If rejected at CSU's, apply to UC's next year?

<p>OK, I am quite a worrier. I've been a horrible student for the past couple of years due to a variety of reasons, but I managed to climb out of the 2.0's as of last semester. The problem is that I figured I would only apply to CSU's because my GPA was a 2.93. I'm not even sure that's good enough to get in these days and I picked a major I loved instead of one I should've just been able to do well in naturally. I'm on the line about regretting my choice to do mathematics because I really do love the subject, but in all my major pre-req's for math I've gotten C's (except Calc III, got an A) and my physics courses I have A's in. Then again, I didn't try that hard in my major classes because I figured I could get by on the bare minimum while I loaded up on honors classes for TAP for UCLA that are worthless now. I keep thinking and worrying about getting rejected at CSUN, CSU Fresno, and Cal Poly Pomona. </p>

<p>So if I get rejected by all these universities, I've decided to give up my dream of majoring in something I like and settling for something else because there's really no room to change anything. I've already taken all of the math classes and physics classes. I never received a D or F...never wanted W's. I was thinking of switching to Anthropology and maybe, just maybe I'd have a better shot in getting into somewhere. If I apply myself really hard for another year (this makes 4 @ CC, I'm pushing 100 credits already) then I can raise my GPA up to a 3.2 something before transfer. What UC's would accept a 3.2? </p>

<p>Would it look weird to have an associates degree in math and be applying for anthro? :/
I wish I could take these math classes over again.</p>

<p>what are you talking about. If you want to major in math, major in it. Since you are applying diversify. Long Beach, Channel Islands…heck even uc’s accept math transfers with sub 3.0 g.p.a since there are not a lot of math major applicants. </p>

<p>The main thing is accept that you are doing bad not because of the content, but on your course load. Take 4 classes a semester or quarter, and honestly attempt to get A’s in each course. If you can get an A in physics (is the the calculus sequence?) then there is no reason for you to get a C in Calculus. Why would you load up on honors courses…nobody cares about that. </p>

<p>Pick yourself up, you should have applied more broadly, and honestly you can get into a UC if you finish all the pre reqs. (if you want to).</p>

<p>SJSU’s fall 2011 transfer GPA threshold for math was 2.80.
[SJSU</a> Admission](<a href=“http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/admission/rec-1328.html]SJSU”>http://info.sjsu.edu/web-dbgen/narr/admission/rec-1328.html)</p>

<p>[University</a> of California: StatFinder](<a href=“http://statfinder.ucop.edu%5DUniversity”>http://statfinder.ucop.edu) goes up to only 2009, but it does indicate that < 3.0 GPA transfer applicants for math were accepted at a > 50% rate at some UC campuses (not Berkeley or Los Angeles, of course).</p>

<p>One thing about CSUs, and SJSU is very much one of them, is that you can have a really high GPA and still get rejected if you are applying from outside their service areas. UCs treat all California applicants the same no matter part of the state they are from. The converse is that if you are applying to your local CSU and are in their service district they will likely accept you despite having a low GPA which, with the apparent exception of UCSD, the UCs will not do. </p>

<p>If the CSU in your service area does not have a good Math department you would probably be better off trying for a lower tier UC like UCR.</p>

<p>But we are talking about math here. I can guarantee you only a few hundred to a lil over a thousand ppl apply to math to each campus. The OP has about 50% to chance to get into ANY math program with a 2.93. Math people are weird, I know I almost applied with a g.p.a similar to the op. But my record was a lil different since I didn’t care about my GE’s when If first started my college journey. My GE’s brought down my grades… Now I know better. </p>

<p>UCLA, Berkeley, and UCSD have the best math programs…Applied math top 10 in the country. So what you have C’s in Calc I, and II…you have an A in Calc III. Make sure you know how to integrate and take derivatives, take diff eq and linear algebra, and apply all over the state. You will be surprised where you will get in. Math is a low demand major even at the best schools. </p>

<p>I wasn’t sure if I needed to retake Calc 1 since it was so long ago, signed up for a class at cc and my professor had her masters from Cal State Long Beach. And she was realllyyyyy smart. Excellent teacher. Don’t get hung up on the campus, apply to 5 UC’s and 5 CSU’s and I guarantee you will get at least 3-5acceptances for math. Spin your personal statement to show what happened. </p>

<p>good luck .</p>

<p>I do have a 3.0 right now and should have a 3.19 by the end of this semester. I sent in my preliminary transcripts with the 3.0 on it, so I hope they consider that at CSU’s. </p>

<p>The only reason I applied for three schools was because I didn’t have any money to pay for more at the time. If I get rejected from all, I will try very hard to find a summer job and save up for college application fees.</p>

<p>Is physics an impacted major? Or am I just as likely to get into a physics program as a math one? I applied to my three schools this time as a applied math major.</p>

<p>The CSU in my local service area is CSUN…I’ve only heard bad things about that school from here, but I really don’t know anything positive to say about it that I’ve been able to find on the Internet. I’m not too sure what their math department is like but judging from their website it looks like it presents some opportunity. I don’t know. I just plan on working my tail off really hard at ANY school for the last two years and have been taking this semester really serious. I don’t know how much UC’s care about EC’s, but I just recently joined the physics club.</p>

<p>Does anyone know anything about UC Davis and their math department? Would a 3.2 be good enough to apply to that school if I decided to take an extra year (if I get rejected everywhere)?</p>

<p>3.2 is good for any math department as a transfer. Read my post above yours. It seems like you are stressing out over too much. Try to calm down and relax. </p>

<p>I can understand the app fees…I dropped 350 bones on all the schools I applied to. The only thing you can do now is wait to see if you got accepted to your schools. </p>

<p>There is nothing wrong with going to CSUN…they have an engineering college on campus so the math dept will be more than adequate. I suggest getting a minor in computer science to expand your employment options when you graduate. </p>

<p>What is it that you want to do after you graduate?</p>

<p>I took a C programming class last semester and got an A pretty easily, so I guess I could do that. I had originally planned on doing that, actually. </p>

<p>I want to attend graduate school. I’m determined to get a PhD. If possible, I might teach somewhere afterwards at some university and continue researching. I might just find somewhere else to apply my degree. I have a couple friends at JPL, but I think they’d be looking for more engineering types. Getting a PhD in math is something I would like to do by the end of my life. All I know is, I would like to try to make a difference in the math. Even if it’s only in a small way. I will aim to do a lot of research my junior and senior year if I’m a mathematics major and try very hard in my classes and ace the GRE’s. Trouble is I also pictured doing chemistry research and biology research, but I think that’d be too much on my plate because I’ve also been fulfilling prerequisites for pharmacy school because I know that leads to a good job and salary. My girlfriend is getting antsy about our future together, but she’s generally on board with me going all out to get a PhD in math. But that kind of means setting back the date of having children and possibly marriage, so she’s not all enthused about that part. She reminds me of wanting those things on a daily basis. Thing is I’m almost done with these prerequisites, so if I were to take on another year at CC I could get them all done before I transfer and apply more broadly. </p>

<p>I remember the counselor asking me what the hell I was doing being a math major and doing pharmacy prereq’s. Said I needed to change my major to Biology or Chemistry. You know, I’m not too fond of both of those, but I’m pretty good at Chemistry. I just hate the subject and hate the classes I’ve been in. Why become a pharmacist then? Well, I have a couple of connections due to my girlfriend’s family with pharmacy schools. They’re generally wealthy and they’re not too happy about me being a math major because they think I might be poor afterwards. I don’t think that’s necessarily true and I could probably make a lot of money having some experience with math. I’ve been taking this online class at Stanford that’s available to the public that deals with mathematical model making and I like that quite a lot. But I like the theoretical side of math too. I was going to see after I transferred if I could also pair my major with a physics major as well so I can hopefully increase employment prospects by that as well. All I know is that it doesn’t really matter what you major in as a pre-pharmacy person just as long as you fulfill the prereqs.</p>

<p>do applied math you will be fine. All your other courses will expose you to the kind of math that is really going on behind the scenes.</p>