Did I so badly ruin my life that a higher UC transfer is a dream?

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>Ok, so my goal of going to grad school is pretty much over. A not-so concise history of my academic life so the reader will have a firm grasp on my academic situation.</p>

<p>I'm 26. </p>

<p>I went from ivy league candidate in high school to a reality of a community college. I was still incredibly immature and played Counter-Strike way too much, so I skipped a lot of class my first foray into college. I also drove 2 hours one way to SMC since I lived in Orange County at the time, but I thought, "hey, SMC is #1 in transfers to UCLA!" God, I'm so retarded. Anyway, I did well enough at SMC that I was accepted into UCI even though I had a decent amount of W's. Problem is I just winged everything, so I didn't know how to study. Death in family and I just stopped caring about school. I didn't finish any of my classes the spring semester before transferring, and I know that I got at least 1 F because I didn't bother to drop. I signed the SIR for UCI, but, of course, I didn't get in because of my spring disaster. I didn't even properly tell UCI that I dropped my classes. Life was a mess.</p>

<p>Fast forward a year to a different JC. So it's JC #2. I end up taking 1 or 2 classes. End up with W's. </p>

<p>Summertime. Now it's JC #3. I thought, "hey.. I'll try harder this time." Enter a different school and take a summer class. I stopped going to class but didn't bother dropping. I got an F. Surprise.</p>

<p>Fall Semester now. So I go back to JC #2. I end up petitioning and enrolling in 3 different classes. More disaster. Stop going to all the classes and not dropping. Not even sure what my grades are. Hopefully, just W's. Probably at least 1 F. </p>

<p>Summary from 02-06 = at least 2 F's. Probably 3, I will find out this week. 7 or 8 W's.</p>

<p>I finally turn it around with JC #4 starting in summer of 2008. So far a 3.9 GPA for 28 units or so and 21 transferable units after this summer since I had to take some non-transferable math classes and took a repeat of a course for an A when I already had a B. Have not been a full-time student until this summer. 9 units this summer with A's in both classes. At least 16 units next fall for mostly hardcore classes (Calc, Chem). </p>

<p>Plan on doing academic renewal for the other schools. Estimating a 3.5-ish GPA after factoring in JC #1 + academic renewal and assuming I fulfill my goal of mostly A's in the year. No authentic EC's the past couple years, but I have a couple hundred hours from high school, lol. Will work on that starting this summer. </p>

<p>Reading all that.. what do you guys think of my chances on a higher UC accepting me? I'm greedy, but I'd really like to get into UCLA. I was going to try engineering, but it would take way too long to meet the prereqs. Thinking business/econ would be more in-line with meeting the prereqs. Fairly worried since I'm old and may have ruined a good future plus I'm stressing out the entire family. </p>

<p>Thanks for reading,
BK</p>

2

<p>well a 3.5GPA is solid for UCD ,UCI, UCSB, and UCSD. If you have a very strong upward trend you might have a shot at UCLA.</p>

<p>for UCLA or UCB, getting in requires A LOT of prereqs done and to be blunt, your best hope of transferring in is through engineering since they’re less impacted(econ is VERY impacted at LA and B)</p>

<p>my advice, keep at it, work hard and keep up the good grades. The most important thing is getting a degree and networking aggressively while at the UC. An employer will usually go for a candidate from a lesser(but comparable) school if they’ve got better grades, better ECs(read internships and related clubs) and has done a better job of showing their desire, their hunger to enter into a field.</p>

3

<p>I don’t think you should try business/econ or engineering if you aiming for UCLA only. Most applicants are flawless and still a lot them don’t get in. If you are obsessed with just going to a “higher UC”, your best shot would be a non-impacted major. However, I recommend studying what you are passionate about over going to higher UC.</p>

4

<p>I would recommend studying something which will later help you in life. Screw passion, it’s about the bottom line. I can be passionate about something later in life when I have down time. The last thing i want to do is to take the love out of something I enjoy by assigning a letter grade to it… makes me wonder why I majored in econ even though I like econ…</p>

5

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<p>There is nothing wrong with having it both ways. It could be something that helps you in life and something you are passionate about.</p>

<p>What I was trying to say was applying to UCLA into non-impacted major like anthropology for the sake of getting in when you have zero interest in it.</p>

6

<p>well athropology isn’t exactly useful either… I mean if you’re passionate about it it might be able to get you somewhere but you’d need to pull some crazy stunts when it comes to getting employed, pick up a minor in a math or science and do some serious internships.</p>

7

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<p>No.</p>

<p>It’s not “about the bottom line.”</p>

8

<p>@xelink- Re: Ucla your advice is not quite accurate… Engineering is very difficult to get into. I think they accepted maybe 31 out of 500? </p>

<p>@ OP- you’d have to check the figures to be sure but both majors will be difficult to get into. Just try your best & Ucla does look for an upward trend. I had 3 F’s (2 were in non transferrable classes) & prob 10 W’s… I move on campus at Ucla next week for their Tranfer Summer Program. good luck!</p>

9

<p>What a conflict. It really sounds like that I have no shot at Bus/Econ or Engineering anywhere if my blended GPA is going to end up in the 3.5-3.7 range with the academic renewal. Best shot is to get in applying for polisci or some other liberal art major. Dammit, I knew the TAG agreement with the 3.0 GPA or above sounded too good to be true for someone like me. </p>

<p>Xelink, just curious since I originally had an interest in econ long ago but what major would you have chosen to help the bottom line?</p>

10

<p>@ OP how come you took that math class for an A even when you had a B already?</p>

<p>@shawnee you transfered to UCLA w/ 3Fs and 10 W?! whats your gpa and major?</p>

<p>what if the OP just not send in the transcripts of the colleges he did bad in?</p>

11

<p>I can’t remember if the UC application even asks you to list all your Ws or grades lower than a C. I think they don’t. Does anyone who applied for this upcoming Fall quarter/semester remember?</p>

<p>Regardless if the above is true or not, the UC’s, I think, tend to be more forgiving as long as you have an overall high gpa, and your transfer requirements are fulfilled.</p>

<p>The only problem you will face is when it comes to Berkeley and UCLA under an impacted major. This is regardless if whether or not they take into consideration your Ws or Fs. Check UC Stat finder to look up the statistics of acceptance rates per GPA per department. This should give you a rough idea of your chances. Even if you don’t get into UCLA or Berkeley, SB SD Irvine or Davis for either Econ/Engineering are still great options in developing a “good future”. I also hope you’re looking into some of the cal states like Cal Poly SLO or Pomona for Engineering. There’s been posters(students and parents) who have commented on how some employers actually prefer Cal Poly students over UC students (for engineering) primarily because of the practical approach the Cal States take to teaching/the major.</p>

<p>Lastly, it would help defining what a “good future” means to you-and eliminating “delusion” and “correlation”. Just because you go to UCLA or Berkeley, does not mean that it causes a “good future”. You create your own future. Just like any other student. If a student is not proactive towards a “good future”, a “good future” just doesn’t come to them unless its by luck or if they define “good future” with very low standards.
Landing a great job also involves you being able to sell yourself. You can sell yourself to any employer as long as you market yourself. You could even do it under a “useless” major(as long as you minor or take classes in “useful” departments). There are plenty of top employers who receive hundreds of applicants with the same major coming from great schools, but if they can’t stand out from the many applicants, you will become one of the many in a pile.</p>

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<p>look around towards the top. depends largely on intended career though so remember that its more than just the degree.</p>

<p>remember what you do with your degree actually matters more than where it’s from and what it is. a UC Davis student will earn more or less the same on average as a UCLA student.</p>

<p>FYI, you have a good shot at UCLA econ if you end up with a 3.7 GPA as long as you knock out every single prerequisite and you have stellar essays which show how your life has been dedicated to studying econ.</p>

13

<p>Thanks for the replies. I read them carefully, and I appreciate the blunt responses. I want to go to UCLA because I really want that unique college experience that UCLA and Cal can offer. Plus, I think that it might lessen my terribleness in the past if I came from a great school as well as open a few extra doors, which I will probably need. I would be very happy with UCSD as well as UCI, however, the social vibe is different as they are both commuter schools. I wouldn’t embarrass myself and join a frat or anything considering how old I am now, but it would be great to be a part of an alumni group passionate about their school once I graduate. Plus, my parents really want to disown me as I am a complete disaster for them. I don’t think they could take it if I went to UCR or SB (which has really gone up in rankings from what I recall). I’m Asian, the oldest son, and my younger sibling is in Cal to put it in perspective. I honestly wouldn’t have any ill will if they decide to just take me out back and shoot me.</p>

<p>I will look into some of my other options when it comes to major. I do agree getting the degree is of the utmost priority at this point and undergraduate school is of secondary importance. UCLA was also one of the top choices because they are a campus that would actually read my personal statements. I’m just so sad that I have no shot at a good grad school but one disaster at a time, I suppose.</p>

14

<p>UCSB is an OK school, it’s one of the top 50 in the nation</p>

<p>you’re probably thinking UCSC which is the school where the hippies and stoners go to. SC is basically the lowest of the UCs other than merced which is still new to be determined.</p>