weighted UC GPA (8 semesters of UC approved Honors/AP/IB courses) UCLA/UCB will also use the Fully weighted UC GPA (unlimited UC approved Honors/AP/IB courses for the extra points).
Cal Poly uses 9-11th grades in their GPA calculation and is capped at 8 semesters of UC approved Honors/AP/IB courses for the extra points.
An upward grade trend is always helpful and since the UC’s and CSU’s use only 10-11th grades, your GPA may be higher with the calculation.
Just to give you an idea of admit rates based on the UC GPA here is some statistical information. Remember that for competitive majors like Engineering your stats need to be above the averages:
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.00-3.39
UCB/UCLA/UCSD: 1%
UCI/UCSB: 2%
UCD: 4%
UCSC: 18%
UCR: 38%
UCM: 67%
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.40-3.79:
UCB: 2%
UCLA: 3%
UCSD: 6%
UCD: 15%
UCSB: 14%
UCI: 13%
UCSC: 59%
UCR: 78%
UCM: 92%
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.80-4.19:
UCB: 14%
UCLA: 14%
UCSD: 44%
UCSB: 54%
UCD: 58%
UCI: 65%
UCSC: 85%
UCR: 94%
UCM: 96%
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 4.20 or above:
UCB: 42%
UCLA: 54%
UCSD: 87%
UCSB: 85%
UCD: 91%
UCI: 94%
UCR/UCM: 98%
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On to the Cal States, below is how all the Cal states admit with exception of Cal Poly SLO. SLO uses an MCA score calculation which would take up another 1/2 page. If interested, send me a PM and will give the information or you can look it up on this link: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/cal-poly-san-luis-obispo/1694769-confused-about-mca-score-p10.html
How Cal States admit:
The Cal states admit by major and eligibility index. They really only consider GPA/Test scores/Geographic location and HS course rigor. Other than Cal Poly SLO, your EC’s are not considered.
You need to calculate your CSU/UC GPA using grades from a-g courses taken 10-11th.
https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
Not sure which courses are a-g and will give you extra honors points, then use this link by typing in your HS name?
https://hs-articulation.ucop.edu/agcourselist#/list/search/institution
Cal states and the majority of the UC’s use the capped weighted GPA.
Then calculate your Eligibility index:
If you took the Redesigned SAT:
(CSU capped weighted GPA X 800) + (SAT Evidence Based Reading & Writing (EBRW) + Math Score) = Eligibility Index
Eligibility index for ACT:
(CSU capped weighted GPA X 200) + (ACT Composite x10)= Eligibility Index
**CSULB and SJSU use a modified EI for STEM/Engineering majors:
http://www.sjsu.edu/admissions/impaction/impactionresultsfreshmen/index.html
You will then be ranked based on EI and major and they accept from the top down until all spots are filled.
You will get priority at your local CSU which you can look up on this link. Local applicants usually require a lower EI to get an acceptance unless the program is highly impacted.
http://www.calstate.edu/sas/onestopkiosk/documents/CSULocalAdmission-ServiceAreas.pdf
Impacted campuses/majors: https://www.calstate.edu/sas/documents/ImpactedProgramsMatrix.pdf
Regarding the admit rates for various GPAs above, note that those are for the school as a whole. The Engineering school at UCs can have an acceptance rate that is half or less of the overall acceptance rate. For example, you see above that Davis has an admit rate of 91% for a UC GPA of 4.20 or higher. In our experience for Engineering, you can throw that out the window. One of our kids was waitlisted there with a much higher GPA. You might think he must have had a lousy application - not really, because he got a Regents scholarship at a comparable, often higher ranked UC. My point is, Engineering at the UCs requires a reality check and can be very unpredictable.
@Elmur27 Regarding your question of going in as an undeclared major, at the UCs it is super hard once you’re in to switch to the college of engineering. Same at Cal Poly. If you want to do engineering at one of those schools, apply directly to that major, otherwise you are unlikely to get into it. Somebody else might be able to help you with how the CSUs do it.
most college students change major more than once so, switching isn’t that difficult at most schools. At most colleges, there is a well published list of pre-reqs and a threshold GPA, if you meet the standard, you are in the major. - even for competitive majors,
A 3.6 GPA and mid range SAT will make you competitive for UCR, UCM and most programs all the CSUs except CP SLO. That’s a long list of options… Keep doing your best and check back in when you have an SAT/ACT and and your Jr grades in the books.
good luck