Coursework (AP/IB/Dual Enrollment classes, AP/IB scores for high school; also include level of math and foreign language reached and any unusual academic electives; for transfers, describe your college courses and preparation for your intended major(s))
Extracurriculars (Eagle Scout, Student Body Roles, Robotics Club leadership roles)
If you have taken any college courses while in high school, recalculate for CSU double counting the courses and grades. Assuming that all a-g subject requirements will be fulfilled…
For UCs, the minimum weighted-capped GPA is 3.0, although that does not assure admission, and UC Merced is the only realistic campus at the lower end of that range.
For CSUs, the minimum weighted-capped GPA is 2.5. This will gain admission if the campus and major are not impacted. If either the campus or major is impacted, the admission threshold will be determined competitively.
Among CSU campuses, Humboldt, San Francisco, Sonoma, Monterey Bay, San Luis Obispo, Stanislaus, Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Long Beach, Northridge, and San Diego have specific marine biology majors or options. Most of these are non-impacted, but San Luis Obispo, Fullerton, Long Beach, and San Diego are impacted, and unlikely if your recalculated GPA is under 3.0.
Arizona State University will admit based on your SAT score being >= 1180 if you have the course requirements completed, according to https://admission.asu.edu/apply/first-year/admission . But you should check whether the majors and courses offered are of your interest.
I would have thought Arizona would be an in but they show:
Yes. You may be assured admission to-ASU based on your test.
U of A will be tougher.
Good luck
Yes. You may be assured admission to University of Arizona if you are applying as a first-year student, you attended a regionally accredited high school, rank in the top 25% of your graduating class, and have no coursework deficiencies as prescribed by the Arizona Board of Regents or earn an unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher in your core coursework.
If the discipline of the “cadet” experience would work for you, this could be a great way to get small classes, an extremely hands-on approach, and lots of individual attention, plus a variety of cool international experiences and training cruises.
If the structured environment at CSUM doesn’t appeal, Monterey Bay and Humboldt seem like good options.
Oregon State is a top school for Marine Bio, but I’m not sure whether it will be accessible with a 2.8W. They have an 80% acceptance rate and they do consider test scores (and yours are above their median), so it seems worth a try, but only 4% of students there had sub-3.0 high school GPA’s (per the Common Data Set), so it’s definitely not a sure thing.
You could get into U of Hawaii, if that’s of interest!
Honestly, with that GPA, I would seriously consider doing 2 years at a California Community College then transferring to a UC. Do you know about the TAG program? That guarantees admission to certain UCs if you meet their minimum requirements at a community college. I believe UCSC participates in TAG and they have a great marine bio program. So that’s another option - that would get you to a UC and save you quite a bit of money.
Sounds like Cal Poly Humboldt would be a great fit for you! It’s relatively easy to get in overall but their Marine Science program is well-known and superb. https://marinesciences.humboldt.edu/
Have you taken Honors Bio or Honors Chem (or are you currently taking them) in addition to Marine Science and/or Environmental Science?
Regarding the community college option… I think it really depends.
OP, why do you think you’ve been a B-/C+ student in high school? Your test score shows ability, and your EC’s show that you’re capable of dedication and effort. Has there been an upward trend in your grades, or have they remained steady or dropped over time? Has anything changed over the course of high school in terms of the larger context that may have affected your performance? (For example, we see a lot of applicants here who were late-diagnosed with ADHD or similar issue, who have gotten into treatment and seen a big change in their performance, but too late to salvage the HS GPA… and others whose grades suffered because of challenging situations at home.)
What has worked and not worked for you in high school should be pointing the way to the best environment for you in college. While there are great instructors and inspiring classroom experiences to be found in the community colleges, it is also likely to feel more like high school than the other options. If you want another chance to prove yourself in a traditional classroom environment, and then aim “higher” as a transfer than you could as a first-year applicant, it could be an excellent and cost-effective option.
But that’s if living at home is a good environment for you… if you could sustain motivation while pounding out your GE’s while having little direct involvement in your desired major for the first two years, and if your ideal transfer schools are ones you couldn’t get into now.
Even if you knew ahead of time that you could and would knock it out of the park in community college and get into a “top” UC, it still might well be that going straight to Cal Poly Humboldt or Cal Maritime would give you a more inspiring education. You’d have hands-on opportunities in your field of interest for the whole four years. You could connect with faculty mentors early on, get involved in research, and distinguish yourself as a leader. A UC education isn’t the be-all and end-all for everyone; it’s what you do in college that matters, so choosing an environment that plays to your strengths is all-important.
You also haven’t mentioned finances - what is your budget for college, and will you qualify for need-based financial aid?
HI UCbalamnus - thank you for the detailed information and links. very informative. Understand UC’s are going to be tough - we will still apply and hope we can get into the lower end ones with help of extracurriculars. SAT score would have helped if they considered, looks like not.
We are primarily down to CSU’s and ASU is a great option. I checked the link you provided - seems like a possibility to get in with the decent SAT score. Humbolt seems very interesting for us - i am planning for a campus visit next month to see if we like it. Thanks once again for helping out with pointers!
I don’t think the SAT scores would have helped at the UCs. Alas we’ll never know. But 1360 likely wouldn’t have been additive except maybe at one or two. Maybe.
I think U of A is possible but not assured like ASU as they don’t appear to use the test score as an assurance for admission.
You might look at NAU too given it’s location and desire for environmental science.
Of course if you want some type of oceanography or marine science, a coastal school might be better.
If you’re open to further anway and small - don’t know the budget - Eckerd could make a solid choice.
speaking for my son here - yes he is an ADHD kid - delayed diagnosis - his grades seems to be getting better this year (junior yr) after beginning treatment but fingers crossed. yes Community college and transfer to UC is a backpocket option, but looking for 4 year degree school so he could get more formal structured education and remain interested in pursuing bachelors degree. Do LOR’s make any difference to pull things up for admissions?