<p>Hello, I am currently an African American junior at a fairly rigorous catholic high school and I was wondering what my chances of getting into UC Riverside, Santa Cruz, and Irvine are after a horrific freshman year. By the time I graduate, I will have ran varsity cross country and track for 3 years (captain for 2 years), and I am aiming for a 1750 SAT. Also, I am planning on taking AP Chemistry, Pre Calculus (H), and AP English senior year. My school is on a trimester system, and we have 1 more trimester of junior year left. Here are my grades so far.</p>
<p>Freshman Year
Algebra: 1-2 F, D+
Biology: B, D
English: 1-2 B-, C+
Faith and Religion: B- ,A-
Geography: C-
Health: A
P.E: B
Spanish 1-2: F, C+
Dance: B-, C+</p>
<p>Sophomore Year
Conceptual Physics: B+, A-
English 3-4: A-, A-
Epistemology: A-
Geometry: A-, C+
Intermediate Dance: A-, A
Scripture: B-, B+
World History: B+, B-
Spanish: C+, B+</p>
<p>Junior Year (So Far)
AP English Language: A-
Chemistry: A-, A
Intro to Psychology: A-
Parables: A
U.S History: A-, A
Spanish 5-6: A-
Does Religion Matter: A
Algebra 3-4: A-</p>
<p>I calculated my UC GPA (weighted, not including freshman year and non A-G courses) and it is about a 3.72.</p>
<p>Truthfully, your SAT projection of 1750 wont get you in to the UC’s. You need to push that figure up to a minimum of 1900. Additionally, the freshman year is a transition year, so some schools don’t really look at it, but they do look at your sophomore and junior years. Your B’s and C’s are impacting you. Cross and track will help, but you need something that attracts the schools. Are you one of the top 10 in the state in your sport? That might help.</p>
<p>A 1750 won’t even get me into UCR? Also, will the fact that I’ve shown a very positive trend help my chances?</p>
<p>Although the UC’s do not use your Freshman year grades in the GPA calculation, you still report them on your application and will be seen by the admission officers. An upward trend is good and if you can address in your essays the reason for the poor grades you might have a chance at UCR. You need to concentrate on keeping up your grades and getting a great score on the SAT. If you look at the admissions threads for the class of 2018, the competition was really tough especially for UCI and UCSC. The majority of acceptances were with GPA’s of 4.0+. It would also depend upon your major. Good Luck and keep up the good work. I would add a few Cal States into the mix as safeties such as CPP and CSULB.</p>
<p>So would you consider UCSC and UCR target or reach schools? What about CPP and CSULB? I am either going to major in computer science or go in undeclared.</p>
<p>Study for the SAT, try the ACT practice test and see if you do better with that (you only need one, but for Pete’s sake do your best). I’d put Riverside and Santa Cruz in, but if you can bring up your test score and don’t go for an impacted major, I’d expect you might be able to get into one or more of the mid level UCs. However, while a number with that GPA get in, a number don’t at each school, as well, and sometimes the chips fall that way at all of them. You are not taking some of the more rigorous courses I see at your grade levels, but I don’t know if they are available at your school, so I don’t know if that will hurt you or not. Definitely do also apply to UCR and UCSC. A Cal state or two that you like (and there are ones that are likable) would also be a good idea, just in case. I think where you get in will be a function of your test scores to a large extent.</p>
<p>however, note that academics aren’t the only thing they review. UCSB gives only half weight to academics, for example, and the other half to other factors.</p>
<p>Ok, I will try to bring my scores up. Lastly, would you consider SDSU a target or reach?</p>