I sorta dug myself into a hole here. i have a decent sat score of 1520 but a horrible unweighted gpa of 3.5. I think my weighted gpa is around 3.8 but I’m not too sure since I’m getting conflicting answers on whether honors are on a 5.0 scale or 4.5 scale. I’ve been looking at some college match websites but I don’t think they are too accurate. For example, Naviance says that UChicago is a match for me since my sat score fits within its last year freshman admittance profile. Since I’ve heard that GPA is way more important than SAT scores. I’m wondering which colleges should be my match and safeties? California schools are appreciated but out of states shouldn’t be a problem.
We need more information.
What are your financial constraints, how do your parents feel about you leaving California, given so many fine in-state options, what do you want to study, do you want urban/rural, etc.
And what does your guidance counselor say about your match schools?
Hi, thanks for the quick reply. There are not many financial constraints and my parents prefer me to stay in california but don’t really care overall. I prefer to study EECS or maybe something physics based. Urban, rural doesn’t really affect me. As for my counselor, my current match schools are:
UIUC - public
U Washington
U Minnesota
Virginia Tech
Florida Institute of Technology
Lehigh University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stevens Institute of Technology
Problem is I don’t know how my low GPA will affect my chances of going into these schools.
.
those are good choices and matches for you. but with that SAT, I still think it’s ok to reach for a couple. why not take a chance and apply to UCLA or Claremont McKenna?Some other good schools for engineering that are underrated are CAse Western and Rochester- they aen’t much like California but neither are UW or RPI.
I agree, you have nothing to lose by applying to UCLA or Berkeley. In fact, you’re a great candidate for most UC schools. I’d say, apply to all of them. They would be the best value, since the schools are in-state. If you want to go out of state, your stats would earn you an out of state tuition waiver at Univ of AZ and AZ State. You’d get a tuition scholarship at University of Alabama. You have more than plenty of options with your grades.
Calculate your UC GPA’s and post the Unweighted, Capped Weighted and Fully Weighted. This will give you a better idea of how your compare and the UC’s tend to be more GPA focused vs. test focused.
https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
For EECS, you will need top grades/test scores or basically the whole package needs to be competitive for UCB/UCLA. No harm in applying but make sure you have a couple of CA schools as Safeties.
2018 Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.80-4.19 capped weighted and not major specific:
UCB: 10%
UCLA: 9%
UCSD: 34%
UCSB: 38%
UCD: 41%
UCI: 38%
UCSC: 70%
UCR: 84%
UCM: 95%
2019 UC capped weighted GPA averages:
UCB: 4.23
UCLA: 4.25
UCSD: 4.23
UCSB: 4.16
UCI: 4.13
UCD: 4.13
UCSC: 3.96
UCR: 3.90
UCM: 3.73
2019 Data:
25th - 75th percentiles for SAT totals:
UCB: 1340-1540
UCLA: 1330-1550
UCSD: 1300-1520
UCSB: 1280-1520
UCD: 1230-1490
UCI: 1250-1510
UCSC: 1200-1450
UCR: 1130-1400
UCM: 1020-1290
Yea I will add my UC gpas once school starts. Right now I don’t have access to my school transcripts and I already forgot what grades I got sophomore year. Thanks to all the people replying. As of right now I want to study either computer science or computer engineering. Thanks to the people suggesting I try UC Berkeley and LA, and while I do plan on applying, I don’t think my chances of getting into those 2 schools to be high. What schools should be considered a safety with a major of Computer Science and my gpa and test scores? Thanks!
You’re right. Since UC’s weigh GPA more than test scores and since the majors you’re interested in are the most competitive at all universities, your odds of admission are not 10% (as the “odds of admission with that GPA” might let one think) but close to zero (since those majors are much more competitive than “average”). Definitely apply to UCSC since they’re excellent for your chosen major(s).
Look into SJSU and/or CPP if you want to have a local safety, they strictly use a GPAxSAT score formula and you’d meet the score they want for your majors.
In addition, regardless of test score, no university with a sub 25% acceptance rate is a “match” for anyone. It means UIUC and UWashington should be treated as reaches for these majors, not as matches, as would Lehigh in general. [look at the results’ threads from this year].
Run the NPC and request info from Case Western Reserve (weighs test scores more), UMass Amherst, UIowa (you should have automatic admissions based on stats and a high likelihood of Honors College - would make an excellent safety), WPI, the Raikes School at UNebraska, plus some CA universities such as Santa Clara University (if they know your school and its rigor, the 3.5 will be appreciated within its proper context), Chapman for a possible safety?
To answer your last question, if you’re looking at CS, pretty much any school will do if you’re looking for a safety. Be careful with CS programs at competitive schools because they often make popular majors extremely difficult to get into. You never want a school to tell you what to major in.
Being a tech professional myself, I always advise kids to go somewhere non-prestigious, preferably in a city university, because that’s where students can find internships and job opportunities. ASU and U of AZ might be a good place, because you’d be very competitive for jobs in the Phoenix market. California is a lot different. There’s a lot of fierce competition for relatively few entry level jobs there and housing is cost prohibitive. Be prepared to apply to jobs out of state.
Out of state, UT-Dallas, UT-Arlington, and University of Houston are attached to strong markets.
I would not consider WPI a safety at all. Last year, average GPA for class of 2022 was 3.89. This year, average GPA for class of 2023 is 3.9. Their admission stats have been going up year over year. CS and EE are some of the most seeded majors. It could be considered a target, maybe. But not a safety.
CalPoly SlO is right in your backyard. It will meet your requirements. Check it out.
Don’t think UIUC uses weighted GPA. https://admissions.illinois.edu/Apply/Freshman/profile
Your GPA for engineering is a bit low so I wouldn’t consider this a match BUT look at your schools Naviance and /or History with the college. Some schools are feeders or just have a better history with certain colleges.
SLO has around a 5.5% acceptance rate for CS so not a Match school even being in-state. SLO uses 9-11th grades vs. UC’s which use 10-11th grades in their GPA calculation and admit by MCA points.
Here is the MCA point calculator and you want a minimum 4700+ MCA points if you want to be any way competitive.
https://mca.netlify.com/
Thanks for all the replies. The school I go to is Lynbrook High; I don’t know if colleges will know if this school is rigorous or not. Thanks for all the replies but I’ve searched them up but I don’t think they fit as safety schools. UT Austin’s, UIUC, and even SLO seem really hard to get in as a CS major.
When you apply to colleges they have someone that is specific to your high-school or region that will know all about your school. Your school also sends them a school profile (ask for it), to the colleges. It lists specific stats like avg GPA, amount of AP courses offered and a general overview of your specific school.
https://lhs.fuhsd.org/about-us/accountability/school-profile
Here you go. So you in theory are compared to your own school. Something like 68% of your school gets a 3. 5-4.0 GPA. (other fun facts on there).
@Knowsstuff wow thanks! been using that website for 4 years and yet I have never seen that page before
New Update: Just calculated my gpa and my UC capped gpa is 3.67 and my regular weighted gpa is 3.6. Also have another question, is band also considered a uc a-g course? My friends are telling me no, but my school’s website says its part of the f category.