Do I Have A Chance For USC/UCLA With A Low GPA?

Applying to College
1

<p>Hello. I'm a sophomore right now who just finished her first semester and I'm wondering if I have a chance of going to USC/UCLA. I'm really worried because my freshman year and first semester of sophomore year is just bad.</p>

<p>I'm taking one AP class this year and I am planning on taking as many AP classes as possible jr/sr year and getting straight A's. I also have a couple of other questions that I'm wondering about which I will ask near the bottom. Thank you so much for whoever reads through this all and answers me. I don't really know much about colleges and I'm scared of rejection.</p>

<p>Note: Sophomore 2nd Sem. and on are what my GPA will be if I get all A's. </p>

<p>Freshman year:
1st Sem: 3.7UW/3.5W 2nd Sem: 3.5UW/3.3W</p>

<p>Sophomore year:
1st Sem: 3.3UW/3.2 W 2nd Sem: 4.2UW/W </p>

<p>Junior year:
4.7UW/4.8W</p>

<p>Senior year:
4.6UW/W</p>

<p>Overall GPA:
3.6UW/4.1W</p>

<p>So will my Freshman year and first semester Sophomore year grade's hurt me? Or will it help because my grades are steadily improving? Will USC/UCLA consider this improvement or just disregard it?</p>

<p>I haven't took the PSAT or SAT officially yet, but if I get at a really high score then will it help? Say a 230 for PSAT and 2300 for SAT. I took a couple of practices for them at my school and I got decent scores. I plan on studying really hard for them so I can get the 230/2300.</p>

<p>And do colleges even look at AP exams scores? Because I heard they are really expensive and I don't want to spend my money on them unless it will benefit me. I plan on getting 4/5's on them. I will be taking 8 or 9 AP classes throughout high school.</p>

<p>Also, I am taking regular Chemistry this year, but I plan on self-studying for the AP exam for it. If I got a B during my first semester, an A for my second, and got a 4/5 on the AP exam will it look good?</p>

<p>Oh yeah, and for my extra-curricular activities. I'm in:</p>

<p>National Honor Society. (I don't even know how.)
Key Club. (I have a position)
I was co-editor for my school's Literary Magazine last year(we're not doing it anymore)
I'm in a Creative Writing club. (I had a position last year)
I'm in Eco Club.
And I'm in Marching Band/Drumline/Jazz Band/Concert Band
I plan on joining the Swim team this year.
I'm also sending out volunteer applications to hospital.</p>

<p>I plan on getting a couple of more positions in each club so it will make it seem as though I am dedicated in it and do things. Also, do colleges only care about leadership positions in high school? Because I was drumline captain 7th and 8th grade so I was wondering if I could put that in my application...</p>

<p>If it helps, I am a female Asian from a middle-class family in California....... </p>

<p>Thanks again to everyone who reads and helps me out.</p>

<p>EDIT: Okay, so I read 'How To Impress Adcoms With Your Extra-curricular' and I just wanted to add a few more things, sorry. I'm very passionate about band and writing. I won a couple of writing contests online though they were small contests. And for band, I plan on being a part of the band that plays for my community college's musicals the next two years and doing the county Honor Band.</p>

<p>I'm average for a musician but I am steadily improving so I do believe that I'll be able to do the musical and Honor Band next year. I do find myself an above average writer for people my age.</p>

<p>Band, Creative Writing, and Key Club for four years. NHS, Eco Club, and Swimming for three years. Journalism for one year. (I quit after my freshman year)</p>

<p>Does this make my EC better? :|</p>

2

<p>LKJASFJALFJ. I messed up on my UW GPA scores. For some strange reason I thought UW meant not including elective credits… Anyways, here are my real UW GPA:</p>

<p>Fresh:
Sem1: 3.67 Sem2: 3.5
Soph:
Sem1: 3.17 Sem2: 4
Jr/Sr:
4.</p>

<p>So overall UW GPA will be 3.78 which is still pretty low to me.</p>

<p>EDIT: Sorry for the long list. I’m just really nervous and I want to be as detailed as possible. :(</p>

<p>Schedules throughout high school:</p>

<p>Freshman:
Algebra II
Biology
Intro. to Lit/Comp (H)
Spanish
Band
Journalism</p>

<p>Sophomore:
Pre-Calc (H)
Chemistry (H)
AP World History
World Literature (H)
Spanish II (H)
Band</p>

<p>Junior (Maybe):
AP English
AP US History
AP Calc AB
AP Biology
AP Psych
Band</p>

<p>Senior (Maybe):
AP English
AP Gov/Econ
AP Calc BC
AP Physics
Anatomy
Band
(Empty Slot since Econ is 0 period)</p>

<p>My school doesn’t have an AP Physics class so most of the people at my school drive to the other local school to take that class during 1st and come back for 2nd period. </p>

<p>I’m taking PE during the summer and I’m wondering if I should take some classes at my community college?</p>

3

<p>You are two years ahead in math, but you are slow-pacing calculus over two years?</p>

<p>Anyway, note that GPA for UC admissions counts 10th and 11th grade course grades.</p>

4

<p>@ucbalumnus: I’m only one year ahead, and it’s because my school does Calc AB and Calc BC. I was originally going to take Calc AB then AP Stats senior year, but my friend told me that not to since Stats is too easy and colleges look for hard classes.</p>

<p>They don’t even look at 12th grade first semester? o:</p>

5

<p>Do you have to take Calc AB and BC? Can’t skip AB? Like take first part at a CC? Honestly, in my school at least, the two were so similar that it seems like it’s a waste to have to take both…unless you guys go in to a lot more depth than what is necessary for AP. </p>

<p>They take the rigor into account (somewhat). Post too long - I’ll give chances later if no one else does after a while.</p>