Has any of the UCs broken their a-g rule and accepted a student with a GPA less than 3.0?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - GENERAL
1

I recently found out my gpa is no longer UC eligible. My counselor told me that it should be fine considering it would be around 3.1 when it becomes weighted along with my honors and AP classes. However, she did not know that the gpa she was looking at was cumulative gpa meaning my 9th grade was included in it. After I calculated my 10th and 11th grade, it turns out my gpa is way lower than their a-g requirement by 0.3.

I understand my chances are now from 0 to slim and that it is my fault for not being safe with my grades but, is there a point in me applying to UCs since my parents urges me to (yeah they will be strangling me once they hear it).

2

http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/infocenter/freshman-admissions-summary indicates that there were 355 admits with HS GPA lower than 3.00 in the entire UC system in 2015. This compares to 5,657 with 3.00-3.39, 19,830 with 3.40-3.79, 38,557 with 3.80-4.19, and 20,372 with 4.20 and higher.

Those low GPA admits presumably were some sort of extremely unusual cases.

3

Not exactly scientific, but in my daughter’s high school naviance, which has a lot of applicants for UCR and UCM, there is not one acceptance under a 3.0.

4

thanks, I wish they put up their reasons for accepting them.

5

I would imagine some desirable athletes are accepted with sub 3.0…but regular folks? Not.

6

Does achieving the rank of Eagle Scout take into consideration?

7

ECs are used to differentiate between strong stats applicants.

ECs (except for recruited athlete) are not a substitute for strong stats.

8

Apply to UCM but I don’t see how how could get in.

9

It is time to go back to the counselor and talk about other options.

10

Also realize this says that the UCs think that people with higher than 3.0 will succeed, and those lower than 3.0 will not. Find other colleges where you will succeed…or consider going to the terrific California CCs and do well and then transfer to a UC.

11

There is another thread going about the same subject: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/19958884#Comment_19958884

As posters have stated, you can apply to a UC campus(s) if you can afford to waste the $70 application fee, but accepted applicants below the 3.0 minimum GPA requirement are the very special exceptions and not the rule for the average applicant.

As @bopper stated, there is always the community college path using TAG for 6 of the UC campuses or the Cal states where you still can get a great education. A UC is not a “golden ticket”.

12

Even if your UC gpa had been what you thought it was, your counselor should have pointed out to you that your chances of being accepted at any of the UCs would not be good and that Cal States and community college were better paths.

Look at this as a blessing in that it forces you to refocus on a plan that has a solid likelihood of succeeding. You still have many options and many ways forward. Given that your counselor didn’t recognize this problem earlier however, you’ll need to take full ownership of the process and figure out for yourself what you need and what you can do.

You still have the opportunity to attend a UC if you go to community college, or you could have a great four year experience at a Cal State.

13

The 3.0 is a bright line so, freshman year at a UC isn’t in the cards. Don’t despair, There are many paths to success.

There are far more successful Californians without UC degrees than there are with them.