Should I even bother with UC?

<p>I will be graduating in 2008. Right now my current SAT score is 1410, I didn't do SATs till the summer of 2007. I also took the ACT and SAT II but I haven't gotten the scores yet, in December I will be taking SAT II again because I took math level 1 instead of 2. Anyways I'm kind of discouraged. I have an okay GPA most are 3.0+ and one is a 2.64, I failed a semester in the 10th grade when I got really lazy, but for the most part I still have around a 3.00-3.20 average and can get recommendations, took honors as well and did a lot of community service / internships. Lately I've been asking myself if I should just apply to state colleges instead of both UC and state. What do ya think?</p>

<p>Go to community college for two years, then transfer to a UC.</p>

<p>To be elligible for UC admissions, you have to have an a-g GPA of 3.00 or above. Thus, I would recommend going to a CSU rather than the community college and transfer to a UC.</p>

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To be elligible for UC admissions, you have to have an a-g GPA of 3.00 or above.

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<p>I think that's just for the scholarship, though I could be wrong.</p>

<p>Nope, it's the minimum. You can calculate your eligibility on the site, if you have a 3.0, there's a minimum 'score' you have to get to be eligible. Below 3.0, is not eligible.</p>

<p>You seem better than a 1410.</p>

<p>it depends on where you want your degree to be from, and whether you want to spend all 4 years at 1 school or are willing to transfer after 2. </p>

<p>The Cal-States offer a good education and you can attend the same 1 for 4 years. Some are residential in nature with kids living away from home at college, although most are commuter schools. The UCs have a stronger reputation which may affect your ability to get into grad school or find a job right out of college (depending on major). If you are thinking of xfer to a UC campus, then you should seriously consider the CC route. By law the UCs give priority in enrollment to kids from CC's, then to UC transfers, then all other colleges. So your chances are significantly higher from a CC, and in fact many have guarantee programs for most of the UCs (not Cal or UCLA, though) where you complete a set of courses with a specified GPA and are promised admission. A big drawback of a CC is the commuting atmosphere, although there are a few CC's where students tend to go away to attend (Santa Barbara CC, for one).</p>

<p>It's a big decision; take some time to think about what you want your college experience to be like in (academically, socially, etc) to help you decide. Talk to kids already in college to get more points of view; you may not be aware of or have considered all the ramifications of various choices such as living at home and going to the local CC.</p>

<p>BTW the UCs don't consider recs, so that's not a factor here.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the replies so far. I'm probably not going the CC route just because it feels like a lot of work with the transfers, but then again it doesn't sound too bad since it will save a lot of money and it sounds relaxing. Well, my goal is to move out next year (don't get along with my dad) so honestly I'll be very happy with state or UC. However I don't want to do all this work applying to UC if my chances are like one in a hundred.</p>

<p>As far as college experience goes, the main thing I want is my own place to live or with a friend in a city like Sonoma or some nice environment out of my hometown (San Francisco). I live like 5 blocks from my current CC but I'm ready to be done with highschool life and move out. I have a feeling CC will feel like highschool all over again which is another reason I really don't want that route. But yeah, CSU or UC I will be happy with either as long as I get to move out of San Francisco, but these replies have me thinking, what if I move out and do CC in another city? Will it feel like college? Hmm...</p>

<p>PS:

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BTW the UCs don't consider recs, so that's not a factor here.

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Wait so there's no point to getting recommendations written?</p>

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Wait so there's no point to getting recommendations written?

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<p>Exactly. UCs don't consider recommendations; if you send them, they throw them out.</p>