High GPA

Transfer Students UC Transfers
1

Ok ok ok… so far what I’ve seen here is people showing their gpa to know their chances for their dream colleges. Which is a great thing! But from what I’ve seen, you guys LITERALLY have like 3.5 and UP. Either I’m really stupid, or you guys are SUPER GENIUSES. I don’t know about you guys, but to attain this GPA, you must have like NEARLY ALL A’S in classes and some B.

I’m from a community college and my grades are straight B’s, and it astounds me to see you guys getting nearly all A’s everywhere. From all the GE class I’ve ever taken only like 3-4 student got A’s and the rest of the majority are B’s.
My calculus class, chem class and physics class have an average of like a high C. It seems impossible for me to get such a high GPA.

I feel defeated, my dream school is UCSD with an impacted major and seeing the odds. I won’t have a chance at all. I lost hope in attending such great UC schools. Although having good EC and a good Personal Statement helps, it won’t help me in my application with a GPA at a flat 3.0.

2

Take some online classes from Foothill College…some of those classes are EASY As. As in if you put in any effort at all you get an A. I can recommend some if you like.

3

What CCC are you at? The vast majority - and I will get blowback for saying this - are easy graders, generally. You just have the handful of top CCCs that tend to really put the pressure on, which can be to your profound detriment, if you don’t get top scores. Although even that is variable.

Of course, the other problem could just be getting professors who don’t necessarily grade leniently. I personally espouse the proposition that CCC profs should be engaging and fun, but not be overly difficult graders, because there’s no point in doing that. Students at a CCC either wish to transfer (so why screw them over by being a tough grader?), or they are going into a vocation (so again, what’s the point in being a hard grader?). Yeah, it’s the “principle,” some will say. But not really. Grades are simply arbitrary letters.

I taught a small English seminar at a high school a year ago, and everyone got As. Why? Am I a wuss? A pushover? An idiot? Maybe. But the reason I gave them As was because they were enthusiastic and engaged. They examined stories, they wrote creatively, they got jazzed about good writing. They felt comfortable enough to vocalize their ideas. As far as I was concerned, that’s winning. I know they were all planning to apply to college and they were smart kids. So I just don’t see the point in being a tough grader. But that’s me.

(Obviously, stem courses where there is very precise knowledge that must be mastered, needs to work off a different rubric.)

Anyway, sorry to rant, but if virtually everyone truly is getting Bs or lower, and assuming they’re really working, then I might suggest switching CCCs. The place is not doing you any favors.

You can go as long as you like to a CCC, so plan an extra year (I know that sucks). Now I will add - do you think you’re studying correctly? How do you do on tests? Do you go into the prof’s office and introduce yourself? Ask for feedback? Just make sure it’s not your study skills holding you back.

Don’t give up. PM me to discuss if you wish.

And FYI, I have seen 3.1s and 3.2s admitted. I believe TAG is a minimum of 3.2 at some UCs. We were just discussing this. That’s guaranteed admission.

4

OP, listen to @music1990.

BTW, music, my daughter LOVES Berkeley! Loves!!!

5

I have a ton of B’s …. but I have a lot of A’s as well. :stuck_out_tongue:

RateMyProfessor is your friend. Sure, if you want to challenge yourself and prepare yourself for what you’ll likely see at a UC, you wouldn’t want the easiest professor, but you also want good grades and to get into the UC you want.

Most GE classes can be taken online, and most are generally pretty easy. Save yourself some hassle and take some of those online, and you’ll have more time to focus on really hard STEM-type classes take in person, as well as not worry about the hassle of running around attending them all.

You can also attend more than one school, which gives you access to more teachers, more on campus and online classes, and an overall more flexible schedule.

6

honestly, i’m not convinced that some people are naturally geniuses, i think that people can get A’s if they work hard enough. getting an A in a college class means that you are prepared enough to be able to do well on an exam (and therefore, that you studied well, and studied enough).

your school may just be difficult. consider others.

7

Ok, I’m answering this here because you sent a PM and I think some others input would be good. You said you have 34 units, are taking 16 this semester and 21 in spring. These courses will include calc 3 and physics, and you’re hoping for the best with the current calc 2.

My feeling about that is it’s a recipe for disaster. If you are already struggling to be a 3.0, I am not sure how taking 16 and then 21 units is going to do you any favors. People tank regularly in spring. If by some miracle you got admitted in fall (and I say miracle), I suspect your provisional contract might say something such as spring term must be a 3.0 overall, or every course in spring must get a 3.0 or higher. More than likely those 21 units would sink you.

My input: you really need to pull back, take an extra year, move more slowly, and pad with some easier courses to get the GPA up to a point where you can TAG. If you really really want a UC then an extra year is an easy compromise.

8

Yeah definitely pull back. 16 and 21 units by themselves might be doable but combined with Calc III and Physics is a trainwreck waiting to happen.

Take the extra year and maximize your chances at pulling your GPA up. Taking the extra year also has the advantage of giving you space in your schedule to audit the harder courses the semester prior to your official enrollment. (i.e if your planning to take Calc III in Fall 2016, then audit the course during the spring or summer to learn the concepts without worrying about the grade and then ace it once you officially take it in the fall)

9

^^^ Excellent advice!