Junior year was…a bad time for me…so now I’m stuck with a 3.0 weighted GPA, no ECs at all, but I do have high test scores on AP tests and the ACT (34) and the SAT (1440/1600). I know there’s no way in hell I’m getting into my dream colleges but do I have a chance to get into a decent school like CSULB, SDSU or SFSU?
EDIT: I’m 3 weeks into senior year with 4 AP classes. Should I cram in a couple clubs for EC?
Cal States except SLO base admission decisions on eligibility index and major. (CSU GPA x200) + (ACT comp x10). Or (CSU GPA x800) + (SAT Math+ CR)
Based on posted stats, your EI is 940 for ACT and 3840 for SAT.
Rule of thumb but not set in stone:
To be competitive for SDSU, you want an EI (ACT) of 1000+. EI (SAT) of 4100+.
To be competitive for CSULB, you want an EI (ACT) of 950+. EI (SAT) of 3950+
For SFSU, you should have no problem in getting an acceptance.
For SDSU or CSULB, if you are local the thresholds are lower to so you do have a chance. I would apply to several other CSU’s such as SJSU, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Fullerton, Sonoma State, Chico state to make sure you have several options come Spring.
EC’s are not considered for admissions by the CSU’s and Senior GPA/Classes are not used in admission decisions. Senior year grades/GPA will be used to maintain your provisional admission and make sure you pass all the rest of your a-g courses.
Good Luck.
@Gumbymom Thanks a lot! Where did you find the competitive eligibility stats for each school? Is that somewhere in the school websites?
SDSU’s EI is from collecting data from the last 3 years. CSULB is from their website for STEM majors and from calculations made based on average GPA and test scores. SJSU is the only CSU that publishes their EI’s each year.
Most EI’s are just ball park figures to be used as guidelines.
Some schools like SJSU, Sonoma and Sac State are very transparent - just google SJSU impaction to see for yourself.
Others like SDSU and LB keep it pretty close to the vest so, you have to dig a bit. For SDSU and Chico, I learned their threshold in a meeting with an admissions person after a campus tour. My older son was waitlisted for Long Beach with a 3760 EI.