Hi y’all, I applied to UCB, UCLA, UCSD, UCSB, and UCD (w/TAG) as an Applied Math major. My GPA when applying was a 3.88. I recently had all my grades for the last semester updated and found out that I received a D in a non-major, non-pre req class, which was a Java Programming class. I didn’t have to take the class, but I took it simply because I thought CS was interesting and ended up struggling tremendously in it. Without the class, I still would have met the 60 unit requirement, completed IGETC, and completed all my major pre-req’s with all A’s. My GPA is now is 3.6.
Questions: Will my TAG for Davis be automatically rescinded because of the D grade? How badly will admissions look upon a D in a non-required course?
I’m really scared that the grade will jeopardize my chances. I was really shooting for UCB, and was glad to have UCD TAG but now I’m thinking I won’t get accepted to either. I’d appreciate any input!
3.8 is still an excellent GPA and a D is 95% not a hindrance in college admissions, especially in an elective course unrelated to your intended fields of study. You’re fine as far as that goes.
Oh, I’m sure you’ll be accepted into at least Davis, even without the TAG. A 3.6 is competitive. The D might make it unlikely that you’ll be accepted at Berkeley, but a 3.6 is still good. You still have a shot for all schools.
See if you can do academic renewal to remove the D from your transcript? I hear sometimes it takes a while to process, and other times it can be done fairly quickly. If you did that, that grade wouldn’t show up on your transcript or be used in any GPA calculations.
UCLA focuses a good amount on major GPA, I think, so I still believe you have a good shot there (average admitted GPA for your major at UCLA is around a 3.7, I think, off the top of my head). One D isn’t the end of the world - you have proved yourself in your major classes, and that’s what they care most about.
I think you are required to contact somebody if you received a failing grade for the Fall. I’m not entirely sure - maybe that’s only for the Spring. Not sure.
Thanks for the responses! I checked the Academic Renewal policy at my cc and it says “A period of one year must have elapsed since the work to be alleviated was completed”. Since I’m planning to transfer Fall 2016, I don’t think I’ll be able to meet that requirement. However, I will ask a counselor about it asap.
It’s unfortunate that an elective class might jeopardize my admissions (especially since I took 2 other CS classes before for fun and received A’s), but I’m hoping that adcoms understand that I always prioritized my major classes before anything. I’m planning to explain my situation in the TAU.
I have the same situation. I also applied the Applied Mathematics major in UCB, UCLA, UCSB, UCI and UCD for FALL 2017. I took the CS class and Discrete Math classes for fun but I got two D’s in those classes. Both of the classes are not in pre-req and not major class. Now my GPA drops to 3.58. I got a bunches of A’s in the major classes. I am pretty worried about my application now… I am afraid that none of the UC’s will accept me. What should I do?? TAT