Getting in with a 3.5

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of California - Berkeley
1

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>I'm a junior, and I'm really passionate about computer programming. It's something I'd like to pursue in college, so obviously Cal is a top choice for me.</p>

<p>I'm just looking for you guys to tell me what my chances are(be honest. If it's 'no', I'd rather hear that then get false hope)</p>

<p>Basically my GPA is a 3.5 because I completely ****ed up freshman year due to problems with depression(and as a result, alcohol). I pulled it together sophmore year and got around a 3.7 for that year. My junior year GPA will probably be a 3.8-3.9. So if Cal likes upward trajectories, take that into account.</p>

<p>Applying to: L&S</p>

<p>High School: prestigious public School in NY suburbs(OOS)
Financial Aid: None needed.
GPA: 3.55 UW
Rank: School doesn't rank
Ethnicity: White/Jewish</p>

<p>SAT II(Chem): 770
SAT II(Bio M): 720</p>

<p>SAT I- I just took it Saturday but I'm expecting ~2200</p>

<p>AP's (current + expected):
AP Stat
AP Calc AB
AP English
AP Comp Sci
AP Macroeconomics
AP Chem</p>

<p>EC's:
National Merit Scholar
Camp Counselor at sleepaway camp
Hospital Volunteering - ~100 hrs
Summer internship at NYC tech startup - upcoming
Varsity Rowing - Junior + Senior year(expected)
Ultimate Frisbee Team - Freshman + Sophmore Year
Self-taught programmer</p>

<p>If there's any more info needed, let me know. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>UC’s dont count freshmen year grades
what is your GPA(UW and UC weighted) excluding freshmen year?</p>

3

<p>

</p>

<p>These are pretty accurate estimates.
GPA (Junior+Sophmore only) - 3.76 UW
UC GPA(J+S): 4.33</p>

4

<p>Well, lucky for you (!), your medical problems were well timed and will not affect your UC GPA at all. If you want to, you can disclose that you had some medical issues as a freshman (in the “Is there anything else you want us to know” section of the application) that affected your grades. Your GPA looks good for all of the UC’s. Good luck.</p>

5

<p>Agreed with the above 3 posters.</p>

6

<p>I can not express in writing the pure joy that I just experienced upon learning that Berkeley doesn’t count freshman grades.</p>

7

<p>Well, all the UCs for that matter.</p>

8

<p>…True! That being said, the avg. GPA is in the high 3.8 range, so pull it up some more if possible.</p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

9

<p>Are you sure you are calculating your UC gpa correctly?
a jump of .6 from UW to UC is pretty high, unless you took really few classes.</p>

<p>remember, for UC gpa, you only add in 8 semesters of honor/ap classes, not all of them.</p>

10

<p>

</p>

<p>Ok, I just redid it.</p>

<p>[CaliforniaColleges.edu</a> - Calculating Your GPA](<a href=“http://www.californiacolleges.edu/admissions/california-state-university-csu/gpa_calculator.asp]CaliforniaColleges.edu”>http://www.californiacolleges.edu/admissions/california-state-university-csu/gpa_calculator.asp)</p>

<p>I used this page. </p>

<p>10th Grade:
French - B+
Math - A-
History - A-
Chem - A
English - B+
Computer Photography– A</p>

<p>11th Grade
Honors Math-A
French - A-
Honors English - B+
Physics - A+
History - A
AP Stat - A</p>

<p>So that’s 9 A’s, and 3 B’s. Then 6 Semesters of honors courses(2 semesters each stat, english, and math)</p>

<p>That gives me a 4.25.</p>

<p>Did I do that right?</p>

11

<p>

Hopefully I can do this first semester of senior year.</p>

12

<p>You’re out of state, the only honors classes they count are AP… or so I think.
Then again, the application said, “any honors courses you take outside of the state of california are declared honors”
and the bonus points are per year, since you have yearly grades there.</p>

<p>so, best case and the honors classes are weighted, you have a 4.0 weighted
worst case? 3.83 weighted</p>

13

<p>

I’m taking 5AP’s next year. Will those be factored in(because that would bring me up to 8 honors)</p>

14

<p>Your senior grades aren’t factored into your UC GPA.</p>