Getting into college

<p>Ok so I hear that the university of cal schools don't factor in your freshman year of high school. Obviously ucla would be my first choice. But I'm going into my junior year. I really messed up my freshman year, with a 1.39 gpa. But my soph year I got my head on strait and held a 4.0. I have taken the acts once and received a 30. With 32 in reading, 31 in English, 27 in science, and 28 in math. I took all the basic courses last year but I'm going into ap courses this year. I have 2 years of youth and gov, and 2 years of volunteer at my local hospital, being that I want to go to med school. Also I don't know if this will help or hurt my chance(your opinions wanted) but I plan to state in my essay of how I have matured over the years, on account of my business ventures. I started my first business when I was 12 and have had 4 since then, 3 of which failed but I learned. From my mistakes. What do I need to do in my jr and sr year to get accepted to a good school? Is ucla a longshot? Just your basic opinions and past experience please. Thanks.</p>

<p>You’re correct that the UCs don’t look at your freshman year GPA. However, they want to make sure you’ve passed the A-G requirements with at least a C (which means at least a B, if not A for Berkeley or UCLA). You need to get excellent grades in rigorous courses, and continue with your ECs. Since you had such a poor GPA your freshman year, you need to retake any A-G classes you got a D in, either junior year, or the summer before senior year.</p>