<p>Here’s some motivation: To be eligible as an out of state student for any of the UC’s, you’ll need at least a 3.4 GPA in a group of core academic courses (called the A-G courses by the UC’s). Only grades from your sophomore and junior year will count. That’s just to be eligible in terms of grades, so you’ll need to work very hard NEXT year to get in the ballpark. I would suggest that if any of the UC’s are of interest that you go to [UC</a> PATHWAYS](<a href=“Admissions | University of California”>Admissions | University of California) and read all of the information about admission and required courses carefully.</p>
<p>Regarding being eligible to pay in-state tuition at any of the California publics (including the UCs and Cal States), it is almost impossible to do so once you have applied as an out of state student, and before you turn 24. So, you should plan on paying out of state prices if you are considering a UC or CSU. Financial aid for out of state students is not the best, unless you are in the running for some of the few merit scholarships available for non-residents. You will need very good grades and test scores for those.</p>
<p>A school that hasn’t yet been mentioned, but which meets your requirements for location in California and has a good program in Computer Science is Santa Clara University. It is an excellent school. If you can bring your grades up into the 3.5/3.6 range you would have a good shot there. Good luck!</p>