<p>I have a difficult decision to make, and I figured I would ask the parents on their suggestion on this.</p>
<p>My GPA was very low by the end of junior year (2.82). My family was really worried until we found out about UC approved online classes that count as a-g credit. If you do them before summer break ends, they will count for your junior grades and be added into the GPA. So I did that and took AP Psychology part 1 and part 2 on BYU. With that, my GPA would be exactly a 3.0. I am also planning on taking ap government before this semester ends, and my GPA (weighted) would be a 3.08. </p>
<p>I have also been taking SAT Classes to prepare for the SAT. I'm hoping the SAT will be my lifesaver and get me into a decent UC (I'm aiming for 2100+). However, even if I do get a 2100, with a 3.08 gpa, I will probably only get to UC Santa Cruz or Riverside at best. If I went the community college route, get a 4.0 and transfer, I may get into UCSD or UCLA or maybe even UCB. I prefer this route better, however my family has already spent thousands of dollars on sat classes and online classes (around 3800$ total).</p>
<p>I don't want to just give up and choose the community college route because I spent so much money already, but I'm not sure whether I'll even go into a good college this way. I still plan on doing AP Gov and studying a lot for the SAT, but do you think this is a good decision? </p>
<p>I will be applying to college soon. And now, my main question is: "What would be considered a decent UC school that I won't need to go to CC to get in a better UC?" To be more specific, Do you think if I got accepted into Riverside or Santa Cruz, I should choose that or should I go to CC instead?</p>
<p>Thank you for your time.</p>
<p>Intended major?</p>
<p>Some majors’ freshman and sophomore courses are widely available at community colleges, while other majors’ freshman and sophomore courses are not widely available at community colleges (see [Welcome</a> to ASSIST](<a href=“http://www.assist.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.assist.org) ). Also, community colleges vary in how full their courses are. You may want to take these factors into consideration when deciding whether to go to community college or directly to a four year school.</p>
<p>The community college route does have the risk that if your grades are not high enough, you may not be able to transfer to a desired four year school which you may have been able to get in as a freshman. Of course, your intention is to get better grades to be able to transfer into a more desired school than you are able to get in as a freshman.</p>
<p>Of course, you can always apply to four year schools and then decide next April if you get in to any of the four year schools.</p>
<p>There are many reasons for choosing the CC route. They are typically a last resort/second chance for applicants with a poor high school record, or for economic reasons. They can also serve as a means to defer career related decisions. The CCs do not generally provide the academic environment that encourages personal and academic growth, and for that reason they are not the best choice for someone who is qualified for a 4-year State University or UC.</p>
<p>UC Santa Cruz is an excellent University, so I’m wondering why you have such a negative impression. And for dedicated students, UC Merced and UC Riverside provide as good an opportunity for a high quality eduction as any Public University.</p>
<p>@ucbalumnus: I will be majoring in Psychology, not sure which specific field though. I know there is the risk of not getting high enough grades in CC. The more I think about it, the more I think it would be a waste if I just gave up now and took the CC route. I’ll just do my best now, get the best sat score possible, and see what options I have at the end.</p>
<p>@fogcity: I do believe Santa Cruz is a good school, I was just thinking if I went to cc and did two years of that I could get into an even better UC, and I could save lots of money. However, I understand that CC is really the last chance, and going to UC 4 years is a better academic environment. My brother who went to UC Berkely thinks that If Riverside or Merced are my only options, it may be better to just go to CC and try to get to UCSD or UCLA, etc. However if I can get to at least Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Irvine, etc, I would probably go with that route instead.</p>
<p>Thanks for the responses!</p>
<p>There are some excellent CSU’s as well. Why not consider them? Also, Santa Barbara and Irvine are out of reach for a 3.0 student. Maybe Santa Cruz as well. All the California schools are much harder to get into these days, including the CSU’s that are not in your local area. Many 3.0’s are rejected from them. So, you might want to research your local CSU to see how the psych dept is. Why not cast a wider net, then re-evaluate your options in the spring?</p>
<p>@sopranomom92: If possible, I would like to strive to get into the UC system. I know my GPA is low, but I’m hoping my SAT and my personal statement can make up for this (I had difficulties and I can explain how i overcame them). I’m also currently doing a lot to show that I’m really trying (several online college classes, plus i’m doing community college classes already and getting A’s in them). </p>
<p>I don’t want to believe that Irvine, SB, and Santa Cruz are out of reach. I will strive to be one of the few 3.0’s that are not rejected. If I gave it my all, and I still don’t make it, then I will go to community college and transfer to a good UC after 2 years. Thanks for your suggestion though.</p>
<p>fogcity, I completely disagree. In my area we have an excellent CC, Santa Barbara CC. Lots of students go there and then transfer to UCLA or other UCs. The reason has more to do with finances (and I’m not talking about low income). For instance a friend’s son went to SBCC then UCLA and is now attending UMich for Law school with a huge scholarship. He can afford the other half of the UMich tuition because he went the CC route for those first two years.<br>
Please don’t dis the CCs. Not everyone goes to a CC because they are economically lacking or low income. (SBCC is just one example. Santa Monica also has an excellent CC and there are many others).<br>
OP: do your best however you should go online and read up on the UC admissions. It is really largely based on a formula that is specific to the UCs. You should also consider whether you are academically ready for a UC. Was their an extenuating reason for your lower grades in HS? You should also go to the website for the UC you want to attend and ensure that they accept online classes. Not all of them do.</p>
<p>I have always thought that the CC route to UC makes the most sense since the economics are overwhelming. However, one issue that has been pointed out to me is it is not as easy as parents think to stay motivated in the CC environment. You would think it would be easy to work hard and get the grades, but I have heard that when you are in a CC class with a lot of unmotivated people, it does rub off on you a bit. Many people go in on the UC track, but fall off due to the non motivated environment. You have to judge how self motivating you are.</p>
<p>My experience talking to lots of CC kids from our area is that they are able to find other students who are on the same “track” they are. It does seem there is a lot of variation from CC to CC.</p>
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<p>Could be, but isn’t that just like a lot of high schools?</p>
<p>Of course, in high schools, the motivated students often take the honors and AP courses. But in community college, wouldn’t the UC/CSU transferable courses be mainly populated by motivated students seeking transfer to UC/CSU?</p>
<p>Unless you have a really good reason for the minimal gpa (such as overcoming adversity), UCI and the other mid-tier UCs probably are out of reach. According to UC Statfinder, only 19 students with your numbers (3.0-3.2, 1800+)were accepted by UCI out of ~700 applicants. Those 19 would include recruited athletes, and other hooked candidates. Only 7 out of 1300 were accepted with a w-gpa below 3.0.</p>
<p>@ebeeeee: Yes, I have checked the list on uc doorways, I made sure my online classes are UC approved and will count towards my a-g gpa. There was a reason for my downfall in sophomore…(my mom passed away and I wasn’t really able to focus). I’m going to try to mention it in my personal statement but how I overcame that difficulty in junior year and beyond, and show that I am really trying.</p>
<p>bluebayou: I had difficulties, but I’m overcoming it, not adversity though. Were all 19 students athletes? I’m aiming for 2100+ on the SAT, do you think if I had that and a 3.08, along with a good personal statement explaining my circumstance, do you think I would have a chance aet the mid-tier UC’s like Irvine or Santa Cruz?</p>
<p>hbsurfer: Before I wasn’t motivated, but every since a few weeks ago, I started to gain lots of motivation. I used to think It was all over, but I’m clinging onto hope and convincing myself it’s not over yet, I have already spent my entire summer break doing college level work and sat prep classes, I think I can handle the CC route and stay focused, and I think I can handle the UC route as well. Only problem is if I’ll get in or not :o</p>
<p>Bump. Would I have a chance at the mid tier UC’s if I received 2100+ SAT and a good personal statement?</p>
<p>Do you have some reason to believe you will get a 2100+ on the SAT like previous very high SAT practice test, PSAT test or IQ test scores? You will have to average over 700 on each of the three sub-tests to get a 2100. The top Math students at your school might get over 700 on the math portion, the very best English students might get to 700 on the CR and the most gifted writers will be the only ones getting a 700 on the written portion. A students who can score above 700 on all three is very rare anywhere except on College Confidential. While some people do get scores like that on the SAT with a 3.0 high school GPA, like my ADHD/Asperger’s syndrome son, it is extremely unlikely.</p>
<p>@Lemaitre1: May I ask if your son got accepted to any UC schools if he applied there?</p>
<p>Actually, you don’t need to be a really smart nor gifted person to ace the SAT’s, it’s all about commitment and how long you study for it, which I’m confident I can achieve. The highest critical reading score I got was 680, with more practice I’m sure I can get 700 or more. Math is 580, but my weakest area is geometry, with practice in that, I think I can achieve 700. Writing is 620, again I think a 700 is attainable. </p>
<p>If your son can do it, then I’ll work hard to be able to achieve the same thing. Do you think I have a decent chance if I reached that score?</p>
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I think any of the UCs can afford good opportunities for the motivated student. Pick whatever UC you want and check out the credentials of the profs and you’ll probably be prety impressed. I don’t think you should dismiss UCSC or UCR so readily. If you haven’t visited the campuses then maybe you should go visit them and see what you think then.</p>
<p>As other posters have stated, another option for a 4 year school is the CSU system. You should at least consider it.</p>
<p>I think the CC -> UC (or CSU) route is fine. There are lots of reasons for people to go this route including affordability, late-bloomers as far as focusing on schoolwork and getting grades goes, and some people who just don’t know yet what they want. If this is what suits you or affords the best opportunity then don’t dismiss this route so readily either. I agree that if you go this route you need to meet with the counselors up front to make sure you’re taking the right courses to allow you to transfer and you’ll need to focus and do well despite possibly being in company with a number of other students whose attitude at the CC is an extension of the HS attitude they had.</p>
<p>I don’t know that you’ll be able to study your way to a radically higher SAT score. You can likely improve it some if you study a lot but maybe not as much as you have in mind, whatever that is. Just make sure you’re realistic on this. The proof will be in actually taking the real tests and seeing what scores you get. Unless you score very highly, you should also take the ACT since some people do better on it than the SAT.</p>
<p>After everything’s in just go ahead and apply and see where you’re accepted and you’ll then know what your options are.</p>
<p>I guess I just have lots of pressure. My family insists on me going to a good UC, or if I can’t, take the CC route and try to get into a good UC through transfer. They don’t want me to go to CSU and they don’t want me to go a lower tier UC. I don’t mind UCR or UCSC, and I don’t really mind CSU either, but my family thinks when I apply for graduate school or apply to jobs, I will look less appealing than those who went to the upper tier UC’s. </p>
<p>I’m just really not sure if I should go to CSU then go to CC first and then transfer to a good UC if those were my only options.</p>
<p>How did your family decide what’s a ‘good UC’ and what isn’t? Do they think no one from UCSC or UCR gets into grad school or gets good jobs? If so, do they have some statistics to back it up?</p>
<p>If you focus more on what ‘you’ want to do rather than what your family wants you to do, what would it be?</p>
<p>If I could, I would of went the cc route. However, my family has spent lots of money to try to get me into uc straight out of high school. I think if I can get to Merced at least, I may choose it. I want to try the 4 year experience if I can.</p>
<p>I would try for the 4 year college experience out of high school if I could. With the budget cuts, I’m leery of taking chances of getting the classes that I would need to move on to a UC within a 2 year period. Also the guaranteed admission GPA has gone up dramatically in our area–it used to be 3.0 would get you into UCSD from local CCs–now it is 3.5.</p>