So I am a current senior in high school and in the process of applying to college. I want to stay in state (California) and preferably go to a UC or CSU. UCI and SDSU are my first picks and UCR is my safety but I’m opened to anything and everything in between. I want to major in psychology or possibly communication. My weighted GPA is 3.8 (I took on a large task by taking the hardest classes offered at my school like AP calc in my junior year.) and SAT is about a 1250. I mean I’ve also done things outside of school like varsity soccer all 4 years and editor of the yearbook. I’m kind of stressing myself out a lot and hope someone can provide some advice or recommendations
Have you calculated your capped weighted UC GPA and fully weighted UC GPA? https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
Psychology is an impacted major at many CSU’s and UC’s due to it’s popularity.
How Cal States admit:
The Cal states admit by major and eligibility index. They really only consider GPA/Test scores/Geographic location and HS course rigor. Other than Cal Poly SLO, your EC’s are not considered.
You need to calculate your CSU/UC GPA using grades from a-g courses taken 10-11th.
https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
Not sure which courses are a-g and will give you extra honors points, then use this link by typing in your HS name?
https://hs-articulation.ucop.edu/agcourselist#/list/search/institution
Cal states and the majority of the UC’s use the capped weighted GPA.
Then calculate your Eligibility index:
If you took the Redesigned SAT:
(CSU capped weighted GPA X 800) + (SAT Evidence Based Reading & Writing (EBRW) + Math Score) = Eligibility Index
Eligibility index for ACT:
(CSU capped weighted GPA X 200) + (ACT Composite x10)= Eligibility Index
**CSULB and SJSU use a modified EI for STEM/Engineering majors:
http://www.sjsu.edu/admissions/impaction/impactionresultsfreshmen/index.html
You will then be ranked based on EI and major and they accept from the top down until all spots are filled.
You will get priority at your local CSU which you can look up on this link. Local applicants usually require a lower EI to get an acceptance unless the program is highly impacted.
http://www.calstate.edu/sas/onestopkiosk/documents/CSULocalAdmission-ServiceAreas.pdf
Impacted campuses/majors: https://www.calstate.edu/sas/documents/ImpactedProgramsMatrix.pdf
For SDSU, an EI of 4100+ is competitive for most majors. Psychology again is going to be competitive due to the # of applicants that apply.
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UC’s are very GPA focused, but they will also look beyond GPA and Test scores since you will submit essays, a list of EC’s and awards/honors etc…
Just based on UC capped weighted GPA and not major specific, here are some admit rates for the UC’s:
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.80-4.19:
UCB: 14%
UCLA: 14%
UCSD: 44%
UCSB: 54%
UCD: 58%
UCI: 65%
UCSC: 85%
UCR: 94%
UCM: 96%
Also here is were you fall in the 25th-75th percentile for your SAT:
25th - 75th percentiles for SAT:
UCB: 1280-1490
UCLA: 1280-1500
UCSD: 1250-1470
UCSB: 1290-1450
UCD: 1190-1430
UCI: 1190-1420
UCSC: 1170-1380
UCR: 1090-1310
UCM: 1020-1230
For the best chances, you want to be at or above the 50th percentile.
Recommendations: CSU Long Beach and Fullerton added to the list for solid Match schools.
Another safety would be UC Merced or any of the other CSU’s such as San Jose State, Cal Poly Pomona, Sac State, San Francisco State etc…
I would also consider UC Santa Cruz as a Match school. Consider UCD/UCSB as a High Match-Low Reach.
Thank you so much this is really helpful
UCI probably not - UCR probably (but not a safety). SDSU, almost certainly (a safety). I’d add Sonoma to the list of CSUs above