How important are upward trends in GPA to college admissions?

Just finished junior year. Freshman and sophomore year I took two honors courses. (English both years and Biology and Chemistry respectively). Took summer school after sophomore year to get ahead (Spanish 3), 6 week course. First semester grade given first 3 weeks, second semester after next 3 weeks. (A’s both times) Junior year took 3 AP courses (Physics 1, Psych, US History). Here’s how my GPA looks throughout each semester of high school. (2 semesters in each year)
Freshman: 2.6/3.4
Sophomore:3.4/3.6
Summer School: 4.0/4.0 (Only 1 class)
Junior year: 4.0/4.3
College Admission GPA: 3.875
I also had 6 classes and a sport for second semester of sophomore year and all of Junior year. So on my transcript it would show 7 graded classes if the amount of classes you take matter. Also do colleges care if you handle 6 classes and a sport and still get decent grades?
Oh and SAT is in the 1300’s
and plan to apply to most UC’s and a few Cal states. Thank you.

UCs and CSUs include only 10th-11th grade course grades when calculating HS GPA, so that can help you (although UC admission readers will see all courses and grades, and any D or F grade in a 9th grade course will still disqualify it from counting toward a-g subject requirements).

Here is how to calculate HS GPA for UC and CSU application purposes: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/requirements/gpa-requirement/index.html .

In general (not UC or CSU specific), the preference for GPA trends is:

  1. Level trend with all A grades.
  2. Upward trend.
  3. Level trend.
  4. Downward trend.

This is the classic case of “they will want to see your Fall senior semester grades” before making a decision.