important: writing my essay on how my mental health affected my GPA and how im really resilient because of it… i have PTSD, depression and anxiety and was hospitalized for a week during junior year, so kinda screwed stuff up.
33 composite ACT
36 science 31 english 29 math 34 reading
3.5 unweighted GPA
Have taken one AP semester and didn’t take AP test
EC:
Varsity Track and Field since 8th grade, lettered every year
Freshman and sophomore club and high school volleyball
Volunteer hours
Work hours (more than volunteer): babysat a TON, worked at retirement home, now have a job through the city gov
Co-founder and leader of club Girl Up (connected to United Nations)
Summer career experience: worked on Oak Regeneration project and talked to government workers about receiving a loan, shadowed a veterinarian for a day, was a big leader here
Pretty interested in general science/biology/animal science
i dont think i have great chances… i kind of want to go to cal poly or santa clara, but it would be my absolute dream to go to UC berkeley or UCLA. i think my chances are low, but i don’t know, my grandfather was a big professor at berkeley and my grandma donates a ton of money after he died (i know legacy doesn’t matter). i also think my mental health can give me a boost hopefully if they read my essay. I REALLY NEED HELP 
Mental health issues do not give you a boost. They more often raise a red flag, and the rest of your application may be scrutinized carefully for signs you are not ready to go away to college. Has your guidance counselor read your essays to see if you are disclosing more than you should?
I have been doing a lot better recently, so i was hoping it would show resiliency because I got 4.0 second semester junior year. That’s what im worried about, disclosing too much. But i have about three or four essay drafts, and a strong one is not about mental health at all. I thought it’d be good to atleast mention it so they know i am capable of a better GPA.
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After reading other forums you’re probably right, Im going to have my GC disclose it in my recommendation. It’s unfortunate that mental health is still stigmatized. Thank you so much for the advice. Do you think I’d stand a good chance if it was disclosed as a health issue, though? Just as an explanation for lower grades junior year? I’m annoyed my GPA is lower than I’d like it to be.
Sorry to hear about your health issues, but for Cal Poly and the UC’s, counselors do not send recommendations.
UCB does invite some applicants to submit letters of recommendation, so this might be some help.
For Cal Poly, there is no essay to address your Mental Health/Health issues so they will base your acceptance on your GPA (9-11th grades), your test scores, intended major and HS course rigor.
You need to calculate your UC/CSU GPA (capped weighted) and Fully weighted UC GPA using this calculator:
https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
The UC’s only use 10-11th grades which may help you a bit. For Cal Poly SLO???, 9-11th grades are used so after you calculate your UC GPA, you can plug in your 9th grades to get your CP GPA. Having only 1 AP on your HS transcript will impact your weighted GPA and HS course rigor.
You have a competitive ACT score so it will come down to your GPA. You want your GPA in the 4.0+ Weighted Capped or Fully weighted range to have a solid chance at UC’s and Cal Poly SLO.
Santa Clara does accept LOR’s so it is one school worth applying. Did you take any Honors classes besides the 1 AP?
Until you have an idea of your UC/CSU and your CP GPA it is hard to give any guidance in the schools you should be looking at. I also agree with the above posters, that disclosing too much information will be a negative for many of the schools.
I looked it up and i have a 3.64 for UC GPA. I’m a little disappointed and I think I need to set my sights lower.
What about your 9-11th grades for Cal Poly SLO? Biology will be tough with your GPA, but Animal Science in the College of Agriculture might be possible.
SLO’s Freshman profile for College of Agriculture (Animal Science):
CP GPA: 3.90 ACT: 28 SAT: 1315
SLO’s Freshman profile for College of Science and Mathematics (Biology):
CP GPA: 4.09 ACT: 30 SAT: 1391
You will not know if you have a chance unless you apply.
You would be solid Match for Cal Poly Pomona’s Animal Science major along with UCR/UCSC/SDSU/CSU Long Beach for Biology.
Essays could make a difference on your chances as long as you do not go into great detail about your Mental health issues.
Make sure you apply widely so you have some good options next Spring.
Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.40-3.79 (capped weighted) and not major specific:
UCB: 2%
UCLA: 3%
UCSD: 6%
UCD: 15%
UCSB: 14%
UCI: 13%
UCSC: 59%
UCR: 78%
UCM: 92%
25th - 75th percentiles for ACT:
UCB: 30-34
UCLA: 30-34
UCSD: 29-34
UCSB: 28-33
UCD: 26-32
UCI: 26-32
UCSC: 26-31
UCR: 23-30
UCM: 20-27
Mental Issues do not give a boost to applications. To the admission counselor, they see a student who needs help with his or her problems. To admit a student like that, not only puts them at danger but the people around you. If you were to talk about how you USED to have problems and how you OVERCAME them and how they SHAPE you to be the person you are today, that would help in your favor.
UCR and UCM are your best UC shots. SLO, probably nor. You are on the bubble for SDSU. Most program at any other CSU would be happy to have you.
update: I got into my top school, cal poly SLO. knew I could do it, thanks to the supporters
Congratulations!