I have 3.3 UC and CSU GPA and 1150 SAT score. I am planning to major in computer science and I am applying to both CSUs and UCs. How many CSUs should I apply to because I don’t want to apply to more CSUs than I have to.
Only apply to the ones that you would genuinely be happy to attend.
You should apply to the CSU’s where you would be happy to attend, can afford and give you the best chance for an acceptance.
Your stats are highly unlikely to get you into a UC for Computer science so you need to focus on the CSU’s. UC Merced might be the only UC option which will be a tough admit.
You need to apply to at least one CSU where your desired major is not impacted. Here is the matrix of impacted majors: https://www2.calstate.edu/attend/impaction-at-the-csu/Documents/ImpactedProgramsMatrix.pdf
Computer Science is impacted at Fresno, Fullerton, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Monterey Bay, San Diego, San Jose, and both of the Cal Poly campuses. The combined index based on your GPA and test scores that you will need to get into a particular impacted major will vary with demand at the specific campus. (You can look up this info for the campuses that interest you.) But to be safe, you should apply to at least one campus with a non-impacted CS program. That is, unless you’d be okay with attending community college initially and then transferring - in that case, you don’t strictly need a 4-year safety.
Would you need financial aid to attend a CSU? If not, then you might also want to look at some of the schools that offer tuition reciprocity to California students through WUE. Schools like Northern Arizona U and Portland State U, for example, offer solid CS programs and should be safeties for you. You can search WUE options here: https://wuesavingsfinder.wiche.edu/
Your Eligibility index calculates out to a 3790 which should get you into the majority of CSU’s with the exceptions as noted by @aquapt. San Francisco State is a great option for CS and it is not impacted. Also Chico State and Sacramento State should be a consideration.
For the UC’s, CS is probably one of the most competitive majors to you need stats at the minimum above the average GPA and SAT scores.
Some UC Statistical Data:
2018 Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.00-3.39 capped weighted and not major specific:
UCB: 1%
UCLA: 1%
UCSD: 1%
UCSB: 1%
UCI: 1%
UCD: 3%
UCSC: 12%
UCR: 15%
UCM: 45%
2019 UC capped weighted GPA averages:
UCB: 4.23
UCLA: 4.25
UCSD: 4.23
UCSB: 4.16
UCI: 4.13
UCD: 4.13
UCSC: 3.96
UCR: 3.90
UCM: 3.73
2019 Data:
25th - 75th percentiles for SAT totals:
UCB: 1340-1540
UCLA: 1330-1550
UCSD: 1300-1520
UCSB: 1280-1520
UCD: 1230-1490
UCI: 1250-1510
UCSC: 1200-1450
UCR: 1130-1400
UCM: 1020-1290
CS is a very marketable major so the CSU’s will give a good education. Apply widely and best of luck.
I agree, your stats really do make any of the UCs a long shot. As far as CSUs, Chico, Sac, SF, East Bay and maybe Northridge are all viable options with reputable CS programs. Since the CSUs share a single ap, you might as well apply to several of them. 5-6 is pretty common.
One “Reach” CSU, two “Match,” and at least one “Safety” would be a reasonable number, I think, unless application fees are an issue. Make sure every single one of them is someplace you would attend. Otherwise, why waste the money?
NCalRent is right, though. Most kids I talk to either apply to 5-6 schools or just one focus school, usually local.
Remember, on the Cal State Apply site you pay for each CSU you apply to, but you can send your SAT results (through the collegeboard.org site) to all of the CSU’s for one fee. That saves a few bucks.