I’m top 10% of my class (6%) and I had a terrible freshman year, of course I know that UCs only really look at 10-11th year. My sophomore year I got a 4.2 first semester, and a 4.0 second semester. This is a leap from my 2.6 gpa my freshman year. My junior year I decided to get a job and to try out AP courses, I started off with just two. I ended up having a 3.8 my first semester but quickly regained my second semester with a 4.1 gpa. Now it’s my senior year and I’m nervous about getting accepted into UC Santa Barbara. I have plenty of extra curriculars, I’ve been president of Music club for three years now, president of drama club for one, I do weekly volunteer service at church since the age of 9, I plan on joining CSF and NHS this year to further my academic activities and I work a 12 hour a week job. My senior year schedule consists of three AP classes (AP Studio Art, AP Lit, and AP Computer Science). Additionally, I am taking yearbook and choir (my fourth year) and pre-calculus (I struggle with mathematics). My SAT score was definitely not the best, as I got a 1080/1600 and I plan on improving it to be 1250-1300 hopefully. I’m very passionate about sociology and I would love to major in it. What are my chances?
First calculate your UC GPA:
https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
UCSB uses the UC capped weighted GPA.
UCSB’s application review considers 50% academics (GPA/test scores/HS course rigor) and 50% Essays and EC’s/special talents.
Here is the Freshman profile so you want to be at or above the 50th percentile.
GPA and test scores of middle 25%-75% students
High School GPA UC Capped/Weighted: 3.96 - 4.25
ACT Composite Score: 28 - 33
ACT English Language Arts:26 - 31
SAT Evidence Based Reading & Writing: 610 - 700
SAT Mathematics: 600 - 750
SAT Essay: 15 - 19
You want to aim closer to a 1300+ for the SAT
Best of luck
I actually got in with a lower SAT score, I’m guessing my work experience, ECs, and essays were really good, so they accepted me!