<p>I'm an ancient (27) non-traditional transfer student with an abysmal GPA thanks to some bad decisions when I first attended college. I will be transferring from a CCC as a biology major. I'll be applying to some CSUs this fall and I want to make sure I have my bases covered. Is there any true safety for me? I think I should eliminate one of my reach campuses for the sake of finances, but I can't decide which.</p>
<p>*Current Total GPA: 2.807
*Current CSU applicable GPA: 2.660
*Total Units Completed: 56
*CSU-transfer units completed: 44</p>
<p>Planned Courses:</p>
<p>*Fall 2012 (14 units)
Biology 11A-Biology for Science Majors 1
Chem 1A-General Chemistry
Math 4B-Precalculus</p>
<p>*Spring 2013 (13 units)
Biology 11B-Biology for Science Majors 2
Chem 1B-General Chemistry
History 12-U.S. Since 1877</p>
<p>*ECs? Am I too old for ECs? Do they even care?
2011-Present: Zoo Docent (zoo education volunteer)
Member: Association of Zoo and Aquarium Docents
2009-2010: Co-chair of local 501(c)(3) transgender organization
Weird hobby: Showing rabbits, 12 years
Ancient history: Four years of FFA in high school</p>
<p>*I currently write for a living, so that's cool, right?</p>
<p>*Colleges under consideration:
CSU Channel Islands
CSU Long Beach
CSU Monterey Bay
Fresno State (my local college)
Humboldt State University
San Diego State University</p>
<p>CSUMB and Humboldt State, if I recall, both accept over 80% of applicants. For my low GPA are those still safeties? Since I'm in Fresno State's local area, does that increase my odds of getting in (even though I really don't want to)?</p>
<p>SDSU and CSULB are both very selective, and while I think I like both of them it doesn't make sense to me to spend money to apply to two colleges I likely won't get into. Do I have better odds at one or the other? Does anyone know if one is better than the other for a slightly older transfer student, or a bio major with an interest in marine biology?</p>
<p>I don’t think that 20% of the applicants to schools like CSUMB and Humboldt State have GPAs lower than yours, so it might be a tough sell. That said, I don’t know any of these colleges that well, so who knows?</p>
<p>Do you have any standardized test scores to show them? If I understand the situation correctly, transfer applicants are typically supposed to provide them. My 30-year-old uncle is taking the ACT in the fall.</p>
<p>Typically as an upper-division transfer, I don’t believe you submit any test scores. I never took the SAT, just the practice test. I am unsure if taking it now would boost my chances, though I know I’d do well (I did the PSAT in high school and had one of the top five scores, if I recall correctly). </p>
<p>A bump. I’ve been digging for info and I still can’t find anything about SAT scores for transfers. I wouldn’t mind taking the test, but it would be a waste of time and money if the score isn’t even considered.</p>
<p>You do not need to take the SAT to be a junior transfer.</p>
<p>CSUMB and Humboldt should be super easy to get in. Probably CSU Channel Islands as well. Since you’re a local at Fresno State, you have priority over other applicants there. See if the biology program is impacted there. I applied as a math major there and had no problem getting in. My friend also applied as an engineering major there with a 2.7 GPA and got in easily. Fresno doesn’t actually get too many applicants.</p>
<p>SDSU and CSULB would be hard to get into because they receive 50,000+ applications. I would say you would not be able to get into those universities. I’d say you’d have a better chance at CSULB but with money problems going on they’re cutting classes there left and right and reducing enrollment. San Diego is extremely popular as a location and I think if you were a local you still might get rejected there. Life is not without risks though, so who knows? </p>
<p>If you search hard enough you might be able to find individual statistics for the majors at whatever college on how many were admitted/denied.</p>
<p>You do not need any EC’s. Going into the CSU system it is strictly a numbers game. Your GPA is of the highest importance. UC’s are more holistic but they are also more difficult to get into. </p>
<p>If you don’t pull your GPA way up, I think you’ll have a hard time trying to find a job as a marine biologist. Even then, I think it’d be a struggle unless you wanted to teach at a university. Most people who go into biology intend to be doctors, pharmacists, or researchers.</p>
<p>CSU Northridge would be easy to get into. I feel like anyone with a pulse could get in there, but it’d be hard to graduate on time or get the classes you need. But the same thing goes with every CSU.</p>