Hi everyone,
Can someone tell me recommended unweighted GPA’s for UC: Irvine, Davis and Santa Barbara? I know 4.0 UW GPA greatly increase your chances for UC’s; however, don’t admission people know that by not adding 9th grade classes they are not getting an accurate view of the applicant. For instance, if a person did poorly in either sophomore or junior year only do they understand if your W GPA is still relatively high? (what I mean is getting B’s in AP/ UC approved weighted classes)
If you look at the common data sets for the UC’s, the majority of enrolled Freshman applicants have a 3.75 unweighted GPA or higher. The UC’s will look at Freshman grades, they are just not used in the GPA calculation so doing well Freshman year is still noted in the application review. The UC’s will take note of upward grade trends along with downward trends for 9th-11th plus an increase in course rigor will be considered. You do not have like or agree with how the UC’s consider GPA or grades in their application review but if you want an acceptance you have to deal with their system or do not apply at all.
The admissions “people” understand that Freshman have to adjust to their new high school schedules and EC’s, so they don’t count the freshman year grades for that purpose. (Give the adcoms credit, they know what they are doing for their campuses.)
As a sophomore and junior, your classes and EC’s become more complicated and advanced. The uni’s want to see how you perform in comparison to your peers, in challenging classes. Other students, throughout the state, also have had to face the same challenges. So, you have to perform as best as you can. University level work doesn’t get easier, it gets harder and you have to be able to keep up.
The uni’s know that every school district “weights” their grades/AP’s differently (Some school systems give 6.0’s which is ridiculous!). The UC’s “level the playing field” by only looking at 10th and 11th grade and placing every applicant’s grades on the same scale. This system has been working for the UC’s for a while, so they are not going to change this method of calculation. The advantage, that you are not considering, is that the UC’s use a holistic method when looking at your application and view your EC’s and essays, to give you a chance to show your productivity and efforts. A lot of schools don’t do that.
Thank you for the input, (sorry I said “people” I meant officers, I did not mean to offend anyone)
That being said, I still question the effectiveness of this system in selecting the brightest and most deserving candidates. You are definitely right that adjusting to 9th grade may be a difficult transition phase for some, but the transition into 10th or 11th grade can also be hard pending on the course load taken. Theoretically, couldn’t UC’s dismiss the lowest UW GPA year (or even semester) from your first three years of high school? If a student took one weighted class sophomore year and 3 weighted classes junior year and got all A’s, he or she would be favored over the person that got all B+'s sophomore year (from taking 3-5 UC approved weighted classes and got all A’s in junior year) since the latter’s UW GPA is much lower?
Also, is a 3.5 UW GPA decent?
Wow, you are not going to let this go, are you? The UC system is not going to change its policies because one student feels the system does not work well for him/her. You will get in wherever you get in. Have your safeties and hope that the rest of your application merits a good look-through.
The UC’s receive hundreds of thousands of applications per year, from all over the world. Those students don’t have your advantages of being instate.
What about students who have worked extremely hard while doing their sports and activities who did get 4.0’s? Would you negate their workloads because you feel you have more of a right to get into a school, than those students who REALY earned those 4.0’s?
Arguing about a change in policy, for your personal situation and advantage, shows that you are used to somehow getting your way, and that this equitable UC policy isn’t working for you; so by arguing you’re hoping for a miraculous change to your advantage. My 3 kids worked extremely hard to get into their schools, first and foremost, because of their grades and high SAT scores. It wasn’t easy. They were always dead tired, exhausted and frustrated by the amount of work and sports’ practices. They, however, have done extremely well, at their universities, with that kind of high school preparation. So suck it up, and wait for your acceptances. You’ll get in wherever you get in.
Your GPA is fine for most state schools in California.